The Naval-Aviator Network
Part 9: Whidbey Island and the EA-6B
CDR Davis
In this final article of a series contributed exclusively to AOPA (NZ) by member Norm Davis, we read of the author's time and experiences in setting up and commissioning an electronic warfare squadron with a modification of the US Navy's 2-seat A-6 "Intruder" all-weather attack aircraft - the 4-seat EA-6B "Prowler". We thank Norm for sharing his experiences and his at-times intimate thoughts during his fascinating military career before he moved to and became involved in a very different life in New Zealand.
By Norm Davis, CDR USN
In 1972, our family packed up, sold our house in Lemoore, and moved to Whidbey Island. I reported for training in the A-6 all weather attack "Intruder" at VA128, the Medium Attack Replacement Training Squadron. In a short course, designed to prepare me for the EA-6B, an electronic warfare 4-seater version of the A-6, I received training as pilot and as radar bombardier/navigator. Upon completion, I then reported to VAQ129, the Electronic Warfare Replacement Training squadron.
Before the EA-6B, electronic warfare was performed by A-3D aircraft with standoff jamming equipment. They would fly to some distance from enemy targets, set up racetrack patterns, and then aim jammers towards the enemy radar positions in an attempt to disrupt them and improve the chances of strike aircraft reaching their targets without detection. The EA-6B was designed to accompany the strike force into the target area and provide even stronger protection. Pilots with attack combat experience were being selected to fly in and command these squadrons. Other pilots and crewmen destined for our squadron were in training at the same time, and it seemed a good idea to engender squadron spirit by having the prospective members train together as crews. This we did.
In the meantime, existing EA-6B squadrons in the community were competing with each other for excellency awards. As our crews trained and became proficient in the procedures that our sister squadrons were using, I thought it might be interesting if one of our crews was allowed to enter into the competitions - for training purposes, of course. I requested that we be allowed to do so and, when the request was granted, I picked the crew and flew as the pilot in a "Prowler Stream", with 2 electronics countermeasure crewmen and a competition observer. We were required to fly in formation with an A-6 on a simulated attack mission. Our mission was to detect different threats on different frequencies and counter those threats correctly, shielding the A-6 and ourselves from detection during the flight into, over and out of the target area. The A-6 was flying this mission using all-weather techniques, in cloud, and we were flying in close formation. The flight lasted about 2 hours and we landed back at Whidbey Island. We heard nothing about how we might have succeeded until the night of the awards at a ceremony in the officer's club. WE HAD WON!
Fast Cruise
When ships are to be commissioned, as part of the preparation for going to sea for the first time, the new crew reports aboard, the gangplanks are pulled in, and, without leaving the pier, they practice every possible exercise as though they were underway. Since the ship is still tied fast to the pier, this exercise is called a "fast cruise". Before our squadron was to be commissioned, I requested that all squadron members still in training be allowed to spend a week in our allotted spaces to go through the motions of squadron procedure. We went through a "fast cruise" exercise and put all of our departments through some exercises to be sure that we were ready administratively to operate as a fully commissioned squadron. It turned out to be an educational exercise well worth doing and it gave our people confidence that they would be ready to operate once commissioned.
Mrs. Annette Davis Christens the
First EA-6B for the Squadron
1973 - VAQ136 Stands Up
Cdr and Mrs. Davis Cut
the Ceremonial Cake
Our squadron was commissioned with appropriate ceremony. Chief of Naval Air Forces Pacific presided, and representative aircraft and crew from our new air wing flew in to attend. Taking a page from the surface navy, Annette christened the nose gear of a squadron EA-6B with a bottle of champagne, and the air wing flew over the assembled personnel and guests. The final activity to celebrate the commissioning was a full dress Dining In at the Officer's Club. The guest of honor was a close friend who had just been repatriated from seven years in the Hanoi Hilton; Eugene B. McDaniel, "Red" to his friends, and his wife Dorothy, "Dot", very graciously consented to be our personal guests. Red was an A-6 attack pilot flying from the Enterprise when I was ordnance officer. He and I had also been squadron mates in 1960-61 aboard Intrepid, flying AD Skyraiders. His speech was extremely moving and inspirational. We were officially a squadron, and it was time to prepare to go to sea.
Carrier Qualification
Pilots were assigned to VAQ136 without having been carrier-qualified in the EA-6B. Therefore, it was necessary to arrange for these pilots to qualify as soon as possible. A new training simulator was available at NAS Lemoore - the NCLT (night carrier landing trainer) - although it was designed for single- seat A-7 aircraft. Following a short familiarization and a few practice "flights", our pilots were ready to undergo some very thorough simulations of night carrier approaches and landings.
