Fighter Squadron 94
VFA-94 was officially named what before Jul 1952?
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 . Insignia and nickname . The original squadron was known as the Tough Kitties and had a cartoon cat insignia . When the second squadron was formed and deployed aboard 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 . History . 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 . 1950s . Fighter Squadron 94 ( VF-94 ) was established at NAS Alameda , California on March 26 , 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 . 1960s . 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 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 . In October 1965 , as part of Air Wing 9 , the squadron moved to NAS Norfolk to join on her first combat cruise . The squadron was assigned to Air Wing 5 in 1966 and completed four combat deployments aboard and . 1970s . In February 1971 , the squadron transitioned to the A-7 Corsair II and was assigned to Air Wing 15/ . From May–June 1972 , VA-94 participated in Operation Linebacker , heavy air strikes against targets in North Vietnam . On 9 May 1972 , the squadron participated in Operation Pocket Money , the mining of Haiphong harbor . The first mine was dropped at 08:59 to coincide with President Richard Nixons public announcement of the mining . All mines were set with 72-hour arming delays , thus permitting merchant ships time for departure or a change in destination consistent with the Presidents public warning . It was the beginning of a mining campaign that planted over 11,000 MK36 type destructor and 108 special Mk 52-2 mines over the next eight months . In 1973 , the squadron deployed on its first peacetime cruise in a decade , again with Carrier Air Wing 15 aboard USS Coral Sea . On 29 April 1975 , squadron aircraft provided air cover for Operation Frequent Wind , the evacuation of American citizens from Saigon that terminated United States military involvement in Vietnam . On 15 May 1975 , squadron aircraft , along with other elements from CVW-15 launched air strikes against the Cambodian mainland after the capture of the SS Mayaguez by Khmer Rouge gunboats . From May 1979 to January 1980 , the squadron deployed aboard to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans , including 63 days of operations in the Arabian Sea during the Iran Hostage Crisis . 1980s . The squadrons next deployment aboard USS Kitty Hawk was completed in 1981 . In 1986 , aboard , VA-94 made history as part of the first nuclear aircraft carrier to transit the Suez Canal and then cruised the Mediterranean for three months , supporting operations against Libya . From February to May 1988 , the squadron flew air support for Operation Earnest Will , escorting reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers in the Persian Gulf . In April 1988 , the squadron struck the naval forces of Iran as part of Operation Praying Mantis , the first major U.S . naval battle since World War II . Squadron aircraft delivered direct hits on the Iranian frigate Sahand . In December 1989 , the squadron participated in Operation Classic Resolve , providing support for the Philippine government during a coup attempt . 1990s . In June 1990 , the squadron received its first F/A-18C Hornet and was redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron 94 ( VFA-94 ) on 1 January 1991 . In May 1991 , it deployed aboard to the Persian Gulf in support of United Nations sanctions following the war in Iraq . The squadron also participated in Operation Fiery Vigil , evacuating thousands of homeless people from the Philippines after the Mount Pinatubo eruption . It subsequently received the Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation for its contribution to the disaster relief efforts . On 15 June 1993 , the squadron deployed aboard USS Abraham Lincoln flying missions over southern Iraq in support of Operation Southern Watch . In October 1993 , USS Abraham Lincoln left the Persian Gulf for Somalia to provide force protection for U.S . and other United Nations forces aiding in the humanitarian relief effort . VFA-94 earned the coveted Battle E Award designating it as the Navys top FA-18 squadron in 1994 . The squadron participated in Operation Vigilant Sentinel during its 1995 deployment , again aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln . The squadron next deployed aboard USS Kitty Hawk on 10 October 1996 to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch . On 13 May 1997 , the squadron deployed aboard , and again on 10 November 1998 to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Fox . 2000s . Following the September 11 attacks , the squadron led the first missions of Operation Enduring Freedom on October 7 , 2001 . In the months that followed , VFA-94 and Air Wing Eleven participated in precision strikes against key Taliban locations in Afghanistan . The squadron amassed 664 combat sorties and expended 550,000 pounds of ordnance on targets in Afghanistan . The squadron returned home on 19 January 2002 . The squadron deployed again on 3 March 2003 for an eight-month combat deployment aboard with CVW-11 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . On 7 May 2005 , the squadron again deployed aboard USS Nimitz to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . In October 2006 , the squadron successfully completed the Strike Fighter Advanced Readiness Program , in preparation for the squadrons transition to an expeditionary role . In January 2007 , VFA-94 joined its sister squadron VFA-97 as one of only two F/A-18 squadrons to deploy overseas as part of the Unit Deployment Program ( UDP ) . VFA-94 departed NAS Lemoore on its first expeditionary evolution to MCAS Iwakuni , Japan . The squadron traversed nearly of open ocean , totaling almost 18 flight hours per jet . During the deployment , VFA-94 participated in Exercise Foal Eagle , the first ever U.S . Navy expeditionary deployment to Korea and Exercise Cobra Gold in Thailand . In July 2008 , VFA-94 completed its second UDP deployment to Japan in support of the Global War on Terror and Pacific Operations . The squadron participated in Exercises Talon Vision at Clark Air Base , Philippines ; Wolmi-Do Fury at Kadena Air Base , Okinawa and Exercise Lava Viper at Hickam AFB , Hawaii . The squadron returned home in February 2009 after completing this successful 7-month deployment . The squadron has been awarded two Joint Meritorious Unit Awards , five Navy Unit Commendations , five Meritorious Unit Commendations , five Battle Efficiency Awards , two Navy Expeditionary Medals , three Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals , and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal . 2010s . In January 2012 , after returning from UDP duties in Japan , the squadron returned to NAS Lemoore , but apparently was not assigned to one of the West Coast air wings until around August 2012 , as it temporarily took sister squadron VFA-25s place within CVW-17 . VFA-25 was returned to its former slot within CVW-17 , thus replacing VFA-94 . On 12 September 2014 , two F/A-18Cs , one from VFA-94 and the other from VFA-113 collided and crashed approximately west of Wake Island . One aviator was recovered in fair condition and received medical treatment aboard the Carl Vinson . Search-and-rescue ( SAR ) operations continued for the other aviator . The Carl Vinson was participating in Exercise Valiant Shield 2014 at the time of the mid-air collision . The search was called off on 14 September 2014 , and the missing aviator was declared missing and presumed dead , with the crash incident under investigation . The Mighty Shrikes began its transition from the F/A-18C Hornet to the F/A-18F Super Hornet in September 2015 , completing the transition in March 2016 .