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VFA-94
Strike Fighter Squadron 94 (VFA-94), also known as the Mighty Shrikes, is a United States Navy fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. It is an operational fleet squadron currently flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet. It is attached to Carrier Air Wing 17 (CVW 17) and based at NAS Lemoore, California. Its tail code is "NA" and its radio call sign is "Hobo".
The original squadron was known as the Tough Kitties and had a cartoon cat insignia. When the second squadron was formed and deployed aboard USS Hornet during its world cruise in 1954, it also used a cartoon cat insignia. There is no record of this insignia being officially approved for use by the squadron. The squadron’s first official insignia was approved by Chief of Naval Operations on 21 November 1955, and consisted of a yellow and black tiger paw with lightning bolts on a blue background. A new insignia was approved on 21 April 1959 consisting of a dark blue stylized aircraft with above an atom symbol on a blue background. A modification to this insignia was approved on 16 May 1967, replacing the atom symbol by a stylized bird design. The stylized bird was orange and the other colors from the previous design stayed the same.
Nicknamed the Mighty Shrikes, the squadron was named after a small carnivorous bird of prey, the loggerhead shrike. It engages in aerial combat to strike its prey in the air and on the ground, and then impales its victim on a sharp thorn.
Two distinct US Navy squadrons have held the designation VA-94. The first VA-94 served in World War II and was disestablished on 30 November 1949. The second VA-94 later became VFA-94, the main subject of this article. Officially, the US Navy does not recognize a direct lineage of newly formed squadrons with disestablished squadrons. Often however, the new squadron will assume the nickname, insignia, and traditions of the earlier squadrons. That appears to have happened in this case, as (for a short time) the new squadron used a cat insignia similar to the earlier one.
Fighter Squadron 94 (VF-94) was established at NAS Alameda, California on 26 March 1952. The squadron began flying the Vought F4U Corsair, but quickly transitioned to jet aircraft. Over the next eight years, the squadron received and flew numerous fighter aircraft before becoming an attack squadron. In September 1953, the squadron received the F9F-5 Panther. In January 1955 the squadron moved to NAS Moffett Field and received the FJ-3M Fury in February 1955. In November 1955, it transitioned to the F9F Cougar. It again flew various models of the FJ-3 Fury from June 1957 until 1959.
The squadron was redesignated as Attack Squadron 94 (VA-94) on 1 August 1958 and moved back to NAS Alameda on 20 August 1958. In January 1959, it transitioned to the aircraft it would fly (in various models) for the next twelve years, the A-4 Skyhawk.
On 8 March 1962, VA-94 moved to NAS Lemoore, California. As the Vietnam War escalated, the squadron completed seven consecutive combat deployments to Southeast Asia, commencing with a cruise aboard USS Ranger in 1962.
On 1 December 1963, the squadron flew its first sorties in support of Yankee Team Operations, armed escort for photo-reconnaissance missions over Laos. On 7 February 1965, following a Viet Cong attack against American advisors in South Vietnam, President Lyndon Johnson ordered a reprisal strike against North Vietnam, named Flaming Dart I. The squadron’s target was concealed by heavy weather and the mission was aborted. On 11 February, the squadron participated in Flaming Dart II, retaliatory strikes against the Chanh Hoa military barracks near Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. In March 1965, the squadron participated in Rolling Thunder strikes against targets in North Vietnam.
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VFA-94
Strike Fighter Squadron 94 (VFA-94), also known as the Mighty Shrikes, is a United States Navy fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. It is an operational fleet squadron currently flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet. It is attached to Carrier Air Wing 17 (CVW 17) and based at NAS Lemoore, California. Its tail code is "NA" and its radio call sign is "Hobo".
The original squadron was known as the Tough Kitties and had a cartoon cat insignia. When the second squadron was formed and deployed aboard USS Hornet during its world cruise in 1954, it also used a cartoon cat insignia. There is no record of this insignia being officially approved for use by the squadron. The squadron’s first official insignia was approved by Chief of Naval Operations on 21 November 1955, and consisted of a yellow and black tiger paw with lightning bolts on a blue background. A new insignia was approved on 21 April 1959 consisting of a dark blue stylized aircraft with above an atom symbol on a blue background. A modification to this insignia was approved on 16 May 1967, replacing the atom symbol by a stylized bird design. The stylized bird was orange and the other colors from the previous design stayed the same.
Nicknamed the Mighty Shrikes, the squadron was named after a small carnivorous bird of prey, the loggerhead shrike. It engages in aerial combat to strike its prey in the air and on the ground, and then impales its victim on a sharp thorn.
Two distinct US Navy squadrons have held the designation VA-94. The first VA-94 served in World War II and was disestablished on 30 November 1949. The second VA-94 later became VFA-94, the main subject of this article. Officially, the US Navy does not recognize a direct lineage of newly formed squadrons with disestablished squadrons. Often however, the new squadron will assume the nickname, insignia, and traditions of the earlier squadrons. That appears to have happened in this case, as (for a short time) the new squadron used a cat insignia similar to the earlier one.
Fighter Squadron 94 (VF-94) was established at NAS Alameda, California on 26 March 1952. The squadron began flying the Vought F4U Corsair, but quickly transitioned to jet aircraft. Over the next eight years, the squadron received and flew numerous fighter aircraft before becoming an attack squadron. In September 1953, the squadron received the F9F-5 Panther. In January 1955 the squadron moved to NAS Moffett Field and received the FJ-3M Fury in February 1955. In November 1955, it transitioned to the F9F Cougar. It again flew various models of the FJ-3 Fury from June 1957 until 1959.
The squadron was redesignated as Attack Squadron 94 (VA-94) on 1 August 1958 and moved back to NAS Alameda on 20 August 1958. In January 1959, it transitioned to the aircraft it would fly (in various models) for the next twelve years, the A-4 Skyhawk.
On 8 March 1962, VA-94 moved to NAS Lemoore, California. As the Vietnam War escalated, the squadron completed seven consecutive combat deployments to Southeast Asia, commencing with a cruise aboard USS Ranger in 1962.
On 1 December 1963, the squadron flew its first sorties in support of Yankee Team Operations, armed escort for photo-reconnaissance missions over Laos. On 7 February 1965, following a Viet Cong attack against American advisors in South Vietnam, President Lyndon Johnson ordered a reprisal strike against North Vietnam, named Flaming Dart I. The squadron’s target was concealed by heavy weather and the mission was aborted. On 11 February, the squadron participated in Flaming Dart II, retaliatory strikes against the Chanh Hoa military barracks near Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. In March 1965, the squadron participated in Rolling Thunder strikes against targets in North Vietnam.