Strike Fighter Squadron 115 (VFA-115) is known as the "Eagles", callsign "Talon", is a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

F-35C Lightning II The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, supersonic stealth strike fighters. A multirole combat aircraft designed for both air superiority and strike missions, it also has electronic ...

strike fighter squadron stationed at

Naval Air Station Lemoore Naval Air Station Lemoore or NAS Lemoore is a United States Navy base, located in Kings County, California, Kings County and Fresno County, California, Fresno County, California, United States. Lemoore Station, California, Lemoore Station, a cen ...

. Their tail code while they were assigned to CVW-5 before July 2024 was ''NF''. It was established as Torpedo Squadron VT-11 on 10 October 1942, redesignated VA-12A on 15 November 1946, VA-115 on 15 July 1948, then finally VFA-115.

Squadron insignia and nickname

The squadron’s first insignia was designed by

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...

and consisted of a black torpedo with the skull & crossbones on it and a winged cherub wearing a green helmet nicknamed "Little Butch." A new squadron insignia was approved on 17 September 1956 and is still in use. The squadron was known as the "Arabs" from the 1950s to 1979, at which time they were renamed the "Eagles". During the squadron’s deployment to the

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...

in 1989, they temporarily changed their nickname back to Arabs to enhance the morale while operating in the

Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea () is a region of sea in the northern Indian Ocean, bounded on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, Gulf of Aden and Guardafui Channel, on the northwest by Gulf of Oman and Iran, on the north by Pakistan, on the east by India, and ...

History

1940s

Torpedo Squadron Eleven (VT-11) was established at

Naval Air Station San Diego Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado ( ...

on 10 October 1942, flying TBF Avengers. Over the next five years, the squadron upgraded through several models of TBF and TBM Avengers. TBF-1 VT-11 Guadalcanal May1943

On 25 April 1943, VT-11 arrived at Guadalcanal. The squadron's first combat was flown from Henderson Field as part of Carrier Air Group Eleven (CVG-11). The squadron was land-based at Guadalcanal, and in June 1943, VT-11 pilots conducted the first daylight raids on Bougainville and the

Solomon Islands Solomon Islands, also known simply as the Solomons,John Prados, ''Islands of Destiny'', Dutton Caliber, 2012, p,20 and passim is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 1000 smaller islands in Melanesia, part of Oceania, t ...

. They flew patrol, search, spotting, strike, and night mine-laying missions. From 29 September 1944 to 1 February 1945, VT-11 was deployed aboard . The squadron participated in the first strikes against

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

and two weeks later converged on

Leyte Gulf Leyte Gulf, also known simply as the Leyte, is a gulf in the Eastern Visayan region in the Philippines. The bay is part of the Philippine Sea of the Pacific Ocean, and is bounded by two islands; Samar in the north and Leyte in the west. On the ...

to protect the landing and supply ships engaged in the

Battle of Leyte The Battle of Leyte (; ; ) in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the amphibious invasion of the island of Leyte in the Philippines by American forces and Filipino guerrillas under the overall command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fou ...

. On 25 October, the Japanese Fleet converged on Leyte to oppose the landings. Squadron TBMs were launched from away (well beyond normal range) to strike the fleet. The TBMs struck the retiring Japanese ships, scoring hits on a

battleship A battleship is a large, heavily naval armour, armored warship with a main battery consisting of large naval gun, guns, designed to serve as a capital ship. From their advent in the late 1880s, battleships were among the largest and most form ...

and two

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several operational roles from search-and-destroy to ocean escort to sea ...

s. All the squadron's aircraft returned, completing a round trip. Seven

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...

es were awarded to VT-11 aircrews during this campaign. In November and December 1944, the squadron continued to provide support for the occupation of Leyte, striking targets on

Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...

in support of the landings on

Mindoro Mindoro is the seventh largest and eighth-most populous island in the Philippines. With a total land area of 10,571 km2 ( 4,082 sq.mi ), it has a population of 1,408,454, as of the 2020 census. It is located off the southwestern coast of ...

