Whidbey squadron coming home

A Prowler squadron will return to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station starting Sunday, Navy officials said.

The “Cougars” of Electronic Attack Squadron 139 (VAQ-139) will wrap up an almost six-month deployment in the western Pacific Ocean. The homecoming begins with the squadron’s EA-6B Prowler jets, which are scheduled to arrive on Sunday.

The squadron’s maintenance and support personnel will come home to Oak Harbor the following day.

VAQ-139 left for deployment on May 24 and has been aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis, which is based in San Diego. The Stennis was deployed as part of a military exercise that saw seven aircraft carriers deploy simultaneously around the world.

The Prowler is an all-weather, radar- and communications-jamming jet.

The squadron has 30 officers and 150 enlisted maintenance and support personnel. The post-Halloween homecoming also includes 25 members of the Sea Operational Detachment from the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Detachment.

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