DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHIC SQUADRON TWO ZERO SIX
NAVAL AIR FACILITY
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20390

Squadron History

June1970 – March 1975

Light Photographic Squadron Two Zero Six “VFP-206 was established on 1 June 1970 at the Naval Air Facility, Andrews Air Force Base, Camp Springs, Maryland. The Squadron was formed from a former reserve unit, VF-11A1 along with a sister squadron, VFP-306. VFP-206 was placed under the operational control of Commander Attack Carrier Air Wing Reserve Twenty (CVWR-20), while VFP-306 was placed under the control of CVWR-30, which operated on the West Coast.

The formation of these air groups and squadrons reflected a new concept of the Naval Air Reserve Program. In order to improve the mobilization and readiness capability of the squadrons, they were structured for maximum self-sufficiency. A full allowance of personnel, aircraft, maintenance hardware and administrative material were allotted directly to each unit. Full time Technical Air Reservist (TAR), part time Selected Air Reservist (SAR) and a very small smattering of regular Navy personnel handled all maintenance and administrative issues.

The operational training requirements were expanded to include carrier qualifications, combined air wing exercises, ECM and night photo training and qualifications. Other training requirements included tactics, aerial refueling, photo processing and interpretation. The primary mission of the squadron was to conduct aerial reconnaissance to support the intelligence requirements of tactical warfare.

Upon reporting to the squadron, I was told by the Maintenance Officer, LCDR James, that AE-1 Robinson and myself were the only maintenance personnel in the squadron that had ever been aboard a carrier. Everyone in the squadron soon became very familiar with the pre-carrier checklist. We turned to the task of long days and nights in getting the aircraft ready for carrier quals.

The squadron was assigned four RF-8G aircraft in-house, and one pipeline aircraft to fill in when aircraft rework was required. These aircraft, listed by side number and bureau number, were the first aircraft that was assigned to the squadron. A/C 630 – 145625,
A/C 631 – 144625, A/C 632 - 145647, A/C 633 – 144617, and 145633 was the pipeline aircraft. Only the first four aircraft was taken for the first Carrier Quals aboard the FDR, CVA – 42 in early November 1970. Aircraft 145647 was found to have excessive corrosion in the intake and was sent to DMAFB for storage. Aircraft 144614 was received as a replacement aircraft. Aircraft 633, 144617 was sent to DMAFB because of an ECM service change, i.e. Shoehorn, which had been omitted from the aircraft. A/C 145633 now became side number 633. Aircraft 145607 now became the pipeline A/C. On 18 Aug 1973, A/C 144625 was lost due to engine failure on take-off. A/C 145625 now became side number 631 and the pipeline aircraft, 145607 became side number 630. Aircraft 146860 now became the pipeline aircraft and side number 634.

On 6 November 1970, VFP-206 and VFP-306 departed NAF Washington for NAS Cecil Field, Florida for Field Carrier Landing Practice, FCLP’s. This cycle when it began continued non-stop until all pilots were certified by the LSO. All tire changes, brake changes and other maintenance were completed in the fuel pits where the aircraft were hot refueled, serviced and hot seated. One very note worthy event was that A/C 633 BUNO 144617 ran non-stop for over 36 hours without shutting down. After nine days and nights the advance crew transported aboard the USS FDR, CVA-42. The carrier was at sea by 08:00 the next morning, and the squadrons had an overhead time of 10:00. The deck was ready by 09:00 after having had some difficulty in finding a pair of F8 catapult slings below deck.

The Catapult Officer and I, as Flight Deck Safety Inspector for the squadron, became acquainted very quickly that morning. The issue of the proper catapult slings had required some cooperation. When the Crusaders came overhead, it was truly a beautiful sight. Two flights of four coming across the deck in true Crusader fashion. The Catapult Officer said, “ I never thought that I would ever see the Crusaders fly again ; He actually had tears in his eyes. He clapped me on the back and said, “lets see how they work ;

From the first trap, all of VFP-206 pilots had logged 10 traps and 10 cat shots in only 55 minutes. VFP-306 however had to borrow two of our aircraft because of maintenance problems with their own. They also qualified very soon afterwards. The Roosevelt had the fastest deck that I had ever seen on the east coast or the west. The crew was well trained and very efficient at their jobs. They on the other hand were very surprised that the “reserves ; were so well qualified as well. But during that evolution, our Maintenance Officer, LCDR Gordy James, qualified as a “Triple Centurion ; 300 carrier landings.