. In January 1945, the squadron struck ships and targets on

Formosa Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The island of Taiwan, formerly known to Westerners as Formosa, has an area of and makes up 99% of the land under ROC control. It lies about across the Taiwan Strait f ...

and Luzon in support of the

Invasion of Lingayen Gulf The Invasion of Lingayen Gulf (; ; ; ), 3–13 January 1945, was an Allies of World War II, Allied Amphibious warfare, amphibious operation in the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Philippines during World War II. In the early morning of 6 Janua ...

, Luzon. The squadron participated in operations in the

South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...

(the first time an American Task Force had entered these waters since the beginning of the war), striking targets at

Cam Ranh Bay Cam Ranh Bay () is a deep-water bay in Vietnam in Khánh Hòa Province. It is located at an inlet of the South China Sea situated on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, between Phan Rang and Nha Trang, approximately 290 kilometers (180 miles) nor ...

and a convoy off

Qui Nhơn Quy Nhon ( ) is a coastal city in Bình Định province in central Vietnam. It is composed of 16 wards and five communes with a total of . Quy Nhon was the capital of the former Bình Định province. As of 2022 its population was 481.110. H ...

French Indo-China French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China), officially known as the Indochinese Union and after 1941 as the Indochinese Federation, was a group of French dependent territories in Southeast Asia from 1887 to 1954. It was initial ...

, shipping at the Pescadores Island, and

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

An exhibit honoring VT-11 during World War II is on board the USS ''Hornet'' Museum in Alameda, California. After the war,

became VT-11's new homeport, and the squadron was redesignated as Attack Squadron 12A (VA-12A) in November 1946. VA-12A, along with Carrier Air Group (CVAG-11), underwent extensive training and embarked on , the U.S. Navy's newest aircraft carrier. In June 1948, VA-12A deployed on a world cruise, a first for a U.S. Navy air group and milestone for the squadron. A symbolic globe later became part of the squadron's official insignia to commemorate the cruise. On 15 July 1948, VA-12A was re-designated Attack Squadron 115 (VA-115), and in December, the squadron transitioned to the AD Skyraider, operating several improved models over the next ten years.

Timeline

*1 Jan–1 Feb 1943: A detachment of 6 aircraft from the squadron were sent to Kanton Island, in the Phoenix Islands, for antisubmarine defense and search missions. *Apr–Jul 1943: The squadron was landbased at Guadalcanal and participated in the Solomons (New Georgia) Campaign. They flew patrol, search, spotting, strike, and night minelaying missions against targets in the Solomon Islands. *5 May 1944: Squadron aircraft were involved in an antisubmarine attack off the coast of Hilo, Hawaii. The attack against the enemy submarine was assessed as probable by the squadron commander. *10 Oct 1944: The squadron participated in the first strikes against Okinawa, part of the opening of the Leyte Campaign. *25 Oct 1944: The Japanese Fleet, in three elements, converged on Leyte to oppose the landings. While 340 miles from Leyte, which was beyond the normal combat radius for World War II carrier aircraft, squadron aircraft were launched for a strike on the central element of the Japanese Fleet. Its TBMs arrived over the enemy fleet after it had broken off its engagement, the Battle Off Samar, with the American escort carriers and destroyers guarding the landing and supply ships. The TBMs struck the retiring Japanese Central Fleet, scoring hits on a battleship and two cruisers. All the squadron’s aircraft returned, completing a 600-mile round trip combat flight. For their actions during this engagement, the following squadron personnel were awarded the Navy Cross: Lieutenants Wilbur J. Engman, Melvin L. Tegge, and Thomas B. Adams and Lieutenant (jg)s Richard W. Russell, Lawrence E. Helmuth, John M. Davis and William Maier. *26 Oct 1944: Strikes continued against the Japanese Fleet and Lieutenant Leroy H. Grau was awarded the Navy Cross for a successful torpedo attack against a Japanese light cruiser. *Nov 1944: The squadron continued to provide support for the Occupation of Leyte, striking targets on Luzon. *13 Nov 1944: The squadron’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander R. Denniston, Jr., was lost on a combat mission over Manila Harbor. *Dec 1944: Squadron aircraft struck targets on Luzon in support of the landings on Mindoro. *18 Dec 1944: While operating east of the Philippines the task force was overtaken by an unusually severe typhoon causing the loss of three destroyers and damage to several other ships, including four light carriers. *Jan 1945: In early January, the squadron struck ships and targets on Formosa and Luzon in support of the landings in Lingayen Gulf, Luzon. *9–20 Jan 1945: The squadron participated in operations in the South China Sea, the first time an American Task Force had entered these waters since the beginning of the war. The squadron struck targets at Cam Ranh Bay and a convoy off Qui Nhon, French Indo-China; shipping at the Pescadores Island; and Hong Kong.

