Strike Fighter Squadron 32 (VFA-32), nicknamed the "Fighting Swordsmen" are 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 ...
strike fighter squadron presently flying the
F/A-18F Super Hornet
The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The F/A-18E single-seat and F/A-18F tandem-seat variants are larger and more ad ...
and based ashore at
Naval Air Station Oceana
Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana or NAS Oceana is a United States Navy Naval Air Station located in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Nowadays, the station is located on 23.9 km2. It has total of 250 aircraft deployed and buildings valued at $800 mil ...
. Their radio callsign is ''Gypsy'' and their tail code is ''AC''.
Their mission is: "Strike Fighter Squadron 32, as a part of United States Naval Aviation, utilizes the F/A-18F aircraft to project power ashore and at sea, to defend the Fleet against air and sea threats and to carry out all other missions which may be assigned by cognizant authority."
Insignia and nickname
Originally, the squadron used the Fighting Three ''
Felix the Cat
Felix the Cat is a cartoon character created in 1919 by Pat Sullivan and Otto Messmer during the silent film era. An anthropomorphic black cat with white eyes, a black body, and a giant grin, he was one of the most recognized cartoon characte ...
'' symbol and called themselves the "Crazy Cats" because so many pilots were from Fighting Three. At one time, the squadron was known as the "White Lightning." In 1950, the squadron adopted the insignia of a traditional heraldry lion under Naval Aviation wings of gold and the motto "Deus et Patria" that has endured with only slight modernization through today. The VF-32 squadron radio callsign is "Gypsy" and most alumni refer to themselves as "Gypsies". The squadron picked up the nickname ''Swordsmen'' after it switched to the F-8 Crusader and added a sword to the lion's hand.
History
1940s
VFA-32 was established as Bombing Fighting Three (VBF-3) on February 1, 1945, flying the
F6F Hellcat
The Grumman F6F Hellcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft of World War II. Designed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat and to counter the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, it was the United States Navy's dominant fighter in the second ha ...
, when it was split off from
VF-3, the famed Felix squadron.
Fritz Wolf
Fritz originated as a German nickname for Friedrich, or Frederick (''Der Alte Fritz'', and ''Stary Fryc'' were common nicknames for King Frederick II of Prussia and Frederick III, German Emperor) as well as for similar names including Fridoli ...
, a former member of the
American Volunteer Group (AVG) or
Flying Tigers
The First American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Republic of China Air Force, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was formed to help oppose the Japanese invasion of China. Operating in 1941–1942, it was composed of pilots from the United States ...
, was assigned as the first VBF-3 commanding officer. At the time, U.S. Navy carriers were closing on the Japanese home islands and were facing aggressive
Kamikaze
, officially , were a part of the Japanese Special Attack Units of military aviators who flew suicide attacks for the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, intending t ...
attacks. VBF-3 was assigned to Carrier Air Group THREE on board in the Pacific theater. On 16 February 1945, VBF-3 pilots became the Navy's first carrier-based pilots to strike the Japanese islands. During the heavy action on that day, the squadron shot down 24 Japanese aircraft, earning the
Presidential Unit Citation.
On 15 November 1946, VBF-3 was redesignated VF-4A and switched to the
F8F-1 Bearcat. On 7 August 1948, VF-4A became VF-32 and switched to the
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft which saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production contracts ...
.
1950s
In 1950, the squadron were deployed to the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
with F4Us aboard . From October 1950 to January 1951, VF-32 hit Korean targets including
Wonsan
Wŏnsan (), previously known as Wŏnsanjin (), Port Lazarev, and Genzan (), is a port city and naval base located in Kangwŏn Province, North Korea, along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, on the Sea of Japan and the provincial capital. ...
Harbor, Puckchong, Chonjin, and
Chosin Reservoir
The Chosin Reservoir (), formally known as Lake Changjin () is a lake located in Changjin County, North Korea. It is most famously known for being the site of the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, which was an important battle in the Korean War.
...
. On 4 December 1950, the aircraft of
Ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
Jesse L. Brown
Jesse LeRoy Brown (October 13, 1926 – December 4, 1950) was a United States Navy officer. He was the first African-American aviator to complete the United States Navy's basic flight training program (though not the first African-American Navy ...
, the first Black American
Naval Aviator, was hit by
flak
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based ...
while supporting embattled Marines at Chosin. He crash-landed his Corsair behind enemy lines on a snow-covered mountain slope. His wingman,
Lieutenant (Junior Grade)
Lieutenant junior grade is a junior commissioned officer rank used in a number of navies.
