page_title: VF-96
section_title: Vietnam
hierarchical_section_title: VF-96 / History / Vietnam
caption_attribution_description: The U.S. Navy McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II (BuNo 155800, NG-100). This aircraft was assigned to fighter squadron VF-96 Fighting Falcons, Carrier Air Wing 9 (CVW-9), aboard the aircraft carrier USS Constellation (CVA-64) in February 1972. Having the callsign "Showtime 100" it was used by Lt. Randy Cunningham and Lt.JG Willie Dricoll for their 3rd, 4th, and 5th MiG-kills on 10 May 1972. However, it was hit by a North Vietnamese SA-2 surface-to-air-missile and the crew had to eject over the Gulf of Tonkin.
context_page_description: Fighter Squadron 96, or VF-96 Fighting Falcons was an aviation unit of the United States Navy in service from 1962 to 1975. When assigned to Carrier Air Wing Nine their tailcode was NG, and their radio callsign was Showtime. Originally established as United States Naval Reserve squadron VF-791 Fighting Falcons on 20 July 1950 it was redesignated VF-142 after becoming a regular squadron on 4 February 1953. It was re-designated VF-96 on 1 June 1962 and disestablished on 1 December 1975.
context_section_description: VF-96 embarked aboard USS Ranger for a deployment to Vietnam from 5 August 1964 to 6 May 1965.
  On 9 April 1965 an F-4B #151425 from VF-96 crashed into the sea following an engine flameout on launch for a four-plane combat air patrol. Later during the patrol an F-4B #151403 piloted by Lieutenant j.g. Terence M. Murphy and his RIO, Ensign Ronald Fegan, shot down a Chinese MiG-17 "Fresco" near Hainan, scoring the F-4 Phantom's first air-to-air victory. The Phantom was then shot down either by another MiG or, as enemy reports later indicated, an AIM-7 Sparrow from one of Murphy's and Fegan's wingmen. Murphy and Fegan were listed as killed in action, body not recovered.
  VF-96 embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise for a deployment to Vietnam from 26 October 1965 to 21 June 1966.
  On 12 February 1967, Lieutenant Commander Martin Sullivan and Lieutenant j.g. Paul Carlson flying F-4B #152219 crashed at sea during intercept training.
  On 9 May 1968 USAF exchange pilot Captain John Heffernan and his RIO Lieutenant j.g. Frank Schumacher shot down a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) MiG-21 with an AIM-7.
  Several F-4s of VF-96 were destroyed during the USS Enterprise fire on 14 January 1969.
  VF-96 embarked aboard USS America for a deployment to Vietnam from 10 April to 21 December 1970.
  VF-96 embarked aboard USS Constellation for a deployment to Vietnam from 1 October 1971 to 1 July 1972. During this deployment, on May 10, Lieutenant Duke Cunningham and Lieutenant j.g. William P. Driscoll of VF-96 scored their aerial victories becoming the only US Navy aces of the war. Three more VPAF MiG-17s were downed by two other VF-96 crews that same day, two by Lieutenant Michael J. Connelly and Lieutenant Thomas J. Blonski and one by Lieutenant Steven C. Shoemaker and Lieutenant j.g. Keith V. Crenshaw.
  VF-96 again embarked on Constellation for its final Vietnam cruise from 5 January to 11 October 1973.
  Between June 21 and December 23, 1974 the Fighting Falcons along with sister-squadron VF-92 made its last operational deployment with CVW-9, aboard Constellation,  before being disestablished on December 1, 1975.
caption: "Showtime 100", the VF-96 F-4J flown for three "kills" by Cunningham and Driscoll
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