VFA - 147 Strike Fighter Squadron 147 ( VFA - 147 ) , also known as the " Argonauts " , is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore California . VFA - 147 flies the F / A - 18E Super Hornet as part of Carrier Air Wing Eleven deployed to the USS Nimitz . Their tailcode is " NH " and their radio callsign is " Jason " . Squadron Insignia and Nickname . The squadron ’ s insignia was approved by CNO on 30 June 1967 . The squadron is named after a band of heroes in Greek mythology , Jason and the Argonauts ) , who searched the oceans in quest of adventure and personal reward . History . 4 November 1967 25 May 1968 CVW - 2 CVA 61 A - 7A WestPac / Vietnam 26 October 1968 17 May 1969 CVW - 2 CVA 61 A - 7A WestPac / Vietnam 1960s . Attack Squadron 147 was commissioned as the Navy ' s First A - 7E Corsair II squadron on February 1 , 1967 in Lemoore , California . The squadron received its first A - 7A on 28 June 1967 , and in December 1967 , the squadron flew its first combat missions , striking targets in North Vietnam from USS " Ranger " . This was the first introduction of the A - 7 Corsair II in combat . The squadron would deploy a total of five times in support of the Vietnam War . In January 1968 while embarked on USS Ranger ( CV - 61 ) , the squadron flew support missions during the siege at Khe Sanh before the carrier was ordered from Yankee Station to the Sea of Japan following the capture of USS Pueblo ( AGER - 2 ) by North Korea on 23 January 1968 . In April 1969 following the shoot down of a Navy EC - 121 aircraft by the North Koreans on 15 April , " Ranger " , with VA - 147 embarked , again left Yankee Station and proceeded to the Sea of Japan for operations off the coast of Korea . After deployment , the squadron upgraded to the A - 7E in September 1969 . 1970s . The " Argonauts " deployed to WestPac / Vietnam aboard USS America ( CV - 66 ) in 1970 , and USS Constellation ( CV - 64 ) in 1971 - 72 . In May 1972 , the squadron participated in the early phase of Operation Linebacker I , heavy air strikes against targets in North Vietnam . In April 1972 the squadron participated in Operation Freedom Train , tactical air sorties against military and logistic targets in the southern part of North Vietnam . It also provided support for forces in South Vietnam following a massive invasion by North Vietnam on 1 April 1972 . In March – June 1973 embarked on " Constellation " , VA - 147 provided aerial support during Operation End Sweep , the removal of mines from North Vietnamese waters . In November 1974 , VA - 147 embarked on " Constellation " , operated in the Persian Gulf . This was the first time in 26 years that an American carrier had entered and operated in the Persian Gulf . The Squadron won the Battle " E " Award in 1977 as the top Corsair squadron in the Pacific Fleet . 1980s . VA - 147 deployed aboard " Constellation " in 1980 and 1981 - 82 . During these deployments , the squadron remained ashore at NAS Cubi Point as CVW - 9 ’ s Beach Detachment as part of the " Swing Wing Concept " during most of " Constellation ’ s " deployment . Between January 1984 and June 1987 , the squadron deployed three times aboard USS Kitty Hawk ( CV - 63 ) , including an around - the - world cruise . In September 1988 while embarked on the first of two USS Nimitz ( CVN - 68 ) deployments , VA - 147 operated in the Sea of Japan in support of the Summer Olympic Games in Seoul , Korea . The squadron was redesignated Strike Fighter Squadron 147 ( VFA - 147 ) on 20 July 1989 , and transitioned to the F / A - 18C Hornet under the instruction of VFA - 125 . The squadron received its first LOT XII " Night Attack " Hornet in December 1989 . 1990s . The Argonauts deployed to the Persian Gulf in March 1991 in support of Operation Desert Storm during troop withdrawal operations . The Argonauts became the Navy ' s first operational FA - 18 squadron to employ the Navigational Forward Looking Infra - Red PODS ( NAV FLIR ) and night vision goggles . In June 1995 the Argonauts completed the transition to new LOT XVI / XVII FA - 18C aircraft with the APG - 73 radar and Enhanced Performance Engines . The Argonauts made deployments to the Gulf three more times in support of Operation Southern Watch aboard " Nimitz " . In May 1998 the Argonauts conducted a wholesale swap of their Lot XVI Hornets for Lot XI Hornets from VFA - 195 . 2000s . After the September 11 attacks , the Argonauts participated in Operation Noble Eagle , flying combat patrols over Los Angeles from USS " John C . Stennis " . The squadron deployed aboard " Stennis " in support of Operation Enduring Freedom , conducting numerous strikes into Afghanistan against Taliban and Al - Qaeda forces . During these missions , VFA - 147 also helped refine the employment of the JDAM ( Joint Direction Attack Munition ) . VFA - 147 received the 2002 Battle E Award , recognizing the Argonauts as the top squadron in the Pacific Strike Fighter Wing . VFA - 147 deployed aboard on 17 January 2003 to the Western Pacific for an 8 - month deployment , maintaining a U . S . presence in the South China Sea and the Western Pacific . The Argonauts next deployed on " Carl Vinson " with CVW - 9 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in January 2005 . CVW - 9 was re - assigned to in 2007 . VFA - 147 was awarded the 2007 Battle “ E ” , and was named the U . S . Navy ’ s top F / A - 18C Hornet Squadron for 2007 earning the Capt . Michael J . Estocin Award . The squadron began transitioning to F / A - 18E Super Hornet s in October 2007 , and completed transition in February 2008 . VFA - 147 and CVW - 9 deployed with the " John C . Stennis " on a scheduled Western Pacific deployment on 13 January 2009 . After 40 years of having been assigned to CVW - 9 , VFA - 147 was re - assigned to CVW - 14 aboard the for two deployments in 2010 and 2011 . The following year , the squadron was moved again , this time to CVW - 11 aboard the . VFA - 147 participated in exercise RIMPAC 2012 and began a scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean on 30 March 2013 .