1950s

In July 1950, VA-115 deployed aboard for nine months conducting strikes at Inchon,

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

in preparation for landings in September 1950. During and after the invasion the squadron flew deep support missions and also encountered MiG-15s. On 31 December 1951, VA-115 provided

close air support Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS requires ...

for American troops in the Chosen Reservoir area and flew combat missions against North Korean rail, transportation, communication, industrial and supply targets. VA-115 flew 2,268 combat missions over both Korea deployments. For this outstanding performance, the squadron was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. In June 1952, the squadron participated in coordinated strikes against North Korean hydroelectric power plants – the first heavy attacks conducted against these installations. Nine different hydroelectric power plants were struck. VA-115 made two deployments to Korea in 1950/51 and 1951/52 aboard USS ''Philippine Sea''. It returned to Korea shortly after the Armistice Agreement in July 1953 aboard . This was followed by another deployment on USS ''Kearsarge'' in 1954/55. In February 1955, the squadron flew air cover missions during the evacuation of over 26,000 personnel from Tachen Islands which had come under bombardment by the

People’s Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the second-most populous country after India, representing 17.4% of the world population. China spans the e ...

(PRC) in January. In August and September 1958, the squadron was part of the task force that provided support to the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

during the shelling of the Quemoy Island group by the PRC. CVG-11 then moved to in 1956, followed by two cruises aboard in 1958 and 1959.

Timeline

*12–18 Sep 1950: The squadron participated in the pre-assault strikes against targets in and around Inchon, Korea, in preparation for the landings there on 15 September. During and after the invasion, the squadron continued to fly deep support missions into the areas surrounding Inchon, striking at targets of opportunity. *9 Nov 1950: The squadron's first encounter with MiG-15s was during a mission against Sinuiju, Korea. All the aircraft returned safely to Philippine Sea. Dec 1950: The squadron provided close air support for American troops in the Chosen Reservoir area. Feb–Jul 1952: The squadron’s combat missions in Korea during this time period centered on rail interdiction, with some strikes against North Korean transportation, communication, industrial and supply facilities. *23–24 Jun 1952: The squadron participated in coordinated strikes against North Korean hydroelectric power plants, these were the first heavy attacks conducted against these installations. Nine different hydroelectric power plants were struck by forces from Carrier Air Groups 2, 7, 11, 19, and the 5th Air Force. *Feb 1955: The squadron flew air cover missions during the evacuation of over 26,000 personnel from Tachen Islands which had come under bombardment by the People’s Republic of China in January. *Aug–Sep 1958: The squadron was part of the task force that provided support to the Republic of China during the shelling of the Quemoy Island group by the Chinese Communists.

1960s

In 1960 the squadron adopted the nickname "Arabs" after passage through the

Suez Canal The Suez Canal (; , ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, Indo-Mediterranean, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia (and by extension, the Sinai Peninsula from the rest ...

