Military

Carrier Air Wing FOURTEEN [CVW 14]

Carrier Air Wing FOURTEEN (CVW 14) is assigned to the USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN as part of CRUISER DESTROYER GROUP THREE. When not deployed, CVW 14 is based at NAS Lemoore, California.

Attack Carrier Air Wing FOURTEEN was established at NAS Miramar in July 1950 to meet the increasing demands placed upon aviation by the Korean Conflict. Air Wing FOURTEEN first deployed aboard USS KEARSARGE during the Korean Conflict. Subsequent deployments were to the Atlantic and Mediterranean followed by a "Trip around the Horn" aboard USS RANGER in 1958. Later deployments were to WESTPAC embarked on USS RANGER, USS ORISKANY, USS LEXINGTON, USS CONSTELLATION and USS ENTERPRISE.

In August 1964, while embarked on USS CONSTELLATION, CVW-14 conducted the first retaliatory air strikes against North Vietnam. Subsequent combat deployments were made aboard USS RANGER, USS CONSTELLATION and USS ENTERPRISE. On 27 January 1973 Air Wing FOURTEEN squadrons flew the last combat sorties of the Vietnam Conflict. In June 1973, CVW-14 became the first operational Air Wing to review the F-14A Tomcat. In September 1974, CVW-14 deployed aboard USS ENTERPRISE for its first peacetime deployment in ten years. On 29 April 1975, CVW-14 was again involved in Vietnam, providing support and air cover for the evacuation of Americans from South Vietnam during Operation FREQUENT WINDS.

On 30 July 1976, CVW-14 embarked on USS ENTERPRISE for a deployment to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. This marked the first S-3A "Viking" WESTPAC deployment. After one more deployment on the Big "E", Carrier Air Wing FOURTEEN was assigned to USS CORAL SEA. Two U.S. Marine Corps fighter squadrons, VMFA-323 and VMFA-531 (F-4N "Phantom II") joined the CVW-14 team, marking the first time since World War II that two Marine fighter squadrons comprised the fighter arm of a Navy Air Wing. CVW-14 embarked on USS CORAL SEA in November 1979 enroute to the Western Pacific and a continuous 102 day at-sea period on "GONZO" Station in the North Arabian Sea. CVW-14 made two more deployments on USS CORAL SEA with VF-21, VF-154 and HS-12 aboard.

Carrier Air Wing FOURTEEN deployed aboard USS CONSTELLATION on 21 February 1985 for the first operational deployment of the F/A-18 "Hornet". Following three more deployments on the USS CONSTELLATION, CVW-14 departed for a WESTPAC deployed on board USS INDEPENDENCE. While en route to the island of Diego Garcia, CVW-14 and USS INDEPENDENCE were diverted to the North Arabian Sea in support of Operation DESERT SHIELD. Arriving on station on 6 August 1990, the presence of this formidable fighting team was the deterrent to Iraq invading Saudi Arabia. On 5 August 1991, CVW-14 embarked in USS INDEPENDENCE commenced transit to Pearl Harbor for swap-out with the USS MIDWAY. The CVW-14 staff crossdecked to USS MIDWAY in Pearl Harbor 24 August. VF-21, VF-154, and VS-21 were detached from CVW-14 but remained onboard USS INDEPENDENCE as a part of the CVW-5 organizational structure. CVW-14, then embarked on USS MIDWAY, returned to San Diego, marking USS MIDWAY's last operational underway period prior to being decommissioned from active fleet service.

On 17 February 1994, CVW-14 embarked on USS CARL VINSON for another WESTPAC deployment and returned to homeport 15 August 1995. Assigned to Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Three, CVW-14 deployed on WESTPAC 96 on USS CARL VINSON on 14 May 1996. During this deployment, the CARL VINSON Task Group took part in Operation SOUTHERN WATCH and Operation DESERT STRIKE in which USN and USAF forces conducted TLAM and CALCM strikes against Iraq in response to Baghdad's invasion of Kurdish-held territory in Northern Iraq. CVW-14 escorted B-52 aircraft in support of their CALCM strikes and subsequently flew numerous sorties to enforce the newly-expanded no-fly zone to 33 degrees north. The Task Group outchopped the Fifth Fleet AOR on 8 October and returned to San Diego on 12 November.