VA-304, nicknamed the Firebirds, was an Attack Squadron of the U.S. Navy Reserve, based at NAS Alameda, California. It was established on 1 July 1970, and disestablished almost 25 years later, on 31 December 1994.[1]
| Attack Squadron 304 | |
|---|---|
 VA-304 KA-6D Intruder at Naval Air Facility Andrews, 1990 | |
| Active | 1 July 1970 - 31 December 1994 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch |  United States Navy Reserve |
| Role | Attack aircraft |
| Part of | Inactive |
| Nickname(s) | Firebirds |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | A-4 Skyhawk A-7 Corsair II A-6E/KA-6D Intruder |
Operational history
edit- 1 July 1970: VA-304, a reserve squadron, established as part of a reorganization intended to increase the combat readiness of the Naval Air Reserve Force. Elements of reserve unit, VA-20G3, were used to form the newly established VA-304.
- May 1987: VA-304 operated from the Canadian Forces Base Edmonton, Alberta, while participating in exercise Rendezvous 87-Bold Warrior. The exercise was a mock full-scale battle between elements of the Canadian Armed Forces with VA-304 acting as an aggressor force.
- August 1988: VA-304 was the first reserve squadron to receive and operate the A-6E Intruder.[1]
Aircraft assignment
editThe squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown:[1]
- A-4C Skyhawk – Jul 1970
- A-7A Corsair II – 06 Aug 1971
- A-7B Corsair II – Sep 1977
- A-7E Corsair II – Sep 1986
- KA-6D Intruder – 22 Jul 1988
- A-6E Intruder – 05 Aug 1988
See also
editReferences
editThis article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons.
- ^ a b c Grossnick, Roy A. (1995). Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons, Volume 1, Chapter 2, Section 11: Attack Squadron Histories for VA-210 to VA-873. Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. pp. 272–293. Retrieved 16 June 2016.