, while being deployed aboard in 1960/61. Later in 1961 CVW-11 was reassigned to . VA-115 made three deployments aboard ''Kitty Hawk'' to the Western Pacific between 1962 and 1966. In May and June 1964, during the Laotian crisis, the squadron flew

Combat Air Patrol Combat air patrol (CAP) is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft. A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, ...

and Search and Rescue. A-1H VA-115 CVA-63 1966

In October 1965, the squadron returned to

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

. During six months on

Yankee Station Yankee Station (officially Point Yankee) was a fixed coordinate off the coast of Vietnam where U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and support ships operated in open waters over a nine-year period during the Vietnam War. The location was used primari ...

in the

Gulf of Tonkin The Gulf of Tonkin is a gulf at the northwestern portion of the South China Sea, located off the coasts of Tonkin ( northern Vietnam) and South China. It has a total surface area of . It is defined in the west and northwest by the northern co ...

, VA-115 flew 2,051 sorties, over 8,000 hours and delivered of ordnance against enemy targets in

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

. In September 1966, VA-115 joined

Carrier Air Wing Five Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier . It was initially formed in 1943. It has participated in the Second World ...

aboard USS ''Hancock'' and made its second deployment to Vietnam from January to July 1967. From August 1967 to January 1970, the squadron was put in an inactive, stand-down status. This was a transitional period as the squadron awaited the arrival of the

A-6 Intruder The Grumman A-6 Intruder is a twinjet all-weather subsonic attack aircraft developed and manufactured by American aircraft company Grumman Aerospace. It was formerly operated by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. The A-6 was designed in ...

, and there were no aircraft and only a few administrative personnel assigned. This is the only known instance in which a squadron was not disestablished but remained on the active squadron inventory in an inactive status.

1970s

In January 1970, the squadron resumed active status and was reassigned to

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) is a naval air station of the United States Navy located on two pieces of land near Oak Harbor, Washington, Oak Harbor, on Whidbey Island, in Island County, Washington (state), Washington. The main ...

, Washington for transition to the A-6 Intruder. The squadron received their first KA-6D

tanker aircraft This is a list of tanker aircraft used for aerial refuelling of another aircraft while in powered flight. Refueling methods ;Looped hose: The first commercial method employed a hose which was held slack in a trailing half-loop behind both airc ...

in February 1971. In 1970 VA-115 was assigned to Carrier Air Wing 16 (CVW-16) (tail code "AH") for deployment on the modernized . However, the modernization of ''Midway'' took longer than expected, CVW-16 was disestablished in 1971 and all its squadrons were assigned to

(CVW-5) (tail code "NF"). From 1971 to 1990 VA-115 and CVW-5 were assigned to USS ''Midway''. In 1971 and 1972/73 USS ''Midway'' made two deployments to Vietnam. From May to October 1972 VA-115 participated in

Operation Linebacker Operation Linebacker was the codename of a U.S. Seventh Air Force and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 air interdiction campaign conducted against North Vietnam from 9 May to 23 October 1972, during the Vietnam War. Its purpose was to halt or slow th ...

, where VA-115 earned a fourth Presidential Unit Citation. In September 1973, USS ''Midway'' changed homeport to Yokosuka, Japan, and CVW-5 was based at

NAF Atsugi is a joint Japan-US naval air base located in the cities of Yamato, Kanagawa, Yamato and Ayase, Kanagawa, Ayase in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kanagawa, Japan. It is the largest United States Navy (USN) air base in the Pacific Ocean, and once housed ...

. USS ''Midway'' and VA-115 would again serve off the coast of Vietnam and in 1975, participated in

Operation Eagle Pull Operation Eagle Pull was the United States military evacuation by air of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 12 April 1975. At the beginning of April 1975, Phnom Penh, one of the last remaining strongholds of the Khmer Republic, was surrounded by the Khmer ...

, the evacuation of

Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...

and

Operation Frequent Wind Operation Frequent Wind was the final phase in the evacuation of American civilians and "at-risk" Vietnamese from Saigon, South Vietnam, before the takeover of the city by the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) in the Fall of Sai ...

