An Annapolis native is helping fly one of the Navy’s most advanced surveillance aircraft as a member of the service’s first-ever unmanned patrol squadron.
Lt. Catie Beal, a 2014 graduate of Annapolis High School, serves as a naval flight officer with Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 (VUP-19), known as “Big Red,” based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville with a detachment at Naval Station Mayport, Florida. Beal earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2019 and joined the Navy seven years ago, following the example of her older brother, who enlisted in 2013.
“I joined because I grew up in Annapolis and my brother enlisted in 2013,” Beal said. “I followed in his footsteps because I got to see him travel the world and all of his experiences.” She credits her hometown for shaping her sense of purpose: “Growing up in Annapolis, you gain an appreciation for the military community. That showed me at a young age what it means to be a part of something greater than yourself.”
VUP-19’s nickname dates to the Korean War, when its predecessor unit, Patrol Squadron 19, flew night interdiction missions dropping red illumination flares to support allied ground and air units — a tradition the squadron has carried since it was first established in 1946. VUP-19 itself was formally established in 2013 and commissioned in 2016 as the Navy’s first unmanned maritime patrol squadron, now home to more than 500 sailors who maintain and launch the MQ-4C Triton, a high-altitude, long-endurance surveillance drone derived from the Air Force’s RQ-4 Global Hawk. Equipped with radar, electro-optical, and electromagnetic sensors, each Triton carries a price tag of roughly $200 million and provides persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data to fleet and combatant commanders around the world.
Beal said her proudest achievement so far has been earning her mission commander and instructor qualifications. “Getting these qualifications allowed me to lead a crew, and I am responsible for an aircraft,” she said. “It means you are now more involved in the squadron, and I can now mentor a lot of my peers and other aircrew as well.”
She’s continuing her education alongside her Navy career, pursuing a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and credits her family for making the journey possible. “I want to thank my husband, William, who is also serving in the Navy, and my family for their constant love and support through my career,” Beal said.
Navy officials point to Beal’s service as part of a broader message this year, as the Navy marks the 250th anniversary of American independence: with roughly 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and global internet access dependent on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, officials say recruiting and retaining sailors like Beal is directly tied to the nation’s prosperity and security.
