VA-205

VA-205

Point of Contact = Squadron Duty Officer (SDO).
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Green Falcons - 1971

Green Falcons - 1994
 

Patch

October 15, 1971 the Green Falcon patch, displayed above, was created.

Sources

David Weber

Harry S. Gann

John Gabbard

Handle

1971-1994 the Green Falcons.

Heritage

July 1, 1970 - - Reserve Attack Squadron TWO HUNDRED FIVE (VA-205) established.

December 31, 1994 - - Reserve Attack Squadron TWO HUNDRED FIVE (VA-205) disestablished

Home Ports

July 1, 1970 - - - - Naval Air Station Atlanta, Georgia

Air Wings

July 1, 1970 - - - - - - AF - - - - - - CVWR-20

Aircraft

Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft:

Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft:

September 1, 1970 - - - - - Douglas A-4L Skyhawk

September 26, 1975- - - - - Vought A-7B Corsair II

June 20, 1984 - - - - - - - Vought A-7E Corsair II

August 22, 1990 - - - - - - Grumman KA-6D Intruder

November 17, 1990 - - - - - Grumman A-6E Intruder

For A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit see lower in this page:

Deployments

No info yet

Commanding Officers

July 1970- - - - - - - CDR John B. Barnes

February 1972- - - - - CDR Virgil R. Tedder

July 1973- - - - - - - CDR Jack S. Smith

July 1975- - - - - - - LCDR David K. Maskell

January 1977 - - - - - CDR Robert D. Sibold

August 1978- - - - - - CDR James G. Bailey

February 1980- - - - - CDR Gadsden S. Gause

October 1981 - - - - - CDR Gary C. Ayers

April 1983 - - - - - - CDR John D. Kish

October 1984 - - - - - CDR Robert T. Golden

April 1986 - - - - - - CDR Michael C. Crabtree

October 1987 - - - - - CDR Dana F. Miller

October 1988 - - - - - CDR Daniel E. Caldwell

April 1990 - - - - - - CDR Randall C. Schultz

October 1991 - - - - - CDR M. Kent Horne

August 1992- - - - - - CDR Thomas R. McInvale

November 1993- - - - - CDR Kent D. White

Awards

MUC

July 1, 1977 to December 31, 1978

Awards continued

No additional info

Events

July 1, 1970: Reserve Attack Squadron TWO HUNDRED FIVE (VA-205), was established at Naval Air Station Atlanta, Georgia as part of reorganization designed to increase Naval Air Reserve Force combat readiness. The VA-205 Green Falcons were assigned the Douglas A-4L Skyhawk.

20 June 1971: LCDR Frederick Ralph Boardman was killed in a Mid-Air Collision While piloting an A4. The accident occurred 5 miles North of Rome, Georgia. The A4's were flying out of NAS Atlanta. Another A4 pilot was involved in the collision but survived. From Gregory T. Boardman. Lt. Fred R. Boardman was killed, and Lt Cmdr. John E. Owens Jr. ejected safely when A-4L BuNo 149569 & A-4L BuNo 148453 collided in mid-air near Rome, GA, scattering debris widely across the campus of Berry College.
Lubbock, TX, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal article. - Lt. Fred R. Boardman was killed and LCdr. John E. Owens Jr. ejected safely Sunday when their A-4L Skyhawks attached to NAS Dobbins AFB at Marietta, GA, collided in mid-air near Rome, GA, scattering debris widely across the campus of Berry College. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, Monday, June 21, 1971. The midair was a flight of four A-4s, Doug Cutter (DAL), me (Shand Gause), John Owens (PAA) and Jim Boardman (EAA). I (Shand) was wing on John and Doug was wing on Jim. 2 V 2 and Jim Boardman hit John Owens from a low attack and cut John's a/c in half. John punched out from 18,000 ft. and I followed him down until he landed in a cow pasture. Not a scratch on him. - The midair was a flight of 4 A 4s, Doug Cutter (DAL), me, John Owens (PAA) and Jim Boardman (EAA). I was wing on John and Doug was wing on Jim. 2 V 2 and Jim hit John from a low attack and cut John's a/c in half. John punched out from 18,000 ft. and I followed him down until landing in a cow pasture. Not a scratch on him. Jim's father lived in my neighborhood and his sister is still a good friend. From: Shand Gause, 12 February 2016.

