VFP-63 was a Light Photographic Squadron of the U.S. Navy. Originally established as Composite Squadron Sixty-One (VC-61) on 20 January 1949, it was redesignated as Fighter Photographic Squadron (VFP-61) on 2 July 1956. Redesignated as Composite Photographic Squadron Sixty-Three (VCP-63) on 1 July 1959 and finally redesignated as Light Photographic Squadron Sixty-Three (VFP-63) on 1 July 1961. The squadron provided a detachment of reconnaissance planes for each of the Carrier Air Wings of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The squadron was disestablished on 30 June 1982.[1]
VFP-63 was the only Navy combat unit with elements continuously deployed throughout the Vietnam War.[1]: 492 Detachments of RF-8A/G Crusaders served the following deployments:[3]
17 October 1963 – 20 July 1964 Detachment C USS Kitty Hawk. On 6 June 1964 RF-8A [BuNo 146823] was shot down by anti-aircraft (AAA) fire near the Plain of Jars, Laos, becoming the first Crusader lost in combat.[3]: 91 The pilot Lt. C. F. Klusmann was captured but escaped and returned to US forces on 31 August.[4]
5 August 1964 – 6 May 1965 Detachment M USS Ranger
21 October 1964 – 29 May 1965 Detachment L USS Hancock
7 December 1964 – 1 November 1965 Detachment C USS Coral Sea. On 13 August RF-8A [BuNo 146849] was hit by AAA over North Vietnam, the pilot ejected and was rescued.[5] On 8 September RF-8A [BuNo 146826] crashed into the sea 5 miles east of Quảng Khê, the pilot LTJG Charles Goodwin was listed as presumptive finding of death.[5][6] until 3 June 2017 when he was accounted for[7] On 8 October RF-8A #145617 was lost due to mechanical failure, the pilot ejected and was rescued.[5]
6 March-23 November 1965 Detachment A USS Midway. On 8 May RF-8A [BuNo 145628] was hit by AAA fire over North Vietnam, the pilot ejected and was rescued.[5] On 1 June RF-8A [BuNo 146881] was hit by AAA fire over North Vietnam, the pilot ejected and was rescued.[5]
5 April-16 December 1965 Detachment G USS Oriskany. On 29 August RF-8A [BuNo 146828] was hit by AAA fire near Vinh, the pilot LT Henry McWhorter was listed as missing in action until his remains were returned in April 1986.[4][5] On 8 September RF-8A [BuNo 146825] was lost to AAA fire, the pilot LTJG Robert Rudolph was listed as missing in action until his remains were returned in December 1988.[4][5]
21 April 1965 – 13 January 1966 Detachment E USS Bon Homme Richard. On 1 June 1965 RF-8A [BuNo 146852] was shot down over Thanh Hóa Province, the pilot LTCDR Frederick Crosby was listed as killed in action, body not recovered[6][8] until May 2017 when his remains were identified[9]
28 September 1965 – 13 May 1966 Detachment B USS Ticonderoga. On 19 April RF-8A [BuNo 146843] was lost to AAA, the pilot ejected and was rescued.[5]
10 November 1965 – 1 August 1966 Detachment L USS Hancock. On 9 April RF-8A [BuNo 144611] was hit by AAA fire, the pilot LTJG Thomas Walster ejected but drowned before SAR forces arrived.[5][10] On 5 May RF-8A [BuNo 146831] was shot down by AAA, the pilot Lt John Heilig ejected and was captured, he was released on 12 February 1973.[4][5] On 21 June RF-8A [BuNo 146830] was shot down by AAA, the pilot Lt Corbett Eastman ejected and was captured, he was released on 12 February 1973.[4][5]
26 May-16 November 1966 Detachment G USS Oriskany. On 31 August 1966 an RF-8A was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed into Haiphong Harbour, the pilot LCDR Tom Tucker was rescued by a helicopter from USS Kearsarge.[1]: 458 [5]
29 July 1966 – 23 February 1967 Detachment A USS Coral Sea. On 8 October RF-8A [BuNo 146899] was lost to AAA, the pilot ejected and was rescued.[5]
15 October 1966 – 29 May 1967 Detachment E USS Ticonderoga
5 January-22 July 1967 Detachment B USS Hancock
