While Japanese Kamakaze aircraft were slashing the United States Fleet on the Pacific Ocean, battleground, fighting admirals turned strategists in search for an antidote to the Oriental suicidal tactics.
Today at NAS, Barber's Point, Oahu, T.H., Airborne Early Warning Squadron One provides a vivid example of the results of the wartime search for a GI swami.
This eyes and ears squadron's ancestry goes back to the fall of 1945 when the first of its kind was commissioned. Single-engine scout aircraft were used, and then multi-engine planes were adapted to house the additional radar instruments.
Several months later the new outfit was incorporated into the Navy's Operational Development Force and designated VX-4.
During Atlantic Fleet exercises which followed, the real urgency of this type unit was visualized, and the decision was made to locate one on each Coast.
In 1948, Airborne Early Warning Squadron ONE made its West Coast deput at Ream Field, San Diego, California. Commander F. P. Anderson, who is currently commanding officer of VW-1, was executive officer of its mainland predecessor.
When VPW-1 later moved to NAS, Miramar, it was re-designated VP-51 and participated in fleet airborne early warning and anti-submarine warfare operations off the San Diego coast. They also engaged in air defense exercises on the entire West Coast and chased typhoons in the Pacific Ocean area.
Then VP-51 played an important role in the atomic bomb tests at Eniwetok Island. A short time later the squadron was de-commissioned because of budget difficulties.
However, owing to the value of an early warning unit, a detachment was maintained in the San Diego area at Miramar, under VC-11.
Constantly under evaluation, AEW operations proved a vital necessity to the security of the United States. Then on 5 June 1952, under command of LCDR J.H. Copple, the Miramar detachment was deployed to the Hawaiian Area and Barber's Point with PB-1W aircraft and Squadron personnel. This type plane is the Navy reconnaissance version of the U.S. Air Force B-17G.
From its Post-War conception as the "Cadillac Project" until the commissioning of the Airborne Early Warning Squadron ONE on 18 June 1952, this comparatively new defensive theory has been subjected to a constant battery of tests and evaluations. Its rebirth as a full scale operating squadron indicates the acceptance of this new weapon.
Primary Mission - To provide radar early warning and airborne CIC services (including air controlled intercepts) for forces afloat and ashore as directed.
Secondary Mission - Scouting, ASW search, electronic countermeasure reconnaissance and weather reconnaissance. To accomplish these missions, the squadron presently consists of 50 officers and 289 enlisted men. Full complement is 76 officers and 282 enlisted men. At the present time, the squadron has 6 PB-1W's and 1 WV-1 (Constellation). CDR F.P. Anderson is the Commanding Officer and CDR E.A. Luehman is the Executive Officer.
