VF-14
Squadron History
VF-14
Top Hatters
Base: NAS Oceana
Tailcode: 'AJ'
Callsign: 'Camelot'
Variant: F-14A
- VF-14 is the oldest
US Navy squadron in existence, being able
to trace it's history all the way back to
1919, although many re-designations
occurred in the first twenty-five years.
Before becoming VF-14 the Tophatters were
known by the designations VF-1, VS-41,
VB-4, VA-1A, VA-14 and finally gaining
the VF-14 title on the 15th of December
1949.
- When first
established as a Pacific Fleet Air
Detatchment, in September of 1919, the
Tophatters flew the JN, or as it was more
often called the 'Jenny'.
- During WWII
VS-41 flew SBD-3 Dauntless torpedo
bombers from the deck of USS Ranger in
the North African theatre during 1942. By
November of the next year the squadron
had been redesignated once more, this
time becoming VB-4. Aircraft had also
changed, now SBD-5 Dauntlesses were used
instead, this time to attacks against
German forces in Norway. Late 1944 had
seen a move to the Pacific theatre of
war. Now flying SB2C Helldivers off the
carrier USS Bunker Hill the Tophatters
fought in the latter stages of the island
hopping campaign. In 1945, for the last
few months of the war, they switched to
the USS Essex and took part in actions
over Iwo Jima, Tokyo and Okinawa.
- The high
numbers of units involved in WWII meant
that the Tophat design was used by
another squadron, VF-1, who flew in the
Pacific theatre for most of the war. Best
evidence seems to suggest this was simply
due to confusion, the 'new' Tophatters
being unaware that the original squadron
still existed. One of the most famous
incidents in this Tophatter's history
occurred when Lt. Paul Pablo encountered
a swarm of Japanese fighters in the Bonin
Islands. Having previously flown an
entire tour without seeing a Japanese
aircraft the Lieutenant was
understandably anxious to meet the enemy.
When he finally did it was a huge swarm
of fighters. Pablo was not heard from
again, but his last transmission,
"I've already got four, and I've got
thirty cornered" symbolises the
fighter pilot's credo, that only a spirit
of attack will preveil. The 'new'
Tophatters were disestablished shortly
after the war ended, leaving the original
squadron to carry on.
- After the war
the Tophatters received two changes of
designation in a short period of (as was
the case for most Navy squadrons at this
time, as an effort was made to organise
the rather chaotic numbering system).
VB-4, as the Tophatters had ended the
war, became VA-1A in November of 1946,
changing again to become VA-14 in August
1948. The final designation change, to
the present VF-14, occurred upon the 15th
of December 1949.
- The
redesignation to VF-14 coincided with the
squadron's entry into the jet age, and
thus with their receipt of F3D
Skyknights. The association with the
Skyknight was not to last long, however,
F3H Demon's arriving in the first months
of 1950. VF-14 flew the Demons for 13
years, not relinquishing them unitl F-4B
Phantom II's arrived in May of 1963.
Flying their new mounts VF-14 became the
first Phantom squadron to operate from
the USS Roosevelt (not the present
CVN-71).
NOTE: A guestbook entry
by a former Tophatter places the Demon
transition in 1956
- 1966 saw
VF-14 become involved in the Vietnam war,
whilst flying form the Roosevelt VF-14
took part in 967 combat sorties and
dropped 651,624 tons of ordnance.
- For their
next cruise, in 1968, VF-14 returned to
the East Coast, flying off the newest
aircraft carrier, USS John F.Kennedy.
- Receiving
their first F-14s in September 1974, the
squadron worked up for it's first
deployment as part of CVW-1 onboard USS
John F. Kennedy (CV-67) in the
Mediterranean. The cruise lasted from
June 1975 to January 1976, the first time
F-14A's had been deployed with the
Atlantic fleet. This was followed by two
similar deployments onboard Kennedy,
starting in August 1980 and July 1981
respectively.
- During the
1980 cruise VF-14 won the COMNAVAIRLANT
(Commander Naval Air Forces Atlantic)
Battle "E" award for the second
year in a row. In June 1982, the squadron
shifted to CVW-6 onboard USS Independence
(CV-62). In this and all subsequent
deployments VF-14 was partnered by VF-32.
- In 1983 the
squadron took part in two conflicts,
firstly the US invasion of Grenada,then
the US airstrike on the Lebanon in
December of that year.
- On April 1st
1985 VF-14 was on the move again,
returning to USS John F. Kennedy, but
this time as part of CVW-3. The year
featured some eventful deployments for
the Tophatters, who took part in Red Flag
85-4 during June. Red Flag is a world
famous series of exercises, the aim of
which is to put pilots and planes in the
most realistic simulation of war that can
be created within peacetime safety rules.