26 January-25 August 1967 Detachment L USS Bon Homme Richard. On 5 June RF-8A [BuNo 145614] was shot down by AAA and the pilot Commander Collin Haines was captured and held prisoner until 4 March 1973.[1]: 459 [4]
11 May-30 December 1967 Detachment 11 USS Intrepid
16 July 1967 – 31 January 1968 Detachment 34 USS Oriskany
26 July 1967 – 6 April 1968 Detachment 43 USS Coral Sea. On 21 September RF-8G [BuNo 144623] was lost to AAA fire, the pilot LTCDR Milton Vescelius was listed as missing in action until his remains were returned in August 1985.[4][11]
27 December 1967 – 17 August 1968 Detachment 14 USS Ticonderoga. On 28 March 1968 RF-8G [BuNo 144616] was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Laos, the pilot LTCMDR M W Wallace was listed as missing in action until his remains were identified in December 1988.[3]: 92 [4][11]
27 January-10 October 1968 Detachment 31 USS Bon Homme Richard. On 22 May RF-8G [BuNo 146830] was shot down by AAA, the pilot LTJG Edwin Miller ejected and was captured, he was released on 14 March 1973.[4][11]
4 June 1968 – 8 February 1969 Detachment 11 USS Intrepid. On 21 July RF-8G [BuNo 145642] was lost due to mechanical failure, the pilot ejected and was rescued.[11]
18 July 1968 – 3 March 1969 Detachment 19 USS Hancock. On 3 October RF-8G [BuNo 144620] crashed into the sea, the pilot LT James Merrick was killed.[12]
7 September 1968 – 18 April 1969 Detachment 43 USS Coral Sea
1 February-18 September 1969 Detachment 14 USS Ticonderoga
18 March-29 October 1969 Detachment 31 USS Bon Homme Richard
16 April-17 November 1969 Detachment 34 USS Oriskany. On 24 May RF-8G [BuNo 146884] was lost in a non-combat incident, the pilot ejected and was rescued.[13]
2 August 1969 – 15 April 1970 Detachment 19 USS Hancock. On 16 December 1969 RF-8G [BuNo 145611] was hit by antiaircraft fire and crashed at sea, the pilot LT Victor Buckley was listed as killed in action, body not recovered.[6][14]
23 September 1969 – 1 July 1970 Detachment 43 USS Coral Sea
2 April-12 November 1970 Detachment 31 USS Bon Homme Richard
14 May-10 December 1970 Detachment 34 USS Oriskany. On 14 November the landing gear on RF-8G [BuNo 145624] collapsed during launch, the pilot LT Joseph R. Klugg ejected but drowned before SAR forces could arrive.[6][15]
22 October 1970 – 2 June 1971 Detachment 1 USS Hancock
16 April-6 November 1971 Detachment 3 USS Midway
14 May-18 December 1971 Detachment 4 USS Oriskany
12 November 1971 – 17 July 1972 Detachment 5 USS Coral Sea
7 January-3 October 1972 Detachment 1 USS Hancock. On 5 September RF-8G [BuNo 150299] collided with F-8J #150299 of VF-24, both pilots ejected and were rescued.[13]
10 April 1972 – 3 March 1973 Detachment 3 USS Midway. On 16 June RF-8G [BuNo 145613] was hit by AAA near the Thanh Hóa Bridge, the pilot ejected and was rescued.[13] On 22 July RF-8G was hit by AAA, the pilot LTCDR Gordon Paige ejected and was captured, he was released on 29 March 1973.[4][13]
5 June 1972 – 30 March 1973 Detachment 4 USS Oriskany. On 13 December 1972 RF-8G [BuNo 144608] was destroyed in a non-combat incident.[13]
9 March-8 November 1973 Detachment 5 USS Coral Sea
8 May 1973 – 8 January 1974 Detachment 1 USS Hancock
1970s to disestablishment
In August 1972 with the Crusader being replaced as a frontline Navy fighter, F-8 training squadron VF-124 transferred its remaining aircraft and the training mission to VFP-63.
^ abcdefCampbell, Douglas (2014). Flight, Camera, Action! The History of U.S. Naval Aviation Photography and Photo-Reconnaissance. Syneca Research Group, Inc. p. 511. ISBN9781304471734.
^Thompson, Warren (2012). F4U Corsair Units of the Korean War. Osprey Publishing. p. 90. ISBN9781782006800.
^ abcMersky, Peter (2012). RF-8 Crusader Units over Cuba and Vietnam. Osprey Publishing. p. 86. ISBN9781782006534.
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