VFA-103
Encyclopedia
Strike Fighter Squadron 103 (VF-103), nicknamed the Jolly Roger
s is an aviation unit of the United States Navy
established in 1952. VFA-103 flies the F/A-18F Super Hornet and is based at Naval Air Station Oceana
, Virginia (USA)
. The squadron's radio callsign is Victory and it is assigned to Carrier Air Wing Seven
.
The original VF-103 squadron insignia was a cloverleaf, and the aircraft tailfins had a horizontal yellow arrow outlined in black. Later a stylized aircraft darting through the leaf was added, along with a baseball bat. The baseball stemmed from an early skipper who often carried one with him. In 1991, VF-103's aircraft used the squadron insignia for tail-art, in place of the bold arrow. When the Sluggers became the Jolly Rogers they adopted the famous white skull-and-crossbones.
The Jolly Rogers have always displayed some of the most recognizable squadron markings in the world: sinister white skull-and-crossbones on all-black tails, with gold bands wrapped around the tip of the tail fins, and black bands with gold chevrons (known as vagabonds strips from the Crusader days of VF-84) run down the sides of the forward fuselage .
: VF-61
(originally VF-17), VF-84
, and VFA-103. While these are distinctly different squadrons that have no lineal linkage, they all share the same Jolly Roger name, the skull and crossbones insignia and traditions.
The first incarnation of the Jolly Rogers was established on January 1, 1943 at NAS Norfolk, as VF-17, flying the F4U Corsair
. Inspired by the piratical
theme of the aircraft's name, VF-17's commanding officer Tommy Blackburn selected the Jolly Roger
as the squadron's insignia. VF-17 was redesignated as VF-5B in 1946, and as VF-61 in 1948. While in existence, VF-61 flew the F6F-5 Hellcat
, F4U-1 Corsair
, F8F-2 Bearcat
, F9F-2/4 Panther
, F9F-8 Cougar, and F3H-2M Demon
, and was disestablished on April 15, 1959.
The second squadron to be called Jolly Rogers was VF-84, activated on July 1, 1955. This squadron was initially known as the Vagabonds, but assumed the Jolly Rogers name on April 1, 1960. This squadron flew the FJ-3 Fury
, F-8C Crusader
, F-4B/J/N Phantom II
, and F-14A Tomcat before deactivation on September 29, 1995.
After disestablishment of VF-84, the Jolly Rogers name and insignia were adopted by VF-103, which later became VFA-103, the subject of this article. There has only been one squadron designated VF-103.
VF-103 (the "Sluggers") was activated in 1952 as an F4U Corsair
squadron. After a few years flying the F9F Cougar
, VF-103 was one of the first squadrons to transition to the F-8 Crusader
. Once the transition was completed they were teamed up with VF-102 on board Forrestal. Prior to the introduction of the supersonic
Crusader jets, American carrier battle groups were often embarrassed by British bombers during allied exercises as the RAF
English Electric Canberra
s had always been able to make mock attacks on U.S. carriers with impunity. At the time, the U.S. fighters simply could not put up much resistance. During the 1958 Mediterranean cruise, British pilots were surprised when VF-103 tore through their formation of Canberras
before they even had a chance to start their simulated attack.
The Sluggers became an F-4 Phantom II squadron during the Vietnam War
.
, which was rushed to the South China Sea
in an attempt to deter a second North Vietnam
ese invasion of the South. On August 10, Lieutenant Commander
Robert Tucker and Lieutenant Junior Grade Stanley Edens shot down a MiG-21 'Fishbed'
with an AIM-7 Sparrow
missile during a night interception. It was the first and only night MiG kill by the US Navy.
. The squadron conducted the first East Coast fighter squadron’s low altitude AIM-54 Phoenix
missile shoot a month later. In October 1985, VF-103 and VF-74
participated in the interception of the Egypt
ian 737
carrying the Achille Lauro
hijackers. During a long range night intercept by VF-74 and VF-103, the 737 was forced to land at NAS Sigonella
, Sicily
. The terrorists were taken into custody and then set free by Italian
authorities.
VF-103 and the rest of the airwing participated in Operation Attain Document
and Operation El Dorado Canyon
in the spring of 1986.
