VFA - 34 Strike Fighter Squadron 34 ( VFA - 34 ) , also known as the " Blue Blasters " , is a United States Navy F / A - 18C Hornet strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana . They are a part of Carrier Air Wing 2 and are attached to the . Their tail code is NE and their radio call sign is " Joker " . Squadron Insignia and Nickname . The squadron ’ s first insignia was approved for use by VF - 20 during World War II , and was a " Joker " breaking out of a deck of cards carrying a machine gun . This insignia was selected by the squadron because the young and inexperienced pilots in the squadron were referred to as the " Jokers " . It was approved by Chief of Naval Operations on 15 March 1944 . The next insignia adopted by the squadron was the outline of a human skull , approved by CNO on 1 February 1946 . Superimposed on the nose of a skull was a human skeleton with the arms holding paddles that became the eyes of the skull , while the teeth were represented by the word “ Fighting 20 . ” On 10 June 1949 , CNO approved another modification to the squadron insignia which embellished the skull design . This insignia was in use from 1949 until the squadron ’ s disestablishment in 1969 . In 1957 the squadron adopted their present nickname , taking inspiration from their blue tail colors and their nuclear weapon delivery capability ; hence the name " Blue Blasters . " When the third VA - 34 was established in 1970 , it adopted the insignia and Blue Blasters nickname used by the previous VA - 34 squadron ( the second VA - 34 ) . On May 10 , 1999 the CNO approved a modification to the squadron ’ s insignia tailoring the design to the FA - 18 Strike Fighter community . History . Three distinct US Navy squadrons have been designated VA - 34 . The first squadron to hold the VA - 34 designation was in 1948 . This squadron was redesignated VA - 35 in 1950 and is not related to the subject of this article . The second VA - 34 was established in 1943 and disestablished in 1969 . The third VA - 34 , established in 1970 , was later redesignated VFA - 34 and is the subject of this article . Officially , the US Navy does not recognize a direct lineage with disestablished squadrons if a new squadron is formed with the same designation . Often , the new squadron will assume the nickname , insignia , and traditions of the earlier squadrons . 1940s . The second squadron to hold the VA - 34 designation was originally commissioned the VF - 20 " Jokers " on October 15 , 1943 as part of Air Group 20 stationed at NAS San Diego , California . The squadron was composed of numerous newly winged Naval Aviator s along with a few combat veterans . On 31 August 1944 , the squadron ’ s first combat action came as combat strikes were flown from in squadron F6F Hellcat s against the Bonin Islands . Strikes followed to Yap and Palau Islands , Peleliu Island , Okinawa , Formosa , Luzon , and Leyte . VF - 20 was heavily involved in the initial invasion operations in the Philippines , including the epic Battle of Leyte Gulf from 24 – 25 October 1944 . On 11 December 1944 , VF - 20 cross - decked to the " Grey Ghost " , the On 14 December 1944 , Lieutenant ( jg ) Douglas Baker was on a strike mission against Clark Field on Luzon when he encountered Japanese fighter opposition . During this engagement he destroyed four Japanese aircraft before being shot down by antiaircraft fire and lost in the action . This final action brought his air - to - air kills to 16 , making him one of the high ranking aces for the Navy . Only eight other Navy pilots equaled or exceeded this record . From December 1944 to January 1945 , VF - 20 engaged in another series of combat actions , flying missions against targets on and around Luzon , Formosa , French Indochina ( Vietnam ) , Hong Kong , the South China Sea , and Okinawa . Many of these operations were in support of the landings at Lingayen Gulf . As part of Admiral Halsey ' s Northern Strike Group , VF - 20 assisted in sinking one of the world ' s largest battleships , the Japanese battleship " Musashi " ( sister ship to the " Yamato " ) , and was given credit for partial kills on several Japanese cruisers and destroyers . 