▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁was ▁red es ign ated ▁as ▁an ▁All - We ather ▁Att ack ▁Squadron ▁V A ( AW )- 3 3 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁the ▁squad ron ▁moved ▁to ▁NAS ▁Qu ons et ▁Point , ▁and ▁was ▁soon ▁red es ign ated ▁Car rier ▁Air bor ne ▁Early ▁Warning ▁Squadron ▁V AW - 3 3 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁it ▁began ▁providing ▁AS W ▁det ach ments ▁to ▁ant is ub marine ▁carri ers ▁in ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Fle et . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁a ▁V AW - 3 3 ▁det achment ▁supported ▁the ▁recovery ▁of ▁the ▁Gem ini ▁IX ▁space craft . ▁From ▁ 1 9 6 7 - 1 9 6 8 , ▁V AW - 3 3 ▁provided ▁car rier - based ▁EC M ▁services ▁in ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁War ▁zone . ▁ ▁Return ing ▁to ▁NAS ▁Nor folk ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁the ▁squad ron , ▁now ▁designated ▁V A Q - 3 3 , ▁adopted ▁the ▁Fire bird s ▁nick name , ▁and ▁came ▁under ▁oper ational ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Fle et ▁Electron ic ▁War fare ▁Support ▁Group . ▁Its ▁new ▁mission ▁was ▁to ▁simulate ▁electronic ▁thre ats ▁to ▁units ▁of ▁the ▁fleet . ▁Its ▁standard ▁complement ▁of ▁aircraft ▁soon ▁became ▁four ▁E RA - 3 B ▁Sky war riors , ▁nick named ▁Wh ales , ▁four ▁E A - 4 F ▁Sky h aw ks , ▁and ▁one