VF-114
Fighter Squadron 114 | |
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F-14 Tomcat |
Fighter Squadron 114 (VF-114) was a fighter
History
1940s
VF-114 was established as Bombing Fighter Squadron (VBF-19) on 20 January 1945, at
1950s
VF-114 participated in the Korean War deployed on the USS Philippine Sea on 5 July 1950. It flew its Corsairs for several months and conducted over 1,100 strikes against North Korean and Chinese forces.
After its return from
1960s
In 1961, VF-114 transitioned to the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, becoming the first deployable Pacific Fleet fighter squadron to do so. At this point, VF-114 also changed its name and insignia to an Aardvark, apparently inspired by the resemblance between the F-4 and the cartoon character Aardvark in the "B.C." comic strip. This change became official in 1963.
At some point the squadron had a 2-foot replica of "B.C." comic's aardvark created, which was named "Zott" (for the sound the aardvark made in the comic) and proudly displayed in the squadron's ready room afloat and ashore. Zott was also said to be the squadron's "Watchvark," guarding against intruders from other squadrons.
VF-114's first cruise with the F-4 began in September 1962 as part of CVW-11 on board the USS Kitty Hawk. LT Felix E. Templeton, VF-114, flying an F-4B, made the ship's 16,000th trap, in Aircraft No. 401, on 17 Aug 1963.[1]
Vietnam War
Between 1963 and 1975, VF-114 made nine cruises to Vietnam and the Western Pacific, all aboard the USS Kitty Hawk as follows:[2]
- From 17 October 1963 to 20 July 1964, VF-114 equipped with F-4Bs.
- From 19 October 1965 to 13 June 1966. On 2 December F-4B BuNo 152220 was lost over North Vietnam, both crewmen CDR C Austin and LTJG J Logan were killed in action, body not recovered.[3][4] On 31 January F-4B BuNo 152233 was hit by antiaircraft fire over Laos, both crewmen ejected successfully and were rescued.[3] On 5 March F-4B #152224 was hit by target debris over South Vietnam, both crewmen ejected successfully and were rescued.[3] On 3 April, Lt. Felix Templeton of VF-114, flying an F4B Phantom, became Kitty Hawk's first triple Centurion by making his 300th arrested landing aboard ship.[5] On 26 April F-4B BuNo 152255 was hit by target debris over North Vietnam, both crewmen ejected successfully and were rescued.[3]
- From 5 November 1966 to 19 June 1967. On 20 December a squadron aircraft with an F-4B from VF-213 shot down two Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) Antonov An-2 with AIM-7 Sparrow missiles.[6] On 19 January F-4B BuNo 153029 was lost and both crewmen were killed.[3] On 6 April F-4B BuNo 152999 was lost, both crewmen ejected successfully and were rescued.[3] On 24 April squadron aircraft shot down two VPAF MiG-17s with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, while one of the F-4Bs was hit by antiaircraft fire, both crewmen ejected successfully and were rescued.[3][6] On 8 May F-4B suffered an engine loss on launch, the pilot ejected successfully and was rescued but the Radar Intercept Officer LTJG Thomas Steimer was killed in action, body not recovered.[3][4] On 14 May F-4B BuNo 153001 was lost due to a defective Zuni rocket, both crewmen, LCDR C Southwick and LT D Rollins ejected successfully, were captured and released on 4 March 1973.[3][7] On 19 May F-4B BuNo 153004 was hit by an SA-2, both crewmen, LT C Plumb and LCDR G Anderson ejected successfully, were captured and respectively released on 18 February and 4 March 1973.[3][7] On 21 May F-4B BuNo 153040 was lost, both crewmen ejected successfully and were rescued.[3]
- From 18 November 1967 to 28 June 1968. On 27 December F-4B BuNo 153005 was lost over North Vietnam, both crewmen LCDR L Lee and LTJG R Innes were killed, their remains were identified in July 1997.[3][7] On 15 April F-4Bs BuNo 153002 and BuNo 153043 were lost in a mid-ar collision, all crewmen ejected successfully and were rescued.[3] On 20 April F-4B BuNo 153003 was lost, both crewmen ejected successfully and were rescued.[3]
- From 30 December 1968 to 4 September 1969. On 13 March F-4B BuNo 153018 was lost, both crewmen ejected successfully and were rescued.[3]
- From 6 November 1970 to 17 July 1971, reequipped with F-4Js.
