ron . ▁A ▁Hel ic opter ▁Light ▁Att ack ▁( H AL ) ▁design ation ▁had ▁been ▁created ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁to ▁design ate ▁a ▁single ▁light ▁attack ▁hel ic opter ▁squad ron ▁( H AL - 3 ). ▁H AL - 3 ▁and ▁VAL - 4 ▁conducted ▁operations ▁in ▁the ▁M ek ong ▁D elta ▁region ▁of ▁South ▁Vietnam . ▁ ▁V C : ▁Dis est ab lished ▁and ▁De activ ated ▁Compos ite ▁squad rons ▁This ▁second ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁V C ▁design ation ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁to ▁design ate ▁squad rons ▁which ▁were ▁composed ▁of ▁det ach ments ▁of ▁aircraft ▁that ▁deployed ▁ab o ard ▁aircraft ▁carri ers ▁with ▁the ▁Car rier ▁Air ▁Group ▁( l ater ▁Car rier ▁Air ▁Wing ) ▁conduct ing ▁special ized ▁miss ions . ▁Miss ions ▁included : ▁All - We ather / N ight ▁F ighter ; ▁He avy ▁Att ack ▁( N uc lear ▁Bom bers ); ▁Air bor ne ▁Early ▁Warning ; ▁Anti - Sub marine ▁War fare ; ▁and ▁Phot ographic ▁Re con na issance . ▁Single ▁digit ▁numbers ▁designated ▁the ▁Compos ite ▁All ▁We ather ▁F ighter ▁and ▁the ▁He avy ▁Att ack ▁squad rons , ▁te ens ▁designated ▁Compos ite ▁Air bor ne ▁Early ▁Warning ▁Squad rons , ▁numbers ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 s ▁and ▁ 3 0 s ▁designated ▁Compos ite ▁Anti - Sub marine ▁Squad rons , ▁and ▁the ▁numbers ▁in ▁the ▁ 6 0 s ▁designated ▁Compos ite