United States
Lieutenant (junior grade), commonly abbreviated as LTJG or, historically, Lt. (j.g.) (as well as variants of both abbreviations), ...
Thomas J. Hudner, Jr., could see that Brown survived the forced landing, but appeared to be trapped in the cockpit with smoke coming from the engine compartment. In an attempt to save his squadron mate, Hudner crash-landed his plane alongside Brown's. Hudner found Brown semi-conscious, but was unable to extricate him from the crumpled fuselage. Brown died in Hudner's arms, and although the attempted rescue failed, Hudner received the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
and Brown received the
Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously.
In November 1952 the squadron returned to the East Coast and became the first squadron to operate the swept-wing
F9F-6 Cougar. VF-32 made subsequent deployments aboard in 1953 and the in 1955. In 1956, VF-32 became the first squadron to transition to the
F8U-1 Crusader,
thus becoming the first
supersonic squadron in the Navy.
While deployed aboard as a unit of Carrier Air Group THREE, VF-32 participated in the
1958 Lebanon crisis
The 1958 Lebanon crisis (also known as the Lebanese Civil War of 1958) was a political crisis in Lebanon caused by political and religious tensions in the country that included a United States military intervention. The intervention lasted for aro ...
.
1960s
During the
Cuban Missile Crisis in late 1962, VF-32 flew 96 sorties to support photo-reconnaissance flights and intelligence-gathering missions. After returning from cruise in 1965, the squadron changed homeport from
NAS Cecil Field
Naval Air Station Cecil Field or NAS Cecil Field was a United States Navy air base, located in Duval County, Florida. Prior to October 1999, NAS Cecil Field was the largest military base in terms of acreage in the Jacksonville, Florida area.
NA ...
, Florida to
NAS Oceana
Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana or NAS Oceana is a United States Navy Naval Air Station located in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Nowadays, the station is located on 23.9 km2. It has total of 250 aircraft deployed and buildings valued at $800 mil ...
, Virginia, and switched to the
F-4B Phantom II. VF-32 detached from Carrier Air Group THREE, ending a relationship that had lasted since the squadron's establishment.
In June 1966, VF-32 embarked aboard as a component of Carrier Air Group ONE and sailed for
Yankee Station
Yankee Station (officially Point Yankee) was a fixed coordinate off the coast of Vietnam where U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and support ships operated in open waters over a nine-year period during the Vietnam War. The location was used primar ...
in Southeast Asia. The squadron flew 940 combat sorties during three line periods in five months, building a highly successful
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
combat record, losing no aircraft or aircrew. In May 1968, VF-32 deployed aboard for her maiden voyage.
1970s
For service in October 1970, the squadron received the
Meritorious Unit Commendation for actions in support of the
United States Sixth Fleet
The Sixth Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy operating as part of United States Naval Forces Europe. The Sixth Fleet is headquartered at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. The officially stated mission of the Sixth Fleet in ...
operations during the
Middle East Crisis.
In 1974, VF-32 switched to the
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after the ...
at
NAS Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) , formerly Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Miramar and Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar, is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the avi ...
before moving to NAS Oceana as one of the first fleet Tomcat squadrons based there. VF-32 made the first Atlantic Fleet F-14 deployment in June 1975. On that cruise, VF-32 was awarded the
Joseph Clifton Award as the Navy's top fighter squadron.
In October 1977, VF-32 became the first fleet squadron to fly against the Air Force
F-15 Eagle, setting the stage for regularly scheduled dissimilar air combat training between the Air Force and Navy. VF-32 again embarked for the Mediterranean aboard ''Kennedy'' in June 1978. During this deployment, VF-32 conducted the first fleet test and evaluation of the new Television Camera System. The squadron also deployed with
AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles for the first fleet captive-carry evaluation. A mid-cruise missile exercise, "BUZZARDEX", saw firings of
AIM-54 Phoenix
The AIM-54 Phoenix is an American radar-guided, long-range air-to-air missile (AAM), carried in clusters of up to six missiles on the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, its only operational launch platform.
The Phoenix was the United States' only long-range ...
and
AIM-7 Sparrow missiles at five targets moving at
Mach 2.5. In October 1979, VF-32 completed 10 years of accident-free flying. In those 10 years, the squadron flew over 33,000 hours, including 17,000 in the F-14A.
