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Interesting Summary of the history of VR. (compiled by Capt Tedmon in response to a CNAFR tasker)
Interesting Summary of the history of VR. (compiled by Capt Tedmon in response to a CNAFR tasker)
I guess it depends on how far back you want to go and what we're counting in
the snapshot!
During WW-II
In 1943 VR had 4 Wings with 13 squadrons and a total of 173 aircraft,
primarily R4Ds, R5Ds, but also some PBY variants.
VR-1 Norfolk
VR-2 Alameda
VR-3 Olathe
VR-4 Alameda (training)
VR-5 Seattle (NAS Sand Point)
VR-6 Guam
VR-7 Miami
VR-8 Honolulu
VR-10 Norfolk (training)
VR-11 Honolulu (largest VR squadron ever with over 1,000 pilots assigned)
VRE-1 Honolulu
VRF-1 NAS Floyd Bennett (NY)
VRF-2 NAF Terminal Island (Long Beach)
And from 1946-1951 the following were added:
VR-21 Korea
VR-22 Norfolk
VR-23 Atsugi
VR-24 London (later Sigonella)
VR-25 London
Post WW-II
Arguably, VR's high water mark was 1946 when VR transported demobilized
personnel and equipment from around the world. Along with the active duty
squadrons, 25 Reserve "mini-VR" squadrons were established, such as:
VR-894 Seattle
VR-742 Jacksonville
VR-874 Oakland
VR-911 South Weymouth
VR-932 Willow Grove
VR-774 Los Alamitos
VR-704 Dallas
VR-723 Glenview
VR-791 Memphis
VR-881 Olathe
These mini-squadrons flew the R4Ds as the active squadrons transitioned to
R5D (C-54 Skymaster) and R6D (C-118 Liftmaster). In 1947, during every
month of the Berlin airlift either VR-6 or VR-8 was top airlift squadron as
measured by the Air Force.
By 1970, many WW-II era VR squadrons had been disestablished and the Naval Air Reserve Force was reorganized into self-sufficient squadrons. These 3 initial VR Reserve squadrons flew the C-118 flying a total of 30 aircraft:
VR-50 NAS Jacksonville
VR-50 Det Willow Grove
VR-51 NAS Alameda
VR-51 Det Whidbey Island
VR-51 Det Glenview
VR-52 NAS Dallas
VR-52 Det Memphis
This lasted just 2 years, when VR-50 moved becoming:
VR-54 NAS Atlanta
VR-54 Det New Orleans
VR-50 Det Willow Grove became VR-52
VR-52 (Dallas) became VR-53
And later VR-51 (Alameda) became VR-55
VR-51 Det Glenview became VR-51
VR-51 Det Whidbey Island became VR-61
In 1972, Congress approved the procurement of 37 C-9s with delivery
beginning in 1974. When SECDEF recommended consolidation of VR under the Air Force (MAC) in 1974, the Navy cancelled the procurement. At this point 12 C-9s had already been purchased. Reviewing the Navy's reclama, Congress reversed the consolidation order in 1976. In 1977 OCNR was designated the Navy Executive Agent for Navy Airlift by the CNO, and much of the active duty VR aircraft went to the Reserves. At this point there were 53
transport aircraft flying with Reserve Tactical Support Wing:
12 C-9Bs
4 C-131Fs
4 TA-3Bs (the whales with the couches)
30 C-118s
3 C-131Hs
along with 2 VC squadrons flying 19 TA-4Js
In 1983, the Reserve Tactical Support Wing at NSA New Orleans became Fleet Logistics Support Wing, moving to NAS Dallas in 1986, and to NAS Fort Worth in 1997.
1983 was the high water mark for CFLSW in terms of # of aircraft with 80
airplanes in 13 squadrons:
VR-46 NAS Atlanta
VR-48 NAF Washington
VR-51 NAS Glenview
VR-52 NAS Willow Grove
VR-55 NAS Alameda
VR-56 NAS Norfolk
VR-57 NAS North Island
VR-58 NAS Jacksonville
VR-59 NAS Dallas
VR-60 NAS Memphis
VR-61 NAS Whidbey Island
VC-12 NAS Oceana
VC-13 NAS Miramar
CFLSW Det NAS Washington
As far as total lift capacity, the high water mark would have been 1996 when
CFLSW had 27 C-9s, 20 C-130s, 2 CT-39s (Sabreliners), 6 C-12s, 4 C-20Gs, and 2 C-20Ds.
The high water mark for number of squadrons under CFLSW was 2004-present
with the transition of VP-64 to VR-64. The high water mark for number of personnel under CFLSW was 2007-2008 with 4,500 when 2 FRCs came under the VR wing.
The high water mark for number of TMS under CFLSW was 2006-2007 with 10
variants:
15 C-9B
2 DC-9 (last one was parked in 2007)
19 C-130T
9 C-40A
5 C-12F
1 C-20A
2 C-20D
4 C-20G
1 C-37A
3 C-37B
April 2, 2009
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