The VA-86 Sidewinders
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Squadron Photograph Album Squadron Off-Duty Album

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VF-84 Sidewinders - about 1954
From Gran Rhodus
VA-86 - 1959
Rodney F. Schall
VA-86 Sidewinders- 1971
From John H. Plourde

VFA-86 Sidewinders - 1998
From Robert Mauchin

Patch
  • The squadron's first patch was initiated August 6, 1951.
    Colors for the patch were: a blue background; red bird with black markings, yellow beak and feet outlined in black and a white eye; yellow aviator wings and anchor with black markings; and a white machine gun and missile with black markings.

  • A second patch with a top hat and snake was installed on April 7, 1954. This patch is illustrated above.

  • A third crest with a top hat and red snake motif was adopted in July 1987 as VA-86 was redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron EIGHTY-SIX. This patch is illustrated above.

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Handle
Heritage
  • February 1, 1951, Reserve Fighter Squadron NINE HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE (VF-921) called to active duty.

  • February 4, 1953, VF-921 was redesignated as Fighter Squadron EIGHTY-FOUR (VF-84).

  • July 1, 1955, VF-84 was redesignated as Attack Squadron EIGHTY-SIX (VA-86).

  • July 15, 1987, VA-86 was redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron EIGHTY-SIX (VFA-86).

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Home Ports
    Date - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Location:
  • Prior to 1951 - - - - - - Naval Air Station St. Louis as a reserve squadron.
  • March 28, 1951- - - - - - Naval Air Station Jacksonville
  • June 11, 1952 - - - - - - Naval Air Station Oceana
  • March 15, 1966- - - - - - Naval Air Station Cecil Field

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Air Wings
    Date - - - - - - - - - - - - Tail code - - - - - - - Air Wing
  • April 9, 1951- - - - - - - - E - - - - - - CVG-8
  • July 1955- - - - - - - - - - I - - - - - - ATG-181
  • July 1957 - - - - - - - - - AM - - - - - - ATG-181
  • January 15, 1958- - - - - - AG - - - - - - CVG-7
  • December 20, 1963 - - - - - AG - - - - - - CVW-7
  • October 16, 1967- - - - - - AE - - - - - - CVW-6
  • 1969- - - - - - - - - - - - NL - - - - - - CVW-15
  • July 1, 1970 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - COMFAIRJACKSONVILLE
  • January 1971- - - - - - - - AJ - - - - - - CVW-8
  • September 1, 1987- - - - - - - - - - - - - COMLATWING 1
  • 1988- - - - - - - - - - - - AB - - - - - - CVW-1

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Deployments
    Departure & Return - - - - - - - - Air Wing - Carrier - Aircraft - - Area of Operations:
  • 11-28-51 to 06-11-52 - CVG-8 - CV 40 - F4U-4 - Mediterranean
  • 06-11-53 to 07-21-53 - None- - CV 36 - F9F-5 - NorLant
  • 09-28-54 to 04-22-55 - CVG-8 - CVA-39- F9F-5 - Mediterranean
  • 09-02-58 to 03-12-59 - CVG-7 - CVA 15 - A4D-2- Mediterranean
  • 08-04-60 to 03 ? -61 - CVG-7 - CVA 62 - A4D-2- Mediterranean
  • 04-19-62 to 08-27-62 - CVG-7 - CVA 62 - A4D-2- Mediterranean
  • 08-06-63 to 03-04-64 - CVG-7 - CVA 62 - A-4C - Mediterranean
  • 09-08-64 to 11-05-64 - CVW-7 - CVA 62 - A-4E - NorLant/Mediterranean
  • 05-10-65 to 12-13-65 - CVW-7 - CVA 62 - A-4E - WestPac/Vietnam
  • 06-13-66 to 02-01-67 - CVW-7 - CVA 62 - A-4E - Mediterranean
  • 04-10-68 to 12-16-68 - CVW-6 - CVA 66 - A-7A - World Cruise/ Vietnam
  • 09-23-69 to 07-01-70 - CVW-15- CVA 43 - A-7A - WestPac/Vietnam
  • 07-06-71 to 12-16-71 - CVW-8 - CVA 66 - A-7E - Mediterranean
  • 06-05-72 to 03-24-73 - CVW-8 - CVA 66 - A-7C - WestPac/Vietnam
  • 01-03-74 to 08-03-74 - CVW-8 - CVA 66 - A-7C - Mediterranean
  • 09-06-74 to 10-12-74 - CVW-8 - CVA 66 - A-7C - NorLant
  • 07-16-75 to 09-24-75 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Carib/NorLant
  • 07-07-76 to 02-07-77 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Mediterranean
  • 12-01-77 to 07-20-78 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Mediterranean/NorLant
  • 09-10-79 to 05-26-80 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Mediterranean/SoLant/IO
  • 08-29-80 to 11-17-80 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - NorLant
  • 08-03-81 to 02-12-82 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Mediterranean
  • 11-10-82 to 05-20-83 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Carib/Mediterranean
  • 03-08-85 to 10-04-85 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Carib/Mediterranean
  • 08-15-86 to 10-16-86 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - NorLant
  • 12-30-86 to 07-26-87 - CVW-8 - CVN 68 - A-7E - Med/SoLant/West Coast
  • 02-08-89 to 04-03-89 - CVW-1 - CV 66 - F/A-18C Carib/NorLant
  • 05-11-89 to 11-10-89 - CVW-1 - CV 66 - F/A-18C Mediterranean/IO
  • 12-28-90 to 04-18-91 - CVW-1 - CV 66 - F/A-18C Mediterranean/RedSea/Persian Gulf

