USN Bluehawks

[Bluehawk]

Nice patches pictured too...

 

Link:

http://www.va72bluehawks.org/main_menu.php

 

"Lineage

VA-72 began its distinguished record as Bomber Fighter Squadron EIGHTEEN (VBF-18) on 25 January 1945 flying Grumman F6F Hellcats. It was redesignated as Fighter Squadron EIGHT A (VF-8A) on 15 November 1946 flying Grumman F8F Bearcats. On 28 July 1948 it was redesignated as Fighter Squadron SEVENTY TWO (VF-72). VF-72 to the Grumman F9F Panther in 1951 and flew F9F-5s from the Bennington CV-20 In the Med. The squadron finally became Attack Squadron SEVENTY TWO (VA-72) on 3 January 1956 and was the first squadron to receive the new Douglas A-4 aircraft in September 1956. The VA-72 designation has only been assigned to one squadron.

 

Squadron Insignia and Nickname

The squadron’s first insignia was approved by CNO on 9 April 1946. Colors for the bear-cat insignia were: white upper background and sky blue lower background outlined in black; black bear-cat with white markings and a red tongue; white cloud with sky blue markings; white and black carrier and the waves extending from the carrier were white, streaked with black; and a black bomb and gun with white markings.

 

On 5 December 1950 a new insignia was approved by CNO. Colors for the peregrine falcon were: a red outline with upper background white and the lower background blue; the falcon had a black head with gray feathers and black markings; the beak, eye and feet were yellow with black markings and the tongue was red.

 

Following the squadron’s redesignation in 1956 it continued to use the falcon insignia but modified the shape of the falcon and included the words BLUE HAWKS in the sky between the wings of the falcon. This insignia served the squadron for 35 years until its disestablishment. Some squadron patches added a scroll with the word ATKRON 72. One batch of patches made in WESTPAC during the Vietnam War misspelled the wording and the scroll read “ATAKRON 72.” The scroll was outlined in red, with a white background and blue letters.

 

According to the official history, the squadron nickname in the early 1950s was the “Hawks” and was changed to the “Blue Hawks” in the early 1960s and remained in use until the squadron was disestablished in1991. However, the official squadron from the mid 1960s said that the squadron’s original nickname was the “Skyhawks” which was changed when the squadron received the first fleet delivery of the new Douglas A-4D. Douglas had named the A-4 “Skyhawk” and to avoid confusion the squadron changed its nickname to the “Blue Hawks.”.

 

Apparently, the squadron was scheduled to be redesignated as VFA-72 and transition to the F/A-18 Hornet, but it was caught in a budget squeeze and was disestablished on 30 June 1991. The transition ready squadron patch is seen below."