Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2)
The embarked air wing — the squadrons that flew off Connie’s deck.
Ten squadrons of fighters, strike aircraft, electronic-warfare jets, airborne early-warning, helicopter anti-submarine, sea-control, fleet reconnaissance, and logistics aircraft flew from USS Constellation (CV-64)’s deck across six months and two oceans during the 1994–95 Western Pacific and Persian Gulf deployment.
Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) was the striking power of the Constellation battle group. Its Tomcats and Hornets stood combat air patrol and flew strike-ready sorties across the no-fly zone over southern Iraq during Operation Southern Watch; the Prowlers cleared the electronic path ahead of them; the Hawkeyes orbited above, building the air picture that everything else acted on; the Vikings hunted submarines and refueled the strikers; the Seahawks rode plane guard off the angle, ready to pull a downed aircrew from the water; the Shadows listened; and the Greyhounds brought mail, parts, and people aboard. Ten squadrons, one wing, one ship.
The Squadrons of CVW-2, 1994–95
Each card below opens that squadron’s full page — with its history, its aircraft, its pages in the cruise book, and its place in the cruise.
pp. 266–278
pp. 299–309
pp. 310–320
pp. 321–331
pp. 279–289
pp. 290–298
pp. 332–343
pp. 344–354
pp. 355–359
pp. 360–362How a Carrier Air Wing Was Built
A 1990s Nimitz-era U.S. Navy carrier air wing was a composite of seven to ten squadrons assembled to put roughly seventy-five aircraft on one deck and keep them flying day and night for months. Each squadron contributed a different capability; together they were the carrier’s reason for being. CVW-2 in 1994–95 followed that template exactly.
- Fighter / Strike Fighter (VF · VFA · VMFA) — the long-range air-defense and precision-strike core of the wing. CVW-2 deployed one F-14 Tomcat fighter squadron (VF-2) and three F/A-18 Hornet strike-fighter squadrons (VFA-137, VFA-151, and the Marine VMFA-323), giving Constellation four squadrons of combat aircraft at the tip of the spear.
- Electronic Attack (VAQ) — the EA-6B Prowlers of VAQ-131, jamming enemy radar and protecting the strike package on every mission across a defended border.
- Airborne Early Warning (VAW) — the E-2C Hawkeyes of VAW-116, the great rotodome aircraft that saw beyond the ship’s own radar horizon and ran the air battle from above.
- Sea Control (VS) — the S-3 Vikings of VS-38, hunting submarines, sweeping the surface, and refueling the wing in the air.
- Helicopter Anti-Submarine (HS) — the SH-60 Seahawks of HS-2, working anti-submarine warfare and standing plane guard for every flight cycle on deck.
- Fleet Reconnaissance (VQ) — the ES-3A Shadows of VQ-5, gathering signals intelligence and electronic surveillance for the battle group.
- Fleet Logistics (VRC) — the C-2 Greyhounds of VRC-30, the carrier’s lifeline to the world ashore, bringing mail, parts, and personnel aboard via Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD).
CVW-2 in the 1994–95 Cruise
Constellation departed San Diego on 10 November 1994 with CVW-2 embarked, transited the Western Pacific through the autumn and winter, exercised off Korea as the 1994 nuclear crisis drew the world’s attention, and entered the Arabian Gulf on 11 January 1995. From that day until 23 March 1995, the wing flew the no-fly zone over southern Iraq under Operation Southern Watch — combat air patrols, strike-ready sorties, electronic-attack support, airborne early warning, and the unbroken cycle of plane-guard helos, COD runs, and tanker tracks that holds carrier aviation together. The ship and her wing returned to San Diego on 10 May 1995.
The cruise book devotes pages 257–362 to the air wing — one section for the CVW-2 staff and one for each of the ten squadrons. Every squadron card above links into that squadron’s own page, and the Read this whole section button above opens the entire air-wing chapter of the book.
