VFA-14

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VFA-14
VFA-14 Insignia
Active	1919
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Type	Attack
Role	Close air support Air interdiction Aerial reconnaissance
Part of	CVW-11
Garrison/HQ	Naval Air Station Lemoore
Nickname	"The Boldest"
Motto	Tophatters
Battles/wars	World War II Vietnam War Operation Desert Storm Operation Allied Force Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom

The VFA-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. Their callsign is Camelot, and their tail code is NH.

1 History
2 References

[edit] History

[edit] Early years

Since its inception the squadron has flown 23 different type aircraft, had its designation changed fourteen times, operated from 20 different aircraft carriers (and several battleships) and had 75 commanding officers (the 76th is now in command).

Over the years the squadron has been assigned many different missions, including patrol and observation in its early years, and scouting, attack, fighter, bombing and forward air control missions when it became associated with carrier-based operations. The squadron adopted the classic Top Hat as its squadron patch and called themselves the "High Hats".

The Tophatters began carrier operations onboard the Navy’s first aircraft carrier USS Langley in 1926. The squadron, then designated Fighter Plane Squadron One, set the record for carrier landings in a single day. Flying the TS-1, they logged 127 traps by the end of flight operations.

In 1929 the squadron was assigned to USS Saratoga, where it began as a fighter squadron and transitioned to a bomber squadron. Throughout the 1930’s, the Tophatters flew the FB-5, F2B, F8C-4 Helldiver, F4B, F11C Goshawk, BFC and the SB2U-1 Vindicator. In 1939, while flying the Vindicator, the Tophatters were transferred to the Atlantic Fleet and USS Ranger.

The Tophatters proved to be formidable foes during World War II. While on USS Ranger the squadron provided air support for the invasion of North Africa in November of 1942. During the four days of November 8-November 11, the pilots destroyed 16 enemy aircraft. Flying the SBD Dauntless dive bomber, the squadron participated in the first American naval air strike against German forces in Norway’s inner channel.

In November 1944, the squadron transferred to the Pacific Fleet and participated in the Leyte Campaign while attached to USS Bunker Hill. After transferring to USS Essex, the squadron bombed fortifications on Formosa in January 1945, supported the assault on Iwo Jima in February, participated in the first naval carrier strike on Tokyo, and completed Pacific combat operations with strikes on Okinawa in early March 1945.

In 1949, while flying the F4U Corsair, the Tophatters were redesignated VF-14. They took on the role of all-weather interceptor when they transitioned to the F3D Skyknight in 1954 and then traded them in for the F3H Demon in 1956. In May of 1963, the Tophatters transitioned to the F-4B Phantom II and on January 23, 1964, they became the first Phantom squadron to operate onboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In June 1966, after moving to NAS Oceana, the Tophatters deployed to the China Sea to conduct air strikes and support missions against military targets in North Vietnam. During this combat deployment, the squadron flew 1,688 hours on 967 combat sorties and delivered 651,624 pounds of ordnance, in addition to flying its traditional combat air patrol and fighter escort missions.

[edit] Tomcat Transition

In January 1974, after four highly successful Mediterranean deployments, the squadron transitioned to the Navy’s newest fighter, the Grumman F-14A Tomcat at NAS Miramar and was teamed with VF-32 as the first two Tomcat squadrons to arrive at NAS Oceana. In June 1975 the Tophatters became the first Atlantic squadron to deploy with the F-14A alongside VF-32 aboard USS John F kennedy. In October 1978, the Tophatter aircrew set an all-time F-14 flight hour record when they flew 977 hours in one month while deployed in the Mediterranean.

In 1976, VF-14 launched the 100th AIM-54 Phoenix missiles against a simulated cruise missile at a range of 32 miles, killing it at a range of 65 miles from the USS John F. Kennedy. During the same cruise, VF-14 intercepted a Soviet Tu-95 on July 21. VF-14 escorted the bomber for around 45 minutes, during which the Soviet bomber made two passes over USS John F. Kennedy.

In August 1980, the Tophatters deployed to the Mediterranean Sea on the USS John F. Kennedy. During this deployment, VF-14 won the Silver Anchor Award and the Battle "E" Award for combat readiness, for the second year in a row. The achievements that contributed to the awards included 3 missile firing exercises with a 100% kill ratio, first East Coast TCS installations and 26.500 accident free flying hours over the space of 8 years.

In June 1982, the squadron deployed onboard USS Independence, and in July was named the "Best Fighter Squadron" for superb performance in the Fleet Fighter Air Combat Readiness Program (FFARP).

F-14 Tomcats from VF-14 overfly Foch (R 99) during 1990 dual carrier operations near Puerto Rico.

October and early November 1983 found the Tophatters logging more combat time in support of Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada. After playing an integral part in the liberation of Grenada from Cuban insurgents, VF-14 proceeded east to the Mediterranean to participate in contingency operations off the coast of Lebanon. In early December of 1983, the Tophatters were again called upon to provide combat air support for the elements of the multi-national forces in Beirut.

On April 1, 1985, the Tophatters returned to the USS John F. Kennedy, where they spent the rest of the year on a turnaround-training schedule, which included eleven detachments to various parts of the United States and Canada.

