VPNAVY VP-5 Mercury Capsule Recovery
http://www.vpnavy.org
VPNAVY Address

HistoryVR-54 HistoryHistory

Circa 1975

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation April 1975 "...Award Winners - Page 4 - Naval Aviation News - April 1975..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1975/apr75.pdf [02OCT2004]

VP History ThumbnailCamera

Circa 1972

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation November 1972 "...Aviation Safety Awards Announced - Page 3 - Naval Aviation News - November 1972..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1972/nov72.pdf [27SEP2004]

VP History Thumbnail

Circa 1947

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: Naval Aviation News December 1947 "...Reserve Squadrons - Page 18 - Naval Aviation News - December 1947..." WebSite: http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1940s/1947/dec47.pdf [18JUL2004]

Naval Aviation News

Circa Unknown

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...NAVY AIR TRANSPORT OPERATIONS - (A Historical Perspective) - by RADM Philip W. Smith, USNR (Ret) - with additional updates by PO1 Mark W Felhofer, USN (Ret) (Only VR Related Information Posted Below)..." WebSite: VRC-50 Association http://www.vrc-50.org/ [10NOV2006]

Naval Air Reserve VR

The post-WW-II Naval Air Reserve was organized 1 July 1946 with R4D VR mini-squadrons at some 25 of the over 50 initial Naval Air Reserve training sites. These VR aircraft were assigned to and maintained primarily by station active duty personnel with reservists training and flying some missions on the week-ends. With the transition of fleet VR squadrons to the R6Ds (C-118s) the Naval Air Reserve squadrons transitioned from R4Ds to R5Ds (C-54s) in the 1950s. With the termination of Navy MATS participation, C-118s became available and were assigned to the Naval Air Reserve starting in 1964.

The Naval Air Reserve force was reorganized into self sufficient Force Squadrons in 1970. The initial VR C-118 force squadrons were VR-50 NAS Jacksonville, Florida with a detachment at NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, VR-51 NAS Alameda, California with detachments at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington and NAS Glenview, Illinois, and VR-52 at NAS Dallas, Texas with a detachment at NAS Memphis, Tennessee. In 1972, VR-50 moved to NAS Atlanta, Georgia becoming VR-54 with a detachment at NAS New Orleans, Louisiana, VR-52 at NAS Dallas, Texas became VR-53 retaining the NAS Memphis, Tennessee detachment, the former VR-50 NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania detachment became VR-52 with detachments at NAF Detroit, Michigan and NAF Andrews, Maryland, VR-51 moved to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington and later to NAS Glenview, Illinois, the prior detachment sites. These squadrons essentially remained intact until the introduction of the C-9Bs into the Naval Air Reserve in 1978. Fleet Tactical Support Wing (now Fleet Logistic Support Wing) was established at NAS New Orleans, Louisiana in 1974 following the consolidation of the Navy Air and Surface Reserve headquarters organizations into the office of the Chief of Naval Reserve at the Naval Support Activity, NAS New Orleans, Louisiana in 1973.


Return
"VR-54 Summary Page"