In 1989 VF-103 transitioned to the F-14A+ (now known as the F-14B)
VF-103, along with VF-74, took the more powerful breed of the Tomcat to sea in August 1990. When Kuwait
was invaded by Iraq
the same month, Saratoga was in the Mediterranean and soon joined Dwight D. Eisenhower
in the Red Sea
. VF-103 and VF-74 worked together to develop the fighter tactics which were used in Operation Desert Storm. When the war started in January 1991, VF-103 conducted fighter escort for the air wing’s strike packages, reconnaissance and bomb damage assessment and combat air patrols. On the fourth day of the war, while on an escort mission, a VF-103 F-14A+ was shot down by what is believed to be an SA-2 'Guideline' surface-to-air missile
. After ejecting from his aircraft, the RIO (Radar Intercept Officer), Lieutenant Larry Slade, was captured by Iraqi troops and held in Baghdad
as a POW
until the end of the war. The pilot
, Lieutenant Devon Jones, was able to evade capture and, after eight hours deep in enemy territory, was rescued by USAF Special Forces
.
On October 1, 1995, VF-84 was disestablished bringing an end to the Jolly Rogers. Not wanting the Jolly Rogers insignia to fade away, VF-103 requested to do away with their "Slugger" moniker and adopt the Jolly Rogers name and insignia.
Also in 1995, VF-103 conducted the fleet feasibility testing of the Air Force
's LANTIRN
targeting pod in a rapid prototyping initiative that led to adoption of the LANTIRN for the Tomcat community. When they deployed with Enterprise
in the summer of 1996, VF-103 became the first Tomcat squadron to introduce the LANTIRN
targeting pod to operational service. The LANTIRN radically improved the F-14's strike capabilities by providing an autonomous precision strike capability.
In 1997 VF-103 transferred from Enterprise to 'USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)
, and set sail to former Yugoslavia
in June 1998 in support of NATO operations in Kosovo
. In November the carrier moved to the Persian Gulf in response to aggressive Iraqi posturing.
deployed to the North Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf
and participated in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Southern Watch
. VF-103 supported Coalition forces in Afghanistan
flying Close Air Support
, Forward Air Controller and TARPS missions. VF-103 was already on their way home by the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom in early 2003.
VF-103 returned to the Persian Gulf for its final Tomcat cruise with John F. Kennedy
on July 10, 2004 and ten days later the squadron bombed an insurgent position. The unit participated in Operation Phantom Fury
in October 2004 to provide aerial support over Falluja for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
and Iraqi Army
soldiers. During one mission an F-14 from VF-103 provided laser designation
for an AH-1 Cobra
helicopter’s AGM-114 Hellfire
missile to destroy a building where insurgents had taken cover. This operation had never previously been attempted with a Hellfire, but the missile successfully hit the building, neutralizing the enemy fire that the US troops were receiving. The F-14 crew was ordered to two drop additional GBU-12 laser guided bombs on the building, leveling the structure.
After a last deployment on John F. Kennedy with Carrier Air Wing Seventeen
and returning to NAS Oceana in December 2004, VF-103 gave up their F-14B Tomcats and began transition to the F/A-18F Super Hornet and transfer to Carrier Air Wing Seven
. The squadron was officially re-designated as VFA-103 in February 2005.
The first deployment with the F/A-18F commenced in 2006 and ended in the spring of 2007. During the cruise with USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, VFA-103 and VFA-143
supported Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and operations off the Somali
coast, and combined with VFA-131
and VFA-83
, they dropped 140 precision guided weapons and performed nearly 70 strafing runs. For their outstanding performance on this deployment, VFA-103 was awarded the AIRLANT Battle "E" for both 2006 & 2007, as well as the Wade McClusky Award as the best Attack Squadron in the US Navy for 2007.
VFA-103 temporarily embarked with CVW-17 in 2008 as USS George Washington sailed to the Pacific Ocean
to replace USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
in Japan
. On February 21, 2009 VFA-103 and CVW-7 embarked aboard Eisenhower for a deployment supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations in the Persian Gulf
. On March 21, 2009 it was reported that USS Theodore Roosevelt was relieved by "Ike". On 30 July 2009, the Eisenhower returned to Naval Station Norfolk after almost a six month deployment.
