Collection: VAQ-136 Gauntlets

The Gauntlets of VAQ-136 were established on April 6, 1973, at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, as an operational EA-6B Prowler squadron. The squadron quickly began deploying aboard aircraft carriers and developed a long association with operations throughout the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. For decades, the Gauntlets were also a prominent part of the Navy's forward-deployed aviation presence in Japan.

During Operation Desert Storm in 1991, VAQ-136 became the first Prowler squadron to fly a strike against Iraq. Over the 43-day conflict, the Gauntlets accumulated more than 466 combat hours and fired 28 AGM-88 HARM missiles while suppressing enemy air defenses. The squadron later supported Operation Southern Watch and continued deploying throughout the Pacific and Middle East, building an extensive operational record with the EA-6B.

In 2012, VAQ-136 returned from Japan to NAS Whidbey Island and began its transition from the EA-6B Prowler to the EA-18G Growler. The squadron was declared safe for flight in February 2013 and received its Growlers shortly afterward. Today, the Gauntlets continue to fly the EA-18G Growler from NAS Whidbey Island, carrying forward more than five decades of electronic attack history and the squadron's distinctive Gauntlets identity.