Strike Fighter Squadron 41(VFA-41) also known as the "Black Aces", is aUnited States Navystrike fighter squadron based atNaval Air Station Lemoore,California, flying theF/A-18F Super Hornet.They are attached toCarrier Air Wing 9(CVW-9). Their radio callsign is"Fast Eagle"and their tailcode is NG.
History
edit1950s
editVF-41was established on 1 September 1950 atNAS Oceana,it is the fourth US Navy squadron to be designated VF-41.[1]TheBlack Acesbegan flying theF2H-3 Bansheein 1953, deploying to the Mediterranean and Far East aboardUSSIndependence.On 24 January 1956, VF-41 embarked with ATG-181 for the shakedown cruise ofUSSForrestalnear Guantanamo Bay Cuba, returning to NAS Oceana on 31 March 1956.[2][self-published source?]VF-41 again attached to ATG-181 embarked aboardUSSBenningtonon October 3, 1956 for a Western Pacific deployment. The crew observed the 15th anniversary of "Battle of the Coral Sea" with ceremony at location of the battle conducted by veterans of the battle. ATG-181 returned to NAS Oceana on May 23, 1957.[3][self-published source?][4]In 1959, the Banshee was replaced by theF3H-2 Demon.
1960s
editIn February 1962, VF-41 transitioned to theF-4B Phantom IIand made a special deployment toNAS Key West,Florida during theCuban Missile Crisis.In May 1965, the squadron deployed to the western Pacific for seven months of combat operations during theVietnam War.They flew a wide range of missions: fighter cover, reconnaissance escort, flak suppression and day/night interdiction.
1970s
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The next five deployments (flying the F-4J,B,N) were onUSSFranklin D. RooseveltwithCVW-6tail code AE (awarded theNavy Meritorious Unit Commendationfor period 9 March 1972 through 1 December 1972). VF-41 transitioned from the F-4J to the F-4B in 1973 and (as an 18 aircraft squadron) was on USSFranklin D. Rooseveltduring theYom Kippur Warproviding escorts forOperation Nickel Grassand were part of the peacekeeping force that helped keep the truce after the war.
In 1974, VF-41 transitioned from the F-4B to the F-4N and conducted their last cruise with the Phantom aboardFranklin D. Rooseveltin 1975. During that year VF-41 was awarded theCOMNAVAIRLANTSafety "S",which they also would receive in 1981, 1989 and 1992. In April 1976 VF-41 transitioned to theF-14A Tomcatand their first cruise began in September 1977 as part ofCVW-8onUSSNimitz.Another cruise followed in 1980 to the Mediterranean.
1980s
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In 1980,Nimitzand VF-41 took part in a round-the-Horn cruise. While on this cruise, the carrier served as the seaborne base in response to theIran hostage crisisand the subsequentattempted rescue of the U.S. Embassy hostages from Iran.VF-41 (and the rest of the battle group) spent 144 continuous days at sea, the longest period the squadron had spent at sea without break since World War II.
During workups for the 1981–1982 Mediterranean cruise, anEA-6B Prowlerpiloted by Marine Lieut. Steven E. White, crashed on the deck ofNimitz.Upon crashing onto the deck, the Prowler rammed broadside into six fueled F-14 Tomcats causing a fuel fire and ordnance to explode, including anAIM-7 Sparrowmissile.[5]The incident, which caused only superficial damage toNimitz,resulted in three F-14s destroyed, 45 injured sailors and fourteen casualties with VF-41 losing three shipmates.
While on deployment in the Mediterranean on 19 August 1981, during a routine combat air patrol mission over theGulf of Sidra,twoLibyanSu-22 "Fitter"aircraft were shot down by squadron aircraft. Theincidentmarked the first Navy air combat confrontation since theVietnam Warand the first ever for the F-14A Tomcat. It was the first time a variable wing geometry aircraft shot down another variable wing geometry aircraft. 1981 was also the first year in which the squadron won the COMNAVAIRLANTBattle Efficiency "E",signifying them as the most efficient squadron in the Atlantic Fleet. VF-41 was also awarded the Battle "E" in 1985 and 1989.
In November 1982, the squadron embarked on an extended deployment off the coast ofBeirut,Lebanon, in support of theMultinational Force in Lebanon.
During 1985, VF-41 spent 68 days off the coast of Lebanon in response to the hijacking ofTWA Flight 847.
The 1986 cruise was the last withNimitz;it began in December and ended in June 1987 whenNimitzgot to her new home in San Diego. In October that year, CVW-8 was deployed withUSSTheodore Rooseveltand the first cruise was in the North Atlantic forExercise Teamwork’88 which involved operations with theRoyal Norwegian Air Forceand the first Mediterranean deployment was in December.
1990s
editOn 28 December 1990, VF-41 embarked onUSSTheodore Rooseveltto supportOperation Desert Shield,arriving in thePersian Gulfshortly after hostilities withIraqbegan. By the end of the war, the squadron had amassed over 1,500 combat flight hours. After the war, the squadron remained in the Persian Gulf andRed Seaas part of a military presence enforcing the ceasefire until late April 1991, when the squadron was tasked with providing air support for ground forces assistingKurdishrefugees in Northern Iraq duringOperation Provide Comfort.