- From 17 February to 20 November 1972. On 14 April F-4J BuNo 157252 was hit by antiaircraft fire over South Vietnam, the pilot LTJG J Greenleaf was killed in action, body not recovered, while the remains of the Radar Intercept Officer LT C McKinney were identified in August 1985.[3][4][7] On 6 May, squadron aircraft shot down 2 VPAF MiG-21s with AIM-9s.[6][8] On 16 August F-4J BuNo 157262 was hit by an SA-2, both crewmen CDR J Pitzen and LT O Pender were killed and their remains were identified in November 1994.[3][7]
- From 23 November 1973 to 9 July 1974.
- From 21 May to 15 December 1975.
1970s
On 15 December 1975, VF-114 transitioned to the
In March 1979, CVW-11 deployed aboard the
1980s
After its two Mediterranean cruises, VF-114 returned to the Pacific Fleet in September 1982 aboard the USS Enterprise. During this cruise, VF-114 participated in one of the largest naval exercises since World War II when it joined up with the carrier groups of USS Midway and USS Coral Sea in the Northern Pacific for two weeks. After its return to NAS Miramar, VF-114 once again won the "High Noon" and "Mutha" trophies, the first time that an F-14 squadron had won both these awards two years in a row.
The squadron returned to sea on 30 May 1984, under the leadership of CDR Lyle "Ho Chi" Bien and returned home on 20 December. During the cruise, the squadron and the air wing participated in several exercises, such as the Rim of the Pacific (
In 1985, VF-114 conducted its Inter-Deployment Training Cycle (IDTC) at
1987 was devoted to training which included deployments to
1990s
VF-114 arrived on board the USS Abraham Lincoln on 25 September 1990, while she was making her maiden voyage from Norfolk to Alameda, due to become her new home. The trip took six weeks and saw the carrier cruise round the tip of South America, arriving at her new home in late November 1990. The first long-term deployment on Lincoln began in the middle of 1991, during the early part of the cruise the carrier and air wing were involved in the evacuation of thousands of military personnel and dependents from the Philippine Islands in the wake of the Mount Pinatubo eruption. Once this was complete the Lincoln headed for the Persian Gulf.
Although the initial plans had been for the Lincoln to be among the first relief carriers for those involved in Operation '
Commanded by CDR J.R. Barnett with his exec, LCDR (CDR sel) J.S. Colvard, VF-114's final flight took place on 30 November 1992.
See also
- History of the United States Navy
- List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
- List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
References
- ^ "Kitty Hawk II (CVA-63)".
- ^ "Carrier, Carrier Based Squadrons and Non-Carrier Based Squadron Deployments to Vietnam" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. 1995. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "USS Kitty Hawk CVA-63 Ejections & Losses". EjectionHistory.org. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ^ a b c "U.S. Unaccounted-For from the Vietnam War (Sorted by Name) Prisoners of War, Missing in Action and Killed in Action/Body not Recovered" (PDF). Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ^ "USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) history".
- ^ a b c "Kitty Hawk II (CVA-63) 1961-2009". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d e "U.S. Accounted-For from the Vietnam War (Sorted by Name) Prisoners of War, Escapees, Returnees and Remains Recovered" (PDF). Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ISBN 9781782006879.
- ^ Navy Times, 22 February 1993.
External links
- Bruce Mennella Vietnam War Collection at The Museum of Flight Digital Collections