VF-121

VF-121 (Fighter Squadron 121) of the US Navy was a former Pacific Fleet Replacement Air Group (RAG) unit that, by the time of its disestablishment (30 September 1980), was charged with the training of F-4 Phantom flight and maintenance crews. VF-121 was originally VF-781, a reserve squadron, established on 2 August 1950.^[1] It is best known as the original host unit for the Navy's Fighter Weapons School, more popularly known world-wide as Top Gun.

On July 1, 1946, VF-781, The Pacemakers were stationed at Naval Air Station Los Alamitos, CA. They were called into service in 1953 to serve in Korea.^[2]

History

VF-781 served on board USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) with Air Group 102(CVG-102) flying F9F-2B Panthers from May 10, 1951 to December 17, 1951. VF-781's next cruise was on board USS Hancock (CV-19) flying with Air Group 102(CVG-102). The Pacemakers flew F9F-5's in Korea from September 15, 1952 to May 18, 1953. The first F9F-5s entered combat in October 1952 with reserve squadrons VF-781 and VF-783 from USS Hancock (CVA-31).

VF-781 was re-designated VF-121 on February 4, 1953. VF-781 originally flew F4U Corsairs then transition to F9F-2/-5 Panthers. After re-designated to VF-121, the squadron flew F9F-6 Cougars and FJ-3 Fury's. Shortly after VF-781 was converted to an Active Duty Squadron, VF-121 made two more cruises to the Western Pacific and Korea on The USS Hancock (CV-19) from 10 Aug 1955 to 15 Mar 1956 with CVG-12 flying F9F-8, with the tail code of 'D'. The last cruise was on board USS Lexington CV-16 from April 19, 1957 to October 17, 1957.

Commander R. E. 'Dusty' Rhodes was CO of VF-121 during 1955. Cdr. Rhodes worked with VC-6 and their AJ Savage tankers on air-to-air refueling. The exercise was successfully off the coast of San Diego, Ca. Cdr. Rhodes went on to Command the Blue Angels flight team from 1947 to 1950.^[3]

F-4 Phantom II models flown by VF-121 are F-4B, G, J, N & S.

VF-121 Pacemakers received the first examples of F-4B Phantoms at NAS Miramar in 1961.^[4]

Top Gun

The original Top Gun school started in 1969 with VF-121, located at NAS Miramar, San Diego, CA^[5]

Pictures

• F-4J
• FJ-3M Fury
• F-4J History
• F9F

Summary

• 02 Aug 1950—Reserve squadron VF-781 established
• 04 Feb 1953—redesignated VF-121
• 11 Apr 1958—changed duty from Fleet Squadron to the Fleet Replacement Squadron
• 30 Sept 1980—disestablished^[1]

==Aircraft Flown== ^[6]

• Grumman F6F-2, 1950 - 1952,tail code D
• Grumman F9F-5, 1953 - 1954, tail code D
• Grumman F9F-6, 1954 - 1955, tail code D
• Grumman F9f-8, 1955 - 1957, tail code D
• North American FJ-3, 1956, tail code D
• Grumman F9F-6, 1957 - 1958, tail code D
• McDonnell F2H-3, 1958 - 1958, tail code NJ
• Grumman F11F-1, 1958 - 1966, tail code NJ
• Douglas F3D-2T2, 1960, tail code NJ
• McDonnell Douglas F-4B, J, N, S, 1962 - 1980, tail code NJ

Aircraft assigned

• Grumman F6F Hellcat
• Chance-Vought F4U Corsair
• Grumman F9F-2/-5 Panther, tail code D
• Grumman F9F-6/-8 Cougar, tail code D
• North American FJ-3 Fury, tail code D

FJ-3 facts

• McDonnell F3H Demon, tail code NJ

F3H facts

• Grumman F11F Tiger, tail code NJ

F11F facts

• McDonnell F-4B Phantom II, tail code NJ

F-4 Phantom II U.S. operators F-4 facts

Squadron Facts

• Sept 1961, Cdr. Martin M. Casey made the 99,000 arrested landing on USS Coral Sea (CV-43)
• First production F4H-1's (F-4B)arrive in early 1961.
• 20 Jul 1950, VF-781 was based at NAS North Island, Ca.
• Jan 1951, moved to NAS Miramar, Ca. with many returning squadrons for deployment being based at NAS North Island, Ca.
• VF-781 was the first squadron assigned to West Coast Master Jet Fighter Base. Three weeks later VF-781 moved to NAAS El Centro, Ca.
• May 10, 1951, VF-781 became an effective Combat Unit with past training and went to War.
• Dec 1951, VF-781 moved back to NAS Miramar, Ca.
• Jul 1952, VF-781 completed move to F9F-5.
• Nov 1952, VF-781 got first MIG 15 kill, which was confirmed by gun camera.
• May 24, 1961, Project LANA- a 50th Anniversary of Naval Aviation Transcontinental Race for the Bendix Trophy, was won by a VF-121 crew.
• Squadron Decommissioned 30 Sept 1980

Commanding Officers

• VF-781
  • LCDR Collin I. Overland - 1 Jul 1946 to 1952
  • LCDR Stan R. Holm - 1952 to 1954

• VF-121
  • CDR J. E. Savage - 1954
  • CDR Jereme H. 'Dusty' Rhodes - 1954 to 1956
  • CDR T. S. Sedker - 1956 to 1957 [ Has 2 kills to credit]
  • Capt. Richard Schulte - 1969 [ Helped start Top Gun]
  • CDR H. L. Halland - ? to ?
  • CDR Frank Mezzadi - Jun 1978 to 1979
  • CDR Phillip Anselmo - 1979 to Sept 1980

References

USS Hancock deployment Aircraft flown

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

• source of some of this information.
• Eden, Paul ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Military Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd, 2004. ISBN 1-904687-84-9

See also

• History of the United States Navy
• List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
• List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons

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