Strike Fighter Squadron 115 (VFA-115) is known as the "Eagles", callsign "Talon", a
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
F/A-18E Super Hornet strike fighter squadron stationed at
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. Their tail code is ''NF''. It was established as Torpedo Squadron VT-11 on 10 October 1942, redesignated VA-12A on 15 November 1946, VA-115 on 15 July 1948,
then finally VFA-115.
Squadron insignia and nickname
![VFA-115original patch](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/VFA-115original_patch.jpg)
The squadron’s first insignia was designed by
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
and consisted of a black torpedo with the skull & crossbones on it and a winged cherub wearing a green helmet nicknamed "Little Butch." A new squadron insignia was approved on 17 September 1956 and is still in use. The squadron was known as the "Arabs" from the 1950s to 1979, at which time they were renamed the "Eagles". During the squadron’s deployment to the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
in 1989, they temporarily changed their nickname back to Arabs to enhance the morale while operating in the
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...
.
History
1940s
Torpedo Squadron Eleven (VT-11) was established at
Naval Air Station San Diego
Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (NBC ...
on 10 October 1942, flying
TBF Avengers. Over the next five years, the squadron upgraded through several models of TBF and TBM Avengers.
![TBF-1 VT-11 Guadalcanal May1943](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/TBF-1_VT-11_Guadalcanal_May1943.jpg)
On 25 April 1943, VT-11 arrived at Guadalcanal. The squadron's first combat was flown from
Henderson Field as part of
Carrier Air Group Eleven (CVG-11). The squadron was land-based at Guadalcanal, and in June 1943, VT-11 pilots conducted the first daylight raids on
Bougainville and the
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capita ...
. They flew patrol, search, spotting, strike, and night
mine
Mine, mines, miners or mining may refer to:
Extraction or digging
* Miner, a person engaged in mining or digging
*Mining, extraction of mineral resources from the ground through a mine
Grammar
*Mine, a first-person English possessive pronoun
...
-laying missions.
From 29 September 1944 to 1 February 1945, VT-11 was deployed aboard . The squadron participated in the first strikes against
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
and two weeks later converged on
Leyte Gulf
Leyte Gulf is a gulf in the Eastern Visayan region in the Philippines. The bay is part of the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, and is bounded by two islands; Samar in the north and Leyte in the west. On the south of the bay is Mindanao Isl ...
to protect the landing and supply ships engaged in the
Battle of Leyte. On 25 October, the
Japanese Fleet
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...
converged on Leyte to oppose the landings. Squadron TBMs were launched from away (well beyond normal range) to strike the fleet. The TBMs struck the retiring Japanese ships, scoring hits on a
battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of large caliber guns. It dominated naval warfare in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The term ''battleship'' came into use in the late 1880s to describe a type of ...
and two
cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles.
The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...
s. All the squadron's aircraft returned, completing a round trip. Seven
Navy Crosses were awarded to VT-11 aircrews during this campaign.
In November and December 1944, the squadron continued to provide support for the occupation of Leyte, striking targets on
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
in support of the landings on
Mindoro
Mindoro is the seventh largest and eighth-most populous island in the Philippines. With a total land area of 10,571 km2 ( 4,082 sq.mi ) and has a population of 1,408,454 as of 2020 census. It is located off the southwestern coast of Luz ...
. In January 1945, the squadron struck ships and targets on
Formosa
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territorie ...
and Luzon in support of the
Invasion of Lingayen Gulf
The Invasion of Lingayen Gulf ( fil, Paglusob sa Golpo ng Lingayen), 6–9 January 1945, was an Allied amphibious operation in the Philippines during World War II. In the early morning of 6 January 1945, a large Allied force commanded by Admira ...
, Luzon. The squadron participated in operations in the
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
(the first time an American Task Force had entered these waters since the beginning of the war), striking targets at
Cam Ranh Bay and a convoy off
Qui Nhơn
Quy Nhon ( vi, Quy Nhơn ) is a coastal city in Bình Định province in central Vietnam. It is composed of 16 wards and five communes with a total of . Quy Nhon is the capital of Bình Định province. As of 2019 its population was 457,400. Hi ...
