VS-29

{{Use American English|date=January 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox military unit | unit_name = Sea Control Squadron 29 | image = 300px | dates = 1 April 1960 – 30 April 2004 | country = United States of America | branch = United States Navy | garrison = NAS North Island | nickname = Dragonfires | equipment = Grumman S-2 Tracker Lockheed S-3A/B Viking | battles = Cold War Vietnam War Operation Southern Watch Operation Desert Fox Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom}}

'''Sea Control Squadron 29''' ('''VS-29''') or the "Dragonfires" was a former Sea Control and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) squadron of the US Navy that existed between 1960 and 2004.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=VS-29|url=http://gonavy.jp/navy/sqn/VS29.html|access-date=2020-12-07|website=gonavy.jp}}</ref>

== History ==

=== As the Tromboners (1960–1975) === VS-29 was originally commissioned on 1 April 1960 as the Tromboners by splitting VS-21 in two,<ref>{{Cite web|title=VS 21 Redtails|url=https://vs29.org/History/VS21/VS21.htm|access-date=2020-12-07|website=vs29.org}}</ref> the squadron making 12 small deployments in the East Pacific between July 1960 and May 1964 aboard the aircraft carrier {{USS|Kearsarge|CV-33|6}} as part of CVSG-53 <ref name=":0" /> which included the recovery of the NASA Mercury capsules.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Articles|url=https://vs29.org/History/Articles/Articles.htm|access-date=2020-12-07|website=vs29.org}}</ref> From 19 June 1964 to 16 December 1964, they made their first Vietnam War cruise on ''Kearsarge'' with Grumman S-2F Trackers followed by three more Vietnam cruises on the carrier in 1966, 1968 and 1969. VS-29 made their first Atlantic deployment which was short-lived between September and November 1971 on {{USS|Wasp|CV-18|6}}. In September 1972, VS-29 made their last deployment with the Grumman Tracker (S-2E) on {{USS|Ticonderoga|CV-14|6}} as part of CVSG-53.{{fact|date=January 2024}} alt=VS-29 on the maiden deployment of the S-3 Viking in 1976.|left|thumb|VS-29 on the maiden deployment of the S-3 Viking in 1976.

=== First years of using the S-3 Viking (1975–1982) === In 1975, the squadron transitioned to the Lockheed S-3A Viking before making the first West Pacific S-3 Viking deployment<ref name=":1" /> as part of CVW-14 on {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65|6}} between 30 July 1976 and 28 March 1977.<ref name=":0" /> Two more deployments (including one Westpac deployment) followed on {{USS|Ranger|CV-61|6}} as part of CVW-2. This was followed in 1981 by the first deployment of many that VS-29 would make with CVW-15, this time on {{USS|Kitty Hawk|CV-63|6}}.{{fact|date=January 2024}}

=== USS ''Carl Vinson'' and CVW-15 (1983–1990) === After a shakedown cruise in 1982, VS-29 made history by joining the nuclear-powered carrier {{USS|Carl Vinson}} on her maiden deployment, a round the world cruise<ref>{{Cite book|last=|first=|title=USS Carl Vinson CVN-70 - 1983 Cruise Book|publisher=United States Navy|year=1983|isbn=|location=|pages=412}}</ref> from Norfolk, Virginia to NAS Alameda, California. Seven more deployments followed which included taking part in the RIMPAC 1984 and RIMPAC 1986 naval exercises. On 31 July 1990, the squadron returned from their last cruise with CVW-15 and the S-3A Viking.<ref name=":0" /> alt=An S-3A Viking from VS-29 on the USS Carl Vinson in 1985.|left|thumb|An S-3A Viking from VS-29 on USS ''Carl Vinson'' in 1985.

=== CVW-11 and final years (1991–2004) === VS-29 joined CVW-11 on {{USS|Abraham Lincoln|CVN-72|6}} in September 1990 on its transit to the West Coast before taking part in the ship's maiden cruise on 28 May 1991 taking part in Operation Fiery Vigil in the Philippines before arriving in the Persian Gulf just after the Gulf War ended. This was the first deployment that VS-29 deployed with the S-3B Viking.<ref>{{Cite book|last=|first=|url=https://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cvn72-91/index.html|title=USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Maiden Cruise Book 1991|publisher=Walsworth Publishing Company|year=1991|isbn=|location=|pages=}}</ref>

Three more deployments to the Persian Gulf followed for VS-29 between 1992 and 1995 aboard ''Abraham Lincoln'' followed by one Persian Gulf deployment between 1996 and 1997 on ''Kitty Hawk''. After moving with CVW-11 back to ''Carl Vinson'', VS-29 took part in RIMPAC '98 before deploying to the Persian Gulf in November 1998.<ref name=":0" /> During this deployment, Operation Desert Fox took place with VS-29 delivering {{cvt|51,000|lb}} of fuel to CVW-11 twenty aircraft strike force from ''Carl Vinson''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Articles|url=https://vs29.org/History/Articles/Articles.htm#decommissioned|access-date=2020-12-07|website=vs29.org}}</ref>

During Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001, they became the first Viking squadron to be used in combat during the conflict.<ref>{{Cite book|last=|first=|url=https://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cvn70-01/index.html|title=USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) WestPac Cruise Book 2001-02|publisher=|year=2002|isbn=|location=|pages=}}</ref> After completing their last deployment on {{USS|Nimitz}} on 5 November 2003 which included taking part in Operation Iraqi Freedom,<ref>{{Cite book|last=|first=|url=https://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cvn68-03/index.html|title=USS Nimitz (CVN 68) WestPac and Arabian Sea Cruise Book 2003|publisher=|year=2003|isbn=|location=|pages=}}</ref> VS-29 held a decommissioning ceremony on 17 April 2004,<ref name=":1" /> before being finally decommissioned on 30 April 2004.<ref name=":0" />

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Anti-submarine squadrons of the United States Navy Category:Sea control squadrons of the United States Navy