VAQ/VAK-208 Tactical Aerial Refueling Squadron 208

VAK-208 "Jockeys" Patch
KA-3B Tanker from VAK-208 in July of 1985

When the Naval Air Reserve was reorganized in 1970 Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 208 was established on July 31 at NAS Alameda, California, as part of Carrier Air Wing Twenty.

Equipped with KA-3Bs to support CVWR-20 operations, VAQ-208 also began providing air refueling and pathfinding for Navy and Marine tactical aircraft being ferried to Southeast Asia.

During the 1971 India-Pakistan conflict and the 1973 Yom Kippur War, VAQ-208 jointly with VAQ-308 provided crews and aircraft to support emergency deployments of U.S. naval aircraft.

During the seventies, the squadron also provided tanking platforms for test and development of the Lockheed S-3A Viking and Grumman F-14A Tomcat. On October 1, 1979, in recognition of its primary use as a refueling and pathfinding unit, the squadron was redesignated VAK-208. They were disestablished 30 September, 1989.

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Photo Credit:

 All photos provided by Mr. Robert M. Cieri.