As all the aircraft shut down for refueling, we were able to talk to the deck crew a little longer. They were genuinely impressed with these two reserve squadrons and the condition of the aircraft. They were glad to see the Gators back in action again. I’m quite sure that this was the first time that a reserve squadron had ever been aboard a carrier and qualified all pilots. But this was only a sample of things to come. We started making launches the next day with the regular air group that was normally assigned to the Roosevelt. We had spent 9 days at Cecil Field getting ready for carrier operations and we would operate with the fleet the next 10 days for a total of 21 days away from home base. On the morning of the 19th day, we launched all the aircraft back to Andrews AFB. The ship pulled back into Mayport that day and the rest of the squadron offloaded on to waiting trucks for our trip to NAS Cecil Field. There we loaded aboard C-118 cargo aircraft for the trip back to Andrews AFB. We arrived back at our hanger on 26 November 1970.

The aircraft stood up very well maintenance wise. We had qualified all of our pilots. We had given our reserve personnel a look of what the Navy was really like, and a great sense of a job well done. Spirits were high in the belief of our ability to do the job as well as our regular Navy counterparts. The squadron was off to good start.

After our return to Andrews, we sat to the tasks of returning to the daily flight and maintenance operations. In the early spring, we had our first formal personnel inspection and Commissioning Ceremony for the squadron. We were able to meet our new CAG Commanding Officer and get an official atta-boy for the early Carrier Qualification for the squadron.

On 08 May 1971 we assembled at NAS Oceana, Virginia with the rest of CVWR-20 for Carquals aboard the USS John F. Kennedy, CVA-67. We loaded aboard ship and were at sea by 08:00 the next morning. This was the first time that we were able to get a look at the other squadrons. There were two A-4 squadrons, an A-7 squadron, and a squadron of A-3 Whales. Two F-8 fighter squadrons from Dallas that would become famous for showing up the best that USAF Red Flag had to offer, and the four aircraft from VFP-206. We operated aboard the Kennedy for a week and by the end of that week, we were at parity in quality of operation to any regular Navy CAG that I had ever seen.

On 11 June 1971, Cdr. R. L. Coffman our new Maintenance Officer loaded us in a Navy bus and took us south to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia for Fleet Fire Fighting School. In order for us to be a sea-going squadron, we had to qualify for at-sea operations. For two days we manned the fire hoses, walked through the smoke filled compartments and exited somewhat worse for the experience.

On 08 Aug. 1971, we once again traveled to Norfolk, Virginia and loaded aboard the USS Kennedy, CVA-67. But this time it was with a full compliment of Selected Air Reserves for a full 14 days of at-sea Carrier Operations with the entire Carrier Air Group. Once aboard, the ship wasted no time in departing the shore. We were at-sea and receiving the full compliment of aircraft from our CAG. Flight operations began in earnest and we settled into a normal at-sea flight operation. We operated and maintained our aircraft just as we had on the beach, making all prescribed launches and recovery of our aircraft. At the end of our first week, the ship pulled into Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for an overnight port-of-call. The base had all the amenities of a normal Naval Station except the normal flow of traffic through an open front gate. It was obvious that this base was a fortified garrison. So the stay in port was brief and the next day we weighed anchor and headed back out to sea again.

During the second week on the Kennedy, the squadrons ran through various simulated tasks with photo, fighter and attack squadrons supporting the overall effort. The aircraft stood up very well in the whole CAG and I don’t remember seeing any heavy main-tenance preformed at sea. By the end of the week it was time to pull back into port at Norfolk. That morning all the CAG aircraft were launched off to their respective stations and the ship docked at about 14:10. With trucks waiting, the maintenance and administrative personnel and equipment were offloaded very quickly and all VFP-206 squadron personnel were back in our spaces by 18:30.

The 16th of January 1972, the squadron was ordered to Special Active Duty. We were to load cruise boxes, maintenance gear and personal luggage aboard a waiting C-118 aircraft. It was a nice sunny morning but the outside temperature was Minus 10 Degrees below Zero. All the gear was on pallets so the loading took a very short time. We were on our way to NAS Miramar and our host squadron, VFP-63. The interior of the C-118 remained cold the entire trip to sunny California. We remained in our cold weather gear throughout the trip. After landing at Miramar we opened the big cargo door and exchanged looks with sailors in short sleeves, it was 70 degrees.

