854 Naval Air Squadron

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854 Naval Air Squadron
A winged lion over vertical sword point downwards, on waves in a circle of rope Audentes fortuna juvat
Active	1944-1945, 2006-
Country	UK
Branch	Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm
Type	Carrier based squadron
Role	airborne early warning
Garrison/HQ	RNAS Culdrose
Motto	Fortune helps the daring
Colors	Red and Black
Anniversaries	none
Engagements	Normandy 1944, Palembang 1945, Okinawa 1945
Commanders
Current commander	Lt Cdr A D Tite
Notable commanders	L/C R E Jess DSC, RCNVR

Formed with Avenger IIs as an anti-shipping squadron on 1 Jan 1944 at Squantum Naval Air Station in the USA. Operated over the English Channel in the run-up to D-Day, it subsequently served for a year in the Far East. 854 NAS left its Avenger IIIs behind and sailed for the UK, to disband on 8 Dec 1945.

After a ceremony at RNAS Culdrose, the unit reformed with the Sea King ASaC.7 on 13 Dec 2006 from 849 Squadron, A Flight.