VFA - 143 Strike Fighter Squadron 143 ( VFA - 143 ) , also known as the " Pukin Dogs " , are a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana , Virginia . The Pukin Dogs are an operational fleet squadron and flying the F / A - 18E Super Hornet . They are currently attached to Carrier Air Wing Seven and the USS Dwight D . Eisenhower ( CVN - 69 ) . They are currently at their homeport of NAS Oceana . Insignia and nickname . The squadron adopted its current insignia in 1953 , a winged black lion ( or a mythical Griffin ) on a blue shield . The distinctive squadron name " Pukin ' Dogs " came about when the squadron commander ' s wife saw the creature ’ s droopy head and gaping mouth design . She stated , in front of the squadron pilots , that it looked like a " pukin ' dog . " The pilots loved that , and the name stuck . In the politically correct aftermath of the Tailhook scandal in 1991 , the squadron was forced to officially rename itself the " Dogs " . This official banishment was widely ignored until Admiral John Mazach , Commander , Naval Air Force U . S . Atlantic Fleet , rescinded the policy in a 1996 speech to the squadron . History . Two Navy squadrons have held the designation VF - 143 . The first was established on 20 July 1950 as VF - 821 , and redesignated VF - 143 on 4 February 1953 . This squadron was disestablished on 1 April 1958 . The second VF - 143 was established in 1950 , was eventually redesignated VFA - 143 , and is the subject of this article . 1950s . VFA - 143 began as VF - 871 , a reserve F4U - 4 Corsair squadron based at NAS Alameda called to active duty on 20 July 1950 . The squadron deployed twice during the Korean War , flying from the aircraft carriers USS Princeton ( CV - 37 ) and USS Essex ( CV - 9 ) . On 4 February 1953 , the squadron was redesignated VF - 123 and transitioned to the F9F - 2 Panther . In April 1958 they transitioned to the F3H Demon and were redesignated VF - 53 . 1960s . On 20 June 1962 , the unit was redesignated VF - 143 and began its transition to the F - 4 Phantom . They deployed seven times during the Vietnam War . The squadron was credited with the downing of a MiG - 21 in 1967 , by R . M . Hooper LtCmdr ; call sign : " Pacer " . 1970s . The last VF - 143 Vietnam deployment commenced in September 1972 with Carrier Air Group ( CAG ) 14 aboard USS Enterprise ( CVN - 65 ) . On the last day of official American hostilities , a squadron " Phantom " was struck by AAA fire near Quang Tri while performing one of the last combat missions of the war . Executive Officer , Cmdr Harley Hall and his RIO ejected near the coast and both were seen alive on the ground by their wingman . Hall ' s RIO was captured by North Vietnamese and returned from captivity a few months later . Cmdr Hall became the last Naval Aviator listed as Missing in Action ( MIA ) . Two weeks after the shoot down , however , his status was changed from MIA to " Prisoner of War ( POW ) , authenticated " , a designation held until he was declared deceased in February 1980 . The squadron returned to NAS Miramar in June 1973 , and three months later made a final " Phantom " deployment to the Mediterranean . In 1974 VF - 143 transitioned to the F - 14 Tomcat and then changed homeport to NAS Oceana in 1976 . VF - 143 , along with sister squadron VF - 142 , were aboard USS Dwight D . Eisenhower ( CVN - 69 ) for her maiden voyage in 1979 . 1980s . In 1980 VF - 143 deployed to the Indian Ocean in response to the Iran - Iraq war , setting a Navy underway record of 153 days . VF - 143 soon gained Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System ( TARPS ) capability , and provided the first time imagery of the new Soviet aircraft carrier Novorossiysk and the new Soviet Slava class cruiser . On August 5 , 1983 , VF - 143 intercepted five Libyan MiG - 23s some 220 kilometers south of " Eisenhower " in the Mediterranean Sea . No weapons were fired during these encounters but the situation was " very tense " . The Pukin ’ Dogs became the first to fly combat TARPS missions when they flew 45 combat reconnaissance sorties over Lebanon in the autumn of 1983 . 