Jack Ernie of VF-17. Ernie was allegedly killed during the Okinawa invasion in World War II
, earning a posthumous Navy Cross. As his flaming aircraft spiraled towards earth, he made one last radio transmission in which he asked "Remember me with the Jolly Rogers." According to the story, Ernie's family later presented the squadron with the set of skull and crossbones and asked the squadron to fulfill Ernie's last wish. However no Jack Ernie appears on squadron rosters for VF-17, VF-61, or VF-84. VF-17 did not serve in the Okinawa campaign, and the first VF-84 of 1944-45, formed around VF-17 veterans, had no one by that name on its roster. Nor is anyone named Ernie on the Navy's list of Navy Cross recipients, http://www.homeofheroes.com/valor/0_NC/06_ncross_wwii-listAll.html for example. None of this has stopped the "Jolly Rogers", regardless of year or squadron number, from embracing this tale.
Jolly Roger
The Jolly Roger is any of various flags flown to identify a ship's crew as pirates. The flag most commonly identified as the Jolly Roger today is the skull and crossbones, a flag consisting of a human skull above two long bones set in an x-mark arrangement on a black field. This design was used by...
s is an aviation unit of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
established in 1952. VFA-103 flies the F/A-18F Super Hornet and is based at Naval Air Station Oceana
Naval Air Station Oceana
Naval Air Station Oceana or NAS Oceana is a military airport located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and is a United States Navy Master Jet Base. It is also known as Apollo Soucek Field, named after Lieutenant Apollo Soucek, a Navy Test Pilot who set the global altitude record in 1930 by flying a...
, Virginia (USA)
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The squadron's radio callsign is Victory and it is assigned to Carrier Air Wing Seven
Carrier Air Wing Seven
Carrier Air Wing Seven , is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier .-Mission:...
.
Insignia and nicknames
The Jolly Rogers have always displayed some of the most recognizable squadron markings in the world: sinister white skull-and-crossbones on all-black tails, with gold bands wrapped around the tip of the tail fins, and black bands with gold chevrons (known as vagabonds strips from the Crusader days of VF-84) run down the sides of the forward fuselage .
History
Three distinct U.S. Naval Aviation squadrons have used the name and insignia of the Jolly RogerJolly Roger
The Jolly Roger is any of various flags flown to identify a ship's crew as pirates. The flag most commonly identified as the Jolly Roger today is the skull and crossbones, a flag consisting of a human skull above two long bones set in an x-mark arrangement on a black field. This design was used by...
: VF-61
VF-61
Fighter Squadron 61 was a Fighter Squadron of the United States Navy until its disestablishment on on April 15, 1959.Three U.S. Naval Aviation squadrons have used the name and insignia of the Jolly Roger: VF-17/VF-5B/VF-61, VF-84 Fighter Squadron 61 (The Jolly Rogers) was a Fighter Squadron of...
(originally VF-17), VF-84
VF-84
VF-84, Fighter Squadron 84 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy active from 1955 to 1995. The squadron was nicknamed the Jolly Rogers and was based at NAS Oceana.-Related squadrons:Five distinct U.S...
, and VFA-103. While these are distinctly different squadrons that have no lineal linkage, they all share the same Jolly Roger name, the skull and crossbones insignia and traditions.
The first incarnation of the Jolly Rogers was established on January 1, 1943 at NAS Norfolk, as VF-17, flying the F4U Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
. Inspired by the piratical
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
theme of the aircraft's name, VF-17's commanding officer Tommy Blackburn selected the Jolly Roger
Jolly Roger
The Jolly Roger is any of various flags flown to identify a ship's crew as pirates. The flag most commonly identified as the Jolly Roger today is the skull and crossbones, a flag consisting of a human skull above two long bones set in an x-mark arrangement on a black field. This design was used by...
as the squadron's insignia. VF-17 was redesignated as VF-5B in 1946, and as VF-61 in 1948. While in existence, VF-61 flew the F6F-5 Hellcat
F6F Hellcat
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a carrier-based fighter aircraft developed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat in United States Navy service. Although the F6F resembled the Wildcat, it was a completely new design powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Some tagged it as the "Wildcat's big...
, F4U-1 Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
, F8F-2 Bearcat
F8F Bearcat
The Grumman F8F Bearcat was an American single-engine naval fighter aircraft of the 1940s. It went on to serve into the mid-20th century in the United States Navy and other air forces, and would be the company's final piston engined fighter aircraft...