On April 18, 1986, the Tophatters departed for the Mediterranean once again and were extended on deployment due to the Lebanese hostage crisis. Upon their return to the United States, the Tophatters were again proclaimed the "Best Fighter Squadron" by winning the 1987 FFARP award.

In 1989, VF-14 was presented with the "Grand Slam" award in recognition of their perfect missile firing record. The squadron entered 1990 conducting workups for deployment and making portcalls in Portland, Mayport, New York City and Boston. During exercises off Puerto Rico, the Tophatters operated against French Super Etendard and F-8 Crusaders from the French Aircraft Carrier Foch.

[edit] Operation Desert Shield/Storm

F-14 Tomcats from VF-14 and VF-32 aboard USS John F Kennedy during Desert Shield with Alert tomcats spotted for launch.

On August 10, 1990, eight days after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the USS John F. Kennedy was ordered to emergency deploy to the Red Sea aboard USS John F Kennedy to take part in Operation Desert Shield. During the months leading up to the war, the Tophatters played an integral role in enforcing the Iraqi embargo flying Combat Air Patrol and standing alert duty continuously. On the morning of January 17, 1991, the Tophatters once again flew into combat when they joined United Nations forces in the air assault on Iraq. VF-14 and VF-32 flew Combat Air Patrol and Fighter Escort missions for CVW-3 strike and support aircraft throughout Desert Storm operating in Western and Central iraq initially and then conducting long range barrier CAP missions in eastern iraq near the Iranian border.with other Tomcat squadrons from the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf that lasted an unprecedented 7-8 hours. After combat operations ended, the Kennedy remained briefly in the Red Sea stopping off the coast of Egypt for a portcall before returning to NAS Oceana after eight months at sea.

[edit] New Mission

In December of 1991, VF-14 became one of the first squadrons to begin training for the Tomcat’s new air-to-ground mission. After low altitude flight training and several strike-related schools, the Tophatters put their new skills to the test during Air Wing work-ups in Fallon, Nevada.

In October 1992, the Tophatters again headed east for a Mediterranean deployment. Once past the Rock of Gibraltar, VF-14 began flying air superiority and reconnaissance missions in the Adriatic Sea in support of UN policies in the former Yugoslavia. During this deployment, the Tophatters also participated in several highly successful exercises with Egypt, Morocco and Turkey, while continuing to support operations off the coast of the former Yugoslavia and Operation Provide Comfort in Iraq.

In 1995, the Tophatters were the test bed for the Tomcat air-to-ground rockets program. The Tophatters, which like to call themselves the "Oldest and the Boldest," were awarded the Fighter Fling Banner Blaster award for their superior performance in the air-to-air gunnery arena.

In late 1995 the squadron was detached from CVW-3 when the Navy began reducing the number of Tomcat squadrons to carrier air wings from two to one and retaining the TARPS capable squadrons. As a non TARPS squadron, VF-14 was originally slated for disestablishment and temporarily assigned to Fighter Wing One at NAS Oceana. The following year saw much uncertainty for many Tomcat squadrons, but a grassroots campaign to continue the lineage of the Navy's oldest squadron was successful in saving the Tophatters from extinction and the squadron was assigned to be the sister squadron to VF-41 as part of Carrier Air Wing 8, which was losing VF-84.

In January 1996, the Tophatters once again rejoined with the USS John F. Kennedy. In March, the squadron deployed on the USS John C. Stennis. June took the Tophatters on a 40-day cruise aboard the USS John F. Kennedy to Ireland and England. Next, VF-14 visited the Mediterranean and other areas.

During March 1998 VF-14 changed its home to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the USS Theodore Roosevelt. In 1999, the Tophatters were involved in NATO's Operation Allied Force and in Operation Southern Watch.

[edit] Operation Enduring Freedom

The last cruise with the F-14 for VF-14 was in 2001 and in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, VF-14 and VF-41 (both squadrons were scheduled to transition to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in 2002) took part in the opening hours of Operation Enduring Freedom and participated in the strikes against Afghanistan with USS Enterprise (CVN-65) and it's airwing until heading back to Norfolk on October 22, 2001.

[edit] Super Hornet transition

F/A-18E Super Hornets aboard the USS Nimitz.

After their last F-14 cruise VF-14 and VF-41 relocated to NAS Lemoore and began the transition to the F/A-18 Super Hornet switching to CVW-11 and USS Nimitz (CVN-68). Both squadrons deployed to particiapte in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) aboard USS Nimitz and prior to arrival in the Persian Gulf, two VF-14 F/A-18Es and two F/A-18Fs (VFA-41) were forward deployed to USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) in late March 2003 to augment its airwing. The Super Hornets were requested to boost the air refueling capabilities of CVW-14 as well as qualified Forward Air Controllers, Airborne (FAC (A)) (the F/A-18Fs). The division of F/A-18s flew from USS Nimitz to USS Lincoln, a 2700 mile trip. On April 6, the Hornets returned to USS Nimitz. During OIF, VFA-14 expended laser guided bomb's, JDAM bombs and AGM-65 Maverick missiles and conducted numerous long-range missions to northern Baghdad and Tikrit.