1980s
In 1980, the squadron was again presented with the Admiral Clifton Award. In 1980 and 1981, the squadron achieved an accident-free Mediterranean deployment aboard ''Kennedy'', followed in 1982 by another accident-free Med cruise aboard and the 1982
Commander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet
Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (a. k. a. COMNAVAIRLANT, AIRLANT, and CNAL) is the aviation Type Commander (TYCOM) for the United States Naval aviation units operating primarily in the Atlantic under United States Fleet Forces Command. Type Co ...
Battle "E" and CNO Safety "S" awards.
In 1982, three VF-32 Tomcats tail numbers 211, 212 and 214, were modified to carry the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System
TARPS
The Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) was a large and sophisticated camera pod carried by the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. It contains three camera bays with different type cameras which are pointed down at passing terrain. It was ori ...
pod.
In 1983–84, the squadron completed the Navy's first combat deployment since the Vietnam era with CVW-6 aboard ''Independence''. VF-32 flew combat air patrol missions and provided TARPS imagery for the 4 December 1983 CVW-6/CVW-3 air strikes on Syrian positions in
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...
. VF-32 also flew missions in support of
Operation Urgent Fury in
Grenada providing pre- and post-battle damage assessment using photography from the TARPS pod. The deployment concluded with participation in NATO exercise "TEAMWORK 84" in the Norwegian Sea. The squadron made a third deployment aboard ''Independence'' from October 1984 through February 1985 to the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean.
The squadron rejoined CVW-3 in February 1985, and embarked aboard ''John F. Kennedy'' in August 1986 for another Mediterranean deployment. This cruise saw the squadron's Class "A" safety record extended another year, but also included the first night F-14 barricade landing. VF-32 participated in a variety of NATO and combined exercises,
and extended their major mishap-free safety record to nine years during a 1988–89 Mediterranean deployment, again aboard ''John F. Kennedy''.
On January 4, 1989, while flying from ''John F. Kennedy'' during a routine patrol over the
Gulf of Sidra, two VF-32 F-14s intercepted two
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...
n
MiG-23
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-23; NATO reporting name: Flogger) is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is a third-generati ...
Floggers,
which had originated from the Al Bumbai airfield in
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tobruck (; grc, Ἀντίπυργος, ''Antipyrgos''; la, Antipyrgus; it, Tobruch; ar, طبرق, Tubruq ''Ṭubruq''; also transliterated as ''Tobruch'' and ''Tubruk'') is a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near ...
. After attempting a peaceful intercept, the F-14s used their Television Camera System (TCS) to verify that the MiGs were armed. Hostile intent was declared and the aircraft were cleared to engage. The lead fired an AIM-7 Sparrow, which failed to track. His wingman also fired an AIM-7, which tracked and destroyed one of the MiGs, its pilot ejecting. The first F-14 then closed to AIM-9 Sidewinder range and downed the remaining MiG-23, whose pilot also ejected. The squadron returned to Virginia in February 1989.
VFA-32 appeared on an episode of CBS News 48 Hours entitled
Super Carrier - USS Kennedy"
1990s
When Kuwait was invaded by Iraqi forces in August 1990, VF-32 joined
Carrier Air Wing 3
Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3), known as the "Battle Axe", is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The wing was created on 1 July 1938 and has seen service in World War II, the Korean War, t ...
, was put on emergency recall from
Nellis AFB
Nellis Air Force Base ("Nellis" colloq.) is a United States Air Force installation in southern Nevada. Nellis hosts air combat exercises such as Exercise Red Flag and close air support exercises such as Green Flag-West flown in " Military Op ...
and returned to NAS Oceana to prepare to sortie with ''Kennedy''. ''Kennedy'' immediately proceeded to the
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; ...
to participate in
Operation Desert Shield
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
alongside . During Desert Shield, the ship made several
Suez Canal transits and operated in the Eastern Mediterranean. When Desert Shield turned into
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-Ma ...
in January 1991, VF-32 Tomcats were in the first strike wave flying
Combat Air Patrol
Combat air patrol (CAP) is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft. A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, ...
mainly in central and western Iraq. VF-32 TARPS aircrews flew daily missions throughout Iraq including supersonic runs over highly defended Al Qa'im. Throughout Operation Desert Storm, VF-32 aircrew logged 1,445 combat flight hours on 403 missions, including 38 combat TARPS missions. After an eight-month deployment, the squadron returned to NAS Oceana on 28 March 1991. Later that year, the squadron won the 1991 AIRLANT Grand Slam missile firing competition with 17 of 17 scored kills.