,
French Indo-China
French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China),; vi, Đông Dương thuộc Pháp, , lit. 'East Ocean under French Control; km, ឥណ្ឌូចិនបារាំង, ; th, อินโดจีนฝรั่งเศส, ...
, shipping at the
Pescadores Island, and
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
.
An exhibit honoring VT-11 during World War II is on board the
USS ''Hornet'' Museum in Alameda, California.
After the war,
Naval Air Station San Diego
Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (NBC ...
became VT-11's new homeport, and the squadron was redesignated as Attack Squadron 12A (VA-12A) in November 1946. VA-12A, along with
Carrier Air Group (CVAG-11), underwent extensive training and embarked on , the U.S. Navy's newest aircraft carrier. In June 1948, VA-12A deployed on a world cruise, a first for a U.S. Navy air group and milestone for the squadron. A symbolic globe later became part of the squadron's official insignia to commemorate the cruise.
On 15 July 1948, VA-12A was re-designated Attack Squadron 115 (VA-115), and in December, the squadron transitioned to the
AD Skyraider
The Douglas A-1 Skyraider (formerly known as the AD Skyraider) is an American single-seat attack aircraft in service from 1946 to the early 1980s. The Skyraider had an unusually long career, remaining in front-line service well into the Jet Age ...
, operating several improved models over the next ten years.
Timeline
*1 Jan–1 Feb 1943: A detachment of 6 aircraft from the squadron were sent to Kanton Island, in the Phoenix Islands, for antisubmarine defense and search missions.
*Apr–Jul 1943: The squadron was landbased at Guadalcanal and participated in the Solomons (New Georgia) Campaign. They flew patrol, search, spotting, strike, and night minelaying missions against targets in the Solomon Islands.
*5 May 1944: Squadron aircraft were involved in an antisubmarine attack off the coast of Hilo, Hawaii. The attack against the enemy submarine was assessed as probable by the squadron commander.
*10 Oct 1944: The squadron participated in the first strikes against Okinawa, part of the opening of the Leyte Campaign.
*25 Oct 1944: The Japanese Fleet, in three elements, converged on Leyte to oppose the landings. While 340 miles from Leyte, which was beyond the normal combat radius for World War II carrier aircraft, squadron aircraft were launched for a strike on the central element of the Japanese Fleet. Its TBMs arrived over the enemy fleet after it had broken off its engagement, the Battle Off Samar, with the American escort carriers and destroyers guarding the landing and supply ships. The TBMs struck the retiring Japanese Central Fleet, scoring hits on a battleship and two cruisers. All the squadron’s aircraft returned, completing a 600-mile round trip combat flight. For their actions during this engagement, the following squadron personnel were awarded the Navy Cross: Lieutenants Wilbur J. Engman, Melvin L. Tegge, and Thomas B. Adams and Lieutenant (jg)s Richard W. Russell, Lawrence E. Helmuth, John M. Davis and William Maier.
*26 Oct 1944: Strikes continued against the Japanese Fleet and Lieutenant Leroy H. Grau was awarded the Navy Cross for a successful torpedo attack against a Japanese light cruiser.
*Nov 1944: The squadron continued to provide support for the Occupation of Leyte, striking targets on Luzon.
*13 Nov 1944: The squadron’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander R. Denniston, Jr., was lost on a combat mission over Manila Harbor.
*Dec 1944: Squadron aircraft struck targets on Luzon in support of the landings on Mindoro.
*18 Dec 1944: While operating east of the Philippines the task force was overtaken by an unusually severe typhoon causing the loss of three destroyers and damage to several other ships, including four light carriers.
*Jan 1945: In early January, the squadron struck ships and targets on Formosa and Luzon in support of the landings in Lingayen Gulf, Luzon.
*9–20 Jan 1945: The squadron participated in operations in the South China Sea, the first time an American Task Force had entered these waters since the beginning of the war. The squadron struck targets at Cam Ranh Bay and a convoy off Qui Nhon, French Indo-China; shipping at the Pescadores Island; and Hong Kong.
