VP-46

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VP-46 Grey Knights
VP-46 Emblem.svg
VP-46 Insignia
Active1 July 1931 - present
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
BranchFlag of the United States Navy (official).svg  United States Navy
RoleMaritime Patrol & Reconnaissance
Anti-Submarine Warfare
Anti-Surface Warfare
Part ofCommander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten
Garrison/HQ Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
Nickname(s)Grey Knights
Motto(s)The Oldest and Best
Strength and Honor
Engagements World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
Aircraft flown
Patrol PM-2
P2Y-1/2
PBY-3/5
PBM-3C/5E/5S2
P5M-1
P-2V-5F/7/SP-2H
P-3A/B/C
P-8 A

Patrol Squadron 46 (VP-46), also known as the "Grey Knights", is a maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. Part of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten, VP-46 is the oldest maritime patrol squadron and the second oldest aircraft squadron in the entire U.S. Navy, second only behind VFA-14. [1]

Contents

The squadron was originally established as Patrol Squadron 5-S (VP-5S) on 1 July 1931, redesignated Patrol Squadron 5-F (VP-5F) on 1 April 1933, redesignated Patrol Squadron 5 (VP-5) on 1 October 1937, redesignated Patrol Squadron 33 (VP-33) on 1 July 1939, redesignated Patrol Squadron 32 (VP-32) on 1 October 1941, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 32 (VPB-32) on 1 October 1944, redesignated Patrol Squadron 32 (VP-32) on 15 May 1946, redesignated Medium Patrol Squadron (Seaplane) 6 (VP-MS-6) on 15 November 1946 and redesignated Patrol Squadron 46 (VP-46) on 1 September 1948. [2]

Operational history

VP-5S PM-2 and crew at NAS Coco Solo c.1934 PM-2 VP-5S with crew at Colo Solo c1932.jpeg
VP-5S PM-2 and crew at NAS Coco Solo c.1934
VP-5F P2Y-1 taking off, 1930s P2Y-1 VP-5F taking off 1930s.jpg
VP-5F P2Y-1 taking off, 1930s
VP-5 PBY-3 over Panama in 1939 PBY-3 VP-5 in flight over Panama c1939.jpg
VP-5 PBY-3 over Panama in 1939
VP-46 P5M-1 firing HVAR rockets in the 1950s P5M-1 Marlin VP-46 launching HVAR rockets.jpg
VP-46 P5M-1 firing HVAR rockets in the 1950s
VP-46 P-3C in 1989 P-3C Orion of VP-46 in flight in 1989.JPEG
VP-46 P-3C in 1989
VP-46 P-3C over Seattle in 2010 VP46 SEATTLE WEB (4831815305).jpg
VP-46 P-3C over Seattle in 2010

Aircraft assignments

The squadron was assigned the following aircraft, effective on the dates shown: [2]

Home port assignments

The squadron was assigned to these home ports, effective on the dates shown: [2]

See also

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons .

  1. VP-46 History
  2. 1 2 3 4 Roberts, Michael D. (2000). Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons, Volume 2, Chapter 3 Patrol Squadron (VP) Histories (VP-46 to 2nd VP-48). Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. pp. 261–70. Retrieved 26 June 2016.[ dead link ]
  3. "First Navy Aircraft Lands at Baghdad International" . Retrieved 28 April 2019.[ dead link ]
  4. "The Navy's Last Active Duty P-3C Orion Squadron Is On Its Final Deployment" . Retrieved 8 August 2019.