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{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= Heavy Attack Squadron 123
|image=File:A-3B Skywarriors VAH-123 in flight.jpeg
|caption=Two VAH-123 [[Douglas A-3 Skywarrior|A-3Bs]] in the 1960s
|dates= 15 June 1957-1 February 1971
|country= United States
|allegiance=
|branch= [[United States Navy]]
|type=
|role= Attack
|size=
|command_structure= Inactive
|current_commander=
|garrison=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname= Professionals
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|aircraft_attack=[[Lockheed P-2 Neptune|P-2 Neptune]]<br>[[Douglas F3D Skyknight|F-3D Skynight]]<br>[[Grumman F-9 Cougar|F-9 Cougar]]<br>[[Douglas A-3 Skywarrior|A-3 Skywarrior]]
|anniversaries=
}}
'''VAH-123''', nicknamed the ''Professionals'' from 1961 onward, was a '''Heavy Attack Squadron''' of the [[U.S. Navy]], based at [[NAS Whidbey Island]], Washington. It was established on 15 June 1957 as '''Heavy Attack Training Unit, Pacific''' (HATUPAC). On 29 June 1959 it was redesignated as '''VAH-123'''. The squadron was disestablished on 1 February 1971, after eleven years of service.<ref name="Danas">{{cite DANAS |volume=1 |article=VAH-123 |page=301 |section=Chapter3}}</ref>
==Operational history==
During its time, the squadron flew many different aircraft types, beginning in the years shown: [[Lockheed P-2 Neptune]] (1957); [[Douglas F3D Skyknight]] (1957); [[Grumman F-9 Cougar]] (1958); [[Douglas A-3 Skywarrior]] (1958, with several variants over the years); and [[Grumman A-6 Intruder]] (1966).<ref name="Danas" />
The unit was established to train personnel for the heavy attack mission, including the pilots, bombardier/navigators and aircrewmen. It retained that mission throughout its life. In 1959, it incorporated maintenance training into its mission, thereby providing a complete training program for all aspects of the heavy attack community's operational requirements.<ref name="Danas" />
In 1967, '''VAH-123''' was relieved of its mission of replacement training in the A-6 ''Intruder'' when '''[[VA-128 (U.S. Navy)|VA-128]]''' was established as a separate squadron and assumed that job. When '''VAH-123''' was disestablished, the mission of replacement training for the A-3/KA-3B was transferred to '''[[VAQ-130]]'''.<ref name="Danas" />
==See also==
* [[History of the United States Navy]]
* [[List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons]]
==References==
{{DANAS}}
{{reflist}}
{{US Navy navbox}}
{{United States Navy Aircraft Squadrons}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vah-123}}
[[Category:Heavy attack squadrons of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons]]