1950s
![AD-4s VA-115 CV-47 Sep1950](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/AD-4s_VA-115_CV-47_Sep1950.jpg)
In July 1950, VA-115 deployed aboard for nine months conducting strikes at
Inchon
Incheon (; ; or Inch'ŏn; literally "kind river"), formerly Jemulpo or Chemulp'o (제물포) until the period after 1910, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City (인천광역시, 仁川廣域市), is a city located in northwestern South Kore ...
,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
in preparation for landings in September 1950. During and after the invasion the squadron flew deep support missions and also encountered
MiG-15s. On 31 December 1951, VA-115 provided
close air support
In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and moveme ...
for American troops in the
Chosen Reservoir area and flew combat missions against North Korean rail, transportation, communication, industrial and supply targets. VA-115 flew 2,268 combat missions over both Korea deployments. For this outstanding performance, the squadron was awarded the
Presidential Unit Citation.
![AD-4 crash CV-47 1950](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/AD-4_crash_CV-47_1950.jpeg)
In June 1952, the squadron participated in
coordinated strikes against North Korean hydroelectric power plants – the first heavy attacks conducted against these installations. Nine different hydroelectric power plants were struck. VA-115 made two deployments to Korea in 1950/51 and 1951/52 aboard USS ''Philippine Sea''. It returned to Korea shortly after the
Armistice Agreement in July 1953 aboard . This was followed by another deployment on USS ''Kearsarge'' in 1954/55.
In February 1955, the squadron flew air cover missions during the
evacuation of over 26,000 personnel from Tachen Islands which had come under bombardment by the
People’s Republic of China (PRC) in January. In August and September 1958, the squadron was part of the task force that provided support to the
Republic of China
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...
during the
shelling of the Quemoy Island group by the PRC.
CVG-11 then moved to in 1956, followed by two cruises aboard in 1958 and 1959.
Timeline
*12–18 Sep 1950: The squadron participated in the pre-assault strikes against targets in and around Inchon, Korea, in preparation for the landings there on 15 September. During and after the invasion, the squadron continued to fly deep support missions into the areas surrounding Inchon, striking at targets of opportunity.
*9 Nov 1950: The squadron's first encounter with MiG-15s was during a mission against Sinuiju, Korea. All the aircraft returned safely to Philippine Sea. Dec 1950: The squadron provided close air support for American troops in the Chosen Reservoir area. Feb–Jul 1952: The squadron’s combat missions in Korea during this time period centered on rail interdiction, with some strikes against North Korean transportation, communication, industrial and supply facilities.
*23–24 Jun 1952: The squadron participated in coordinated strikes against North Korean hydroelectric power plants, these were the first heavy attacks conducted against these installations. Nine different hydroelectric power plants were struck by forces from Carrier Air Groups 2, 7, 11, 19, and the 5th Air Force.
*Feb 1955: The squadron flew air cover missions during the evacuation of over 26,000 personnel from Tachen Islands which had come under bombardment by the People’s Republic of China in January.
*Aug–Sep 1958: The squadron was part of the task force that provided support to the Republic of China during the shelling of the Quemoy Island group by the Chinese Communists.
1960s
In 1960 the squadron adopted the nickname "Arabs" after passage through the
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popular ...
, while being deployed aboard in 1960/61.
Later in 1961 CVW-11 was reassigned to . VA-115 made three deployments aboard ''Kitty Hawk'' to the Western Pacific between 1962 and 1966. In May and June 1964, during the Laotian crisis, the squadron flew
Combat Air Patrol and Search and Rescue.
![A-1H VA-115 CVA-63 1966](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/A-1H_VA-115_CVA-63_1966.jpg)
In October 1965, the squadron returned to
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
. During six months on
Yankee Station in the
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin is a gulf at the northwestern portion of the South China Sea, located off the coasts of Tonkin (northern Vietnam) and South China. It has a total surface area of . It is defined in the west and northwest by the northern ...
, VA-115 flew 2,051 sorties, over 8,000 hours and delivered of ordnance against enemy targets in
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
. In September 1966, VA-115 joined
Carrier Air Wing Five
Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier . It was initially formed in 1943. It has participated in the Second Wor ...
aboard USS ''Hancock'' and made its second deployment to Vietnam from January to July 1967.
