Fleet Composite Squadron Eight was commissioned as Guided Missile Service Squadron Two at NAS Chincoteague, Virginia, in July 1958.  In January 1959, the squadron was transferred to Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico and re-designated as Utility Squadron Eight the following year.  In 1965 the squadron took on the designation of VC-8 and would proudly serve the United States Navy with distinction for nearly forty additional years.

From it's beginnings, the squadron's main mission has been to serve the Atlantic fleet by providing realistic adversarial training for naval units.  Initially providing airborne targets for new shipboard anti-aircraft guided missile systems, such as TERRIER and TALOS, the squadron employed the Grumman DF-9J cougar and the Ryan KDA Firebee drones as targets for fleet exercises like the annual "Operation Springboard".

Launching, guiding and recovering these drones required a stable full of aircraft which VC-8 operated with remarkable efficiency.  The F-9 drone was remotely controlled with the aid of pilots aboard North American Aviation's FJ-3D2 Fury and DT-28B Trojan, as well as ground pilots who controlled the Red Dog drones during taxi, take off and landing.  The Firebee drone also required the assistance of Lockheed's P-2 Neptune and Sikorsky's H-34 Seahorsef or airborne launch and recovery.  In 1963, the supersonic F-8 Crusader would replace the out-dated Furies as primary drone control aircraft.  With this diverse assortment of aircraft and crews of innovated personnel, the squadron set drone launch records and pioneered new multiple launch, low-altitude and night time adversary target presentations through out the 1960's.

In addition to their workhorse duties, the squadron's H-34's and their crews set the precedent as the Caribbean's finest Search and Rescue platforms by recuting the pilot of a downed F-86 Sabre and the surviving crew members of an Army Caribou transport plane that crashed.  The H-34 crews flawlessly performed numerous medical evacuations and transported several dignitaries including Vice President Johnson, Hubert Humphrey and General Curtis LeMay.

In 1965, the squadron was tasked with launching Ryan's new AQM-37 target drone.  With F-8's no longer capable of performing this arduous duty, the squadron turned to the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk to complete the task.  Eventually Charlie model aircraft were replaced with the advanced TA-4J's and VC-8 mission expanded into providing SAM missile tracking data via the P-2 Airborne Data Link (ADL) system, air-to-air threat and other adversarial missions as the Redtail aircraft continually supported fleet training exercises.  The squadron also acquired additional Neptunes to support the ADL, as well as, Grumman's S-2 Tracker to provide range clearance for the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range.

By 1970, the squadron was operating the H-3 Seaking and one VC-8 crew quickly set a new world record by simultaneously rescuing 26 survivors of a passenger airline crash off the island of St Croix.  Despite foul weather and rough seas, the crew proved that they would do everything possible to provide aid to those in need.  The events of AML's flight 980 ditching inspired the forthcoming novel entitled 35 Miles From Shore by Emilio Corsetti III.

On New Year's Eve of 1986, the DuPont Hotel in San Juan caught fire in what would be the worst American hotel disaster to date.  Once again, crews of VC-8 responded by launching three Seakings and rescuing 75 people from the roof top of the burning buiding.  The last 24 people saved, were rescued under the cover of darkness after the extinguished blaze had reflashed.

In 1980, VC-8 retired the last Neptune from naval inventory.  This composite propeller/jet patrol aircraft had been developed in World War II and was made famous by the long distance, record breaking flight of the Truculent Turtle.  The P-2's retirement left the Redtails operating only the Skyhawk and the Seaking; and foreshadowed VC-8's retirement of the A-4 from naval service just twenty years later.

Working side by side through out the next two decades, pilots, aircrew and maintenance personnel of VC-8 perfected the art of delivering quality fleet training and support during COMPTUEX and UNITAS exercises.  Continuously improving, new missions were added such as attainment of LEVEL II Adversary status in 1997, making VC-8 the last remaining active duty adversary squadron in the navy and Bambi Bucket helicopter firefighting support capability.  The Skyhawk distinguished the squadron why on adversary detachments to NAS Key West, NAS Oceana, NAS Fallon, NAS New Orleans and NAS Dallas; while the helicopters were always ready to perform humanitarian missions following hurricanes and tropical storms.

In 2003, Fleet Composite Squadron Eight shuts down after 45 years of devoted service to the fleet, performing some of the most difficult tasks asked of any squadron.  Despite the unique nature of the missions and the ownership af legacy aircraft, the Redtails of VC-8 ensured that deploying Battle Groups received the best trining prior to going into harm's way.  From commission to deactivation, the squadron was awarded three Meritorious Unit Citations, eight Battle "E' awrads and five safety "S" awards.  Over seven hundred lives have been saved by the devoted VC-8 crews and thus it is a fitting tribute that the squadron won the CNO's Search and Recue Model Manager's Exccellence Award.