, F9F-2/4 Panther
F9F Panther
|-Popular culture:The Panther played a prominent role in the 1954 movie Men of the Fighting Lady . The F9F was featured in the flying sequences in the 1954 movie The Bridges at Toko-Ri, although in the 1953 James A...
, F9F-8 Cougar, and F3H-2M Demon
F3H Demon
The McDonnell F3H Demon was a subsonic swept-wing United States Navy carrier-based jet fighter aircraft. After severe problems with Westinghouse J40 engine that was ultimately abandoned, the successor to the McDonnell F2H Banshee served starting in 1956 redesigned with the J71 engine...
, and was disestablished on April 15, 1959.
The second squadron to be called Jolly Rogers was VF-84, activated on July 1, 1955. This squadron was initially known as the Vagabonds, but assumed the Jolly Rogers name on April 1, 1960. This squadron flew the FJ-3 Fury
FJ Fury
The North American FJ-2/-3 Fury were a series of swept-wing carrier-capable fighters for the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Based on the United States Air Force's F-86 Sabre, these aircraft featured folding wings, and a longer nose landing strut designed to both increase angle of attack upon...
, F-8C Crusader
F-8 Crusader
The Vought F-8 Crusader was a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft built by Vought for the United States Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, replacing the Vought F7U Cutlass...
, F-4B/J/N Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
, and F-14A Tomcat before deactivation on September 29, 1995.
After disestablishment of VF-84, the Jolly Rogers name and insignia were adopted by VF-103, which later became VFA-103, the subject of this article. There has only been one squadron designated VF-103.
1950s
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
squadron. After a few years flying the F9F Cougar
F9F Cougar
The Grumman F9F/F-9 Cougar was an aircraft carrier-based fighter aircraft for the United States Navy. Based on the earlier Grumman F9F Panther, the Cougar replaced the Panther's straight wing with a more modern swept wing...
, VF-103 was one of the first squadrons to transition to the F-8 Crusader
F-8 Crusader
The Vought F-8 Crusader was a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft built by Vought for the United States Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, replacing the Vought F7U Cutlass...
. Once the transition was completed they were teamed up with VF-102 on board Forrestal. Prior to the introduction of the supersonic
Supersonic
Supersonic speed is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of sound . For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C this speed is approximately 343 m/s, 1,125 ft/s, 768 mph or 1,235 km/h. Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound are often...
Crusader jets, American carrier battle groups were often embarrassed by British bombers during allied exercises as the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
English Electric Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
s had always been able to make mock attacks on U.S. carriers with impunity. At the time, the U.S. fighters simply could not put up much resistance. During the 1958 Mediterranean cruise, British pilots were surprised when VF-103 tore through their formation of Canberras
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
before they even had a chance to start their simulated attack.
1960s
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
1970s
When the war escalated in the summer of 1972, the Sluggers were with Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3) aboard SaratogaUSS Saratoga (CV-60)
USS Saratoga , was one of four Forrestal- class supercarriers built for the US Navy in the 1950s. Saratoga was the sixth US Navy ship, and the second aircraft carrier, to be named for the Battle of Saratoga in the American Revolutionary War.Commissioned in 1956, she spent most of her career in...
, which was rushed to the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
in an attempt to deter a second North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
ese invasion of the South. On August 10, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Robert Tucker and Lieutenant Junior Grade Stanley Edens shot down a MiG-21 'Fishbed'
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
with an AIM-7 Sparrow
AIM-7 Sparrow
The AIM-7 Sparrow is an American, medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, as well as various allied air forces and navies. Sparrow and its derivatives were the West's principal beyond visual...
missile during a night interception. It was the first and only night MiG kill by the US Navy.
1980s
In January 1983, VF-103 was among the last fighter squadrons to transition to the F-14 TomcatF-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
. The squadron conducted the first East Coast fighter squadron’s low altitude AIM-54 Phoenix
AIM-54 Phoenix
The AIM-54 Phoenix is a radar-guided, long-range air-to-air missile , carried in clusters of up to six missiles on F-14 Tomcats, its only launch platform. The Phoenix was the United States' only long-range air-to-air missile. The weapons system based on Phoenix was the world's first to allow...
