National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum Announces S-3B Viking Aircraft for Static Display

The National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum in Jacksonville has added a restored S-3B Viking to its growing NAS Cecil Heritage Plaza. Dedicated on February 20, 2026, the aircraft now serves as the U.S. Naval Aviation Viking Fallen Comrades Memorial, honoring sailors and aviators connected to the S-3 community while supporting the museum’s broader mission to remember POW/MIA service members.

Guest Author Published March 19, 2026

By Andrew Rodriguez

Contents

History of the S-3B Viking on Display Visit the Memorial Related Articles

The National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum, Jacksonville, FL, has announced the addition of a historically significant S-3B Viking jet aircraft to its growing collection, marking a major milestone in the development of the NAS Cecil Heritage Plaza in Jacksonville, Florida. The aircraft was formally dedicated during a ceremony held on February 20, 2026, drawing more than 200 attendees to honor the legacy of U.S. Naval Aviation and those who served within the Viking community. Sponsored by the Memorial and the Viking Association, the event celebrated the arrival of a meticulously reconstructed and restored S-3B Viking that now stands as the U.S. Naval Aviation Viking Fallen Comrades Memorial. The S-3 Viking is an aircraft that served nearly 25 years in active duty at the former Naval Air Station Cecil Field, where thousands of sailors and aviators supported and flew the aircraft during its operational life.

National POWMIA Memorial and Museum Announces S 3B Viking Aircraft for Static Display 4919 — Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Ed Turner, executive director of the National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum, speaks with a restoration team Feb. 12, 2026, about the restored S-3 Viking inside a hangar at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Marines assigned to Blount Island Command laid aluminum expeditionary airfield matting, which was drawn from prepositioning sets at Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island, to support the aircraft’s movement to the memorial’s developing Legacy Plaza. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Dustin Senger)

As a cornerstone of Phase 1 development at the NAS Cecil Heritage Plaza, the Viking Fallen Comrades Memorial plays a key role in the broader National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum project, which honors more than 140,000 former prisoners of war and remembers the more than 80,000 service members who remain missing or unaccounted for. In addition to the Heritage Plaza which already has an A-7 Corsair II and F-18 Hornet on display, future phases include the use of the former Naval Air Station Cecil Field Chapel (known now as the “Chapel of the High Speed Pass”) as a wedding and events venue, as well as a museum, but there are also ambitious plans for memorial gardens, sanctuary and an outdoor events lawn.

National POWMIA Memorial and Museum Announces S 3B Viking Aircraft for Static Display — Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Ed Turner, executive director of the National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum, speaks with a restoration team Feb. 12, 2026, about the restored S-3 Viking inside a hangar at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Marines assigned to Blount Island Command laid aluminum expeditionary airfield matting, which was drawn from prepositioning sets at Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island, to support the aircraft’s movement to the memorial’s developing Legacy Plaza. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Dustin Senger)

History of the S-3B Viking on Display

The aircraft now on display carries a long and distinguished service record. Accepted into U.S. Navy service as Bureau Number 159746 on June 18, 1975, it was initially assigned to VS-41 at NAS North Island, California. Over the decades, the aircraft served with multiple squadrons, including VS-35, VS-33, VS-32, VS-22, and VX-30, operating from locations ranging from NAS North Island and NAS Jacksonville to NAS Point Mugu. Converted to the S-3B configuration in 1990, the aircraft continued to serve until eventually being transferred to NASA’s John H. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, in January 2016. It was later withdrawn from use and designated for spare parts before being preserved and restored for memorial display.

S 3A VS 32 at NAS Fallon 1988 — Lockheed S-3A Viking (BuNo 159756) from anti-submarine squadron VS-32 Maulers, Carrier Air Wing 1 (CVW-1), at the Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada (USA), in 1988.

At NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, an S-3B Viking served almost daily as a flight research platform. Its weapons systems were removed and replaced with civilian avionics, along with GPS and satellite communications equipment, enabling the aircraft to support a variety of flight communications experiments. Among its most significant roles was assisting NASA’s aeronautics researchers in developing communications standards that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can apply to unmanned aircraft systems, helping ensure their safe integration into U.S. airspace.

S 3 Viking NASAs Glenn Research Center — This photo shows NASA Glenn’s S-3 Viking Aircraft flying over downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The S-3 continues to conduct important research including regular flights over Lake Erie and other waterways to image algal blooms that have plagued the area’s waters. Photo NASA/Kurt Blankenship

Visit the Memorial

Visitors to the National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum are invited to walk the grounds in quiet reflection, explore temporary exhibits, and learn about future plans for the Memorial as it continues to grow. The S-3B Viking aircraft stands as a prominent reminder of service and sacrifice within the Cecil Field Legacy Plaza. The museum is open for tours every third Saturday of the month from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to come reflect, remember, and stand with those who served and the families who continue to seek answers. For more information, click on this link: powmiamemorial.org/visit/national-pow-mia-memorial-and-museum/.