, the evacuation of

Saigon Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...

. In August and September 1976 USS ''Midway'' and VA-115 operated off Korea following the Axe murder incident. In early 1977, VA-115 transitioned to the A-6E. The squadron then became the "Eagles," officially changing the nickname in March 1978. A-6Es VA-115 CV-41

From April to May 1979 USS ''Midway'', with VA-115 embarked, deployed to the

Gulf of Aden The Gulf of Aden (; ) is a deepwater gulf of the Indian Ocean between Yemen to the north, the Arabian Sea to the east, Djibouti to the west, and the Guardafui Channel, the Socotra Archipelago, Puntland in Somalia and Somaliland to the south. ...

to relieve and maintain a U.S. carrier presence following the outbreak of fighting between

North Yemen North Yemen () is a term used to describe the Kingdom of Yemen (1918-1962), the Yemen Arab Republic (1962-1990), and the regimes that preceded them and exercised sovereignty over that region of Yemen. Its capital was Sanaa from 1918 to 1948 an ...

and

South Yemen South Yemen, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, abbreviated to Democratic Yemen, was a country in South Arabia that existed in what is now southeast Yemen from 1967 until Yemeni unification, its unification with the Yemen A ...

and the

Iranian Revolution The Iranian Revolution (, ), also known as the 1979 Revolution, or the Islamic Revolution of 1979 (, ) was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. The revolution led to the replacement of the Impe ...

. As a response to anti-American demonstrations in Iran, ''Midway'' and her air wing, including VA-115, were ordered to deploy to the Indian Ocean for the second time from October to December 1979, when an Iranian mob also seized the American Embassy and its staff.

1980s

In May and June 1980 following the

Gwangju Uprising The Gwangju Democratization Movement, also known in South Korea as May 18 Democratization Movement (), was a series of student-led demonstrations that took place in Gwangju, South Korea, in May 1980, against the coup of Chun Doo-hwan. The upr ...

in South Korea, the squadron operated from ''Midway'' off the coast of South Korea until the crisis subsided. USS ''Midway'' operated again off South Korea in December 1981 following political unrest. During the

1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and officially branded as Seoul 1988 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. 159 nations were represe ...

, in

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

, South Korea, the squadron was embarked on ''Midway'' operating in the

Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it ...

to demonstrate U.S. support for a peaceful Olympics.

1990s

The squadron deployed again to the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

in support of

Operation Earnest Will Operation Earnest Will (24 July 1987 – 26 September 1988) was an American military protection of Kuwaiti-owned tankers from Iranian attacks in 1987 and 1988, three years into the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq War. It was the largest na ...

, the escort of re-flagged

Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...

tankers Tanker may refer to: Transportation * Tanker, a tank crewman (US) * Tanker (ship), a ship designed to carry bulk liquids ** Chemical tanker, a type of tanker designed to transport chemicals in bulk ** Oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanke ...

in the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...

. In October 1990, the squadron deployed to the North Persian Gulf in support of

Operation Desert Shield , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

. At 2:00AM on 17 January 1991, VA-115's Intruders launched from the deck of USS ''Midway'' to attack two airfields to mark the beginning of

Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...

. At around 4:00AM, they struck

Ahmad Al-Jaber Air Base Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base is a Kuwait Air Force base that is home to 3 Kuwait Air Force F/A-18 C/D squadrons: 9 Squadron, 25 Squadron, and 61 Squadron. The base also has an area designated for operations by the U.S. Air Force and its allies. H ...

in occupied Kuwait and Shaibah Air Base in Southern Iraq. In total, the squadron flew 456 combat sorties and delivered 724,000 pounds of ordnance against enemy targets in Iraq and occupied Kuwait during the war. The squadron also was credited with the confirmed destruction of 12 Iraqi naval vessels. In August 1991, the squadron switched to the , as USS ''Midway'' retired as the Navy's forward deployed aircraft carrier homeported in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. During that change, they received VA-196's A-6E SWIP aircraft.In 1992, ''NF-515'', an A-6E SWIP Intruder led to VA-115 becoming the first A-6 squadron to fire the

