Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 115 (VAW-115), known as the "Liberty Bells," was established on April 20, 1967. The squadron was originally based at NAS Norfolk, Virginia, and soon transferred to NAS Miramar, California, before moving to its longtime home at NAF Atsugi, Japan. Flying the E-2 Hawkeye, VAW-115 provided airborne early warning and command and control for U.S. Navy carrier strike groups, notably supporting operations during the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and numerous regional crises in the Western Pacific. After 44 years forward-deployed in Japan with Carrier Air Wing 5, VAW-115 relocated to NAS Point Mugu, California, in 2017 as part of the U.S. Navy’s rebalance to the Pacific.