missile shoot a month later. In October 1985, VF-103 and VF-74
VF-74
VF-74, Fighter Squadron 74, Be-Devilers was an aviation unit of the United States Navy in service from 1944 to 1994.-History:VF-74 was established on 16 April 1945 as VBF-20 flying the F4U-1 Corsair from NAS Wildwood in New Jersey. After six months they transitioned to the F6F Hellcat but soon...
participated in the interception of the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
carrying the Achille Lauro
MS Achille Lauro
MS Achille Lauro was a cruise ship based in Naples, Italy. Built between 1939 and 1947 as MS Willem Ruys, a passenger liner for the Rotterdamsche Lloyd. It is most remembered for its 1985 hijacking...
hijackers. During a long range night intercept by VF-74 and VF-103, the 737 was forced to land at NAS Sigonella
Naval Air Station Sigonella
Naval Air Station Sigonella , "The Hub of the Med", is a U.S. Navy installation at NATO Base Sigonella and an Italian Air Force base in Sicily, Italy. Although a tenant of the Italian Air Force, NAS Sigonella acts as landlord to more than 40 other U.S. commands and activities. It is located west...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. The terrorists were taken into custody and then set free by Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
authorities.
VF-103 and the rest of the airwing participated in Operation Attain Document
Action in the Gulf of Sidra (1986)
In the Action in the Gulf of Sidra, the United States Navy deployed aircraft carrier groups in the disputed Gulf of Sidra in the Mediterranean Sea. Libya claimed that the entire Gulf was their territory, at 32° 30' N, with an exclusive fishing zone. Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi asserted this...
and Operation El Dorado Canyon
Operation El Dorado Canyon
The 1986 United States bombing of Libya, code-named Operation El Dorado Canyon, comprised the joint United States Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps air-strikes against Libya on April 15, 1986. The attack was carried out in response to the 1986 Berlin discotheque bombing.-Origins:Shortly after his...
in the spring of 1986.
In 1989 VF-103 transitioned to the F-14A+ (now known as the F-14B)
1990s
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
was invaded by Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
the same month, Saratoga was in the Mediterranean and soon joined Dwight D. Eisenhower
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is an aircraft carrier currently in service with the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1977, the ship is the second of the ten Nimitz-class supercarriers currently in service, and is the first ship named after the thirty-fourth President of the United States, Dwight D....
in the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
. VF-103 and VF-74 worked together to develop the fighter tactics which were used in Operation Desert Storm. When the war started in January 1991, VF-103 conducted fighter escort for the air wing’s strike packages, reconnaissance and bomb damage assessment and combat air patrols. On the fourth day of the war, while on an escort mission, a VF-103 F-14A+ was shot down by what is believed to be an SA-2 'Guideline' surface-to-air missile
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
. After ejecting from his aircraft, the RIO (Radar Intercept Officer), Lieutenant Larry Slade, was captured by Iraqi troops and held in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
as a POW
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
until the end of the war. The pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
, Lieutenant Devon Jones, was able to evade capture and, after eight hours deep in enemy territory, was rescued by USAF Special Forces
Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Force Special Operations Command is the Special Operations component of the United States Air Force and the US Air Force component command to the United States Special Operations Command , a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida...
.
On October 1, 1995, VF-84 was disestablished bringing an end to the Jolly Rogers. Not wanting the Jolly Rogers insignia to fade away, VF-103 requested to do away with their "Slugger" moniker and adopt the Jolly Rogers name and insignia.
Also in 1995, VF-103 conducted the fleet feasibility testing of the Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
's LANTIRN
LANTIRN
Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night, or LANTIRN, is a combined navigation and targeting pod system for use on the USAF's premier fighter aircraft — the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon...
targeting pod in a rapid prototyping initiative that led to adoption of the LANTIRN for the Tomcat community. When they deployed with Enterprise
USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
USS Enterprise , formerly CVA-65, is the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth US naval vessel to bear the name. Like her predecessor of World War II fame, she is nicknamed the "Big E". At , she is the longest naval vessel in the world...
in the summer of 1996, VF-103 became the first Tomcat squadron to introduce the LANTIRN
LANTIRN
Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night, or LANTIRN, is a combined navigation and targeting pod system for use on the USAF's premier fighter aircraft — the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon...
targeting pod to operational service. The LANTIRN radically improved the F-14's strike capabilities by providing an autonomous precision strike capability.