AGM-65 Maverick The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground missile (AGM) designed for close air support. It is the most widely produced precision-guided missile in the Western world, and is effective against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, a ...

at an Open Ocean target, with the Maverick being one of the new weapons the SWIP Intruder could carry. That same year, deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of

Operation Southern Watch Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from August 1992 to March 2003. United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of moni ...

enforcing

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

resolutions against Iraq. The squadron was awarded the

Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or ...

for their performance flying 115 combat missions over Iraq. In 1993, VA-115 deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch, and in 1994 they received four aircraft with

night vision device A night-vision device (NVD), also known as a night optical/observation device (NOD) or night-vision goggle (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows visualization of images in low levels of light, improving the user's night vision. The ...

capability. In 1996, VA-115 supported contingency operations in the vicinity of Taiwan. In October 1996, the squadron conducted a homeport change to

NAS Lemoore Naval Air Station Lemoore or NAS Lemoore is a United States Navy base, located in Kings County, California, Kings County and Fresno County, California, Fresno County, California, United States. Lemoore Station, California, Lemoore Station, a cen ...

, California and began transition to their fifth aircraft, the

F/A-18C Hornet The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather supersonic, twinjet, twin-engine, carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a Fighter aircraft, fighter and attack airc ...

. They were redesignated as Strike Fighter Squadron 115 (VFA-115) on 30 September 1996. The squadron accepted 12 F/A-18Cs in six months and joined

CVW-14 Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW-14), was a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. Mission To conduct carrier air warfare operations and assist in the planning, control, coordination and integ ...

on board . In June 1998 the squadron deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. After two deployments in the "C" model Hornet, the squadron was chosen to be the first Navy squadron to transition to the

F/A-18E Super Hornet The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are a series of American supersonic twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft derived from the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The Super Hornet is in service with the armed forces ...

. VFA-115 was also the first fleet squadron to receive the Advanced Tactical Forward Looking InfraRed targeting pod.

2000s

In July 2002, the squadron embarked on the first fleet Super Hornet combat deployment, flying 214 combat missions in support of

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...

and

(OSW). The squadron dropped 22

JDAM The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs", into all-weather precision-guided munitions (PGMs). JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Gl ...

on 14 targets in Iraq, before taking part in

Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...

. Before hostilities ceased on 9 April 2003, the squadron dropped of ordnance and passed 1.2 mio l (3.5 million lb) of fuel in the tanker support role. This wartime performance earned the squadron and the ''Abraham Lincoln'' Battle Group the

Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) is a United States Navy and United States Coast Guard unit award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944. History Navy A navy, naval force, military m ...

(the sixth awarded to VFA-115). In May 2004, the squadron deployed aboard . In support of the "Fleet Response Plan", the squadron participated in various joint exercises including "Northern Edge", "Rim of the Pacific", "Joint Air and Sea Exercise" and a MiG-29 passage exercise. Additionally, VFA-115 authored a comprehensive joint doctrine for maritime interdiction. This document was adopted by Commander Pacific Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations as the model for joint employment, and is today the primary training focus for deploying U.S. West Coast strike groups. The squadron was awarded the Commander Naval Air Pacific

Battle Efficiency Award The Battle Effectiveness Award (formerly the Battle Efficiency Award, commonly known as the Battle "E"), is awarded annually to the small number of United States Navy ships, submarines, aviation, and other deployable combat coded units that win the ...

for 2004. In January 2006, the squadron deployed aboard to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. VFA-115 flew hundreds of combat sorties providing close air support for the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps, tanking for the carrier-based aircraft, and maritime interdiction for the strike group. In January 2007, VFA-115 again deployed aboard USS ''Ronald Reagan'', returning in April 2007 to resume shore based flight training at NAS Lemoore. On 19 May 2008 VFA-115 started another deployment aboard USS ''Ronald Reagan'' to the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean. On 28 May 2009, VFA-115 deployed with Carrier Air Wing 14 aboard USS ''Ronald Reagan'' to the