22 January 1945 was the last day of combat action for the squadron during World War II . In February 1945 the " Jokers " embarked in USS Kwajalein ( CVE - 98 ) at Ulithi and departed for the United States , arriving there in the latter part of the month . During WWII , eight VF - 20 pilots became aces , 12 pilots received the Navy Cross and 22 received the Silver Star . VF - 20 was credited with the destruction of over 15 ships and 407 aircraft , not counting the even greater number that were damaged but not destroyed . For their combat efforts the command was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation in 1944 and 1945 , along with the Navy Unit Citation while aboard " Enterprise " . In April 1946 , the squadron transitioned to the F8F Bearcat and was redesignated VF - 9A on 15 November 1946 . Then on 12 August 1948 , the squadron was again redesignated as VF - 91 . 1950s . On 15 February 1950 the squadron was redesignated Fighter Squadron THIRTY FOUR ( VF - 34 ) . In November 1950 , VF - 34 transitioned to its first jet aircraft , the F9F Panther . In February 1952 , the squadron began initial training in the F2H Banshee , and in April 1953 , the squadron embarked on to conduct evaluation tests on the Navy ’ s first angled deck carrier . After returning from a cruise aboard USS Leyte ( CV - 32 ) in December 1951 , the unit transferred to NAS Cecil Field , Florida . The majority of the next two years were spent operating from the attack carriers USS Hornet ( CV - 12 ) , USS Midway ( CV - 41 ) , USS Bennington ( CVA - 20 ) , USS Tarawa ( CV - 40 ) and USS Randolph ( CVA - 15 ) . The squadron was again redesignated as VA - 34 on 1 July 1955 . In spring of 1956 , VA - 34 accepted its first F7U Cutlass , which it operated until receiving A - 4 Skyhawk s in March 1957 . The squadron was the first Skyhawk squadron to deploy to the Mediterranean . On 4 March 1958 during cross - deck operations , the squadron landed its A4D - 1 Skyhawks aboard HMS Ark Royal ( R09 ) . In July 1958 , VA - 34 flew support missions during the amphibious landings in Beirut , Lebanon , by U . S . Marines . 1960s . From 1959 through 1966 , the " Blue Blasters " operated from the decks of USS Saratoga ( CV - 60 ) and USS Essex ( CV - 9 ) . In April 1961 , VA - 34 ’ s A4D - 2 Skyhawks operated from " Essex " in the Caribbean Sea during the Bay of Pigs invasion . From 26 October to 8 November 1962 during the Cuban missile crisis , the entire squadron flew aboard USS Enterprise ( CVN - 65 ) to augment the assigned air wing . VA - 34 flew numerous missions in support of Cuban quarantine , later transferring USS Independence ( CV - 62 ) until her return to the States on 26 November . From May to December 1967 , the squadron deployed to the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War aboard USS Intrepid ( CV - 11 ) . This was the squadron ’ s first combat action since 1945 . Attack Squadron 34 was disestablished on 29 May 1969 . 1970s . Less than a year after disestablishment , a new " Blue Blaster " squadron was established at NAS Oceana , Virginia , on 1 January 1970 as the Atlantic Fleet ’ s sixth A - 6 Intruder squadron . This was the third squadron to be designated VA - 34 , and is a direct descendent of the present VFA - 34 . The actual establishment ceremony was conducted at NAS Oceana on 17 April 1970 . On 18 September 1970 , VA - 34 embarked aboard USS John F . Kennedy ( CV - 67 ) as part of Carrier Air Wing One for a short at - sea period prior to its scheduled November deployment to the Mediterranean Sea . However , while en route to the Caribbean , the ship was ordered to deploy to the Mediterranean after Syria invaded Jordan . The squadron returned home in March 1971 from this unscheduled deployment , only one year old , but already in possession of the Meritorious Unit Commendation . In August 1971 , VA - 34 received the Battle " E " award as the Atlantic Fleet ' s top A - 6 squadron . In September 1972 , a squadron A - 6 Intruder conducted crossdeck operations on HMS Ark Royal while operating in the Norwegian Sea . Due to the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War , VA - 34 and " Kennedy " departed the Norwegian Sea in October 1973 and re - entered the Mediterranean , conducting surveillance operations south of Crete . 1980s . VA - 34 deployed aboard her new home , USS America ( CV - 66 ) , in August 1982 for an eight - week North Atlantic cruise . The squadron subsequently made deployments to the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean in 1982 and 1984 . In September 1985 while deployed aboard " America " to the North Atlantic , the squadron conducted flight operations from the carrier while it operated within the Vestfjorden , a Norwegian fjord . On 24 March 1986 , Libyan missiles were fired at U . S . Navy forces operating in the Gulf of Sidra . As a result of this hostile act , the Blue Blasters participated in retaliatory strikes Operation Prairie Fire against Libya by the U . S . 