In 1997 VF-103 transferred from Enterprise to 'USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69)
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is an aircraft carrier currently in service with the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1977, the ship is the second of the ten Nimitz-class supercarriers currently in service, and is the first ship named after the thirty-fourth President of the United States, Dwight D....
, and set sail to former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
in June 1998 in support of NATO operations in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
. In November the carrier moved to the Persian Gulf in response to aggressive Iraqi posturing.
2000s
In June 2002, VF-103 and its carrier George WashingtonUSS George Washington (CVN-73)
USS George Washington is an American nuclear-powered supercarrier, the sixth ship in the Nimitz class and the fourth United States Navy ship to be named after George Washington, the first President of the United States...
deployed to the North Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
and participated in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
. VF-103 supported Coalition forces in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
flying Close Air Support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
, Forward Air Controller and TARPS missions. VF-103 was already on their way home by the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom in early 2003.
VF-103 returned to the Persian Gulf for its final Tomcat cruise with John F. Kennedy
USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
USS John F. Kennedy is a John F. Kennedy class aircraft carrier, the last conventionally powered carrier built for the United States Navy. The ship is named after the 35th President of the United States, John F...
on July 10, 2004 and ten days later the squadron bombed an insurgent position. The unit participated in Operation Phantom Fury
Operation Phantom Fury
The Second Battle of Fallujah was a joint U.S., Iraqi, and British offensive in November and December 2004, considered the highest point of conflict in Fallujah during the Iraq War. It was led by the U.S...
in October 2004 to provide aerial support over Falluja for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
1st Marine Expeditionary Force
The I Marine Expeditionary Force is a Marine Air Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps primarily composed of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and 1st Marine Logistics Group...
and Iraqi Army
Iraqi Army
The Iraqi Army is the land component of the Iraqi military, active in various forms since being formed by the British during their mandate over the country after World War I....
soldiers. During one mission an F-14 from VF-103 provided laser designation
Laser designator
A laser designator is a laser light source which is used to designate a target. Laser designators provide targeting for laser guided bombs, missiles, or precision artillery munitions, such as the Paveway series of bombs, Lockheed-Martin's Hellfire, or the Copperhead round, respectively.When a...
for an AH-1 Cobra
AH-1 Cobra
The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a two-bladed, single engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It shares a common engine, transmission and rotor system with the older UH-1 Iroquois...
helicopter’s AGM-114 Hellfire
AGM-114 Hellfire
The AGM-114 Hellfire is an air-to-surface missile developed primarily for anti-armor use. It has multi-mission, multi-target precision-strike capability, and can be launched from multiple air, sea, and ground platforms. The Hellfire missile is the primary 100 lb-class air-to-ground precision...
missile to destroy a building where insurgents had taken cover. This operation had never previously been attempted with a Hellfire, but the missile successfully hit the building, neutralizing the enemy fire that the US troops were receiving. The F-14 crew was ordered to two drop additional GBU-12 laser guided bombs on the building, leveling the structure.
Carrier Air Wing Seventeen
Carrier Air Wing Seventeen , is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.-Mission:...
and returning to NAS Oceana in December 2004, VF-103 gave up their F-14B Tomcats and began transition to the F/A-18F Super Hornet and transfer to Carrier Air Wing Seven
Carrier Air Wing Seven
Carrier Air Wing Seven , is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier .-Mission:...
. The squadron was officially re-designated as VFA-103 in February 2005.
The first deployment with the F/A-18F commenced in 2006 and ended in the spring of 2007. During the cruise with USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, VFA-103 and VFA-143
VFA-143
Strike Fighter Squadron 143 , also known as the "Pukin Dogs", are a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The Pukin Dogs are an operational fleet squadron and flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet. They are currently attached to Carrier Air Wing Seven and...
supported Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and operations off the Somali
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
coast, and combined with VFA-131
VFA-131
Strike Fighter Squadron 131 , also known as the "Wildcats", is a United States Navy F/A-18C Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. Their radio call sign is "Cat" and their aircraft tail code is AG.-Mission:...
and VFA-83
VFA-83
Strike Fighter Squadron 83 , also known as the "Rampagers", are a United States Navy F/A-18C Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana...
, they dropped 140 precision guided weapons and performed nearly 70 strafing runs. For their outstanding performance on this deployment, VFA-103 was awarded the AIRLANT Battle "E" for both 2006 & 2007, as well as the Wade McClusky Award as the best Attack Squadron in the US Navy for 2007.
