Over 3,064,780 active members

Opening unit directory

Building the branch units surface

Loading unit filters, rankings, and the branch unit grid.

Overview

Members

Units

Opening branch overview

Building the branch home surface

Loading branch highlights, featured unit context, and gallery moments.

Overview

Members

Units

VAW-11

37 members•1 unit

VAW-11 Homepage Photos Members

Relive and share the memories of your service-time with your brothers and sisters in arms today. VetFriends.com can help you reconnect.

Did you proudly serve in the VAW-11?

Are you looking for someone who is or was in the VAW-11?

Do you have VAW-11 photos you'd like to share?

Then join a community with your brothers and sisters of the VAW-11.

Branch

U.S. Navy

Members

About VAW-11

Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 11 (VAW-11), known as the “Early Elevens,” was established on 6 March 1952. As one of the U.S. Navy’s pioneering airborne early warning (AEW) units, VAW-11 initially operated the Grumman AF-2W Guardian and later transitioned to the E-1B Tracer, providing radar surveillance and fleet air defense. The squadron played a crucial role during the Cold War era, supporting carrier battle groups in the Pacific and participating in deployments during the Vietnam War. VAW-11 was disestablished on 1 April 1967, with its detachments forming the basis for several new VAW squadrons that continued its legacy.

About VAW-11

About this Unit

Historical Facts

Origins and Activation: Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 11 (VAW-11), known as the "Early Elevens," was established on 6 March 1949 at NAS North Island, California, marking the U.S. Navy’s early commitment to airborne early warning (AEW) capabilities after World War II.
First AEW Aircraft: VAW-11 initially operated the TBM-3W Avenger, one of the first aircraft designed for the AEW role, equipped with a belly-mounted radar.
Nickname and Insignia: The squadron’s nickname, “Early Elevens,” reflected their pioneering role in AEW. Their distinctive squadron patch featured a bat carrying a radar dish, symbolizing night surveillance and detection.
Transition to Advanced Aircraft: Over its history, VAW-11 transitioned through several AEW aircraft, including the AF-2W Guardian, the Grumman WF-2 (later E-1B) Tracer, and was among the first to operate the E-2 Hawkeye prototype.
Cold War Role: During the Cold War, VAW-11 provided critical AEW support to the U.S. Pacific Fleet, deploying detachments aboard numerous Essex and later supercarriers, enhancing fleet defense against potential Soviet threats.
Cuban Missile Crisis: VAW-11 detachments played an integral role in surveillance and airspace control during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, supporting quarantine and reconnaissance operations.
Vietnam War Operations: The squadron’s detachments routinely deployed to the Gulf of Tonkin, where their AEW aircraft controlled airstrikes, coordinated search and rescue, and managed airspace traffic during the Vietnam War.
“Detachment System”: VAW-11 pioneered the “detachment” concept, splitting into smaller units assigned to different carriers, a model still used by modern VAW squadrons today.
Squadron Split and Legacy: On 1 April 1967, VAW-11 was disestablished and split into several independent squadrons, including VAW-111 and VAW-112, whose lineages carry on the traditions of the original "Early Elevens."
Contributions to Modern AEW: The operational concepts, tactics, and procedures developed by VAW-11 laid the foundation for today’s carrier-based E-2 Hawkeye squadrons, making them a cornerstone of U.S. Navy battle group defense and command-and-control operations.

Opening unit directory

Building the branch units surface

Loading unit filters, rankings, and the branch unit grid.

Overview

Members

Units

VAW-11 | U.S. Navy Unit | VetFriends

VAW-11

37 members•1 unit

VAW-11 Homepage Photos Members

Relive and share the memories of your service-time with your brothers and sisters in arms today. VetFriends.com can help you reconnect.

Did you proudly serve in the VAW-11?

Are you looking for someone who is or was in the VAW-11?

Do you have VAW-11 photos you'd like to share?

Then join a community with your brothers and sisters of the VAW-11.

Branch

U.S. Navy

Members

About VAW-11

About this Unit

Historical Facts

Origins and Activation: Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 11 (VAW-11), known as the "Early Elevens," was established on 6 March 1949 at NAS North Island, California, marking the U.S. Navy’s early commitment to airborne early warning (AEW) capabilities after World War II.
First AEW Aircraft: VAW-11 initially operated the TBM-3W Avenger, one of the first aircraft designed for the AEW role, equipped with a belly-mounted radar.
Nickname and Insignia: The squadron’s nickname, “Early Elevens,” reflected their pioneering role in AEW. Their distinctive squadron patch featured a bat carrying a radar dish, symbolizing night surveillance and detection.
Transition to Advanced Aircraft: Over its history, VAW-11 transitioned through several AEW aircraft, including the AF-2W Guardian, the Grumman WF-2 (later E-1B) Tracer, and was among the first to operate the E-2 Hawkeye prototype.
Cold War Role: During the Cold War, VAW-11 provided critical AEW support to the U.S. Pacific Fleet, deploying detachments aboard numerous Essex and later supercarriers, enhancing fleet defense against potential Soviet threats.
Cuban Missile Crisis: VAW-11 detachments played an integral role in surveillance and airspace control during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, supporting quarantine and reconnaissance operations.
Vietnam War Operations: The squadron’s detachments routinely deployed to the Gulf of Tonkin, where their AEW aircraft controlled airstrikes, coordinated search and rescue, and managed airspace traffic during the Vietnam War.
“Detachment System”: VAW-11 pioneered the “detachment” concept, splitting into smaller units assigned to different carriers, a model still used by modern VAW squadrons today.
Squadron Split and Legacy: On 1 April 1967, VAW-11 was disestablished and split into several independent squadrons, including VAW-111 and VAW-112, whose lineages carry on the traditions of the original "Early Elevens."
Contributions to Modern AEW: The operational concepts, tactics, and procedures developed by VAW-11 laid the foundation for today’s carrier-based E-2 Hawkeye squadrons, making them a cornerstone of U.S. Navy battle group defense and command-and-control operations.

VAW-11

About VAW-11

About VAW-11

About this Unit

Historical Facts

VAW-11

About VAW-11

About VAW-11

About this Unit

Historical Facts

Photos

32nd Street San Diego california

Combat Medicine insignia