Fighting Plane Squadron 3 (VF-3)

17 June 1922  -  New Organization.  Standard operating allowance 18 single seat fighting planes for air fighting duties with Fleet Base Force, particularly in air protection of train ships.  (Note: This Squadron will be the nucleus of the AIRCRAFT SQUADRONS FLEET BASE FORCE, but is listed with the Battle Fleet pending the availability of a flagship for the new organization). 

The personnel of this squadron will be attached to and quartered on the USS  Langley.  When six train ships, to be designated later, are equipped to receive fighting planes, the sections of this squadron will be attached to and quartered on board train ships as assigned by Commander Battle Fleet on request of Commander Fleet Base Force; remainder of squadron personnel, with as many replacement planes and spares as practicable, remain on Langley; remainder of replacement planes and spares will be stored at N.A.S. San Diego.  prior to the time that train ships are equipped to receive planes this squadron will conduct flying off and flying on experiments with the special allowance of planes previously authorized; replacements of this special allowance as planes are expended will be made with the type of fighting planes that may be prescribed by the Bureau of Aeronautics as standard equipment for this squadron.    

Squadron organization and numbering of planes for VF-3 Squadron as follows: 

• Division 1 - Section 1; 2; 3. 
• Division 2 - Section 4; 5; 6.
• Section 1 - 3F1, 3F2, 3F3.  
• Section 2 - 3F4, 3F5, 3F6. 
• Section 3 - 3F7, 3F8, 3F9. 
• Section 4 - 3F10, 3F11, 3F12. 
• Section 5 - 3F13, 3F14, 3F15. 
• Section 6 - 3F16, 3F17, 3F18. 
• Replacement planes:  Nos. 3F19, 3F20, etc.