From August 1967 to January 1970, the squadron was put in an inactive, stand-down status. This was a transitional period as the squadron awaited the arrival of the
A-6 Intruder, and there were no aircraft and only a few administrative personnel assigned. This is the only known instance in which a squadron was not disestablished but remained on the active squadron inventory in an inactive status.
1970s
In January 1970, the squadron resumed active status and was reassigned to
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington for transition to the A-6 Intruder. The squadron received their first KA-6D
tanker aircraft
This is a list of tanker aircraft used for aerial refuelling of another aircraft whilst in powered flight.
Refueling methods
;Looped hose: The first commercial method employed a hose which was held slack in a trailing half-loop behind both aircr ...
in February 1971. In 1970 VA-115 was assigned to
Carrier Air Wing 16
Carrier Air Wing Sixteen was a carrier air wing of the United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It i ...
(CVW-16) (tail code "AH") for deployment on the modernized . However, the modernization of ''Midway'' took longer than expected, CVW-16 was disestablished in 1971 and all its squadrons were assigned to
Carrier Air Wing Five
Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier . It was initially formed in 1943. It has participated in the Second Wor ...
(CVW-5) (tail code "NF"). From 1971 to 1990 VA-115 and CVW-5 were assigned to USS ''Midway''. In 1971 and 1972/73 USS ''Midway'' made two deployments to Vietnam. From May to October 1972 VA-115 participated in
Operation Linebacker
Operation Linebacker was the codename of a U.S. Seventh Air Force and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 air interdiction campaign conducted against North Vietnam from 9 May to 23 October 1972, during the Vietnam War.
Its purpose was to halt or slow the ...
, where VA-115 earned a fourth Presidential Unit Citation.
In September 1973, USS ''Midway'' changed homeport to
Yokosuka, Japan
is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
, the city has a population of 409,478, and a population density of . The total area is . Yokosuka is the 11th most populous city in the Greater Tokyo Area, and the 12th in the Kantō region.
The city ...
, and CVW-5 was based at
NAF Atsugi. USS ''Midway'' and VA-115 would again serve off the coast of Vietnam and in 1975, participated in
Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...
and
Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of
Saigon
, population_density_km2 = 4,292
, population_density_metro_km2 = 697.2
, population_demonym = Saigonese
, blank_name = GRP (Nominal)
, blank_info = 2019
, blank1_name = – Total
, blank1_ ...
.
In August and September 1976 USS ''Midway'' and VA-115 operated off Korea following the
Axe murder incident. In early 1977, VA-115 transitioned to the A-6E. The squadron then became the "Eagles," officially changing the nickname in March 1978.
![A-6Es VA-115 CV-41](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/A-6Es_VA-115_CV-41.jpg)
From April to May 1979 USS ''Midway'', with VA-115 embarked, deployed to the
Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden ( ar, خليج عدن, so, Gacanka Cadmeed 𐒅𐒖𐒐𐒕𐒌 𐒋𐒖𐒆𐒗𐒒) is a deepwater gulf of the Indian Ocean between Yemen to the north, the Arabian Sea to the east, Djibouti to the west, and the Guardafui Channe ...
to relieve and maintain a U.S. carrier presence following the outbreak of fighting between
North Yemen and
South Yemen
South Yemen ( ar, اليمن الجنوبي, al-Yaman al-Janubiyy), officially the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (, ), also referred to as Democratic Yemen (, ) or Yemen (Aden) (, ), was a communist state that existed from 1967 to 19 ...
and the
Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynas ...
. As a response to anti-American demonstrations in Iran, ''Midway'' and her air wing, including VA-115, were ordered to deploy to the Indian Ocean for the second time from October to December 1979, when an Iranian mob also
seized the American Embassy and its staff.
1980s
In May and June 1980 following the
Gwangju Uprising
The Gwangju Uprising was a popular uprising in the city of Gwangju, South Korea, from May 18 to May 27, 1980, which pitted local, armed citizens against soldiers and police of the South Korean government. The event is sometimes called 5·18 (Ma ...
in South Korea, the squadron operated from ''Midway'' off the coast of South Korea until the crisis subsided. USS ''Midway'' operated again off South Korea in December 1981 following political unrest. During the
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...