Red Flag has emphasised composite force
tactics from the very beginning, the aim
being to integrate fighters, strikers,
recon and transport aircraft into a
package that can work fluidly and well
together. VF-14's deployment probably
consisted of a good range of interception
and strike escort missions. Two months
later, in August, VF-14 took part in it's
annual FFARP (Fleet Fighter ACM Readiness
Program), the first to feature the F-21A
Kfir as aggressor aircraft.
- The
Tophatters were proud to be able to
celebrate their 70th anniversary in 1989,
being the first Naval squadron to reach
this grand age. Among other celebrations
the squadron emblazoned the "70th
Anniversary" legend across the tails
of their two high visibility F-14's.
- It was as
part of CVW-3 that VF-14 took part in
Desert Storm, the carrier and air wing
having been rushed to the area once the
crisis had broken out. Receiving the call
to duty on 10th August 1990 the carrier
deployed just five days later. The next
five months were spent enforcing the U.N.
sanctions and preparing for Desert Storm.
The squadron took part in the air
campaign, unfortunately scoring no kills,
but thankfully taking no losses either.
- After Desert
Storm the squadron had several
detachments, culminating in a successful
missile shoot at NAS Roosevelt Roads and
three weeks onboard the USS Kitty Hawk
(CV-63).
- December 1991
saw perhaps the biggest change to the
squadron since transitioning to the F-14.
In line with other Navy F-14 squadrons
VF-14 began to work up an air-to-ground
capability, starting with the Tomcat
Advanced Strike Syllabus (TASS) and
progressing to air wing workups at NAS
Fallon. Thus VF-14 became 'Bombcat'
qualified and can carry a wide range of
iron bombs, cluster weapons and in future
guided munitions. After the workups
another cruise followed. As tensions in
the Persian Gulf rose again in July of
1992, Kennedy and her squadrons were
emergency deployed, but then recalled
within days as the problems cooled. The
scheduled cruise thus began in October of
1992 and included VF-14 participation in
"Deny Flight" sorties over the
former Yugoslavia.
- In late 1995
the squadron was detached from CVW-3 and
directly assigned to Fighter Wing One at
NAS Oceana.
- 1996 saw much
uncertainty for VF-14, with much debate
over whether they would continue to fly
the F-14 or would become VFA-14 flying
the F/A-18 Hornet and helping to fill the
lack of Hornet squadrons. Late 1996 saw
the decision made in favour of keeping
VF-14 as an F-14 squadron and the summer
had seen VF-14 participate in their first
cruise for several years, joining CVW-8
onboard USS John F. Kennedy for a
Mediterrenean cruise which also saw a
port visit to Portsmouth. While Kennedy
was in Portsmouth at least one VF-14
aircraft took part in the static display
of the 1996 RNAS Yeovilton airshow, along
with aircraft from VF-41, VS-24, VAW-124
and VFA-15. At the same time much of the
rest of CVW-8 flew in to RAF Lakenheath
for an overnight stop. By joining CVW-8
the squadron restored it to two F-14
squadrons, the other being VF-41. This
meant that for a short while both
Atlantic and Pacific fleets had one
airwing apiece that had two F-14
squadrons, rather than the now more
normal one. The Pacific equivalent of
CVW-8 is CVW-14, which had both VF-11 and
VF-31 assigned. However with the move of
VF-11 from CVW-14 to CVW-7 in early 1997
it is now only the Atlantic Fleet that
has any airwings with two F-14 squadrons.
- Now that
VF-14 had once again regained their sea
legs they (and VF-41) prepared for
another Mediterranean Sea/Arabian Gulf
cruise in Spring 1997. VF-14 is presently
on cruise onboard the USS John F.Kennedy
in the Mediterranean Ocean. The two
squadrons have both received LANTIRN
capable Tomcat's.
- Looking even
further into the future VF-14 is due to
become the only F-14 squadron that will
receive the F/A-18E, sometime in 2001.
All other F-14 squadrons are due to
convert to the F/A-18F.
- The image
below shows VF-14's first markings for
the F-14, extremely high visibility
compared to the present markings. As well
as the red tail the airwing code was
carried in black on the inner surfaces of
the tails. The aircraft carries its
carrier name, USS John F. Kennedy, on the
lower edge of the intake, a practice
common among several F-14 squadrons in
the early years of flying the F-14.
Present practice generally sees the name
carried on the wing root, just aft of the
glove vane.
|
|