VAP-62

Heavy Photographic Squadron 62
VAP-62 squadron patch
Active	10 April 1952 – 15 October 1969
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Role	Photo-reconnaissance
Part of	Inactive
Nickname(s)	Tigers
Engagements	Vietnam War

VAP-62 was a Heavy Photographic Squadron of the U.S. Navy. Originally established as Photographic Squadron Sixty-Two (VJ-62) on 10 April 1952, it was redesignated as Heavy Photographic Squadron (VAP-62) on 2 July 1956. The squadron was disestablished on 15 October 1969. ^[1]

Operational history

VAP-62 PB4Y-1P Privateers in 1952

VAP-62 A3D-2P Skywarrior in the late 1950s

• 1 September–19 December 1952: A squadron detachment was deployed to Dhahran Air Force Base in Saudi Arabia.
• 29 July 1960: During a landing aboard USS Saratoga (CV-60), the squadron’s commanding officer, Commander C. T. Frohne, and two other squadron crewmembers, were lost when the tailhook of their A3D-2P Skywarrior separated and the aircraft plunged off the deck into the sea.
• October 1966: The squadron transferred a detachment of aircraft and personnel to VAP-61 to augment that squadron’s operations in Vietnam.
• 25 August 1967: A squadron RA-3B #144835 disappeared on a nighttime photo-reconnaissance mission, the 3 man crew were killed in action, body not recovered. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Home port assignments

The squadron was assigned to these home ports, effective on the dates shown: ^[1]

• NAS Jacksonville - 10 April 1952
• NAAS Sanford - 20 October 1952
• NAS Norfolk - July 1955
• NAS Jacksonville - 15 August 1957

Aircraft assignment

The squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown: ^{[1] : 315}

• PB4Y-1P/P4Y-1P Privateer - May 1952
• AJ-2P Savage - September 1952
• F7F-4N Tigercat - May 1953
• A3D-1P/A3D-2P/RA-3B Skywarrior - 14 October 1957

See also

• Reconnaissance aircraft
• List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
• History of the United States Navy

References

1. Grossnick, Roy A. (1995). Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons Volume 1 The History of VA, VAH, VAK, VAL, VAP and VFA Squadrons. Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. p. 314. Archived from the original on 23 January 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
2. "Edward Jacobs, CDR". The Virtual Wall. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
3. "U.S. Unaccounted-For from the Vietnam War" (PDF). Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Retrieved 28 December 2015.