, in
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
, South Korea, the squadron was embarked on ''Midway'' operating in the
Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it h ...
to demonstrate U.S. support for a peaceful Olympics.
1990s
The squadron deployed again to the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
in support of
Operation Earnest Will
Operation Earnest Will (24 July 1987 – 26 September 1988) was the American military protection of Kuwaiti-owned tankers from Iranian attacks in 1987 and 1988, three years into the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq War. It was the largest nav ...
, the escort of re-flagged
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
i
tankers
Tanker may refer to:
Transportation
* Tanker, a tank crewman (US)
* Tanker (ship), a ship designed to carry bulk liquids
** Chemical tanker, a type of tanker designed to transport chemicals in bulk
** Oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanke ...
in the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
. In October 1990, the squadron deployed to the North Persian Gulf in support of
Operation Desert Shield. At 2:00AM on 17 January 1991, VA-115's Intruders launched from the deck of USS ''Midway'' to attack two airfields to mark the beginning of
Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
. At around 4:00AM, they struck
Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Base
Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base is a Kuwait Air Force base that is home to 3 Kuwait Air Force F/A-18 C/D squadrons: 9 Squadron, 25 Squadron, and 61 Squadron. The base also has an area designated for operations by the U.S. Air Force and its allies.
Hi ...
in occupied Kuwait and
Shaibah Air Base
Shaibah Air Base (formerly Wahda Air Base before 2003) is an Iraqi Air Force airfield in the Basrah Governorate of Iraq.
History
Royal Air Force use
It was established by the Royal Air Force in 1920 as RAF Station Shaibah, a small and primiti ...
in Southern Iraq. In total, the squadron flew 456 combat sorties and delivered 724,000 pounds of ordnance against enemy targets in Iraq and occupied Kuwait during the war. The squadron also was credited with the confirmed destruction of 12 Iraqi naval vessels.
In August 1991, the squadron switched to the , as USS ''Midway'' retired as the Navy's forward deployed aircraft carrier homeported in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
. During that change, they received
VA-196's A-6E SWIP aircraft.
![A-6E (13915238063)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/A-6E_%2813915238063%29.jpg)
In 1992, ''NF-515'', an A-6E SWIP Intruder led to VA-115 becoming the first A-6 squadron to fire the
AGM-65 Maverick at an Open Ocean target, with the Maverick being one of the new weapons the SWIP Intruder could carry. That same year, deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of
Operation Southern Watch enforcing
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
resolutions against Iraq. The squadron was awarded the
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or s ...
for their performance flying 115 combat missions over Iraq. In 1993, VA-115 deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch, and in 1994 they received four aircraft with
night vision device capability. In 1996, VA-115 supported
contingency operations in the vicinity of Taiwan.
In October 1996, the squadron conducted a homeport change to
NAS Lemoore, California and began transition to their fifth aircraft, the
F/A-18C Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather, twin-engine, supersonic, carrier-capable, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (hence the F/A designation). Designed by McDonnell Douglas (now p ...
. They were redesignated as Strike Fighter Squadron 115 (VFA-115) on 30 September 1996. The squadron accepted 12 F/A-18Cs in six months and joined
CVW-14 on board . In June 1998 the squadron deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch.
After two deployments in the "C" model Hornet, the squadron was chosen to be the first Navy squadron to transition to the
F/A-18E Super Hornet. VFA-115 was also the first fleet squadron to receive the
Advanced Tactical Forward Looking InfraRed targeting pod.
2000s
In July 2002, the squadron embarked on the first fleet Super Hornet combat deployment, flying 214 combat missions in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...
and
Operation Southern Watch (OSW). The squadron dropped 22
JDAM on 14 targets in Iraq, before taking part in
Operation Iraqi Freedom
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish)
, partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. Before hostilities ceased on 9 April 2003, the squadron dropped of ordnance and passed 1.2 mio l (3.5 million lb) of fuel in the tanker support role. This wartime performance earned the squadron and the ''Abraham Lincoln'' Battle Group the
Navy Unit Commendation
The Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) is a United States Navy unit award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944.
History
Navy and U.S. Marine Corps commands may recommend any Navy or Marine Co ...
(the sixth awarded to VFA-115).
