Why US Navy squadron lineage became so difficult

The Bureau of Aeronautics wanted squadron designations to describe aircraft and roles precisely. Its reputation rests partly on the Wildcat, Hellcat, and Avenger, in contrast to the Bureau of Ordnance's heavily criticized prewar torpedo programme, although some successful aircraft emerged despite bureau preferences. BuAer repeatedly changed the numbering and naming system as its idea of precision evolved. The result was a service in which a familiar designation might represent a redesignated unit, a later unrelated establishment, or several separate incarnations. Arguments that US Navy squadrons either do or do not possess continuous lineages can both sound correct when they apply different rules. The clarification issued on 19 March 1998 was needed because decades of administrative practice had never resolved that distinction cleanly.