In January of 1989, I reported to VAQ-136 onboard USS Midway, CV-41. I spent three years with the Gauntlets, sailing the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and the Persian Gulf. This was my first command in my ten-year career in the U.S. Navy. I began as a lowly E-1 with the designation of Aviation Machinist's Mate Airman Recruit (ADAR). When I left VAQ-136 in January 1992, I had achieved the rank of E-4 and the designation of Aviation Machinist's Mate Petty Officer Third Class (AD3).

As this was the beginning of my real adult life, I learned a lot from the Navy, the people around me, and the experiences I had when assigned to the Gauntlets. Through the squadron, I was able to experience life at sea aboard an aircraft carrier. Stationed in Japan, I saw much of that country and visited many other exotic places including Abu Dhabi, Australia, Diego Garcia, Hong Kong, Kenya, Korea, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

Although the EA-6B Prowler is not the most glamorous war plane in the world, I had come to both love it and hate it at the same time. The Prowler was not designed with "ease of maintenance" in mind and we soon learned to curse the designers. However, we mastered every square inch of the aircraft and the people in the squadron were the best at what they did.

To commemorate VAQ-136 and all the personnel - past, present, and future assigned to the squadron, I have decided to share the distinguished history of the Gauntlets with the rest of the world. I have compiled a series of pages, which include the squadron's history, an explanation of the squadron's emblem, lists of the squadron's commanding officers and deployments, large galleries of patches and pictures, and a review of a book written by a former squadron pilot. I have also included details of the EA-6B Prowler, EA-18G Growler, the AGM-88 HARM missile, and a large EA-6B Prowler photo gallery.

With this said, I hope you will enjoy my tribute to what I consider the Fleet's Finest Electronic Warfare Squadron.

~ Troy Prince, Aviation Machinist's Mate, USN

~ VAQ-136 Gauntlets aboard USS Midway & USS Independence (1989 ~ 1992)

~ NAF Atsugi AIMD (1992 ~ 1994)

~ NAF Misawa AIMD (1994 ~ 1998)