The “Gray Wolves” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142 are all back home at NAS Whidbey Island, just in time to share the Thanksgiving holidays with families and friends, following a highly successful 6-month deployment to Al Asad Air Base, Iraq in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn.

In the early hours, Nov. 18, the squadron’s maintenance and support personnel arrived home. The squadron’s EA-6B Prowlers, aircrew and a small contingent of maintenance personnel arrived at noon today.

VAQ-142 departed Whidbey Island in May 2010 and immediately immersed themselves in the rigors of around-the-clock operations. Every Gray Wolf worked diligently to keep Prowlers airborne at all hours, providing electronic attack in support of U.S. and Iraqi ground forces across Iraq. This deployment, possibly the last EA-6B Prowler expeditionary deployment, offered all the challenges of combat operations including maintaining aircraft in debilitating heat topping 140?F and sun-eclipsing sandstorms. 

“The dry heat of the first several months was breathtaking,” said Lt. Chad Mickelson, “But the jets survived two major sandstorms with no loss of operational capacity through the sheer will of the maintainers.”

Gray Wolf Sailors earned many accolades while deployed.

Cmdr. Courtney Smith, Skipper of VAQ-142, presented 205 awards including 39 Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and ten Good Conduct Medals. Thirty eight Gray Wolf Sailors earned their Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist Wings, 15 Sailors reenlisted and two Sailors received U.S. citizenship. Seventeen Gray Wolves earned promotions, including four through the NAVCENT Combat Meritorious Advancement Program.

Aircrew achieved several milestones during the deployment. Smith and Lt. Brian Pridgen reached 1,000 EA-6B Prowler hours and Lt. Cmdr. Scot Taylor reached 3,000 EA-6B Prowler hours. Overall, the Gray Wolves flew more than 1,660 hours and completed over 470 combat sorties.

As the squadron prepared to leave Al Asad, some reflected on the experience. 

“This deployment has been very rewarding—it is good to know we’re keeping the troops on the ground protected even if we don’t always get to see the result,” said Intelligence Specialist 2nd Class Dustin Gruwell. 

With another deployment under their belts, the Gray Wolves leave their days as an expeditionary squadron behind and are looking forward to the holidays before beginning preparations to go “hook down” as a carrier-based squadron with Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 in 2011.