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Aircraft
Commanding Officers
    Date Assumed Command - - - - - - - Commanding Officer
  • 1947 - - - - - - - - - - LT L. H. Pulford - was commanding officer of reserve squadron VF-921 and continued as its commanding officer when it was called to active duty.
  • July 1952- - - - - - - - LCDR Harold L. Buell
  • July 1953- - - - - - - - LCDR Herbert V. Ladley
  • May 1955 - - - - - - - - CDR Chester W. Gates, Jr.
  • September 1956 - - - - - LCDR Grant Boice
  • September 1957 - - - - - LCDR Jack H. Robcke (acting)
  • September 24, 1957 - - - CDR William A. Schroeder, Jr.
  • March 2, 1959- - - - - - CDR Rodney F Schall
  • 1960 - January 7, 1961-- CDR. C.B. (John) Shuff (Lost in night mid-air collision - see Events below)
  • January 7, 1961- - - - - CDR Sam Rorex, Jr
  • January 12, 1962 - - - - CDR Richard J McAndrew
  • December 21, 1962- - - - CDR F. B. Koch
  • December 6, 1963 - - - - CDR Wilbur J. Burgin
  • December 11, 1964- - - - CDR William F. Sallada
  • November 15, 1965- - - - CDR William W. Bowers
  • November 16, 1966- - - - CDR C. R. Long
  • November 30, 1967- - - - CDR J. E. Russ
  • January 10, 1969 - - - - CDR D. E. Gordon
  • January 21, 1970 - - - - CDR Standley H. Block
  • January 15, 1971 - - - - CDR Grant Augustine III
  • January 28, 1972 - - - - CDR William D. Yonke
  • December 6, 1972 - - - - CDR Benjamin F. Short
  • December 14, 1973- - - - CDR Duane O. Schumacher
  • March 7, 1975- - - - - - CDR Perry W. Gard III
  • April 22, 1976 - - - - - CDR Leighton W. Smith, Jr.
  • June 2, 1977 - - - - - - CDR Herbert W. Taylor
  • June 2, 1978 - - - - - - CDR Bernard J. Smith
  • November 19, 1979- - - - CDR Virgil F. Jackson, Jr.
  • February 12, 1981- - - - CDR John P. Gay
  • June 23, 1982- - - - - - CDR Charles S. Abbot
  • June 16, 1983- - - - - - CDR Ralph J. Castor
  • January 29, 1985 - - - - CDR John L. Fitzpatrick
  • June 5, 1986 - - - - - - CDR John M. Johnson
  • January 28, 1988 - - - - CDR Howard A. Petrea
  • 1989 - - - - - - - - - - CDR Ted J. Venable
  • November 6, 1990 - - - - CDR Matthew G. Moffit.

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Events
  • February 1, 1951:
    Reserve Fighter Squadron NINE HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE (VF-921) was called to active duty. VF-921 was assigned the F4U-4 Vought Corsair I.

  • June 18, 1952:
    VF-921 was assigned the F8F-2 Grumman Bearcat.

  • September 1952:
    VF-921 was assigned the straight winged F9F-5 Grumman Panther.

  • February 4, 1953:
    VF-921 was redesignated Fighter Squadron EIGHTY-FOUR (VF-84).

  • September 28, 1954:
    Fighter Squadron EIGHTY-FOUR operating the Grumman F9F-5 Panther embarked at Mayport, Florida on United States Ship Lake Champlain CVA-39 for the Mediterranean. The Sidewinder Panthers were painted in standard navy blue with yellow trim.
    During the Champ cruise half the VF-84 Panthers were deployed at Naval Air Facility Port Lyautey, French Morocco to provide deck space for Heavy Attack Squadron VC-8's AJ Savages. Meanwhile the "Camel Herders" at Port Lyautey conducted a training program and flew simulated attacks on the fleet.
    • October 13 to 20, 1954 in port at Leghorn, Italy.