VFA-103 temporarily embarked with CVW-17 in 2008 as USS George Washington sailed to the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
to replace USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
The supercarrier USS Kitty Hawk , formerly CVA-63, was the second naval ship named after Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the site of the Wright brothers' first powered airplane flight...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. On February 21, 2009 VFA-103 and CVW-7 embarked aboard Eisenhower for a deployment supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. On March 21, 2009 it was reported that USS Theodore Roosevelt was relieved by "Ike". On 30 July 2009, the Eisenhower returned to Naval Station Norfolk after almost a six month deployment.
2010s
VFA-103 and the rest of CVW-7 embarked onboard the USS Eisenhower on January 2, 2010 for a six-month deployment in support of 5th and 6th Fleet operations. On July 27, 2010, the squadron returned home to NAS Oceana after completion of their latest deployment.Squadron tradition and lore
The squadron's prized mascot is a set of skull and crossbones enclosed in a glass encasement. "Passing of the bones" to the "FNG" (F'ing New Guy) is a time-honored Jolly Rogers tradition. The bones are supposedly the remains of EnsignEnsign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
Jack Ernie of VF-17. Ernie was allegedly killed during the Okinawa invasion in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, earning a posthumous Navy Cross. As his flaming aircraft spiraled towards earth, he made one last radio transmission in which he asked "Remember me with the Jolly Rogers." According to the story, Ernie's family later presented the squadron with the set of skull and crossbones and asked the squadron to fulfill Ernie's last wish. However no Jack Ernie appears on squadron rosters for VF-17, VF-61, or VF-84. VF-17 did not serve in the Okinawa campaign, and the first VF-84 of 1944-45, formed around VF-17 veterans, had no one by that name on its roster. Nor is anyone named Ernie on the Navy's list of Navy Cross recipients, http://www.homeofheroes.com/valor/0_NC/06_ncross_wwii-listAll.html for example. None of this has stopped the "Jolly Rogers", regardless of year or squadron number, from embracing this tale.
The Jolly Rogers in Popular culture
- VF-103 is referred to in Tomcat AlleyTomcat AlleyTomcat Alley is an interactive movie FMV video game developed by The Code Monkeys for Mega-CD. It was the first, and only, Mega-CD game to feature extensive full screen, full motion video...
- A Squadron is featured in the novel ScarecrowScarecrow (novel)Scarecrow is the fifth Matthew Reilly novel, and the third to feature the main character Captain Shane Schofield, USMC. It was released in 2003.-Plot summary:As well as Schofield, Mother, Gant, and Book II all return from previous Schofield adventures....
by Matthew Riley. - The PlayStation 2PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
games Ace Combat 5: The Unsung WarAce Combat 5: The Unsung War, released in the PAL region as Ace Combat: Squadron Leader, is a semi-realistic flight combat video game for the PlayStation 2. Like other titles in Namco's Ace Combat series, Ace Combat 5 features gameplay that is a mix between arcade flight and authentic flight simulation...
and Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan WarAce Combat Zero: The Belkan Waris a semi-realistic flight simulator developed by Namco for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It is part of the Ace Combat series of games...
feature the F-14 which includes certain paint schemes that echo those of VF-84 and VF-103. These paint schemes lack the skull and crossbones but have the black tails (with yellow/white tips) and the distinctive yellow/white-on-black Vagabonds strip on the forward fuselage. Another game in the series, Ace Combat 6: Fires of LiberationAce Combat 6: Fires of Liberationis the sixth installment developed by Project Aces and published by Namco Bandai Games exclusively for the Xbox 360 as part of the Ace Combat franchise...
, features F/A-18F's from a fictional squadron that features the yellow-tipped black tails of the current Jolly Rogers (again with no skull & crossbones) and fuselage markings of VFA-14VFA-14The Strike Fighter Squadron 14 "Tophatters" are a United States Navy fighter attack squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. They fly the F/A-18E Super Hornet, and are the Navy's oldest active squadron, having formed in 1919...