VF-32 and ''John F. Kennedy'' again deployed in October 1992.
The squadron conducted a great deal of air-to-ground operations in the Adriatic Sea while on cruise in support of
Operation Provide Promise
Operation Provide Promise was a humanitarian relief operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Yugoslav Wars, from 2 July 1992, to 9 January 1996, which made it the longest running humanitarian airlift in history.
By the end of the operation, ...
, marking the beginning of the Tomcat strike/fighter mission
and provided significant carrier air patrol support for
C-130
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...
food drop missions in the former Yugoslavia. The squadron returned home to NAS Oceana in April 1993
and throughout the summer conducted joint exercises with the Air Force and was coined the first "Toms to Bomb" squadron to fully certify the use of bombs on the F-14 platform. The year was highlighted with presentations of the Battle "E" and Clifton Awards to VF-32.
In May 1994, VF-32 and CVW-3 embarked aboard . This four-week deployment marked the first extensive at-sea period where women worked alongside men on a fleet aircraft carrier. In September, a small detachment provided TARPS photography and air support for
Operation Restore Democracy in
Haiti. In November 1994, VF-32 deployed aboard ''Dwight D. Eisenhower'' for another tour in the Mediterranean and 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 t ...
. The squadron flew missions over Iraq in support of
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from Summer 1992 to Spring 2003.
United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of mon ...
and over
Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operation that began on 12 April 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations (UN) no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The United Nations and NATO later expanded the mis ...
. 1995 marked fifty years of service from the men and women of VF-32. In November 1996, VF-32 and CVW-3 deployed on board for another tour in support of Operation Deny Flight and Operation Southern Watch over Bosnia and Iraq. The squadron brought digital imagery to the TARPS mission through new cameras that could take up to two hundred digital images and was able to store them on board or transmit them to appropriately equipped ground or sea-based receivers up to 300 kilometers away, resulting in a near-real-time reconnaissance capability. The squadron received the Meritorious Unit Commendation for its cutting edge work with Digital TARPS. In August 1997, VF-32 began transitioning from the F-14A to F-14B. In February 1998, the squadron received the F-14B Upgrade.
In November 1998, VF-32 and CVW-3 deployed aboard to the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea to support Operation Southern Watch and
Operation Deliberate Force
Operation Deliberate Force was a sustained air campaign conducted by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), in concert with the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) ground operations, to undermine the military capability of the ...
. With
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...
’s failure to cooperate with
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
inspections of known weapon sites,
Operation Desert Fox
The 1998 bombing of Iraq (code-named Operation Desert Fox) was a major four-day bombing campaign on Iraqi targets from 16 to 19 December 1998, by the United States and the United Kingdom. On 16 December 1998, President of the United States Bill ...
was launched on December 16, 1998. VF-32 took part in a 33-aircraft strike package on December 16. The first night of the four-day operation was conducted by the US Navy only. Over four days, VF-32 expended of ordnance during 16 strike missions and 38 sorties. During Desert Fox many Tomcat firsts were achieved, including the first GBU-24s dropped in combat by the US Navy, the first multiple GBU-24 drop by any platform in combat, the first combat use of the LANTIRN, the first autonomous F-14 delivery of a GBU-10/16/24, and the first F-14 use of
Night Vision Device
A night-vision device (NVD), also known as a night optical/observation device (NOD), night-vision goggle (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows visualization of images in low levels of light, improving the user's night vision. The devi ...
s in combat. The squadron returned home in May 1999.
2000s
VF-32 deployed once again in November 2000 for the maiden voyage of the . They spent four months in support of Operation Southern Watch and returned home on May 23, 2001.
In December 2002 VF-32 deployed once again on ''Harry S. Truman'' in support of
Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle (ONE) is the United States and Canadian military operation related to homeland security and support to federal, state, and local agencies. The operation began 11 September 2001, in response to the September 11 attacks..
...
and
Operation Northern Watch
Operation Northern Watch (ONW), the successor to Operation Provide Comfort, was a Combined Task Force (CTF) charged with enforcing its own no-fly zone above the 36th parallel in Iraq. Its mission began on 1 January 1997.
The coalition partners ...
.