    • October 21 to 27, 1954 at sea for fleet exercises.

    • October 28 to November 3, 1954 in port at Cannes, France.

    • November 4 to 10, 1954 at sea for fleet exercises.

    • November 11 to 15, 1954 in port at Salonika, Greece.

    • November 18 to 21, 1954 in port at Istanbul, Turkey.

    • November 22 to 29, 1954 at sea for fleet exercises.

    • November 30 to December 5, 1954 in port at Laspezia, Italy.

    • December 7 to December 16, 1954 at sea for fleet exercises.

    • December 17 to December 26, 1954 in port at Genoa, Italy.

    • December 28 to January 2, 1954 in port at Marseilles, Italy.

    • January 3 to January 7, 1954 at sea for fleet exercises.

    • January 8 to January 14, 1954 in port at Barcelona, Spain.

    • January 15 to January 18, 1954 at sea for fleet exercises.

    • January 19 to January 25, 1954 in port at Algiers, Algeria.

    • January 26 to January 31, 1954 at sea for fleet exercises.

    • February 1 to February 8, 1954 in port at Naples, Italy.

    • February 9 to February 14, 1954 at sea for fleet exercises.

    • February 15 to February 24, 1954 in port at Toulon, France.

    • February 25 to March 2, 1954 at sea for fleet exercises.

    • March 3 to March 7, 1954 in port at Beirut, Lebanon.

    • March 8 to March 9, 1954 at sea for fleet exercises.

    • March 10 to March 14, 1954 in port at Athens, Greece.

    • March 15 to March 21, 1954 at sea for fleet exercises.

    • March 22 to March 27, 1954 in port at Naples, Italy.

    • March 28 to April 3, 1954 at sea for fleet exercises.

  • June 1955:
    VF-84 was assigned the F7U-3M Last Chance Vought Gutless Cutlass

  • July 1, 1955:
    VF-84 was redesignated Attack Squadron EIGHTY-SIX (VA-86).

  • January 1956 to April 1956:
    Attack Squadron EIGHTY-SIX operating the F7U-3M's Cutlass embarked on a shake-down cruise on the United States Ship Forrestal CVA-59. Once at sea the Gutless Cutlass was pronounced unsafe for carrier operation due to the nose gear collapsing on landing. Prior to arriving in Cuba, the aircraft were launched for Naval Air Station Leeward Point, Cuba. When the ship anchored at Leeward Point, the crew was transferred to Leeward Point for the rest of the cruise. Prior to the Forrestal departing the Cuba area, the aircraft were taken by barge out to the boat and loaded aboard by crane. Prior to docking in Norfolk, the aircraft were launched and returned to Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia Beach, Virginia.

  • May 26, 1957:
    VA-86 was assigned the A4D-1 (A-4A) Douglas Skyhawk.

  • December 24, 1957:
    VA-86 was assigned the A4D-2 (A-4B) Douglas Skyhawk.

  • 1960-61 Independence "Med" cruise:
    Cdr. John Shuff and LtCdr. Howie Thayer lost at sea the result of a night time in-flight collision about 2 - 3 miles aft of the ship. One went straight in, the other one made a low pass over the angle deck, went out turned downwind and also crashed. All that was ever found of the two aircraft was one tip tank. One of the two was leading the other one back to the ship, because he had a major electrical failure, or had lost his navigation system. After the collision, nothing was heard from either aircraft.

  • April 1961:
    VA-86 operated from United States Ship Independence CVA 62, in an area south of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during the Bay of Pigs, the unsuccessful invasion of Cuba by American supported Cuban exiles.

  • September 1962:
    VA-86 was assigned the A4D-2N (A-4C) Douglas Skyhawk.

  • April 28, 1964:
    VA-86 was assigned the A-4E Douglas Skyhawk.

  • July 1, 1965:
    Attack Squadron EIGHTY-SIX conducted its first combat mission, flying against targets in South Vietnam.

  • November 1, 1965:
    LtCdr. Billy V. Wheat flying BuNo.151142 (VA-86) was shot down by AAA, was wounded but rescued.

  • NOV 1965: Sidewinder Sentinel.

  • February 1967:
    VA-86 was assigned the A-7A Vought Corsair II.

  • October 1, 1970:
    VA-86 was assigned the A-7E Vought Corsair II.

  • April 1972:
    VA-86 was assigned the A-7C Vought Corsair II.

