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VF-51
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VF-51
VF-51, Fighter Squadron 51 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy known as the "Screaming Eagles". It was originally established as VF-1 on 1 February 1943, redesignated as VF-5 on 15 July 1943, redesignated as VF-5A on 15 November 1946, redesignated VF-51 on 16 August 1948, and disestablished in March 1995. Until its disestablishment, VF-51 was the oldest fighter squadron in continuous service with the Pacific Fleet.
VF-51's roots are traced back to 1927 when the Screaming Eagles insignia could be seen with the VF-3S Striking Eagles which flew the Curtis F6C-4.
In October 1947, the Screaming Eagles became the first Navy squadron to enter the jet age with delivery of the North American FJ-1 Fury; the squadron used this fighter to conduct the USN's first operational all-jet aircraft carrier landing at sea on 10 March 1948 aboard USS Boxer. VF-51 then transitioned to the Grumman F9F-3 Panther.
On 3 July 1950, VF-51 launched off the USS Valley Forge CV-45 and became one of the first squadrons to take Carrier-based jets into combat.
On that day, LTJG. Leonard H. Plog scored the first Navy air-to-air kill in the Korean War when he hit and blew off the wing of North Korean Yak-9 taking off. This had occurred after he and 11 other VF-51 had been strafing an airfield near Pyongyang as part of strike with aircraft from HMS Triumph.
Due to fears of a possible invasion of the Republic of China on Taiwan, VF-51 and the rest of the Valley Forge's Air Group and the Triumph moved south to keep watch before rejoining the war on 18 July. Future astronaut and first man to walk on the Moon, Neil Armstrong, was also a Naval Aviator in VF-51 during this period.
During the Vietnam War, VF-51 was the first squadron to evaluate the air-to-ground capability of the F-8 Crusader, and because of this, VF-51 was picked to fly secret interdiction missions into Laos in June 1964. In 1965 VF-51 flew F-8 Crusaders off the USS Ticonderoga (CVA 14) flying missions into Vietnam and Laos. The squadron became MiG killers when they shot down two North Vietnamese MiG-21s in 1968.
In 1971 VF-51 transitioned to the F-4 Phantom and shot down four MiG-17s. VF-51 flew from USS Coral Sea since November 1971 until July 1975.
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VF-51
VF-51, Fighter Squadron 51 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy known as the "Screaming Eagles". It was originally established as VF-1 on 1 February 1943, redesignated as VF-5 on 15 July 1943, redesignated as VF-5A on 15 November 1946, redesignated VF-51 on 16 August 1948, and disestablished in March 1995. Until its disestablishment, VF-51 was the oldest fighter squadron in continuous service with the Pacific Fleet.
VF-51's roots are traced back to 1927 when the Screaming Eagles insignia could be seen with the VF-3S Striking Eagles which flew the Curtis F6C-4.
In October 1947, the Screaming Eagles became the first Navy squadron to enter the jet age with delivery of the North American FJ-1 Fury; the squadron used this fighter to conduct the USN's first operational all-jet aircraft carrier landing at sea on 10 March 1948 aboard USS Boxer. VF-51 then transitioned to the Grumman F9F-3 Panther.
On 3 July 1950, VF-51 launched off the USS Valley Forge CV-45 and became one of the first squadrons to take Carrier-based jets into combat.
On that day, LTJG. Leonard H. Plog scored the first Navy air-to-air kill in the Korean War when he hit and blew off the wing of North Korean Yak-9 taking off. This had occurred after he and 11 other VF-51 had been strafing an airfield near Pyongyang as part of strike with aircraft from HMS Triumph.
Due to fears of a possible invasion of the Republic of China on Taiwan, VF-51 and the rest of the Valley Forge's Air Group and the Triumph moved south to keep watch before rejoining the war on 18 July. Future astronaut and first man to walk on the Moon, Neil Armstrong, was also a Naval Aviator in VF-51 during this period.
During the Vietnam War, VF-51 was the first squadron to evaluate the air-to-ground capability of the F-8 Crusader, and because of this, VF-51 was picked to fly secret interdiction missions into Laos in June 1964. In 1965 VF-51 flew F-8 Crusaders off the USS Ticonderoga (CVA 14) flying missions into Vietnam and Laos. The squadron became MiG killers when they shot down two North Vietnamese MiG-21s in 1968.
In 1971 VF-51 transitioned to the F-4 Phantom and shot down four MiG-17s. VF-51 flew from USS Coral Sea since November 1971 until July 1975.
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