6th Fleet forces in the area . VA - 34 ’ s A - 6E Intruders , operating from America , attacked and damaged a Libyan FACM Class La Combattante IIa G - class fast attack missile craft with an AGM - 84 Harpoon missile ( the first combat employment " Harpoon " ) . On the night of 14 April 1986 , the Blue Blasters conducted a low - level , high - speed attack against targets at the Benina airfield and military barracks in Benghazi , Libya as part of Operation El Dorado Canyon . In October 1986 the Blasters detached from Carrier Air Wing One and joined Carrier Air Wing Seven in USS Dwight D . Eisenhower ( CVN - 69 ) , deploying in February 1988 for an extended Mediterranean deployment . The Blasters participated in operations off the Libyan Coast and returned to NAS Oceana in August 1988 . 1990s . The Blue Blasters deployment in 1990 featured integration of night vision goggles and Standoff Land Attack Missile capability into their A - 6Es . In 1990 , Eisenhower completed her seventh Mediterranean deployment . The deployment became a commemorative event in the worldwide ' Dwight D . Eisenhower Centennial , ' celebrating the 100th anniversary of the late president ' s birth . During D - Day anniversary ceremonies off the coast of Normandy , President Eisenhower ' s son John Eisenhower and D - Day veterans embarked in the ship , while Carrier Air Wing Seven conducted a memorial flyover of the American cemetery at Omaha Beach . In August 1990 , the squadron flew missions from the Red Sea in support of Operation Desert Shield , the build up of American and Allied forces to counter a threatened invasion of Saudi Arabia by Iraq . The squadron returned home in September 1990 and returned to Southwest Asia in September 1991 . The squadron returned to NAS Oceana , on 2 April 1992 . The Blue Blasters ’ next deployment was from May to November 1994 , embarked in USS George Washington ( CVN - 73 ) for her maiden voyage . In June 1995 , the Blasters commemorated the 50th Anniversary of D - Day with a " missing man " formation over Omaha Beach , which was televised worldwide by CNN . The Blue Blasters were awarded the Commander , Naval Air Force , U . S . Atlantic Fleet Battle " E " for 1994 and 1995 . The Blue Blasters departed in January 1996 aboard for their last A - 6E Intruder deployment . They flew in support of Operation Decisive Endeavor over Bosnia and Herzegovina and Operation Southern Watch over Southern Iraq . Typical missions included close air support assisting US and United Nations troops on the ground . On September 30 , 1996 , Attack Squadron 34 was redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron 34 and returned once again to NAS Cecil Field , Florida . The Blue Blasters immediately began the transition to the FA - 18 Hornet . In June 1998 , Strike Fighter Squadron 34 deployed aboard USS Dwight D . Eisenhower ( CVN - 69 ) in support of Operation Deliberate Forge , and Operation Southern Watch . The Blue Blasters returned to NAS Cecil Field in December 1998 . In March 1999 , the Blue Blasters conducted a homeport shift from NAS Cecil Field to NAS Oceana . 2000s . The Blue Blasters embarked on " George Washington " in June 2000 for deployment to the Mediterranean Sea , Arabian Sea , and Persian Gulf in support of Operations Southern Watch and Deliberate Forge . In December 2000 , the Blue Blasters returned to NAS Oceana . Upon their return , the squadron was awarded the Rear Admiral Clarence Wade McClusky Award as the premier attack squadron in the U . S . Navy , and the Commander , Naval Air Force U . S . Atlantic Fleet Battle Efficiency Award as the finest East Coast Strike Fighter Squadron . The Blue Blasters embarked on " George Washington " in June 2002 for another deployment to the Mediterranean Sea , Arabian Sea , and Persian Gulf in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Southern Watch , returning to NAS Oceana in December 2002 . The Blue Blasters returned to " Kennedy " for her last combat cruise in 2004 , deploying to the Mediterranean Sea / Persian Gulf in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom . In March 2005 , VFA - 34 became operationally attached to CVW - 2 , deploying aboard the west coast carrier USS Abraham Lincoln ( CVN - 72 ) for Operations Valiant Shield and Foal Eagle 2006 . Between 24 – 31 March 2006 , during Foal Eagle 2006 exercises , strike squadrons VFA - 2 , VFA - 34 , VFA - 137 , and VFA - 151 from Carrier Air Wing Two teamed with U . S . Air Force aircraft from the 18th Wing based at Kadena Air Base to provide combat air patrols and coordinated bombing runs via the exercise ’ s Combined Air Operations Center . The Blue Blasters returned home to NAS Oceana in August 2006 .