Air Wing FAQ
What squadrons made up CVW-2 aboard USS Constellation in 1994–95?
Carrier Air Wing Two embarked ten squadrons aboard Constellation for the 1994–95 WESTPAC: VF-2 (F-14 Tomcat); VFA-137, VFA-151, and the Marine VMFA-323 (F/A-18 Hornet); VAQ-131 (EA-6B Prowler); VAW-116 (E-2C Hawkeye); VS-38 (S-3 Viking); HS-2 (SH-60 Seahawk); VQ-5 (ES-3A Shadow); and VRC-30 (C-2 Greyhound).
What is a carrier air wing?
A U.S. Navy carrier air wing is the embarked aviation unit of an aircraft carrier — a composite of fighter, strike, electronic-attack, airborne early-warning, sea-control, helicopter, reconnaissance, and logistics squadrons that together provide the carrier’s offensive and defensive air capability. In 1994–95, CVW-2 fielded roughly seventy-five aircraft across ten squadrons.
What aircraft did Carrier Air Wing Two fly off USS Constellation?
CVW-2 flew the F-14 Tomcat (VF-2), F/A-18 Hornet (VFA-137, VFA-151, VMFA-323), EA-6B Prowler (VAQ-131), E-2C Hawkeye (VAW-116), S-3 Viking (VS-38), SH-60 Seahawk (HS-2), ES-3A Shadow (VQ-5), and C-2 Greyhound (VRC-30).
What was the only Marine squadron in CVW-2 in 1994–95?
VMFA-323 — the “Death Rattlers,” a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet strike-fighter squadron embarked with the Navy air wing. Marine squadrons deploying aboard Navy carriers is a long tradition of naval aviation.
Where can I see CVW-2 in the cruise book?
The Air Wing section runs from page 257 through page 362 of the USS Constellation 1994–95 cruise book. Open the section in the book viewer, or click any squadron card above to jump straight to that squadron’s pages.
Crew Roster
Officers, aircrew, and maintainers of CVW-2 “Staff,” CVW-2, USS Constellation (CV-64), 1994–95 WESTPAC. Names transcribed from the original cruise book; each links to that Sailor’s page in the scanned book. See a misspelling or a shipmate we missed? Tell us and we’ll fix it.
- LCDRMitchell Dukovichp. 262
- LCDRChristopher G. Matthewsp. 262
- LCDRFrederick M. Nilesp. 262
- LCDRPaul E. Ridenourp. 262
- LCDRWalter H. Stammer, IIIp. 262
- LTSteven A. Bealsp. 262
- LTThomas A. Leongp. 262
- LTJeffrey D. Maclayp. 262
- LTMark D. Petersonp. 262
- LTHarry M. Shinp. 262
- CPTMichael J. Sperryp. 263
- LTRichard A. Stablesp. 263
- LTPeter A. Tomczakp. 263
- AVCMDan S. Cabralp. 263
- AFCMJames R. Menserp. 263
- ADCSRichard C. Cucuzzap. 263
- AOCSGordon C. Fosterp. 263
- AMCSRobert G. Reyesp. 263
- AKCManuel M. Saldanap. 263
- YNCDavid H. Wallacep. 263
- AZCJames E. Waltersp. 264
- AD1Dennis W. Caligiurip. 264
- AO1Roger D. Georgep. 264
- NC1Frank Medinap. 264
- YN1David R. Torrezp. 264
- YN2Todd A. Coxp. 264
- AME2William H. Stewartp. 265
- AD3James G. Fulmerp. 265
- YN3Mark D. Gibsonp. 265
- LCPLRichard R. Ashbaughp. 265
- YNSNDominic N. Petep. 265
- AAJeffery J. Brooksp. 265
- AABilly D. Rhiley, Jr.p. 265
Squadron insignia are official U.S. Navy and Marine Corps insignia (public domain), retrieved from Wikimedia Commons. Aircraft photographs are U.S. Navy public-domain imagery.