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- Antarctic Development Squadron Six (VXE-6 or ANTARCTIC DEVRON SIX, commonly referred to by its nickname, The Puckered Penguins) was a United States Navy air test and evaluation squadron based at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California with forward operating bases at Christchurch, New Zealand and McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Established at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland on 17 January 1955 as Air Development Squadron Six (VX-6), the squadron's mission was to conduct operations in support of Operation Deep Freeze, the operational component of the United States Antarctic Program. The squadron relocated to Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island on 1 February 1956. On 1 January 1969 the squadron was redesignated Antarctic Development Squadron Six (VXE-6). Following the closure of NAS Quonset Point in the 1970s, the squadron relocated to NAS Point Mugu. Using the tail codes XD (1955) and JD (1957), the squadron flew numerous aircraft over the course of its existence—many of which were pioneering endeavors. For example, the first air link between Antarctica and New Zealand was established by men and aircraft of VX-6 in 1955. The following year, a ski-equipped R4D Dakota of VX-6 became the first aircraft to land at the South Pole. In 1961, the first emergency midwinter medical evacuation flight was conducted from Byrd Station to Christchurch. In 1963, an LC-130F Hercules of VX-6 made the longest flight in Antarctic history. In 1967, a United States Navy LC-130F of VX-6 completed the first scheduled winter flight to Antarctica, landing at Williams Field. Following the closure of austral summer operations at Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station in February 1999, the squadron returned to Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California, where it was disestablished on 31 March 1999. (en)
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| dbp:commander
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- (en)
- CAPT William H. Munson, 1959–61 (en)
- CDR Arthur F. Schneider, 1968 (en)
- CDR Claude H. Nordhill, 1972 (en)
- CDR Daniel A. Desko, 1976 (en)
- CDR Daniel Balish, 1967 (en)
- CDR Dave Jackson, 1998–1999 (en)
- CDR Dwight D. Fisher, 1984–1985 (en)
- CDR Edward M. Ward, 1955–57 (en)
- CDR Eugene W. Van Reeth, 1969 (en)
- CDR F.S. Gallup Jr, 1965 (en)
- CDR Fred C. Holt, 1975 (en)
- CDR George R. Kelly, 1964 (en)
- CDR Gordon K. Ebbe, June 1955–June 1956 (en)
- CDR Jack Smith, 1988–1989 (en)
- CDR James W. Jaeger, 1977 (en)
- CDR John B. Dana, 1973 (en)
- CDR Paul Derocher, 1985–1986 (en)
- CDR Paul R. Dykeman, 1980–1981 (en)
- CDR Stephen Gardner, 1994–1995 (en)
- CDR Vernon J. Coley, 1957–58 (en)
- CDR Vernon W. Peters,
1974 (en)
- CDR Victor Louis Pesce, 1979–1980 (en)
- CDR William A. Morgan, 1978–1979 (en)
- CDR William Warlick, 1997–1998 (en)
- LCDR David B. Eldridge Jr., 1967 (en)
- LCDR John A. Morton, 1964 (en)
- LCDR John K. Allison, 1959 (en)
- LCDR Louis L. Helms, 1961 (en)
- LCDR William E. Shockley, 1966 (en)
- LCDR Charles J. McCarthy, Ellsworth Station detachment, 1957–58 (en)
- CDR Joseph D. Mazza, 1986–1987
CDR Jack B. Rector, 1987–1988 (en)
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| rdfs:comment
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- Antarctic Development Squadron Six (VXE-6 or ANTARCTIC DEVRON SIX, commonly referred to by its nickname, The Puckered Penguins) was a United States Navy air test and evaluation squadron based at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California with forward operating bases at Christchurch, New Zealand and McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Following the closure of austral summer operations at Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station in February 1999, the squadron returned to Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California, where it was disestablished on 31 March 1999. (en)
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