Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 30 (VRC-30), traces its ancestry to Air Transport Squadron 5 (VR-5) which was commissioned June 24, 1943 at Naval Air Station, Seattle. The squadron was tasked with flying the R-4D, 4-5D, DNB-2C and UC-64 aircraft in regular air service to Seattle, Oakland, San Francisco, the Aleutian Islands, Fairbanks and Point Barrow on the Alaskan mainland.
In 1950, VR-5 moved its base of operations from NAS Seattle, Washington to NAS Moffett Field, California, leaving a detachment at Seattle and establishing a second detachment at NAS North Island, San Diego, California. VR-5 was decommissioned July 15, 1957 and became VR-21, with detachments at NAS Atsugi, Japan and NAS North Island, San Diego, California.
On June 26, 1956, VR-21, NAS North Island, San Diego, California Detachment, made the first Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) with the Grumman C-1A Trader aircraft to the USS Yorktown (CV 10). The detachment relocated to NAS Alameda, California in 1960.
After relocating to NAS North Island, San Diego, California, VR-30 was decommissioned on October 1, 1978 and VRC-30 was commissioned at that time. VRC-30 transitioned to the C-2A Greyhound in late 1981 with the acceptance of deliveries of reprocured C-2A aircraft, the aircraft the squadron operates today. In February 1980, VRC-30 received its first UC-12B and in October 1980 VRC-30 established the UC-12B/F Fleet Replacement Squadron, providing ground and flight instruction for all Pacific Fleet Navy and Marine Corps pilots and aircrew in the UC-12 Beechcraft Super King Air. VRC-30’s C-12 FRS acts as the U.S. Navy C-12 B/F Fleet Model Manager and Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet NATOPS Evaluator in addition to their primary job of flight instruction.
1994 marked one of the most dynamic periods in VRC-30’s history. When VRC-50 was disestablished in September 1994, VRC-30 became the sole C-2 squadron in the Pacific, assuming the responsibility of providing COD support to all Pacific Fleet carriers. In order to support the expansion of VRC-30’s area of responsibility, the command has undergone a transition from shore-based operations to sea-based major deployment operations. The transition involved tremendous changes in manning, missions and aircraft. On August 1994, VRC-30 Det. 5 was established in Atsugi, Japan, supporting Carrier Air Wing 5 and USS Independence (CV 62). In addition to the Atsugi Detachment, the squadron maintains four sea going detachments, home based at North Island. These detachments support all Pacific Fleet carriers during their WESTPAC cruise and all CONUS at sea periods.
VRC-30 currently operates 16 C-2A Greyhounds and 3 UC-12 Super King Airs. Today the squadron has two primary missions, which consist of C-2A Carrier Onboard Delivery logistics support and UC-12 FRS training of pilots and aircrewman. Under the operational and administrative control of Commander Airborne Early Warning Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet, VRC-30 consists of 63 officers and 391 enlisted personnel. As of August 1996, the squadron has achieved 22 years and over 125,000 hours of accident-free flight. VRC-30 was awarded the Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award for the years, 1979, 1983-1985, 1990 and 1991. The squadron was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for exemplary service from October 1993 to September 1994.
On January 12, 1984, the VRC-30 “Providers” officially adopted their present insignia. The mythological legend of “Pegasus” illustrates the mission of the squadron-airborne delivery of personnel and material to units of the Pacific Fleet. The Providers have always lived up to their motto “We Deliver”, and now validate their claim on a daily basis to destinations which span more than half of the globe.
What most people don’t know is that VR-30 COD was the very first to get the Grumman C-2A Greyhound. Even if only for a few months in 1966, VR-30 was responsible for the C-2 program and the NATOPS. The C-2A was transferred to VRC-50.