Fleet Air Gunnery Unit (FAGU) Patch Handle Heritage Home Ports Air Wings Deployments Aircraft Unit C.O.s Events Awards Squadron Photograph Album Squadron Off-Duty Album (empty) The Squadron Duty Officer (SDO), is the unit's contact point. They maintain unit rosters, help old friends link up, coordinate with unit reunions, and gather unit information. The SDO List. The Association is particularly interested in your Skyhawk related information and photos, but will gladly accept information about all eras of the unit. e-Mail the Association Webmaster. AND we welcome "anyone with an interest" in the Skyhawk to JOIN The Skyhawk Association. Patch MCAS Yuma patch. Back to Table of Contents Handle No info yet Back to Table of Contents Heritage 19xx: FAGU established. 29 FEB 1960: FAGU disestablished. Back to Table of Contents Home Ports JUN 1956: NAS El Centro, California. JUN 1959 to 29 FEB 1960: MCAS Yuma, Arizona. Back to Table of Contents Air Wings No info yet. Back to Table of Contents Deployments No overseas deployments. Back to Table of Contents Aircraft AUG 1958: Douglas A-4B (A4D-2) Skyhawk Back to Table of Contents Commanding Officers 10 JAN 1959: Col. L.K. Davis 19??: Bud Brown (Rank Unknown) Back to Table of Contents Events FAGU trained Weapons Training Officers for Navy and Marine Fleet Squadrons. FAGU, NAAS El Centro, CA. June 1956 to June 1959. JUNE 27-28, 1956 The first annual Fleet Air Gunnery Meet was held at NAAS El Centro, Calif. Six teams, selected from Navy and Marine Corps shore-based fighter units and composed of the squadron commander and three pilots, competed with two firings each at 15,000 and 25,000 feet. Top team honors and the Earle Trophy went to VF-112 of AirPac, and individual honors to LTJG H.N. Wellman of VF-43 and AirLant. AUG 1958: Received six A4D-2 Skyhawks. FAGU also flew the F4D, F8U, and FJ4B aircraft: A4D Skyhawk Flight Commander was Edward Armstrong. F4D Ford/Skyray Flight Commander was Moon Mullin of Hanoi Hilton fame. F8U Crusader Flight Commander was Al Schaaf, USMC. FJ4B Fury Flight Commander was Larry Taft, USMC. JUN 1959 to 29 FEB 1960: FAGU based at MCAS Yuma, Arizona. 1928: The federal government leased 640 acres near Yuma, from Yuma County. The field was name "Fly Field" after Col. Benjamin F. Fly. "Fly Field served as training base during World War II, training pilots on AT-6 single engine trainers, T-17 multi-engine trainers and B-17 Flying Fortresses. At the end of the war, all flight activity here ceased. 07 JUL 1951: The Air Force reactivates the base, and the 4750th Air Base Squadron resumed training. The airfield was known as the Yuma Air Base, but was renamed "Vincent Air Force Base" in 1956. 01 JAN 1959: The facility is signed over to the Navy and Marine Corps Auxiliary Air Station Yuma is born. 04 DEC 1959 Crack teams from selected Fleet squadrons completed 4 days of competitive gunnery, bombing, and missile firing at MCAAS Yuma in the championship round of the annual weapons meet. The last Commanding officer was Bud Brown of F7U Cutlass fame. 29 FEB 1960: FAGU disestablished Back to Table of Contents Awards No info yet. Back to Table of Contents Sources Gary Verver Return To The Marine Squadrons Page