7th Seventh is the ordinal form of the number seven. Seventh may refer to: * Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution * A fraction (mathematics), , equal to one of seven equal parts Film and television *"The Seventh", a second-season ep ...

and

5th Fifth is the ordinal form of the number five. Fifth or The Fifth may refer to: * Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as in the expression "pleading the Fifth" * Fifth Avenue * Fifth column, a political term * Fifth disease, a cont ...

Fleet Areas of Responsibility. On 13 December 2009, VFA-115 returned to

Naval Air Facility Atsugi is a joint Japan-US naval air base located in the cities of Yamato, Kanagawa, Yamato and Ayase, Kanagawa, Ayase in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kanagawa, Japan. It is the largest United States Navy (USN) air base in the Pacific Ocean, and once housed ...

for the first time since 1996 to replace

VFA-192 Strike Fighter Squadron 192 (VFA-192), also known as the "World Famous Golden Dragons", are a United States Navy Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at NAS Lemoore. Squadron insignia and nickname The ...

as a forward deployed squadron under CVW-5.

2010s

During July 2015, VFA-115 took part in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015 with Australia. The following month on 9 August 2015, VFA-115 participated in the "Three Carrier Hull Swap" as ''Ronald Reagan'' took over the duty from USS ''George Washington'' as the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed aircraft carrier in Japan. The squadron moved to

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni is a joint Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces and United States Marine Corps air station located in the Nishiki River, Nishiki river delta, southeast of Iwakuni Station in the Municipality of Japan, city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan ...

on 28 November 2017 when it returned from its patrol aboard USS ''Ronald Reagan''. Between 11 July 2019 and 24 July 2019, VFA-115 and CVW-5 took part in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019 in the

Coral Sea The Coral Sea () is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific off the northeast coast of Australia, and classified as an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia, interim Australian bioregion. The Coral Sea extends down t ...

2020s

On 19 May 2021, VFA-115 deployed on the ''Ronald Reagan'' with CVW-5 to the North Arabian Sea. During the deployment, it took part in the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. They then returned on 16 October. In July 2024 as part of CVW-5 returning to the USS ''George Washington'', VFA-115 will leave the Air Wing return to the United States to transition to the

F-35C The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, supersonic stealth strike fighters. A multirole combat aircraft designed for both air superiority and strike missions, it also has electronic warfa ...

while

VFA-147 Strike Fighter Squadron 147 (VFA-147), also known as the "Argonauts," is a United States Navy Fighter-bomber, strike fighter Squadron (aviation), squadron based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, MCAS Iwaukuni, Japan. VFA-147 was established o ...

which is operating the F-35C will take its place in CVW-5.

Home port assignments

The squadron was assigned to these home ports, effective on the dates shown: *

NAS San Diego Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (N ...

– 10 Oct 1942 * NAS Pearl Harbor – 1 Nov 1942* *

NAS Barbers Point Naval Air Station Barbers Point , on O'ahu, home to John Rodgers Field (the original name of Honolulu International Airport), is a former United States Navy airfield closed in 1999, and renamed Kalaeloa Airport. Parts of the former air station ...

– 7 Nov 1942* * NAF Nandi (in the Fiji Islands) – 28 Feb 1943* *

NAF Guadalcanal Henderson Field is a former military airfield on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, during World War II. Originally built by the Japanese Empire, the conflict over its possession was one of the notable battles of the Pacific War. Today it is Honiar ...

(Henderson Field) – 17 Apr 1943 *

NAS Alameda Naval Air Station Alameda (NAS Alameda) was a United States Navy Naval Air Station mostly in Alameda, California, with a slight portion of it within San Francisco proper, on San Francisco Bay. NAS Alameda had two runways: 13–31 measuring and ...

