"Shock Waves and History" |
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| On October 1, 1972, the first two Navy F-14A Tomcat squadrons were commissioned at NAS Miramar, San Diego, California, with VF-1 and VF-2 receiving the Navy’s first new jet fighter plane in fourteen years. Squadron markings were very colorful in the 1970s, with VF-2 being no exception. The squadron F-14s had a blue rudder with two white stars, the ‘NE’ tail code, and a red, white, and blue sash below the cockpit, known as the “Langley Stripe”, in reference to the first aircraft marking flown from the first US Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Langley (CV-1). VF-2, deployed aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), flew top cover over the Saigon evacuation in Operation Frequent Wind. |
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| Detail from the painting "Shock Waves" |
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| VF-2 was assigned to the USS Ranger (CV-61), and deployed to the Indian Ocean, to support the efforts during the Iran hostage crisis. In 1991, flying from the USS Ranger in the Persian Gulf, VF-2 flew Tarps recon, combat air patrol, and escort mission during Operation Desert Storm. In 1993, the USS Ranger was decommissioned, and VF-2 was one of three west coast squadrons chosen to upgrade to the new F-14D Super Tomcat. In April 1996, the squadron was moved to NAS Oceana, Virginia, and assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Constellation (CV-64). |
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| In the F-14D, VF-2 has the capability to carry the LANTIRN laser designation pod, making it an all weather, precision fighter-bomber, or “Bombcat”. The “Bounty Hunters”, also known as “The Bullets”, have won many awards while flying the F-14 Tomcat. This includes three COMNAVAIRPAC battle “E” awards, three Boola-Boola awards, a prize given to the top F-14 squadron during the annual Pacific missile shoot competition, and three Mutha trophy awards, presented to the best F-14 squadron in the Pacific fleet. |
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| back to: shock waves |
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| "USS Ranger (CV-61)" |
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| The first USS Ranger was built at Portsmouth, N.H. in 1777, with Captain John Paul Jones as the Commanding officer of this eighteen gun Continental frigate. During the Revolutionary War, the USS Ranger encountered the British HMS Drake, carrying twenty guns, and the HMS Holderness with twenty-two guns, with the USS Ranger sinking both ships. Five more USS Ranger ships were built and served in the campaigns from the War of 1812 through World War I. |
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| In 1934, the seventh ship to carry the Ranger name (CV-4) was the first ship to be designed and constructed as an aircraft carrier, with a crew of 2300 and a flight deck of 770 feet. CV-4 served in World War II in the Atlantic Ocean, fighting against German shipping and re-supply efforts. |
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| On August 10, 1957, the current USS Ranger (CV-61) was commissioned at the Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Newport News, Virginia. The ship displaces 81,000 tons and measures 1,071 feet in length. After seven combat tours to Vietnam, the USS Ranger was transferred to her homeport of San Diego, California. In January 1991, the Ranger, while on deployment in the Persian Gulf, led the battle during Operation Desert Storm, having flown more combat sorties than any other aircraft carrier (10,542 flight hours). The USS Ranger airwing, with VF-2 Bounty Hunters supplying TARPS, CAP, and fighter escort, dropped over 4,000,000 tons of ordnance, destroyed over 100 Iraqi boats, shot down one helicopter, and destroyed numerous tank, bridges and armored personnel carriers. |
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| The USS Ranger (CV-61), also known as “Top Gun of the Pacific Fleet”, was awarded many Meritorious Unit Commendations for Vietnam Operations, such as the Vietnam Service Medal, the Navy Unit Commendation, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Expeditionary Service Medal, and Navy Battle “E” Pacific. On April 21, 1992, while sailing off the Southern California coast, vintage B-25 bombers flew off the flight deck of the USS Ranger to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1942 Doolittle Tokyo raid. The USS Ranger was decommissioned in 1993 and is now in Bremerton, Washington. |
