JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Six months after embarking on an overseas deployment, the “Mad Foxes” of Patrol Squadron (VP) 5 returned to Naval Air Station Jacksonville on Tuesday. There, sailors were reunited with their families, who welcomed them with open arms.
“Amazing feelings,” said Frank Sanchez, the executive officer of VP-5. “Six months of waiting and waiting and here it is. It’s over before you know it.”
Sanchez returned home to his wife and his young boys.
“Fly-ins are definitely the highlight of deployment, marking the end, and unquestionably one of the best days in the Navy for all of us,” he said.
During its deployment, VP-5 ran patrol and reconnaissance operations with the P-8A Poseidon aircraft, missions and training exercises throughout the Indo-Asia Pacific region. The “Mad Foxes” were also involved in several search-and-rescue missions, including the recovery of a fishing vessel three days after it was reported missing.
Notably, the “Mad Foxes” were awarded the Captain Arnold Jay Isbell trophy, which recognizes outstanding performance in the anti-submarine warfare mission set. Other accolades included Combat Aircrew 3 (CAC 3) earning distinction as CTF-72′s crew of the first quarter of 2021 for its role in the squadron’s search-and-rescue missions.