Carrier Air Wing 1 Squadrons Return to Norfolk, Oceana

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Four squadrons from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 will return to their home bases at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana and Norfolk Naval Station, Chambers Field, Nov. 16 and 17 following a seven-month deployment aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65).

Arriving at NAS Oceana will be the “Checkmates” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 211, flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet, and the “Knighthawks” of VFA-136 and their F/A-18C Hornets.

Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 123, the “Screwtops,” operating E-2C Hawkeye aircraft, and the “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40, Detachment 2, flying the C-2A Greyhound, or COD, delivering cargo, mail, and passengers to the ship, will arrive at Chambers Field.

During their deployment, CVW-1 aircraft delivered 65,000 pounds of ordnance, including 137 precision weapons, to provide unprecedented support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom. They completed more than 8,300 sorties, of which 2,186 were combat missions, while flying more than 22,500 hours and making 6,916 day and night arrested landings.

The air wing’s aircraft provided the first combat air support to OEF from an aircraft carrier in more than three years and was the first east coast air wing to operate in the Western Pacific in 18 years.

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