We operated with our host squadron for two weeks. The pilots went through VFP-63’s entire training syllabus. In the hanger, we utilized the ECM sweep carts to ascertain the condition of the coaxial cables and other components for the ECM system. Those of us that had been in VFP-63 were able to renew old acquaintances and make many new ones.
We were also invited to take advantage of the maintenance supply free bins for the replenishment of hard to get maintenance items for the aircraft. At the end of the two-week period we were better able to operate and support our aircraft.

The next trip was a VFP-206 mini detachment aboard the USS Saratoga, CVA-60 for 5 days. On 03 April 1972, a five-man crew flew to NAS Jacksonville. There we would board a C-1A COD from the Saratoga to take us to the ship. The flight out was uneventful but the arrested landing was a new experience for some of the crew. Our crew was there to support the carrier qualification of CDR. William DeGrafft, who was slated to be our next Commanding Officer. LCDR R. L. Coffman, squadron Maintenance Officer, flew escort and would re-qualify also. The Sara was a good ship with a well-trained deck crew. Once the Commander took the first wire, it was an uneventful operation until he had qualified. After qualifying, both aircraft were re-spotted and refueled. After a sudden lull in operations, Mr. Coffman came down to the flight deck with some very disturbing news. The Saratoga had just received orders to deploy to Viet Nam. Having found that her CAG was short a photo detachment, the Saratoga sent a message to the Pentagon stating that they had a photo det on board and requested that we be transferred to their CAG. After several agonizing hours, they received a message, “request denied ;. We launched both aircraft back to Andrews ASAP. The five man crew off-loaded when the ship pulled back into Mayport on 07 April 1972. The Saratoga deployed for Viet Nam on 11 April 1972. We then had to contact our CAG to arrange a flight back to Andrews, because a flight back had not yet been arranged. SNAFU.

Our first Change of Command occurred at 1300 on 11 June 1972. CDR. William E. DeGrafft, Jr. relieved CDR Frank R. Dunne of command of the squadron. CDR Dunne was an exceptional CO. He was well liked by anyone that met him and he had great rapport with the crew. He was a very experienced rocon pilot with a lot of time in the RA-5C Vigilante as well as the RF-8G aircraft. CDR Dunne had over 3,700 hours of flight time and in excess of 460 carrier landings. He would be missed.

On 29 July 1972, we were on the road again. This time it was to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. The squadron loaded aboard a C-118 aircraft from VR-52 and departed Andrews at 09:00 and arrived at NAS Atlanta, Ga. At 12:35. We had a brief 4-hour layover while an engine problem on the transport was fixed. We departed Atlanta at 18.15 for the remainder of the flight to Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. We arrived at 01:00 on the morning of 30 July 1972. We were transported by Navy bus from the airfield to the barracks that we would call home for the next two weeks. Fortunately, someone had brought a smoldering wick insect repellent otherwise no one would have survived the first night.

The next morning brought a scene of a south Pacific Island with tall palm trees, WWII style Barracks, dirt roads and land crabs big enough to overturn a jeep. However, this was the Caribbean, but having been in both places, it was hard to tell the differences. Our hanger spaces were quite adequate and fairly well equipped. The rest of the CAG arrived throughout the day. By late afternoon the previously empty apron was filled with carrier aircraft from all the squadrons and over 1,200 men filled the maintenance and admin spaces.

This would be the first Operational Readiness Exercise to evaluate the entire CAG. The ORE observers were regular Navy and the reserve CAG would be judged according to the standards set for our fleet counterparts. The squadron received a grade of “excellent ; during the ORE. The comment from the observation team during the debrief was ; I’d be glad to go to sea with this outfit any day. ; This is truly indicative of how VFP-206 stacks up against its fleet counterparts. ;

After an engine change because of metal contamination in the engine oil, the squadron arrived back at Andrews at 21:45 on 10 Aug. 1972. We had enjoyed the white sandy beaches of the Caribbean and seen the nightlife of San Juan. We were back home with a much deeper tan from the sun close to the equator. We had been tested and not found wanting as a squadron and as a Carrier Air Group.

On 18 August 1973, while flying missions for Project Sanguine, LCDR Jay Miller experienced compressor section engine failure on takeoff from Duluth, Minn. IAP.
Ejection was as advertised and A/C 631 BUNO 144625 dug a crater off the end of the runway. We were very happy to get Mr. Miller back no worse for the wear, to fly many more special photo projects. A two man detachment flew to the crash site to recover or
salvage important components of the aircraft. They arrived back at the squadron on 29 August 1973.

