VC 33

Fighter Squadron Composite 33 (VC-33), also known as the "Nighthawks," was a United States Navy composite squadron established during World War II. Formed in 1943, VC-33 initially operated aboard escort carriers in the Atlantic, conducting anti-submarine warfare and convoy protection against German U-boats. After the war, the squadron transitioned to night fighter and airborne early warning missions, flying aircraft such as the Grumman TBM Avenger and later the Douglas AD Skyraider. VC-33 played a key role in developing naval night operations before being redesignated as VAW-33 in 1956.