Anchors Aweigh!
Established: Patrol Squadron SIXTY (VP-60) on 01 November 1970.
Disestablished: 01 September 1994. The insignia chosen by VP-60 was approved by CNO on 28 December 1971. The device featured a large Cobra coiled around a submarine, symbolizing the squadron’s primary mission of antisubmarine warfare. Nicknames: Cobras, 1970–1994 (aka, Snake Snappers, 1974). 01 Nov 1970: VP-60 was one of 12 VP and three VR squadrons established in 1970 as a continuation of a program initiated in July 1968 to give Naval Air Reserve squadrons an improved combat readiness. The concept, known as the 12/2/1 had 12 VP squadrons under two commands, Commander Fleet Air Reserve Wings Atlantic and Commander Fleet Air Reserve Wings Pacific, both under the control of one central authority, Commander Naval Air Reserve. VP-60 was established at NAS Glenview, IL. under Commander Reserve Patrol Wings, Atlantic. It was formed by combining personnel from VPs 70V1, 70V2, 70V3 and 49V4, at NAS Glenview and NAS Twin Cities, Minn. The squadron conducted flying operations with 12 SP-2H Neptunes. 01 Jul 1975: Administrative control for VP-60 was transferred from Commander Reserve Patrol Wings, Atlantic to Commander Reserve Patrol Wings, Pacific. Jun–Nov 1980: The Cobras transitioned from the P-3A airframe to the P-3B. The B-model Orions came with more powerful engines and improved avionics. Transition training was completed in November. 27 Mar 1981: VP-60 deployed to NAF Kadena, Okinawa, with detachments at NAS Whidbey Island, Wash., and NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii. Crews operating with the two detachments completed basic and advanced antisubmarine warfare qualification flights in the weapons systems trainer. The unit at Kadena provided the only available on-the-spot sea-air rescue support in April when one of the Navy’s SSBNs collided with a Japanese freighter that resulted in the sinking of the freighter. Mar 1983: The first of the squadron’s 9 P-3B Orions was sent to the Naval Air Rework Facility (NARF) at NAS Alameda, Calif., for retrofit to the P-3B Tactical Navigational Modification (TAC/NAV MOD). 1993: In its last year of operational flying, VP-60 provided support to UNITAS XXXIV/93, a series of ASW exercises conducted with naval units in Uruguay. 17Aug 1993: VP-60 was selected to conduct a live over-the-horizon HARM (high-speed antiradiation missile) and Harpoon launch at NAS Point Mugu, Calif. The exercise was unique in that the crew launched their Harpoon using coordinated satellite targeting data delivered straight to the cockpit instead of the aircraft’s onboard radar data. 01 Sep 1994: VP-60 was disestablished at NAS Glenview, Ill. |
Commanding Officers, Date Assumed Command
Wing Assignments
Type of Aircraft, Date First Received
Unit Awards, Inclusive Dates
VP-60 won both “Battle E” awards consecutively during the commands of CDR Stephen G. Snipes, CDR Howard C. Lysne and CAPT Gary L. Engel. VP-60 remained the top squadron for a period of 58 months, a record that still stands. In addition, VP-60 was the first winner of the Golden Wrench Maintenance award from Lockheed. The COBRAS had the highest promotion rate of any squadron in the Navy from 1976 thru 1980, active or reserve. The reenlistment rate was also the highest in the Navy during that time. VP-60 was the first and only unit in the Navy to achieve C-1 status during the period Oct 1978 thru July 1980. |
Major Overseas Deployments
Date of Departure | Date of Return | Wing | Base of Operations | Type of Aircraft | Area of Operations |
March 1976 | April 1976 | PatWing-1 | Agana, Guam | P-3A | WestPac |
March 1977 | April 1977 | PatWing-2 | Barbers Pt., HI | P-3A | WestPac |
April 1979 | May 1979 | PatWing-5 | Lajes, Azores | P-3A | Lant |
April 1980 | May 1980 | PatWing-5 | Lajes, Azores | P-3A | Lant |
March 1981 | April 1981 | PatWing-1 | Kadena, Japan | P-3B | WestPac |
March 1982 | April 1982 | PatWing-1 | Cubi Point, PI | P-3B | WestPac |
March 1983 | April 1983 | PatWing-1 | Cubi Point, PI | P-3B | WestPac |
June 1984 | July 1984 | PatWing-1 | Misawa, Japan | P-3B | WestPac |
March 1985 | April 1985 | PatWing-2 | Barbers Pt., HI | P-3B | WestPac |
June 1986 | July 1986 | PatWing-1 | Misawa, Japan | P-3B | WestPac |
March 1987 | April 1987 | PatWing-1 | Misawa, Japan | P-3B | WestPac |
March 1988 | April 1988 | PatWing-1 | Misawa, Japan | P-3B | WestPac |
February 1989 | March 1989 | PatWing-1 | Misawa, Japan | P-3B | WestPac |
1993 | 1993 | PatWing-10 | Uruguay | P-3B | SoLant |
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There was one other deployment in 1972… Rota Spain with the P-2’s. This is the last time the P-2’s from the reserves actually went overseas as units,
albeit that we only did 6 planes and half the squadron at a time, and if I remember right, the VR did the personnel swap with the C-118’s.
Bill Hodges