VF-121

Fighter Squadron 121
Fighter Squadron 121
	VF-121 squadron insignia
Active	1 July 1946 – 30 September 1980
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Type	Replacement Air Group
Role	Fighter
Part of	Inactive
Nickname(s)	Pacemakers
Engagements	Korean War
Aircraft flown
Fighter	Grumman F9F-2/5 Panther; North American FJ-2/-3 Fury; Grumman F9F-6/8 Cougar; McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee; Grumman F11F-1 Tiger; Douglas F3D-2T2 Skynight; McDonnell F3H Demon; McDonnell Douglas F-4B/J/N/S Phantom

NAS Miramar

in 1978

VF-121 (Fighter Squadron 121) of the

US Navy was a former Pacific Fleet Replacement Air Group (RAG) unit. Originally established on 1 July 1946, as VF-781, it was redesignated as VF-121 on 4 February 1953 and disestablished on 30 September 1980.^[1] On 11 April 1958 it changed duty from Fleet Squadron to Fleet Replacement Squadron and was later charged with the training of Navy F-4 Phantom

flight and maintenance crews.

Operational history

Fighting Squadron

On 1 July 1946, VF-781, The Pacemakers were stationed at

NAS Miramar

.

VF-781 served on board USS Bon Homme Richard with Air Group 102 (CVG-102) flying F9F-2B Panthers from 10 May to 17 December 1951.^[2]^: 406 VF-781's next cruise was on board USS Oriskany flying with Air Group 102 (CVG-102) flying F9F-5's over Korea from 15 September 1952 to 18 May 1953.^[2]^: 407 On 18 November 1952, VF-781 scored its first MiG-15 kills by Royce Williams, John Middleton and Rowlans by 20mm guns in the F9F-5's.

VF-781 was re-designated VF-121 on 4 February 1953.^[2]^: 407 After re-designation to VF-121, the squadron transitioned to F9F-6 Cougars with commanding officer Jimmie E Savage for their 1954 western Pacific deployment with Carrier Air Group 12 (CVG-12) on the USS Boxer from 3 March to 11 October.^[2]^: 371 They made another cruise with CVG-12 to the western Pacific and Korea on the USS Hancock from 10 August 1955 to 15 March 1956 flying F9F-8, with the tail code of 'D' then converted to FJ-3 Fury's.^[2]^: 372 The last cruise was on board USS Lexington from 19 April to 17 October 1957.^[2]^: 373

Commander R. E. 'Dusty' Rhodes was CO of VF-121 during 1955, he was a former Commanding Officer of the Blue Angels flight team from 1947 to 1950. Rhodes worked with VC-6 and their AJ Savage tankers on air-to-air refueling. The exercise was successfully tested off the coast of San Diego.^[3]

Training Squadron

The first West Coast F4H Phantom Squadron was assigned to VF-121 at NAS Miramar. VF-121 received the first examples of F-4B Phantoms in 1961.

MCAS Yuma

. Carrier Field Landing Practice (FCLP). Their skills were graded by a Landing Signals Office (LSO) the same way as on a carrier. Once qualified they could advance to actual carrier day/ night launch/ recovery qualifications. After this training, the aircrews were assigned to a fleet squadron and sea duty.

Top Gun

The original United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, more popularly known worldwide as Top Gun, started in March 1969 under VF-121 control.^[5]

Home port assignments

The squadron was assigned to these home ports:

NAS North Island
NAS Miramar

Aircraft assignment

Grumman F6F Hellcat
Chance-Vought F4U Corsair
Grumman F9F-2/-5 Panther, tail code D
Grumman F9F-6/-8 Cougar, tail code D
North American FJ-3 Fury, tail code D^[6]
McDonnell F3H Demon, tail code NJ^[7]
Grumman F11F Tiger, tail code NJ^[8]
McDonnell F-4B/J Phantom II, tail code NJ^[9]

Commanding officers

VF-781
- LCDR Collin I. Overland – 1 Jul 1946 to 1952
- LCDR Stan R. Holm – 1952 to 1954

VF-121
- CDR J. E. Savage – 1954
- CDR Jereme H. 'Dusty' Rhodes – 1954 to 1956
- CDR T. S. Sedaker – 1956 to 1957 [ Has 2 kills to credit]
- CDR Gerald O'Rourke - 1964 to Apr 1965
- CDR Timothy R. O'Neil - Apr 65 to 14 Mar 1966
- CDR Scott S. Lamoreaux - 14 Mar 66 to 23 Jun 1967
- CDR Marland W. Townsend, Jr. - 23 Jun 67 to 14 Jun 1968
- CDR Henry L. Halleland – 14 Jun 68 to 30 Sep 1969
- CDR Richard Schulte – 30 Sep 19 to 15 Jul 1970 [Helped start Top Gun]
- CDR Billy D. Franklin - 15 July 70 to 28 May 1971
- CDR Donald B. Pringle - 15 May 71 to 20 Dec 1971
- CDR James F. Dorsey, Jr. - 20 Dec 71 to 22 Feb 1972
- CDR Russell E. Davis - 22 Feb 72 to 31 Aug 1973
- CDR Alvin S. Newman - 31 Aug 73 to 16 Dec 1974
- CDR James F. Dorsey - 16 Dec 74 to 1975
- CDR Dennis Brooks - 75 to 1 Jun 1976
- CDR Chuck McGill - Jun 76 to 1977
- CDR Frank Mezzadri – Jun 1978 to 1979
- CDR Phillip Anselmo – 1979 to Sept 1980