August 1971: The Green Falcons conducted two weeks of active-duty training embarked on United States Ship John F. Kennedy (CVA 67) as part of CVWR-20. This was the first complete Reserve Carrier Air Wing deployment aboard a carrier.

November 11, 1971: Lt. James E. Zerblis was killed when he ejected from A-4C BuNo 147717 10 miles north of Baxley, GA, near the banks of the Altamaha River while returning from a training mission along the Atlantic Coast. Fort Walton Beach, FL, Playground Daily News , article. Yes, I was in VA 205 then flying A 4L and Zman punched out and the parachute cords got wrapped around his neck. From: Shand Gause, 12 February 2016.

BAXLEY, Ga. (AP) — A Navy reserve pilot from Newnan, Ga., has been killed when his jet exploded during a practice bombing mission in a wooded area near here. The pilot was Lt. James E. Zerblis, 26, son of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Zerblis of Newnan. Employees of the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Power plant rescued the pilot from the swamp after he parachuted from the plane when it exploded in the air. The pilot, unconscious when he landed, died later at Appling County Hospital. His plane was based at the Naval Air Station at Marietta, Ga., and was attached to Reserve Squadron 205. Zerblis held nine air medals and was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for service in Vietnam from February until July of 1968, according to a spokesman for the Marietta base. Thomasville, GA Thomasville Times Enterprise, Friday, 12 November 1971

May 1972: VA-205 participated in exercise Exotic Dancer V, designed to test multi-service operations under a unified command organization.

June 15, 1974: A-4C BuNo 148498 - Raymond Michael Currie, 40, VA-205 XO, was killed on a routine training flight when his A-4 crashed on a hillside about 50 miles west of Asheville, NC, in the Savannah Community off U.S. 441 near Sylva Saturday afternoon. The aircraft reportedly went down around 3:30 p.m. Sylva is about 35 miles west of Asheville (NC). He "was accompanied by another jet, and the pilot could not report a probable cause. The Jackson County Sheriff's Department, Gastonia Gazette, Sunday, 16 June 1974, Gastonia, NC and Thomasville Times Enterprise, Monday, 17 June 1974, Thomasville, GA.
In Atlanta, Lt. Cmdr. Dave Williams, public information officer of the Naval Air Station, confirmed that the pilot was killed and identified him as Raymond Michael Currie, 40, of Decatur, Ga. Williams said the aircraft was an A-4 light attack jet on a routine training flight out of the Atlanta station. He said the plane that crashed "was accompanied by another jet, and the pilot could not report a probable cause." Williams added that an investigation board was being convened. He added that a Marine helicopter was dispatched from the station to the crash scene. Gastonia, NC, Gastonia Gazette, Sunday, 16 June 1974, Sylva, NC, Sylva Herald, Sunday, June 16, 1974
SYLVA (UP) - A Navy investigation team remained at the scene today where a Navy jet crashed into a mountain side over the weekend, killing the pilot. The charred remains of Reserve Cmdr. Raymond Michael Currie, 40, of Decatur. Ga., father of six children, was pulled from the wreckage a short time after the crash Saturday afternoon. Currie and another Navy pilot were on a weekend drill flight from the Naval Air Station at Marietta at the time of the crash. A witness said the plane went into a right turn and suddenly swerved back to the left before hitting the side of the mountain, spewing flames and wreckage over a wide area. The pilot of the other plane immediately radioed for help. Witnesses said the plane exploded into flames. The Sylva Fire Department fought the blaze. Kannapolis, NC, Kannapolis Daily Independent, Monday, June 17, 1974, Naval Aviation News, Grampaw Pettibone, Grampaw Pettibone (cont.), April 1975 

September 4, 1975: Green Falcon pilots began transition training with VA-125 in preparation to receive the A-7 Corsair II.

July 6-16, 1982: VA-205, along with other units of CVWR-20, participated in operations on United States Ship Carl Vinson (CVN 70), with the emphasis on coordinated air wing operations.