. - In the video game Over G FightersOver G FightersOver G Fighters is an Xbox 360 video game developed by the Taito Corporation and released by Ubisoft on June 27, 2006 in North America.The single player mode revolves around a group of multi-national fighter pilots in the fictional Energy Airforce in the near future...
an F-14A aircraft is available with the Jolly Rogers markings. - In EAElectronic ArtsElectronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
's videogame Army of TwoArmy of TwoArmy of Two is a third person shooter video game developed and published by Electronic Arts. It was released on March 4, 2008 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles. The game is centered upon two mercenaries fighting through war, political turmoil, and a conspiracy from 1993 to 2009...
, F/A-18 Hornets bearing the Jolly Roger livery can be seen aboard the USS Ronald Reagan. - The Jolly Rogers in its previous iteration as VF-84VF-84VF-84, Fighter Squadron 84 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy active from 1955 to 1995. The squadron was nicknamed the Jolly Rogers and was based at NAS Oceana.-Related squadrons:Five distinct U.S...
, an F-14 TomcatF-14 TomcatThe Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
squadron in Carrier Air Wing 8, was among the fighter squadrons featured in the 1980 film The Final Countdown. - In the 1982-1983 Japanese animatedAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
TV series The Super Dimension Fortress MacrossThe Super Dimension Fortress Macrossis an anime television series. According to story creator Shoji Kawamori, it depicts "a love triangle against the backdrop of great battles" during the first Human-alien war....
(adapted outside Japan as part of RobotechRobotechRobotech is an 85-episode science fiction anime adaptation produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. and first released in the United States in 1985...
), the colors and insignia on the VF-1 ValkyrieVF-1 ValkyrieThis article is about a fictional vehicle; for the fighter squadron see VF-1.In the fictional Macross Japanese anime series and its English adaptation Robotech, the first mass-produced variable fighter or veritech fighter is called the VF-1 Valkyrie.-Background:The VF-1 was created by the...
s of Roy Focker's "Skull Squadron" mirror those of the Jolly Rogers. The planes themselves are transformable mechas fighters overtly inspired by the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. Subsequent anime series, such as Macross ZeroMacross Zerois an anime prequel OVA to The Super Dimension Fortress Macross released for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Macross franchise during 2002 in Japan...
and Macross FrontierMacross Frontieris a Japanese animated science fiction space drama that aired in Japan on MBS from April 3, 2008 to September 25, 2008. It is the most recent Japanese anime television series set in the Macross universe. Animated by Satelight, premiered Japan on MBS on April 3, 2008...
also contain the "Skull Squadron", and in Macross Zero in particular the fictional back-story history implies that "Skull Squadron" is the actual remnant of VF-103, re-organised after the decimating conflicts of the "Unification Wars" of 1999-2008 of the Macross continuity. - In the film Executive Decision, the F14 Tomcats from Jolly Rogers were the ones that intercepted the hijacked "Flight 343".
- The Jolly Rogers F-18 Hornet is used in the flight simulator, X-PlaneX-PlaneX-Plane is a flight simulator, designed for Mac OS X, but also available for Windows and Linux produced by Laminar Research. X-Plane is packaged with several commercial, military and other aircraft as well as basic global scenery which covers most of the earth. X-Plane also comes with other...
. - In the scheduled for 2013 release Pixar animation, PlanesPlanes (film)Planes is an upcoming direct-to-video spin-off of Cars. Pixar Animation Studios however, will not be producing the film. Instead, it will be produced by DisneyToon Studios...
, the fighter plane taking off from the aircraft carrier beared the colors and insignia of the VF-103 Jolly Rogers.
External links
- VFA-103 Official Website
- VF-103 History
- VFA-103 History (Czech/English)
- VF-84 History
- VF-103 History
- The Jolly Rogers Squadron: Past and Present
- Almansur's Unofficial History of the Jolly Rogers
- VF-103: The Jolly Rogers Live on - Naval Aviation News (November–December 2002)
See also
- Naval aviationNaval aviationNaval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
- Modern US Navy carrier air operationsModern US Navy carrier air operationsModern United States Navy aircraft carrier air operations include the operation of fixed wing and rotary aircraft on and around an aircraft carrier for performance of combat or non-combat missions. Modern United States Navy aircraft carrier flight operations are highly evolved, based on experiences...
- List of military aircraft of the United States (naval) / List of US Naval aircraft
- United States Naval AviatorUnited States Naval AviatorA United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
- United States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....
- Military aviationMilitary aviationMilitary aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
- List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons