The Rooks of VAQ-137 were originally commissioned on December 14, 1973, flying the EA-6B Prowler. The squadron made its first deployment in 1974 and supported Operation Frequent Wind during the evacuation of Americans from Saigon. Over the following two decades, the Rooks deployed around the world, supporting operations in Lebanon, Libya, the Persian Gulf, Desert Storm, Somalia, Iraq, and Bosnia.
VAQ-137 was disestablished in 1994 and re-established on October 3, 1996, at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. The Rooks returned to operational deployments with the EA-6B and later flew combat missions in support of Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, New Dawn, and operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The squadron's long Prowler history spanned multiple versions of the aircraft and operations across nearly every major theater.
In 2013, VAQ-137 transitioned from the EA-6B Prowler to the EA-18G Growler. The Rooks made their first Growler deployment in 2015 and flew combat missions over Iraq and Syria in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Today, VAQ-137 continues to fly the EA-18G Growler from NAS Whidbey Island, carrying forward more than five decades of electronic attack history and the distinctive Rooks identity.