May 10-23, 1986: During an annual active-duty deployment to Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada the Green Falcons participated in close air support training, air wing strike evolutions, and an excellent simulated two-day war exercise conducted by Strike University.

October 1, 1993: VA-205 assumed the additional mission (Fleet Support Readiness Group, FTRG) of providing electronic support to simulate missile attacks on surface ships for training purposes. This mission had previously been performed by VAQ-33 (Carrier Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadron-33).

December 31, 1994: Reserve Attack Squadron TWO HUNDRED FIVE (VA-205) was disestablished at Naval Air Station Atlanta, Georgia.

Unit Photos

Webmaster note: Prior to 1970, reserve aircraft belonged to the local NARTU or Reserve Naval Air Station. Except for those squadrons on active duty, as in Korea, no reserve squadron "owned" their aircraft, as they were assigned to the NARTU/Station. In 1970, during that reorganization of the reserves into the "Reserve Force" concept, each new squadron was made independent of NARTU (later called NAR), and assigned either to CVWR-20 or CVWR-30. All squadrons were then made in the image of active duty units, with the reserve unit Commanding Officer owning the aircraft and reporting to the CAG.

DEC65: Dec 1965 NAS Atlanta Skyhawk BuNo 139934 mounted on a trailer as part of the officer recruitment program. Also available are a Fly Navy station wagon, miniature Model T and a new Chrysler convertible. Naval Aviation News Photo.

1970: 1970 of Green Falcons Skyhawks, top to bottom: BuNo 147782, AF-506, BuNo 147796, AF-507, BuNo 149569, AF-513, BuNo 148316, AF-509 and BuNo 148588, AF511. USN photo from John Goodman.

1970: Green Falcon Skyhawk. VA-205 Green Falcon A-4L Skyhawk BuNo. 148493 - side number AF 510 bakes in the sun on the Naval Air Station Atlanta flight line. USN Photograph.

1971: VA-205 BuNo 1481316 aboard the JFK, CVA-67. From Gary Verver.

1971: VA-205 BuNo 148498 parked deck edge aboard the JFK, CVA-67. From Gary Verver.

SEP74: VA-205 A-4L BuNo 147782, AF-503, parked on the ramp. Gary Verver.

SEP74: VA-205 A-4L BuNo 148588, AF-511, parked on the ramp. L.B. Sides.

25JUL75: BuNo.145141 Falcons Skyhawk BuNo 145141, AF-505, on the ramp. Name below the canopy rail looks to be LCDR Fields. G.R. Markgraf

JUN75: Falcons A-4L Skyhawk BuNo. 145141 side number AF 505 swoops in to catch a wire on the Saratoga, CVA-60. U.S. Navy photo, Naval Aviation News SEP 1975, via "Boom" Powell.

NOV75: BuNo 148588, VA-205, AF-511, tied down on the ramp. Photographer unknown.

JUN75: A VA-205 A-4L Skyhawk BuNo. 155141 side number AF-505 swoops in to catch a wire. The A-4L Skyhawks were rebuilt A-4C Skyhawks. "Boom" Powell.

26OCT75: 26 Oct 1975 BuNo 155072, 7B-072, parked on the flight line. Gary Verver Collection.

NOV76: NAS Atlanta Skyhawk BuNo 153504, 7B-504, Parked on the ramp. Left side view of NAS Atlanta TA-4J Skyhawk BuNo 153504, 7B-504, on the ramp next to NAS Atlanta TA-4J 155072, 7B-072, location unknown, November 1976. At right is VR-46 C-118B Liftmaster BuNo 153691 (ex USAF 53-3226), JS-691. Photo by L.B. Sides.

1976: 1976: NAS Atlanta Skyhawk BuNo 155072, 7B-072, "Spirit of '76" assigned to CAPT Hutson and CDR Butner, parked on the ramp and sporting it's Bi-centennial paint scheme.


Off-Duty Photos

No info yet.

