Squadron History - March 4, 1969; established at Naval Air Station Alameda, California. Originally flew the EKA-3B Skywarrior. - August 1969; and again in November 1970 the squadron departed for combat deployments to Southeast Asia onboard USS CONSTELLATION (CV 64) and USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63). - August 1971; relocated to our current homeport, NAS Whidbey Island and transitioned to the EA-6B Prowler. - January 1974; VAQ-133 departed Norfolk, Virginia onboard USS AMERICA (CV 66). This marked the first ever Prowler deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and the first deployment of the new expanded capability (EXCAP) version of the EA-6B. - 1975; the Wizards completed four months of pre-deployment training on the east coast in preparation for USS JOHN F. KENNEDY's (CV 67) June deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. Once deployed, the Wizards broke every flight hour record for the EA-6B community. - Between November 1979 and October 1981; VAQ-133 deployed to the Mediterranean Sea onboard USS FORRESTAL (CV 59) and USS AMERICA (CV 66). - February 1982; the Wizards conducted refresher training onboard USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65), and set sail in September for their first WESTPAC deployment as a Prowler Squadron. - 1984; VAQ-133 again deployed onboard CVN 65 and participated in two of the largest naval exercises ever, RIMPAC 84, with over eighty allied ships, and FLEETEX 85-1, with five carrier task forces in two oceans. The squadron returned home in December 1984 and transitioned to the Improved Capability II (ICAP II) version of the EA-6B. - September 1987 and May 1989; VAQ-133 deployed to the Mediterranean Sea onboard USS CORAL SEA (CV 43). - December 1990; joined Carrier Air Wing SIX (CVW-6) onboard USS FORRESTAL (CV 59). - May 1991; After being assigned as the alert carrier for Operation DESERT STORM, USS FORRESTAL (CV 59) deployed with the Wizards to the Mediterranean Sea. - June 1992; disestablished. - April 1, 1996; reestablished as an expeditionary land-based squadron. - January 1997; only nine months after being reestablished, deployed for six months to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, where they were assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 12. - 1998; the Wizards deployed to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey for six months, flying combat missions over northern Iraq with the Combined Task Force in support of Operation NORTHERN WATCH. - March 1999; VAQ-133 arrived in Prince Sultan Airbase, Saudi Arabia in to support Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. - January 2001; VAQ-133 returned to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey to fly missions over Northern Iraq. - 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009; completed 6 month deployments to Bagram AFB. - November 2009; deployed Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. - August 2010; transitioned to back to a carrier based operational squadron onboard USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74), with Carrier Air Wing (CVW-9). - July 2011; Deployed for seven months in support of Operations NEW DAWN and ENDURING FREEDOM. Flew the last Prowler combat missions over Iraq in December 2011. - August 2012; The Wizards deploy for eight months with CVW-9 onboard CVN-74 for a deployment to FIFTH fleet in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. - Following a brief at-home period, the Wizards embarked on STENNIS with CVW-9 in August 2012 for a short-notice surge deployment in support of OEF and FIFTH Fleet contingency operations. As the squadron entered transition to the EA-18G Growler airframe in summer 2013, this marked the Wizards' "sundown" deployment as an EA6B squadron. - In the spring of 2014, the Wizards completed a yearlong transition into the EA-18G and were certified "Safe-for-Flight." The squadron then returned to Carrier Air Wing NINE to continue its legacy of domination in the electromagnetic spectrum. - January 2016; The Wizards deploy with the EA-G Growler for seven months with Carrier Air Wing NINE (CVW-9) onboard USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74). They deployed to SEVENTH FLEET in support of WESTPAC operations. - July 2016; Participated in the RIMPAC exercise. - August 2016; The Wizards return from their first EA-18G Growler deployment. - October 2018; The Wizards deploy with the EA-18G growler for 7 months with Carrier Air Wing NINE (CVW-9) onboard USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74). They deployed to FIFTH FLEET in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel and Operation Inherent Resolve. - May 2019; The Wizards return from their deployment.