Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW-123) are an Operational Fleet Squadron attached to Carrier Air Wing 3 (CVW-3). Based out of Naval Air Station Norfolk they are currently deployed aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). They operate the E-2C Hawkeye, an all-weather tactical airborne early warning aircraft.
VAW-123 started in 1945 with the commissioning of Composite Squadron Twelve (VC-12). In 1956, they were re-designated as Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron Twelve (VAW-12). This change resulted in the establishment of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Wing 12 (CAEWW-12) and the commissioning of all E-2A detachments as independent squadrons. One of those squadrons, Detachment 59, became VAW-123 on April 1, 1967.
In June, 1967, VAW-123 set sail aboard the USS Forrestal for Vietnam. They were the first east coast VAW squadron to go to war. On July 29 of that same year, the Forrestal, while in the Gulf of Tonkin suffered a huge fire that killed 134 crewmen and left many injured. The fire also destroyed many aircraft and left the ship unable to continue its service in the war. The VAW-123 had no injuries or loss of life and only minimal damage to some of its E-2A aircraft.
Initially they were attached to Carrier Air Wing 17 (CVW-17) aboard the Forrestal. After the fire, they became part of CVW-3 aboard the USS Saratoga where they remained through the 1970's. Serving in the early part of the decade back in Vietnam before returning to Norfolk in 1973.
Through the 1980's they were attached to CVW-11 and CVW-1, and served aboard the USS America until she was de-commissioned in 1987. They saw several extended deployments in the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, keeping watch over world events the whole time. They also participated in the Gulf of Sidra events and were an integral part of the first combat usage of both the HARM and Harpoon weapons systems.
In more recent years, they have been a part of many operations in many countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia. Some of the many misions they have been involved in include Desert Shield/Storm, Deny Flight, Deliberate Force, Mountain Resolve, New Dawn, OIF and OEF. They have been cited on may occasions for efficiency, winning 13 Battle "E"/s and 9 Safety awards. They have played a huge role in the modern battlefield conditions where readiness and technology have seamlessly worked together to produce the highest level of support for air and ground operations. The Hawkeye aircraft have no equal in the sky and give the U.S. a tremendous advantage in the age of modern electronic warfare and the Screwtops of the VAW-123 have evolved step by step with the incredibly rapidly changing technology in order to provide the units that depend on them with the ultimate confidence they rely on to get the job done.
The level of service these folks provide has been top notch from their inception forward and many battles could have turned out very differently without their eyes and ears overlooking the battlefields of the world. Many in the air and on the ground owe them their lives in some instances. They will tell you how much they depend on the Screwtops and how much they appreciate what they do. They are a highly respected group among those who serve and they deserve every accolade they receive.
Thank you for your years of service and dedication to those you serve with and those of us who reap the rewards of your hard work, our freedom!
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