A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit:

  • Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk
    • 145065 c/n 12311
      • 09 Mar 1970 - MARTD Los Alamitos - Converted to A-4L
      • 01 Sep 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 27 May 1971 - MARTD - NAS Glenview, IL
    • 145077 c/n 12323
      • 03 Feb 1970 - VA-44 - Convert to A-4L
      • 01 Mar 1974 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 14 Nov 1975 - VA-204 - NAS Memphis, TN
    • 145101 c/n 12347
      • 31 Mar 1970 - NARTU Alameda - Convert to A-4L
      • 01 Sep 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 12 Sep 1975 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 145119 c/n 12365
      • 10 Mar 1970 - NARTU Alameda - Convert to A-4L
      • 01 Sep 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 08 Jun 1971 - MARTD - NAS Glenview, IL
    • 145133 c/n 12379
      • 12 Mar 1970 - MARTD Los Alamitos - Convert to A-4L
      • 01 Sep 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 26 Mar 1976 - VA-204 - NAS Memphis, TN
    • 145141 c/n 12387
      • 06 Apr 1970 - NAS New York - Convert to A-4L
      • 01 Sep 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 11 Sep 1975 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 147717 C/N 12481
      • 14 Aug 1970 - VA-303 - Convert to A-4L
      • 02 Dec 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 11 Nov 1971 - Stricken - 1S
    • 147727 C/N 12491
      • 25 Jan 1971 - MARTD Los Alamitos - Convert to A-4L
      • 28 May 1971 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 16 Sep 1975 - VA-204 - NAS Memphis, TN
    • 147772 C/N 12536
      • 03 Mar 1971 - MARTD Memphis - Convert to A-4L
      • 07 Jun 1974 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 07 Sep 1975 - VA-204 - NAS Memphis, TN
    • 147782 C/N 12546
      • 18 Mar 1970 - VMAT-102 - Convert to A-4L
      • 01 Sep 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 08 Sep 1975 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 147796 C/N 12560
      • 14 Apr 1970 - NARTU Alameda - Convert to A-4L
      • 01 Sep 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 09 Sep 1975 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
  • Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk (Cont.)
    • 147798 C/N 12562
      • 16 Mar 1970 - NARTU Alameda - Convert to A-4L
      • 01 Sep 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 08 Sep 1975 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 148316 C/N 12626
      • 25 Mar 1970 - MARTD Alameda - Convert to A-4L
      • 01 Sep 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 09 Sep 1975 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, AZ
    • 148453 C/N 12646
      • 13 Aug 1970 - MARTD Alameda - Convert to A-4L
      • 17 Nov 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 20 Jun 1971 - Stricken - 1S
    • 148490 C/N 12683
      • 26 Jan 1970 – VMAT-102 - Convert to A-4L
      • 21 Jul 1971 - VA-205 - NAS Lemoore, CA
      • 05 Apr 1975 - VA-204 - NAS Memphis, TN
    • 148498 C/N 12691
      • 02 Mar 1970 - MARTD Los Alamitos - Convert to A-4L
      • 01 Sep 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 15 Jun 1974 - Stricken - 1S0
    • 148588 C/N 12781
      • 27 Mar 1970 - VMAT-102 - Convert to A-4L
      • 07 Oct 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 12 Sep 1075 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 149502 c/n 12827
      • 30 Mar 1970 - MARTD Los Alamitos - Convert to A-4L
      • 01 Sep 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 09 Sep 1975 - MASDC - Davis Mothan AFB, AZ
    • 149506 c/n 12831
      • 16 Feb 1971 - VA-304 - Convert to A-4L
      • 22 Dec 1971 - VA-205 - NAS Lemoore, CA
      • 17 Sep 1975 - MASDC - Davis-Mothan AFB, Tucson, AZ
    • 149569 c/n 12894
      • 03 Apr 1970 - NAS Los Alamitos - Convert to A-4L
      • 01 Sep 1970 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 20 Jun 1971 - Stricken - 1S
    • 149593 c/n 12918
      • 31 Jan 1970 - VA-44 - Convert to A-4L
      • 23 Jul 1971 - VA-205 - NAS Lemoore, CA
      • 18 Sep 1975 - VA-204 - NAS Memphis, TN
    • 149604 c/n 12929
      • 11 Jan 1971 - MARTD Glenview - Convert to A-4L
      • 25 Apr 1971 - VA-205 - NAS Atlanta, GA
      • 03 Sep 1975 - VA-204 - NAS Memphis, TN

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