VF-41 was soon training for the F-14's new role: air-to-ground bombing. In late 1991, VF-41 had flown over 46,500 hours without an accident over a period of 11 years.
In 1995VF-84was disestablished and VF-41 picked up theTARPSmission. The disestablishment of VF-84 was the only occasion in which a TARPS capable unit was disestablished instead of a non-TARPS capable unit.
In early 1995 VF-41 deployed on a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea,Arabian Sea,Persian Gulf and theAdriatic Sea.During this cruise VF-41 conducted combat operations in support ofOperation Deliberate ForceandOperation Deny FlightoverBosnia and HerzegovinaandOperation Southern Watchover Iraq. On 5 September 1995, two VF-41 F-14As dropped laser-guided bombs for the first time in combat during Operation Deliberate Force. The target was an ammunition dump in eastern Bosnia. The bombs were guided byF/A-18s.VF-41 adopted the slogan "First To Fight, First To Strike" in recognition of being the first F-14 squadron to score air-to-air kills and drop bombs in combat. During this deployment VF-41 logged over 600 combat hours and 530 sorties, and during a week of combat in the Balkans (5–12 September 1995), VF-41 dropped 24,000 pounds of ordnance on Bosnian-Serb targets, the bulk of it precision guided bombs laser designated by F/A-18 Hornets.[6]
In 1996,VF-14joined VF-41 inCVW-8and thus CVW-8 was one of few air wings in the US Navy with two F-14 squadrons, rather than one. CVW-8 deployed on boardUSSJohn C. Stennisin February 1996, for a Joint Fleet Exercise. This was followed by deployed operations to the North Atlantic while embarked onUSSJohn F. Kennedywith port calls to Dublin, Ireland and Portsmouth, England.
In April 1997, CVW-8 embarked on USSJohn F. Kennedyfor a Mediterranean/Persian Gulf deployment. During this deployment, CVW-8 participated in numerous exercises and detachments including Infinite Acclaim, Beacon Flash and Invitex. During Invitex the Air Wing completed over 350 sorties including 203 sorties in a single day of surge operations. This deployment also included operations over Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operation Deliberate Guard and over Iraq in support ofOperation Southern Watch.
In 1999, USSTheodore Rooseveltdeparted for the Mediterranean and joinedNATOforces forOperation Allied Force.VF-41's first strike was against an ammunition storage facility inPristina,Kosovo on 6 April. In July,Theodore Rooseveltwas ordered to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch, where VF-41 became the first squadron to expend ordnance in two theatres on a single deployment. VF-41 logged over 1,100 combat hours during 384 sorties and dropped over 160 tons of laser-guided munitions with an unprecedented 85% success rate in support ofOperation Allied ForceandOperation Southern Watch.[7]
The squadron won theWade McClusky Awardin 1999, as most outstanding attack squadron in the US Navy. This marked the first time an F-14 squadron won the award, which previously been given only to A-6 and F/A-18 units.
2000s
editIn April 2001, VF-41 embarked on their final F-14 cruise aboardUSSEnterprise,supporting Operation Southern Watch andOperation Enduring Freedom(OEF). As the carrier headed for home, they were given order to head to the Gulf of Oman after theSeptember 11 attacks.During the build-up to war, VF-41 conducted several TARPS missions near the Pakistani/Afghani-border.[8]
USSEnterpriseand its air group was the night carrier during OEF and thus did not see action until 8 October, when VF-41 attacked several cave complexes.[8]: 32–37 One of the first target hit was theShindand airbase,in western Afghanistan, where the Taliban were storing aircraft, radar and vehicles. By the end of the deployment in November, VF-41 had dropped over 200,000 lbs of ordnance (202 laser-guided bombs).[8]: 52
Shortly after their return in late 2001, VF-41 transitioned to the F/A-18F Super Hornet and was redesignated VFA-41.[citation needed]
On 18 October 2002 four VFA-41 aviators were killed when two F/A-18Fs collided in mid-air off the coast of California.[citation needed]
DuringOperation Iraqi Freedom,two F/A-18Fs were forward deployed toUSSAbraham Lincolnin late March 2003. These F/A-18s were requested to boost theaerial refuelingcapabilities of CVW-14, as well as to provide additional qualifiedForward Air Controllers.The F/A-18s flew fromNimitztoAbraham Lincoln,a 2700-mile trip. On 6 April, the Hornets returned toNimitz.During the war VFA-41 expendedlaser-guided bombs,as well asJDAMandAGM-65 Maverickmissiles.[citation needed]
In May 2005 VFA-41 again deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During this deployment the squadron was featured in the PBS documentary"Carrier"with a heavy focus on Commander David Fravor.[citation needed]
