4.0 inch embroidered patch of the VRC-30 Providers with Hook and Loop
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron Three Zero (VRC-30), traces its ancestry to Air Transport Squadron Five (VR-5) which was established on 24 June 1943 at Naval Air Station Seattle. The Squadron was tasked with flying the Douglas R4D Skytrain, Douglas R5D Skymaster, Beechcraft SNB Expeditor and the Noorduyn JA-1 Norseman aircraft in regular air service to Seattle, Oakland, San Francisco, the Aleutian Islands, Fairbanks and Point Barrow on the Alaskan Mainland.[2]
1940s
In 1948, the Naval Air Transportation Service and Air Transport Command merged and became the Military Air Transport Service. VR-5 was placed under the command of Fleet Logistics Support Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
1950s
In 1950, VR-5 moved its base of operations from NAS Seattle to NAS Moffett Field, California. Detachments were established in Seattle and at NAS North Island, California. VR-5 was decommissioned 15 July 1957 and became VR-21, with detachments at NAF Atsugi, Japan and NAS North Island. VR-21 was the first squadron to fly dedicated Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) aircraft, the TBM-3Rs, transport version of the TBM-3E the General Motors version of the World War II Grumman Avenger torpedo bomber.
On 26 June 26 1958, VR-21 NAS North Island Detachment made the first COD with the Grumman C-1A Trader aircraft to the USS Yorktown (CV-10). The Detachment relocated to NAS Alameda in 1960.
VR-21 was also at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii, flying C-118B Liftmasters into the early 1970s.
1960s
The Atsugi Detachment VRC-50, and the Alameda Detachment was commissioned as Fleet Tactical Support Squadron Three Zero (VR-30) equipped with Convair C-131 Samaritans and C-1A Trader aircraft. VR-30's mission included logistics support for Commander in Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet units. On 9 November 1966, VR-30 made their first COD arrested landing in the C-1A on the USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31).