A particularly daunting feature of this simulator was its provision for observers, i.e. it was possible for others to observe the performance of the pilot who was in the "hot seat". As skipper, it fell to me to "fly" the simulator under the highly critical eyes of my pilots. Approaches were made to a distant flight deck through all sorts of simulated weather conditions. Deck conditions were varied from a steady to a pitching deck, and visibility and cloud conditions were also changeable. Upon completion of a series of 10 simulated landings, I emerged from the simulator with my legs shaking - it was that realistic. When all of my pilots had completed flying the simulator, I felt, as did they, that they were ready for the ship.
We flew to NAS Miramar with a small detachment of maintenance personnel and awaited call out to complete four daytime "traps" (actual arrested landings) each. Fighter pilots were also qualifying aboard Ranger, and they had priority. An exercise that should have been completed within a day and a night met with delays attributable to inclement weather and aircraft handling difficulties. We cycled our aircraft and crews from Miramar. To do this we had aircraft manned and ready for start up on moment's notice. The day traps were completed without incident. The fighters were having some difficulty trapping at night, and we stood by from dark for the call out. The Ops Officer of the Ranger decided to call our aircraft out to remain in a holding pattern to be called down to trap whenever the deck was clear of other aircraft. After some time holding we were then sent back to Miramar, to remain on call. A few more callouts and cancellations occurred and the time was nearing 0400.
USS Ranger
I was beginning to feel weary, and I was sure my pilots were getting frustrated as well. At 0400, there was another callout, ostensibly to enter holding again and await a ready deck. The weather had been deteriorating and I sent a message to the ship that we were in no condition to continue, and we were shutting down to get some rest. The ops officer replied - you are ordered to comply - report in holding. I then replied that, as commanding officer of my squadron I was responsible for the safety of my men, and I refused to comply. That message was acknowledged and we went to bed.
The next night all of our pilots qualified in atrocious weather, and I was proud of their accomplishment. We were at last fully ready to operate with our air wing.
Air Wing 19 Integration
The concept of electronic warfare support by using aircraft designed to accompany the strike force had not been previously developed, and it was necessary to work out procedures and tactics that fitted in with all existing air wing operational procedures. Formal briefings explaining the capabilities of the EA-6B were presented to the air wing squadrons, and policies were established requiring the inclusion of electronic warfare planning in all squadron mission-planning exercises. EA-6Bs were then included in all air wing strike exercises.
Major air wing exercises were planned and executed with attack, fighter, and electronic warfare senior pilots alternating the overall planning responsibilities, culminating in the lead of the air wing from launch through recovery in the execution of the plan. The integration of VAQ136 into the air wing was facilitated by the fact that this skipper had been in each of the air wing 19s two light attack squadrons, VA192 and VA195.
1973 USS Kitty Hawk
The airwing deployed aboard Kitty Hawk for WestPac and the Vietnam War, stopping at Hawaii for briefings, an ORE (operational readiness inspection) and practice air strikes on the island of Kahoolawe, then on to the Philippines and Cubi Point. Following a brief period of operations in the South China Sea, we headed for the Indian Ocean - destination Mombasa, Kenya. While en route, I was notified that I had been selected to command the EA-6B training squadron at Whidbey Island. The USS Bainbridge was leaving the battle group to proceed back to Subic Bay, and I was offered a trip back. We had a change of command ceremony, in which the executive officer took the reins. The men presented me with a scrapbook commemorating the commissioning of the squadron, the original champagne bottle - reconstructed in epoxy - and the officers presented a punch bowl with cups engraved with the names of all aircrew.
COMATVAQWING Staff
While awaiting the assumption of command of the RAG squadron, I had temporary duty orders to the staff of the Medium Electronic Attack Wing Commander, Whidbey. During this time, I had the opportunity to spend some time with Annette and our five children. Three of our children were teenagers, and I soon rea1ised how hard Annette had been working in her capacity as wife of a commanding officer as well as solo mother. Traditionally, the skipper's wife is expected to be the one to whom all of the other wives turn for moral support. There had been, as there always are, domestic, financial and health problems that had arisen while the squadron was deployed and that she had had to assist with and now she was to be the skipper's wife of a squadron with four times as many people (and probably, problems).
I then recalled a promise I had made when we were married - that I would retire from the Navy after 20 years and bring her and our family back home to New Zealand I felt that, was I to accept command of the training squadron, it would have led to additional responsibilities and assignments well beyond the 20 years already served.
It was time to take stock and consider where my true priorities were. I decided to request retirement and relinquish my new command.
1974 - New Zealand
I retired as of 31 August 1974; we sold our house and traveled to New Zealand, arriving in September 1974, to take up employment on Annette's Dad's farm in Redan, Southland, as a farm hand. We were home.
A Flight of EA-6Bs