In May 2004, the squadron deployed aboard . In support of the "Fleet Response Plan", the squadron participated in various joint exercises including "Northern Edge",
"Rim of the Pacific", "Joint Air and Sea Exercise" and a MiG-29 passage exercise. Additionally, VFA-115 authored a comprehensive joint doctrine for maritime interdiction. This document was adopted by Commander Pacific Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations as the model for joint employment, and is today the primary training focus for deploying U.S. West Coast strike groups. The squadron was awarded the Commander Naval Air Pacific
Battle Efficiency Award for 2004.
In January 2006, the squadron deployed aboard to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. VFA-115 flew hundreds of combat sorties providing close air support for the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps, tanking for the carrier-based aircraft, and maritime interdiction for the strike group.
In January 2007, VFA-115 again deployed aboard USS ''Ronald Reagan'', returning in April 2007 to resume shore based flight training at NAS Lemoore. On 19 May 2008 VFA-115 started another deployment aboard USS ''Ronald Reagan'' to the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean.
On 28 May 2009, VFA-115 deployed with Carrier Air Wing 14 aboard USS ''Ronald Reagan'' to the
7th
7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube (algebra), cube.
As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion ...
and
5th
Fifth is the ordinal form of the number five.
Fifth or The Fifth may refer to:
* Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as in the expression "pleading the Fifth"
* Fifth column, a political term
* Fifth disease, a contagious rash tha ...
Fleet Areas of Responsibility. On 13 December 2009, VFA-115 returned to
Naval Air Facility Atsugi
is a joint Japan-US naval air base located in the cities of Yamato and Ayase in Kanagawa, Japan. It is the largest United States Navy (USN) air base in the Pacific Ocean and once housed the squadrons of Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5), which dep ...
for the first time since 1996 to replace
VFA-192
Strike Fighter Squadron 192 (VFA-192), also known as the "World Famous Golden Dragons", are a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at NAS Lemoore.
Squadron Insignia and Nickname
The squadron's first insignia was app ...
as a forward deployed squadron under CVW-5.
2010s
During July 2015, VFA-115 took part in
Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015 with Australia. The following month on 9 August 2015, VFA-115 participated in the "Three Carrier Hull Swap" as ''Ronald Reagan'' took over the duty from USS ''George Washington'' as the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Japan.
The squadron moved to
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni on November 28, 2017 when it returned from its patrol aboard USS ''Ronald Reagan''.
Between July 11 2019 and July 24 2019, VFA-115 and CVW-5 took part in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019 in the
Coral Sea
The Coral Sea () is a marginal sea of the South Pacific off the northeast coast of Australia, and classified as an interim Australian bioregion. The Coral Sea extends down the Australian northeast coast. Most of it is protected by the Fre ...
.
2020s
On May 19, 2021, VFA-115 deployed on the ''Ronald Reagan'' with CVW-5 to the North Arabian Sea.
During the deployment, it took part in the
US withdrawal from Afghanistan. They then returned on October 16.
Home port assignments
The squadron was assigned to these home ports, effective on the dates shown:
*
NAS San Diego – 10 Oct 1942
*
NAS Pearl Harbor
Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones.
Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to:
Aviation
* Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea
* National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia
** Nas Air (S ...
– 01 Nov 1942*
*
NAS Barbers Point
Naval Air Station Barbers Point , on O'ahu, also called John Rodgers Field (the original name of Honolulu International Airport), is a former United States Navy airfield closed in 1999, and renamed Kalaeloa Airport. Parts of the former air station ...
– 07 Nov 1942*
*
NAF Nandi (in the Fiji Islands) – 28 Feb 1943*
*
NAF Guadalcanal (Henderson Field) – 17 Apr 1943
*
NAS Alameda – 19 Aug 1943
*
NAS Hilo
Hilo International Airport , formerly General Lyman Field, is an international airport located in Hilo, Hawaii County, Hawaii. Owned and operated by the Hawaii state Department of Transportation, it is one of two major airports on Hawaii Islan ...
– 08 Apr 1944*
*
NAS Barbers Point
Naval Air Station Barbers Point , on O'ahu, also called John Rodgers Field (the original name of Honolulu International Airport), is a former United States Navy airfield closed in 1999, and renamed Kalaeloa Airport. Parts of the former air station ...