In 2007 VFA-41 deployed aboardNimitzfor a WESTPAC cruise and participated inOperation Valiant Shield,a joint-force exercise in the vicinity ofGuam.[citation needed]
In January 2008 the squadron surge-deployed toNimitzin the Pacific.[9]On 13 February 2008, it was reported that severalRussianTu-95bombers were intercepted over the Pacific by F/A-18s fromNimitzwhile on a surge deployment in the region. One Tu-95 was escorted and flew directly over the carrier at 2,000 feet (610 m), escorted by VFA-41 Hornets. TheChief of Naval Operations,Adm.Gary Rougheadcalled the incident "benign"[10]and said: "they came out to look. We joined up (and) flew with them until they went home". A total of four Russian bombers were involved; two remained about 500 miles east of the carrier strike group, and another orbited about 50 miles away as one Tu-95 did two low passes over the Nimitz carrier group.[citation needed]
After their return to the United States, VFA-41 began trading in their Lot 26 F/A-18Fs for Lot 30 F/A-18Fs which are fitted withAESAradar technology.[11]
During 2009 CVW-11 and theNimitzStrike Group conducted several training exercises off the coast of Southern California including composite unit training and joint task force training in anticipation for their 2009–2010 deployment. On 28 July it was reported that CVW-11 and theNimitzStrike Group was to depart for an eight-month deployment.[12]
2010s
editBy January 2010 VFA-41 had flown over 2,500 combat hours in 400 combat missions supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. VFA-41 joinedCVW-9in 2010 and started workups for a WESTPAC deployment in 2011.[13]
From 27 July 2011 to 26 February 2012, CVW-9 deployed on boardUSSJohn C. Stennisto support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, counter-piracy and maritime security operations. VFA-41 supported Operation Enduring Freedom and the final combat missions of Operation New Dawn.[14]
Following a short six-month turnaround, the squadron once again cruised on a surge deployment from 1 September 2012 to 28 April 2013 on board USSJohn C. Stennis.The squadron returned to the Middle East and flew missions in support of the5th Fleetand Operation Enduring Freedom.
In January 2016 VFA-41 with Carrier Air Wing 9 deployed aboardJohn C. Stennisto the South China Sea to ensure freedom of navigation. Ports of call during this deployment included Guam, Busan, Singapore, Manila and Pearl Harbor. The squadron flew out to its landbase at Lemoore, California on 9 August. VFA-41 conducted combat flights in support of OperationsInherent Resolve,Resolute SupportandFreedom Sentinelover Afghanistan, Iraq, andSyria.Carrier Air Wing NINE squadrons returned to NAS Lemoore, North Island, Point Mugu, and Whidbey Island in May 2019.
2020s
editDuring the 2020s, the squadron was a part of Carrier Air Wing 9 on the USS Abraham Lincoln.[citation needed].In early August 2024, the squadron was deployed on the USS Abraham Lincoln in response to heightened tensions between Iran and Israel.
See also
edit
References
edit- ^"Lineage for Fighter Squadrons"(PDF).Naval History and Heritage Command.Retrieved6 October2016.
- ^"Naval Fighters Ninety one F2H-3/4" Big Banjo "(page 83)ISBN978-0-9846114-4-7
- ^"Naval Fighters Ninety one F2H-3/4" Big Banjo "(page 85)ISBN978-0-9846114-4-7
- ^http://www.USSBennington.org/airgroups (1956 Oct 3-1957 May 23)
- ^Anderson, Kurt (8 June 1981)."Night of Flaming Terror".Time Magazine.Archived fromthe originalon 1 February 2009.Retrieved9 July2011.
- ^Tony Holmes (2015), p. 17
- ^Grumman F-14 Tomcat 1976–2001
- ^abcHolmes, Tony (2008).F-14 Tomcat Units of Operation Enduring Freedom.Osprey Publishing. p.22.ISBN978-1-78200-735-7.
- ^Affairs, This story was written by Commander, U. S. 3rd Fleet Public."Nimitz Carrier Strike Group Set to Deploy".navy.mil.Retrieved8 April2018.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^"CNO Calls USSNimitzIncident 'Benign'".US Navy. 13 February 2008.
- ^"Black Aces Return from 2008 WESTPAC".navy.mil.Retrieved8 April2018.
- ^Affairs, This story was written by Commander, U. S. 3rd Fleet Public."Nimitz Strike Group Set To Deploy".navy.mil.Retrieved8 April2018.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^Black Aces 2009 In Review
- ^Affairs, This story was written by USS John C. Stennis Public."John C. Stennis Deploys with Carrier Strike Group 3".navy.mil.Retrieved8 April2018.
- Strike missions against terror
- Robert K. Wilcox (2002).Black Aces High,St. Martin's Press.
- Tony Holmes (2005).US Navy Hornet Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom Part One,Osprey Publishing Limited.
- Tony Holmes (2015).F-14 Bombcat The US Navy's Ultimate Precision Bomber,Key Publishing Limited.
External links
edit- Strike Fighter Squadron 41(official site)
- "Official Website: Strike Fighter Squadron 41".Retrieved31 October2006.