VFA - 146 Strike Fighter Squadron 146 ( VFA - 146 ) also known as the " Blue Diamonds " is a United States Navy operational fleet strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore California . They fly the F / A - 18C Hornet and are attached to Carrier Air Wing 11 ( CVW 11 ) , deployed aboard . Their tailcode is " NH " and their radio callsign is " Diamond " . Squadron Insignia and Nickname . The first insignia for VA - 146 was approved by CNO on 23 November 1956 , consisting of two concentric circles , a yellow mach wave symbol and a yellow globe showing North and South America . The first nickname the squadron reported to have used was " Blacktails " . This name was in reference to the black color assigned to the squadron ’ s position in the air group . The nickname " Blue Diamonds " was adopted by the squadron sometime in the late 1950s . In 1968 the squadron elected to simplify their insignia and bring it in concert with their nickname . Their current insignia was revised and approved on 29 August 1968 . History . 1950s . On 1 February 1956 Attack Squadron 146 ( VA - 146 ) became the Navy ' s newest jet attack squadron at NAS Miramar . Since there were no fleet replacement squadron s at this time , VA - 146 started with only a handful of aircraft and began an " in - house " training regime in various models of the F9F Cougar . Their first deployment was aboard in 1957 . In September 1957 , the squadron transitioned to the FJ - 4B Fury , deploying twice aboard prior to 1960 . 1960s . On 17 January 1960 , VA - 146 " Furys " participated in a coast to coast non - stop cross country flight . The squadron deployed " Furys " aboard and . In May 1962 the squadron moved to NAS Lemoore , and transitioned to the A - 4 Skyhawk in June 1962 . The squadron ' s first " Skyhawk " deployment was to the Western Pacific aboard . From June to September 1964 , while operating from " Constellation " off Yankee Station , VA - 146 participated in photo reconnaissance missions over Laos . The squadron ’ s A - 4C Skyhawks were used to provide tanker and rocket - armed escort support for the photo reconnaissance sorties over Laos and South Vietnam . During this time , VA - 146 aircraft also flew night sorties in support of Desoto Patrol operations ( the collection of signal intelligence ) conducted by American destroyers operating in international waters off the coast of North Vietnam . In response to North Vietnamese torpedo boat attacks against and on 2 August 1964 , VA - 146 participated in Operation Pierce Arrow . These were retaliatory air strikes against North Vietnamese targets which resulted in the sinking or damaging of 8 torpedo boats , and marked the first use of the A - 4 in combat . On 29 June 1966 , a 28 - plane strike of VA - 146 and other CVW - 14 aircraft flying from " Constellation " struck the Haiphong Petroleum storage complex , the first American strike against this complex . In December 1968 under the instruction of VA - 125 , VA - 146 transitioned to the Vought A - 7B Corsair II . The squadron received its first A - 7 on 4 June 1968 and deployed aboard USS Enterprise ( CVAN - 65 ) on 6 January 1969 . Shortly after deployment in September 1969 , the squadron upgraded to the A - 7E . 1970s . In April 1970 , the squadron embarked aboard at NS Norfolk for her extended combat deployment to Vietnam , returning in December 1970 . In December 1971 , VA - 146 became the first Navy squadron to use a laser - guided bomb ( LGB ) in combat . In May 1972 the squadron ’ s A - 7Es conducted night mining missions to North Vietnamese rivers . On January 5 , 1973 , VA 146 headed west with Carrier Air Wing Nine embarked again in " Constellation " . This cruise would bring to an end Navy ' s participation in the Vietnam War . For the deployment , " Constellation " and CVW 9 were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation . In November 1974 , while aboard " Constellation " , VA - 146 operated in the Persian Gulf , the first time in 26 years that an American carrier had entered and operated there . 1980s . In early 1980 , VA 146 was named the safest A - 7 squadron in combined Navy - Air Force history by surpassing all previous records for accident - free flight operations at 36 , 175 hours . In February 1980 , VA - 146 made the first Pacific deployment with the new Forward Looking Infrared ( FLIR ) system installed on the Corsair . During the 1980 deployment aboard " Connie " , the squadron spent 110 days at sea , the longest continuous at - sea period for any West Coast carrier since World War II . In 1983 the " Blue Diamonds " were tasked with fleet introduction of the HARM system , and their 14 - year association with Carrier Air Wing 9 was broken when VA - 146 was reassigned to Carrier Air Wing 2 . Upon their return from a WestPac deployment aboard in August 1984 , the Diamonds were again reassigned to CVW - 9 . In September 1988 , the Blue Diamonds embarked aboard for a Western Pacific deployment . The highlight of this cruise were operations in the Sea of Japan during the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics . On 21 July 1989 , VA - 146 was redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron ONE HUNDRED FORTY SIX ( VFA - 146 ) , and they received their first F / A - 18 Hornet on 18 November 1989 . 1990s . The Blue Diamonds spent the majority of 1997 preparing for a World Cruise aboard " Nimitz " , and extended their 13 - year history of over 55 , 000 hours without a Class " A " safety mishap . The highlight of the work - up cycle was a 96 - hour sortie surge operation in which the Diamonds flew 226 sorties . On 4 September 1997 , the Blue Diamonds departed San Diego with the Nimitz Battle Group in support of Operation Southern Watch . Shortly after their return to Lemoore , the Blue Diamonds were named the 1997 COMNAVAIRPAC Battle " E " winner . The Diamonds were also awarded the Captain Michael J . Estocin , Rear Admiral C . Wade McClusky and the Scott F . Kirby Awards . 2000s . On November 12 , 2001 the Blue Diamonds deployed with CVW - 9 on the . This time to conduct combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom over Afghanistan . The Diamonds deployed two months early in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11 , 2001 . Port calls on the way included Hong Kong and Singapore arriving in the North Arabian Sea . On December 12 , 2001 the Blue Diamonds began their first night strikes into Afghanistan . The missions ranged from 4 . 5 to 6 . 0 hours with help from the Roosevelt Battle Group and the Kennedy Battle Group . The Blue Diamonds amassed over 3500 flight hours and delivering over 102 , 000 pounds of ordnance . Milestones included extending their Top Hook Award streak to 24 after the first line period . Weapons included the JDAM , Laser Guided Bombs , and Mk - 82 ' s . The Diamonds returned at the end of May 2002 after a stopover in Australia and a Tiger Cruise from Hawaii . The Diamonds began their most recent cruise aboard on January 17 , 2005 . The " around - the - world " deployment took them across the Pacific and Indian Oceans into the Persian Gulf . For three months the Blue Diamonds , along with the rest of Carrier Air Wing 9 , flew missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . The Vinson then turned south to steam around the Sinai Peninsula into the Red Sea , through the Suez Canal , the Mediterranean Sea , then across the Atlantic . On July 31 , 2005 , the " Vinson " pulled into its new homeport of Norfolk , VA for a scheduled nuclear refuelling .