– 19 Jun 1944*
*
NAS Alameda – 24 Feb 1945
*
NAAS Fallon
Naval Air Station Fallon or NAS Fallon is the United States Navy's premier air-to-air and air-to-ground training facility. It is located southeast of the city of Fallon, east of Reno in western Nevada. Since 1996, it has been home to the U.S. Na ...
– 30 Apr 1945*
*
NAAS Santa Rosa
Naval Auxiliary Landing Field (NALF) Santa Rosa, California, also known as Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Santa Rosa, was a military airport located in Santa Rosa, California, in Sonoma County, California, USA.
History
NALF Santa Rosa was first c ...
– 26 Jul 1945
*
NAS Kahului
Kahului Airport is the main airport of Maui in the State of Hawaii, United States, located east of Kahului. It has offered full airport operations since 1952. Most flights into Kahului Airport originate from Daniel K. Inouye International Air ...
– 22 Feb 1946
*
NAS San Diego – 26 Nov 1946
*
NAS Miramar – 15 Sep 1952
*
NAS Moffett Field – 08 Dec 1961†
*
NAS Lemoore – 03 Apr 1963
*
NAS Whidbey Island – 01 Jan 1970
*
Naval Station Yokosuka (
NAF Atsugi &
NAF Misawa
is an air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), List of United States Air Force installations, the United States Air Force, and the United States Navy located in Misawa, Aomori, Misawa, Aomori Prefecture, Aomori, in the northern p ...
) – 05 Oct 1973**
* Temporary shore assignment while the squadron conducted training
in preparation for combat deployment.
** VA-115, along with CVW-5 and Midway (CVA 41), were part of a program to permanently assign a carrier and air wing to an overseas home port. Midway’s new home port was Naval Station Yokosuka, Japan, and the squadron would normally operate out of NAF Atsugi or Misawa when the carrier was in NS Yokosuka.
Aircraft Assignment
The squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown:
*
TBF-1 ''Avenger'' – Oct 1942
*
TBM-1 ''Avenger'' – 13 Oct 1943
*
TBM-1C ''Avenger'' – Nov 1943
*
TBM-3 ''Avenger'' – 19 Dec 1944
*
TBM-3E ''Avenger'' – Apr 1945
*
TBM-3Q ''Avenger'' – Jan 1947
*
TBM-3W ''Avenger'' – Oct 1947
*
AD-1 ''Skyraider'' – Dec 1948
*
AD-2 ''Skyraider'' – 20 Dec 1948
*
AD-3Q ''Skyraider'' – Aug 1949
*
AD-4 ''Skyraider'' – Dec 1949
*
AD-4Q ''Skyraider'' – Jul 1950
*
AD-4L ''Skyraider'' – May 1951
*
AD-4NA ''Skyraider'' – Aug 1952
*
AD-6/A-1H ''Skyraider'' – Jan 1954
*
AD-7/A-1J ''Skyraider'' – Nov 1958
*
A-6A ''Intruder'' – 03 Apr 1970
*
KA-6D ''Intruder'' – Feb 1971
*
A-6B ''Intruder'' – Oct 1973
*
A-6E ''Intruder'' – Apr 1977
*A-6E TRAM ''Intruder'' – 10 May 1980
*A-6E SWIP ''Intruder'' – 17 Aug 1991
*F/A-18C ''Hornet'' – Oct 1996
*F/A-18E ''Super Hornet'' – 2002
See also
*
Naval aviation
*
Modern US Navy carrier air operations
*
List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
*
List of Inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
There are hundreds of US Navy aircraft squadrons which are not currently active dating back to before World War II (the U.S. Navy operated aircraft prior to World War I, but it did not organize them in squadrons until after that war). To be mo ...
*
Attack aircraft
An attack aircraft, strike aircraft, or attack bomber is a tactical military aircraft that has a primary role of carrying out airstrikes with greater precision than bombers, and is prepared to encounter strong low-level air defenses while pre ...
*
History of the United States Navy
The history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy" the ...
References
Squadron history
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vfa-115
FS0115
Strike fighter squadrons of the United States Navy
Attack squadrons of the United States Navy
Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons