History VFA-86

1 history

1.1 1950s
1.2 1960s
1.3 1970s
1.4 1980s
1.5 1990s
1.6 2000s
1.7 2010s

history
1950s

va-86 f7u-3ms aboard uss forrestal

reserve fighter squadron 921 (vf-921) called active duty nas st. louis on 1 february 1951, korean war flying f4u-4 corsair. vf-921 assigned carrier air wing 8 , deployed mediterranean sea aboard uss tarawa, in 1951-52. on 4 february 1953, squadron redesignated fighter squadron 84 (vf-84), while deployed naval station guantanamo bay, cuba aboard uss antietam. in june 1953, squadron briefly flew f8f-2 bearcat in preparation transition f9f-5 panther in november 1953. squadron s current sidewinder name , insignia adopted in april 1954. flying panther, vf-84 again deployed mediterranean sea aboard uss lake champlain september 1954 april 1955.

on 1 july 1955 squadron began flying f7u-3m cutlass, redesignated attack squadron 86 (va-86), , conducted extensive evaluation of aim-7 sparrow missile. va-86 deployed f7u shakedown cruise of uss forrestal, being assigned air task group 181.

from may 1957 until 1967, squadron assigned carrier air wing seven, being equipped various marks of a4d/a-4 skyhawk. between september 1958 , march 1958, va-86 deployed aboard uss randolph, before cvw-7 reassigned commissioned uss independence.

1960s

va-86 a4d-2 skyhawks in 1960

in april 1961 va-86 operated uss independence near guantanamo bay, cuba, during bay of pigs invasion. in november 1962, squadron assigned carrier air wing 3 , embarked in uss lexington during cuban missile crisis operating off coast of jacksonville, florida. va-86 flying mix of a-4bs , a-4cs, squadron transitioning a-4c. in april–may 1963, va-86 provided a-4c detachments aboard atlantic fleet anti-submarine carriers uss essex, uss randolph , uss wasp. aircraft equipped aim-9 sidewinder missiles provide carriers anti-air warfare capability.

from august 1963 march 1964, va-86 again deployed cvw-7 aboard uss independence mediterranean sea. following deployment, squadron transitioned a-4e. on 1 july 1965, squadron conducted first combat missions, flying independence against targets in south vietnam. in 1966-67, va-86 in mediterranean sea aboard independence.

on 1 june 1967, va-86 became navy s first operational atlantic fleet squadron fly a-7a corsair ii. va-86 reassigned carrier air wing 6 , made deployment vietnam aboard uss america. squadron conducted third south east asia combat deployment aboard uss coral sea september 1969 july 1970 while being assigned carrier air wing fifteen. in october 1970, va-86 transitioned e model of a-7.

1970s

va-86 a-7c in 1974

from 1971 1987, va-86 again assigned cvw-8. in late spring of 1972, va-86 forced transition a-7c due unexpected problems a-7e s tf-41 engines. squadron deployed june 1972 march 1973 aboard uss america ten-month combat cruise, participating in several intense , lengthy bombing campaigns, including operation linebacker , linebacker ii in late-1972. squadron remained on station until paris peace accords signed in late january 1973. squadron’s fourth combat deployment southeast asia, more other east coast attack squadron , resulted in receipt of meritorious unit commendation.

the squadron transitioned a-7e in 1974 , aboard uss america 7 months duty. in 1975, squadron went aboard uss nimitz ship s maiden voyage , made further deployments during late 1970s , 1980s. in 1979, va-86 planes appeared in movie final countdown, filmed aboard uss nimitz @ naval air station key west, florida.

1980s

in january 1980, after seizure of american embassy in tehran, iran va-86 departed naples, italy embarked on nimitz, en route indian ocean via cape of hope, beginning of 144 consecutive days @ sea.

in 1981 while aboard nimitz, squadron participated in freedom of navigation exercise in gulf of sidra. during tense period, va-86 flew aerial refuelling , reconnaissance missions on potentially hostile libyan ships.

the squadron awarded 1982 comnavairlant battle e , best east coast a-7 squadron.

in june- july 1985 while aboard uss nimitz, va-86 operated off coast of lebanon due hijacking of twa flight 847, , later year squadron awarded admiral wade mcclusky award, signifying best attack squadron in navy.

from january–february 1987 while embarked on uss nimitz, va-86 operated off coast of lebanon after 3 u.s. citizens taken hostage american university in beirut, lebanon.

on july 15, 1987, va-86 officially redesignated strike fighter squadron 86 (vfa-86), , began flying f/a-18c hornet. va-86 first east coast squadron receive c model (lot 10) of f/a-18. 1988 2007, vfa-86 assigned carrier air wing one. in 1988, during eight-month deployment aboard america, vfa-86 provided air cover evacuation of u.s. embassy in beirut.

1990s

vfa-86 f/a-18cs in 1995

in 1991, squadron flew combat missions in support of operation desert storm uss america operating in both red sea , persian gulf.

in 1992, squadron accomplished first east coast f/a-18 standoff land attack missile shoot target on san nicolas island, california.

in 1994 squadron deployed aboard america in support of operation deny flight. in october, uss america ordered indian ocean off coast of somalia in support of united nations relief efforts. after conducting nato operation deliberate force missions on bosnia-herzegovina adriatic sea, returned nas cecil field in february 1995. squadron received cno s safety s award 1995.

on 3 october 1997, squadron deployed mediterranean sea/persian gulf aboard uss george washington. squadron remained on station in gulf through mid-march 1998 during crisis involving iraq s non-compliance un sanctions, flying operation southern watch contingency missions. vfa-86 awarded 1997 battle e recognizing best east coast f/a-18 hornet squadron. 2 november 1998 17 december 1998, vfa-86 made short cruise puerto rican operating area aboard uss harry s. truman. on 22 september 1999 squadron deployed mediterranean sea/arabian aboard uss john f. kennedy, participating in freedom of navigation operations off coast of libya.

following decommissioning of nas cecil field in 1999 due brac action, vfa-86 1 of 2 u.s. navy strike fighter squadrons relocated mcas beaufort, south carolina in lieu of nas oceana, virginia. other navy squadron @ mcas beaufort, vfa-82, deactivated in 2005.

2000s

vfa-86 f/a-18e lands aboard uss ronald reagan in 2013

on 19 september 2001, squadron deployed aboard uss theodore roosevelt, in support of operation enduring freedom (oef) on afghanistan against taliban , al qaeda military targets. when departed area on 2 march 2002, squadron had flown on 3500 hours , expended on 213 tons of ordnance , @ sea 160 continuous days.

from august 2003 july 2004, vfa-86 deployed in uss enterprise in support of operation iraqi freedom (oif) , oef.

from may november 2006, squadron again deployed on uss enterprise in support of oif , oef, visiting ports in croatia, crete, dubai, hong kong, south korea, malaysia , portugal. in july 2007, vfa-86 deployed last time aboard uss enterprise in support of oif , oef, returning mcas beaufort in december 2007. squadron earned 2007 commander naval air forces u.s. atlantic fleet safety s.

between 31 july 2009 , 26 march 2010, vfa-86 deployed aboard uss nimitz western pacific , north arabian sea, being assigned carrier air wing eleven.

2010s

in 2011 squadron relocated mcas beaufort nas lemoore. after arrival, transitioned f/a-18e super hornet. vfa-86 assigned carrier air wing 2 aboard uss ronald reagan.