FLEET UTILITY SQUADRON TWO, VU-2 BLUE TAILS

UTRON TWO was initially a de¬tachment of Utility Squadron Four (VU-4), stationed at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island. As the demand for utility services increased UTRON FOUR's detachment was commis¬sioned as Utility Squadron Two (VU-2) on 8 January 1952. The squadron's complement of 30 officers and 185 enlisted men operated the Douglas JD-1 "Invader" and the Grumman F9F "Cougar".
In June 1960 UTRON TWO moved to NAS Oceana, Virginia, leaving Detachment ALFA and the JO aircraft at NAS Quonset Point. The move enabled the squadron to provide services to the Fleet Anti-Air Warfare Training Center at Dam Neck, Virgin¬ia, and ships operating in the Virginia Capes areas. VU-2 pilots stowed their tow targets and became "bogeys" fly¬ing the North American FJ-3 "Fury" for radar tracking exercises and air-to-air intercepts.
In July 1961, VU-2 became the first supersonic Utility Squadron on the Atlantic coast with the assignment of the Chance Vought F8U-1 (F-8A) "Crusader aircraft. The increased speed of the Crusader enabled the Fleet Anti-Air Warfare Training Center (FAAWTC) to remain abreast of the complexities of modern aircraft inter¬cepts.
Another utility service was added in May 1962 when UTRON TWO, added the DELMAR tow target to its list of services. The DELMAR tow tar¬get provided realistic training for air-to-air and surface-to-air missile firing for units of the Atlantic Fleet.
During Fiscal Year 1963, UTRON TWO flew 4,539 accident-free hours with the F-8 aircraft and received a COMNAVAIRLANT citation for this outstanding achievement. In August 1963, VU-2 was selected as a "pilot" squadron for the Navy Maintenance Data Collection System. This system was a forerunner of the 3M mainte¬nance system, and an adjunct of the Air Force 66-1 Program.
In early 1963, VU-2 sent detach¬ments to NAS Jacksonville and NAS Key West, Florida. UTRON TWO De¬tachment 33 operated from NAS Cecil Field servicing ships from both Charleston, South Carolina, and May-port, Florida, as well as aircraft squadrons at Cecil Field. At Key West,
VU-2 aircraft towed DELMAR targets for squadrons stationed there en¬ abling them to train for combat missions with air-to-air- missiles.
Transition from the F-8A to the F-8C aircraft occurred during the peri¬od of April to September 1964. The newer F-8C, with its intergrated visual presentation, allowed squadron pilots to train for high speed all-weather in¬tercepts and evaluate the perfor¬mance of land and sea based student air controllers. In January 1965 UTRON TWO pilots flew a total of 570 Crusader hours, which represented an all-time high flight hour month for the squadron.
VU-2 Det ALFA, which remained at Quonset Point, continued to provide aerial utility services to naval units operating in the Narragansett Bay and offshore Boston operating areas. DET ALFA also provided continuing sup¬port to periodic routine service re¬quirements for Oceana-based VU-2 F-8 aircraft that deploy to Quonset Point when high performance aircraft service requirements arise. DET AL¬FA transitioned to the Grumman US-2C "Tracker" during the period 26 December 1963 to April 1964, at which time the Invader was phased out. DET ALFA was redesignated VC-2 Detachment ALFA on 1 July 1965, and subsequently VC-2 De¬tachment Quonset Point on 1 August 1966. On 1 July 1965, UTRON TWO was redesignated Fleet Composite Squadron Two (VC-2).