Special photo projects were a continuous day-to-day assignment from military, government and civilian communities. Project Sanguine came from the CNO, the Potomac River Ecological Study from the National Park Service, and continuous aerial photography in support of the Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team. A special photo project was also completed for the NTSB after TWA flight 514 crashed near Upperville, Va. LCDR Richard L. Coffman flew an aerial photo survey of the crash area and recorded both in color and in black and white the approach and crash site of the aircraft.

23 Feb 1974, the squadron did their first at home active duty for training. The squadron flew 61 sorties, completing 120 flight hours of training. Areas of training were day & night aerial refueling, defensive countermeasures and day & night photoreconnaissance.
Perhaps the most demanding tasks of the cruise were the safe handling and loading the photo flash cartridges into the aircraft. Consequently, briefing, loading and flying the hop required about 6 hours per flight. As a result of that cruise, VFP-206 was the only squadron fully qualified for night photography. After two weeks of constant flight operations, the squadron launched all aircraft for an impressive five-plane echelon flyby over Andrews AFB.

29 May 1974, the squadron visited NAS Cecil Field, Fla. for a CVWR-20 Operational Readiness Exercise. The squadron maintained 92% aircraft availability throughout and all photo assignments were covered with outstanding results. RADM Geis, the senior evaluator of the team, stated that the coverage was the best that he had ever seen. CDR. Elliott, Commander of CAG-20 stated that VFP-206 reaffirms the One Navy Concept.

On 09 June 1974, the second Change of Command for the squadron at the Naval Air Facility, Washington, D. C. took place. Commander William E. DeGrafft, Jr. was relieved by Commander Richard K. Maughlin who became the 3rd Commanding Officer of the squadron. CDR. Maughlin was the Section Head of the Weapons Compatibility Section at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland. He had been flying Crusader variance for 13 years prior to taking command of the squadron.

18 August 1974 saw a five-man special photo detachment to Buckley Air National Guard Base in Denver, Colorado. Aircraft 631, BUNO 145625 along with LCDR Jay Miller completed the six-day event. All assignments were completed and the Air Force was reluctantly cooperative at Buckley. Photo processing was done at Lowery, AFB.

On the 29th of September 1974, the squadron traveled to NAS Miramar for two weeks of active duty with VFP-63 as host squadron. The rest of the CAG was at NAS Fallon, Nv. The main mission of the squadron for this active duty period was to provide pre-strike & post-strike photography for CVRW-20’s training exercises in Nevada. A necessary engine change was completed in an 8-hour overnight period. The aircraft flew the next morning. The last week of the cruise was done aboard the USS Enterprise for carrier re-qualification for the squadron. The squadron returned to Andrews on 14 October 1974, having completed far more than had been expected. A total of 139 flight hours had been flown. The entire training syllabus of VFP-63 had been flown plus a large number of special projects that were Regular Navy requirements that our host squadron had not been able to complete.

November 14 & 15, 1974 brought an Administrative Inspection by the CAG-20 Staff. The squadron scored an “Outstanding ; by the inspection team. The CAG Commander said that the squadron looked as good as it preformed, which was very good indeed.

On 12 February 1975, the squadron dispatched the five-man detachment to Nellis AFB, Las Vegas, Nevada by commercial air. This was a special photo mission in cooperation with other government agencies. This time it was with the full cooperation of the Air Force. We were well received and watched over. We once again took my favorite aircraft, A/C 631 BUNO 145625. This aircraft had come with me from VFP-63 and I had a great deal of faith in the aircraft. One of the criteria for this det was that the aircraft be fully ECM capable. Air Force Security was very tight. The detachment returned to Andrews on 19 Feb 1975.

Very late in February 1975, the entire squadron was called to assemble topside in the hanger. LCDR Coffman, our new Executive Officer and once Maintenance Officer, assembled the squadron to brief us on recent affairs with the squadron and to let the squadron know that VFP-206 had been awarded the Battle Efficiency “E ;. This award was extremely well deserved by the squadron. Without a doubt, VFP-206 was the best squadron that I was to ever serve with through out my naval career. And the Officers and men were the best of the best. I transferred from the squadron on 01 March 1975 to my new duties in Memphis as a Hydraulics Instructor.

(Content provided by Howard Russell.)

LIGHTPHOTOGRAPHIC SQUADRON 206
MORE SQUADRON HISTORY
MARCH 1975 - Coming Soon.