– 19 Aug 1943 *

NAS Hilo Hilo International Airport , formerly General Lyman Field, is a regional airport located in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, United States. Owned and operated by the Hawaii Department of Transportation, the airport serves windward (eastern) Hawaiʻi island in ...

– 8 Apr 1944* *

– 19 Jun 1944* *

– 24 Feb 1945 * NAAS Fallon – 30 Apr 1945* * NAAS Santa Rosa – 26 Jul 1945 *

NAS Kahului Kahului Airport is the main airport of Maui in the Hawaii, state of Hawaii, United States, located east of Kahului, Hawaii, Kahului. It has offered full airport operations since 1952. Many flights into Kahului originate from the Daniel K. Ino ...

– 22 Feb 1946 *

– 26 Nov 1946 *

NAS Miramar Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force. It is located in Miramar, a commu ...

– 15 Sep 1952 *

NAS Moffett Field Moffett Federal Airfield , also known as Moffett Field, is a joint civil-military airport located in an unincorporated part of Santa Clara County, California, United States, between northern Mountain View and northern Sunnyvale. On November ...

– 8 Dec 1961† *

– 3 Apr 1963 *

NAS Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) is a naval air station of the United States Navy located on two pieces of land near Oak Harbor, on Whidbey Island, in Island County, Washington. The main portion of the base, Ault Field, is about ...

– 1 Jan 1970 * CFA Yokosuka (

Misawa Air Base is an air base of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), List of United States Air Force installations, the United States Air Force, and the United States Navy located in Misawa, Aomori, Misawa, Aomori Prefecture, Aomori, in the northern p ...

) – 5 Oct 1973 *

– Oct 1996 * CFA Yokosuka (

) – 13 Dec 2009 * CFA Yokosuka (

MCAS Iwakuni is a joint Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces and United States Marine Corps air station located in the Nishiki river delta, southeast of Iwakuni Station in the city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. History The Japanese government ...

) – 28 Nov 2017 *

– 15 Jul 2024 * Temporary shore assignment while the squadron conducted training in preparation for combat deployment.

Aircraft assignment

The squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown: * TBF-1 ''Avenger'' – Oct 1942 * TBM-1 ''Avenger'' – 13 Oct 1943 * TBM-1C ''Avenger'' – Nov 1943 * TBM-3 ''Avenger'' – 19 Dec 1944 * TBM-3E ''Avenger'' – Apr 1945 * TBM-3Q ''Avenger'' – Jan 1947 * TBM-3W ''Avenger'' – Oct 1947 * AD-1 ''Skyraider'' – Dec 1948 * AD-2 ''Skyraider'' – 20 Dec 1948 * AD-3Q ''Skyraider'' – Aug 1949 * AD-4 ''Skyraider'' – Dec 1949 * AD-4Q ''Skyraider'' – Jul 1950 * AD-4L ''Skyraider'' – May 1951 * AD-4NA ''Skyraider'' – Aug 1952 * AD-6/A-1H ''Skyraider'' – Jan 1954 * AD-7/A-1J ''Skyraider'' – Nov 1958 * A-6A ''Intruder'' – 3 Apr 1970 * KA-6D ''Intruder'' – Feb 1971 * A-6B ''Intruder'' – Oct 1973 * A-6E ''Intruder'' – Apr 1977 * A-6E TRAM ''Intruder'' – 10 May 1980 * A-6E SWIP ''Intruder'' – 17 Aug 1991 * F/A-18C ''Hornet'' – Oct 1996 * F/A-18E ''Super Hornet'' – 2002 * F-35C ''Lightning II'' – ''2025''

References

Squadron history

External links

VFA-115's Official Webpage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vfa-115 FS0115 Strike fighter squadrons of the United States Navy Attack squadrons of the United States Navy Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons

Squadron insignia and nickname

History

1940s

Timeline

1950s

Timeline

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Home port assignments

Aircraft assignment

See also

References

External links