VFP-62

• Establishment and Name: VFP-62 was established as Composite Squadron SIX TWO (VC-62) on January 10, 1949, and redesignated as Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron SIX TWO (VFP-62) on July 2, 1956. • Primary Mission: VFP-62's main mission was photographic reconnaissance, providing vital intelligence through aerial photography for the U.S. Navy during both peacetime and combat operations. • Korean War Service: Although VFP-62 was established after World War II, it played a significant role during the Korean War by providing reconnaissance support to carrier air groups. • Aircraft Used: The squadron operated a variety of aircraft, including the F8F Bearcat, F2H-2P Banshee, F9F-6P and F9F-8P Cougar, and most famously, the RF-8A/G Crusader, a photo-reconnaissance variant of the F-8 Crusader. • Cuban Missile Crisis: VFP-62 is best known for its critical role in the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962, where its RF-8A Crusader aircraft provided the first low-level photographic evidence of Soviet missile installations in Cuba. • Dangerous Missions: During the Cuban Missile Crisis, VFP-62 pilots flew extremely low and risky missions over hostile territory, facing potential ground fire and anti-aircraft threats to obtain crucial intelligence. • Presidential Unit Citation: For its outstanding service during the Cuban Missile Crisis, VFP-62 was awarded the prestigious Presidential Unit Citation by President John F. Kennedy. • Vietnam War Deployments: VFP-62 detachments were deployed aboard aircraft carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin, supporting U.S. naval operations during the early years of the Vietnam War. • Disestablishment: VFP-62 was disestablished on January 1, 1968, as part of a consolidation of Navy reconnaissance assets, with its missions and aircraft being transferred to other units. • Legacy: VFP-62's legacy lives on in naval aviation history as a pioneer of carrier-based photo-reconnaissance, remembered for its professionalism and daring during some of the Cold War's most critical moments.