In support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in 2003, VF-32 was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea aboard ''Harry S. Truman''. VF-32 flew strike missions and missions in support of US
Special Forces on the ground. VF-32 was involved in the worst
friendly fire
In military terminology, friendly fire or fratricide is an attack by belligerent or neutral forces on friendly troops while attempting to attack enemy/hostile targets. Examples include misidentifying the target as hostile, cross-fire while en ...
incident of the war when on 6 April 2003 a squadron F-14 crew was cleared to attack an Iraqi tank near
Dibakan, south east of
Mosul
Mosul ( ar, الموصل, al-Mawṣil, ku, مووسڵ, translit=Mûsil, Turkish: ''Musul'', syr, ܡܘܨܠ, Māwṣil) is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate. The city is considered the second larg ...
. Instead, they mistakenly dropped a single
laser-guided bomb
A laser-guided bomb (LGB) is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser guidance to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. First developed by the United States during the Vietnam War, laser-guided bombs quickly p ...
on a vehicle convoy consisting of US Special Forces and
Kurdish
Kurdish may refer to:
*Kurds or Kurdish people
*Kurdish languages
*Kurdish alphabets
*Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes:
**Southern Kurdistan
**Eastern Kurdistan
**Northern Kurdistan
**Western Kurdistan
See also
* Kurd (dis ...
resistance fighters, killing 18 Kurdish fighters, 4 US soldiers and a
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
translator. An additional 80 people were wounded. An investigation following the war found that the pilot had been cleared to drop without the benefit of target coordinates provided by the
, who was “operating under great stress” at the time. Overall, VF-32 flew 275 sorties and expended 247 laser-guided bombs and 118
. In January 2004 VF-32 became the first operational squadron to attempt the launch of six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles from one aircraft. A launch such as this had not been attempted since 1972. Five of the six active radar missiles were successfully launched. VF-32 returned to NAS Oceana in May 2003.
In 2004 VF-32 deployed again in support of OIF, becoming the first Naval squadron to redeploy in support of OIF. The squadron delivered multiple precision guided munitions on insurgent hideouts using the LANTIRN pod in the urban
environment. This would be the squadron's final deployment with the F-14.
and in November 2005 the squadron was designated Strike Fighter Squadron Thirty Two (VFA-32).
In November 2007, VFA-32 embarked on USS ''Harry S. Truman'' for their first F/A-18F Super Hornet cruise, deploying to the Persian Gulf.
VFA-32 and the rest of CVW-3 returned home on June 4, 2008. VFA-32 was awarded the
for maintaining the highest state of battle readiness and sustained superior performance in February 2009.
, for 19-Oct-1962 to 23-Oct-1962, Cuban Missile Crisis.
, 24-Oct-1962 to 15-Nov-1962, Cuban Missile Crisis.
, 29-Sep-1970 to 31-Oct-1970.
, 01-Oct-1977 to 30-Sep-1978.
, 01-Dec-1977 to 01-Mar-1979.
, 01-Jan-1982 to 31-Dec-1982.
, 20-Aug-1982 to 05-Sep-1982, Lebanon.
, for several non-contiguous time periods from 01-Oct-1982 to 06-Dec-1982, Lebanon.
, 20-Oct-1983 to 03-Mar-1984.
, 24-Oct-1983 to 02-Nov-1983, Grenada.
, 16-Nov-1983 to 02-Mar-1984, Lebanon.
, 01-Jul-1986 to 06-Jul-1986.
, 14-Sep-1990 to 12-Mar-1991.
, 17-Jan-1991 to 28-Feb-1991, Desert Storm.
, for several non-contiguous time periods beginning 22-Oct-1992 to 24-Mar-1993, Bosnia.
, as a part of ''Dwight D. Eisenhower'' Battle Group, 01-Mar-1994 to 01-Apr-1995.
, 16-Sep-1994 to 22-Sep-1994, Operation Uphold Democracy Haiti.
, for several non-contiguous time periods from 15-Dec-1994 to 28-Mar-1995, Bosnia.
, 01-Nov-1995 to 30-Nov-1996.
, as part of ''Enterprise'' Battle Group, 16-Dec-1998 to 20-Dec-1998.
, 01-Jan-2008 to 31-Dec-2008.
*
*Tony Holmes (2005). ''US Navy F-14 Tomcat Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom'', Osprey Publishing Limited.
The squadron did sustain combat losses in VietNam contrary to the information above. At least one A-4 was hit by a SAM and destroyed, an Rf-8 was lost on a photo mission and other aircraft were lost due to operational accidents not during combat on the cruise.