VAW-111

• Origins: Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 111 (VAW-111), also known as the “Hunters,” was established on April 3, 1967, at Naval Air Station North Island, California. • Nickname: The squadron was nicknamed the “Hunters,” and their insignia featured a caricature of a wolf with a radar screen, representing their surveillance mission. • Aircraft: VAW-111 flew the Grumman E-1B Tracer, the U.S. Navy’s first purpose-built airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft, recognized by its distinctive radome on top. • Vietnam War Service: VAW-111 detachments operated from several aircraft carriers during the Vietnam War, providing critical radar surveillance and early warning against enemy aircraft. • Detachment Structure: Unlike traditional squadrons, VAW-111 was organized into multiple independent detachments, each assigned to a different carrier air wing. • Call Signs: The various detachments within VAW-111 were known by unique call signs such as “Willy Fudd,” a nickname for the E-1B Tracer. • Significant Missions: The squadron played a key role in “Operation Rolling Thunder” and other major air campaigns over North Vietnam, helping to coordinate air strikes and alerting U.S. forces to enemy threats. • Transition Period: As the E-2 Hawkeye replaced the E-1B Tracer in the early 1970s, VAW-111 began to phase out, with its functions gradually taken over by new VAW squadrons. • Disestablishment: VAW-111 was officially disestablished on June 30, 1977, marking the end of the E-1B Tracer’s operational service in the U.S. Navy. • Legacy: The Hunters set the standard for carrier-based AEW operations, and their service laid the groundwork for modern airborne early warning tactics and the E-2 Hawkeye’s continued success.