  • July through October 1972:
    Squadron aircraft participated in Operation Linebacker I, heavy air strikes against targets in North Vietnam.

  • December 1972:
    The squadron participated in Linebacker II operations, a more intensified version of Linebacker I operations.

  • November 14, 1974:
    VA-86 was assigned the A-7E Vought Corsair II.

  • August 1981:
    Embarked in United States Ship Nimitz, VA-86 participated in a Freedom of Navigation Exercise in the Gulf of Sidra. During this exercise two F-14 Tomcats from Nimitz were fired upon by two Libyan SU-22 Fitters on 18 August. The F-14's returned fire and shot down the two aircraft. Tensions escalated and VA-86 flew refueling and reconnaissance missions over potentially hostile Libyan ships during the period.

  • November 1982 through May 1983:
    Embarked in United States Ship Nimitz (CVN-68), VA-86 participated with the Multi-National PeaceKeeping Force of Beirut, Lebanon.

  • July 15, 1987:
    VA-86 was redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron EIGHTY-SIX VFA-86.

  • November 18, 1987:
    Strike Fighter Squadron EIGHTY-SIX was assigned the F/A-18C Boeing Hornet.

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Awards
    Award - - - - - - - - - Inclusive Dates:
  • NAVE
    • 01 Jul 1962 to 30Jun 1963
    • 01 Jul 1963 to 30 Jun 1964
    • 01 Jan 1982 to 31 Dec 1982
    • 01 Jan 1985 to 31 Dec 1985

  • AFEM
    • 24 Sep 1958 to 26 Sep 1958
    • 15 Jun 1965
    • 29 Jun 1965 to 03 Jul 1965
    • 10 Dec 1969 to 11 Dec 1969

  • MUC
    • 27 Oct 1969 to 01 Jun 1970
    • 14Jul 1972 to 20 Feb 1973
    • 04 Aug 1981 to 20 May 1983

  • NEM
    • 19 Apr 1961 to 29 Apr 1961
    • 14 Jan 1980 to 14 May 1980
    • 05 Dec 1982 to 31 Dec 1982
    • 21 Jan 1983 to 13 Feb 1983
    • 18 Feb 1983 to 24 Feb 1983
    • 19 Mar 1983 to 21 Mar 1983
    • 18 Apr 1983 to 22 Apr 1983

  • NUC
    • 05 Jun 1965 to 21 Nov 1965
    • 12 May 1968 to 20 Nov 1968
    • 23 Jan 1980 to 01 May 1980
    • 17 Jan 1991 to 07 Feb 1991

  • RVNGC
    • 21 Oct 1965
    • 23 Oct 1965
    • 25 Oct 1965 to 02 Nov 1965
    • 09 Nov 1965 to 10 Nov 1965
    • 30 May 1968 to 02 Jun 1968
    • 20 Sep 1968
    • 10 Oct 1968 to 12 Oct 1968
    • 17 Oct 1968

  • VNSM
    • 04 Jul 1965 to 09 Aug 1965
    • 25 Aug 1965 to 21 Sep 1965
    • 14 Oct 1965 to 12 Nov 1965
    • 29 May 1968 to 28 Jun 1968
    • 06 Jul 1968 to 03 Aug 1968
    • 17 Aug 1968 to 12 Sep 1968
    • 27 Sep 1968 to 30 Oct 1968
    • 26 Oct 1969 to 18 Nov 1969
    • 22 Dec 1969 to 19 Jul 1970
    • 17 Feb 1970 to 09 Mar 1970
    • 19 Mar 1970 to l1 Apr 1970
    • 28 Apr 1970 to 01 Jun 1970
    • 02 Jul 1972 to 04 Jul 1972
    • 11 Jul 1972 to 24 Jul 1972
    • 10 Aug 1972 to 28 Aug 1972
    • 06 Sep 1972 to 07 Oct 1972
    • 11 Oct 1972 to 12 Oct 1972
    • 20 Oct 1972 to 01 Dec 1972
    • 09 Dec 1972 to 27 Dec 1972
    • 09 Jan 1973 to 02 Feb 1973
    • 12 Feb 1973 to 16 Feb 1973
    • 21 Feb 1973 to 25 Feb 1973

  • SASM
    • 15 Jan 1991 to 03 Apr 1991

  • KLM
    • 17 Jan 1991 to 28 Feb 1991

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Sources:
  • Al Carpenter
  • Harry S. Gann
  • Robert Mauchin
  • Frederick R. Miller
  • Eric Newman
  • John H. Plourde
  • Gran Rhodus
  • Takafumi Hiroe
  • Robert Lay
  • Steve Waldschmidt
  • Jack Woodul
  • Gary Verver

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