1990s . VF - 143 was one of the first squadrons to deploy with the F - 14A ( + ) ( later renamed F - 14B ) , in March 1990 aboard " Eisenhower " . When Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990 , " Eisenhower " and her battle group rushed to the Red Sea to deter the Iraqis from further advancement into Saudi Arabia . In late August , USS Saratoga ( CV - 60 ) relieved " Ike " . In early 1991 , VF - 143 was awarded COMNAVAIRLANT ’ s 1990 Battle Efficiency Award as the Atlantic Fleet ’ s finest fighter squadron . In addition , VF - 143 was awarded the Chief of Naval Operations Rear Admiral Joseph C . Clifton Award . In May 1991 during the Air Wing ’ s detachment to NAS Fallon , VF - 143 dropped air - to - ground ordnance for the first time . In September , the squadron deployed to the Persian Gulf , and participated NATO exercises in the Norwegian Sea . In August 1992 , the " Pukin ’ Dogs " and the rest of CVW - 7 switched aircraft carriers to the USS George Washington ( CVN - 73 ) , the Navy ’ s newest aircraft carrier . VF - 143 deployed for " Washington ’ s " maiden cruise and then again for the carrier ’ s first Mediterranean Sea deployment in May 1994 where she took part in the 50th anniversary commemoration of the D - Day invasion and Operation Deny Flight . The VF - 143 was awarded the 1994 Battle E , Safety S , Joseph C . Clifton and Golden Wrench awards . In December 1994 , the VF - 143 completed departed on their second deployment in fifteen months , operating in support of Operation Decisive Endeavour and Operation Southern Watch . The squadron provided TARPS , Forward Air Controller , air superiority and air - to - ground missions . VF - 143 returned to Oceana in July 1996 . In early 1997 , VF - 143 transitioned to the Navy ' s newest carrier , the USS John C . Stennis ( CVN - 74 ) , deploying in 1998 . The maiden deployment took them to the Persian Gulf , spending 131 days there in support of Operation Southern Watch . VF - 143 played key roles using LANTIRN , night vision goggles and digital TARPS . VF - 143 was recognized by COMNAVAIRLANT with the 1998 Battle “ E ” Safety " S " awards . 2000s . VF - 143 deployed in support of Operation Southern Watch , Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Phase II . The last deployment with the F - 14 was in 2004 aboard " George Washington " in support of Iraqi Freedom , during which time the squadron participated in strikes over Fallujah between April 28 - April 29 . In 2005 VF - 143 transitioned to the F / A - 18E Super Hornet , and was designated Strike Fighter Squadron 143 ( VFA - 143 ) . The first deployment with the F / A - 18E commenced in 2006 and ended in the spring of 2007 . During the cruise aboard " Eisenhower " , VFA - 143 supported Operations Iraqi Freedom , Enduring Freedom and operations off the Somali coast . On February 21 , 2009 VFA - 143 and CVW - 7 embarked aboard USS Dwight D . Eisenhower ( CVN - 69 ) for a deployment supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations in the Persian Gulf . On March 21 , 2009 it was reported that USS Theodore Roosevelt ( CVN - 71 ) was relieved by " Ike " . On 30 July 2009 , the Eisenhower returned to Naval Station Norfolk after almost a six month deployment . 2010s . VFA - 143 and the rest of CVW - 7 embarked on board the USS Eisenhower on January 2 , 2010 for a seven - month deployment in support of 5th and 6th Fleet operations . On the morning of May 27 , 2011 a diamond formation of four F - 18E Super Hornets from the squadron overflew the Graduation of the U . S . Naval Academy Class of 2011 then underway at the Academy ' s Navy - Marine Corps Memorial Stadium . The announcer identified the aircraft as being from VFA - 143 , ' The World Famous Pukin ' Dogs ' based at Oceana Naval Air Station . VF - 143 flew in lieu of the Blue Angels , who were originally scheduled for the overflight , but they were undergoing a safety stand - down due to a lower - than - normal maneuver performed at the Lynchburg Regional Airshow at Lynchburg , VA on Sunday , May 22 .