VF - 21 Fighter Squadron 21 ( VF - 21 ) " Freelancers " was an aviation unit of the United States Navy originally established in 1944 as VF - 81 . It was disestablished in 1996 . History . VF - 21 " Freelancers " was the third US Navy fighter squadron to be designated VF - 21 . The first was VGS - 11 , which was established in 1942 , redesignated VF - 21 in 1944 and disestablished in 1945 . The second VF - 21 was established in 1945 as VF - 74A and became VF - 21 in 1948 . This squadron became attack squadron VA - 43 " Challengers " on 1 July 1959 , and VF - 43 in 1973 . It was disestablished in 1994 . VF - 21 " Freelancers " was first established in 1944 as VF - 81 . In 1946 it became VF - 13A , in 1948 VF - 131 . In 1950 it was again redesignated VF - 64 . The squadron was then reformed at Alameda , California on 1 July 1959 when VF - 64 was redesignated as part of the United States Navy to “ tidy - up ” the Carrier Air Groups . Operational control was given to " Carrier Air Group 2 " and VF - 21 was part of " Carrier Air Group 2 " for the next 20 years . The VF - 21 embarked on its major deployment with the McDonnell F3H - 2 Demon on USS " Midway " ( CV - 41 ) in mid - 1958 . In June 1961 VF - 21 was reassigned to Miramar . It was here VF - 21 transitioned to the F - 4 Phantom in 1963 and between November of that year to March 1964 it would be the last peace - time cruise for the next 10 years . VF - 21 returned to sea in March 1965 and were bound for the Vietnam war and VF - 21 ' s first aerial victories would be the first confirmed kills achieved by a U . S . Navy fighter squadron during the course of that long conflict . On June 17 , 1965 Commander Louis Page and Lieutenant John Smith destroyed a MiG - 17 with an AIM - 7 Sparrow and moments later Lieutenant Jack Batson , jr and Lieutenant Commander Robert Doremus destroyed another MiG - 17 with an " Sparrow " missile . VF - 21 made six further deployments to the war zone aboard the USS Coral Sea ( CV - 43 ) and USS Ranger ( CVA - 61 ) between 1966 and 1973 . In 1968 VF - 21 upgraded to the F - 4J and continued to operate this model until 1979 . Some important changes were faced by VF - 21 in the end of the 1970s . By December 1979 VF - 21 was re - equipped with the F - 4S , but it was decided that the F - 4S was not ideally suited to be used from the " USS Coral Sea " which VF - 21 would deploy on the next cruise , and instead VF - 21 deployed with the less effective F - 4N which it was decided better suited for the " Coral Sea " . CVW - 14 assigned control over VF - 21 and the squadron returned to sea in 1981 , spending seven months in the Pacific and the Indian Ocean . A new deployment followed in 1983 , where VF - 21 was one of several squadrons that took part in the " Coral Sea " ´s world cruise of that year which culminated in a change of fleet assignment to conduct operations in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea . The 1983 tour was also noteworthy in that it marked the last occasion on which US Navy ' Phantoms ' were to deploy from a US base , VF - 21 joining with sister squadron ( VF - 154 , the Black Knights ) in a nostalgic and impressive final " fly - in " to Miramar in mid - September . Although this was not the end of the F - 4 , some aircraft lingered on until November 4 , VF - 21 hosted a ceremony which honored " the end of an era " for the F - 4 in fleet operations , VF - 21 and VF - 154 were the last US based squadrons to fly F - 4s ( although there were two forward deployed squadrons continued to operate the F - 4 ) . VF - 21 now transitioned to the F - 14 " Tomcat " , the process was managed by VF - 124 and it was not until later half of 1984 that VF - 21 was declared fully operational , the first cruise was with CVW - 14 aboard USS Constellation ( CV - 64 ) in early 1985 . A significant cruise for VF - 21 , this cruise was more memorable as the debut of the F / A - 18 Hornet . In 1987 , VF - 21 launched AIM - 7 Sparrow missiles against an Iranian F - 4 that had engaged a P - 3 Orion in the Persian Gulf . A number of cruises followed until 1990 when the squadron , with the rest of its air wing , moved to the USS Independence ( CV - 62 ) . The carrier was the first to reach the Persian Gulf in response to Iraq ’ s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990 . VF - 21 arrived on station in the Persian Gulf on August 5 , 1990 and was part of the Carrier Group that was America ' s " First Response " to Iraq ' s August 2 , 1990 invasion of Kuwait . As Iraq prepared to cross over the Saudi border a 20 - 30 plane strike force launched from the USS Independence to stop Iraq ' s aggression . As a result the Iraq military stopped at the Saudi border . From here VF 21 maintained Combat Air Patrol " CAP " missions during the build up of the U . S . Forces to liberate Kuwait , this operation was known as " Desert Shield " . However , the squadron ( part the USS Independence battle group ) was relieved on station by the " Ranger " and " Midway " Carrier battle groups at the onset of " Desert Storm " . General Norman Schwarzkopf flew aboard the USS Independence to command the battle group ; CBS Anchor Dan Rather reported from the USS Independence Flight Deck . VF 21 returned aboard the USS Independence to establish " Operation Southern Watch " immediately after Desert Storm . In August 1991 the squadron moved to Japan , when USS " Independence " took over the role of USS " Midway " in being the only carrier home ported outside the USA , at Yokosuka . During this change the squadron stayed with the same carrier but moved air wings , from CVW - 14 to CVW - 5 . This was , because the " Midway " air wing had been without " Tomcat " s , as the older ship could not accommodate the F - 14 ' s size and weight . During the whole VF - 21 ’ s F - 14 career , VF - 21 has been partnered by VF - 154 . The last cruise of the " Independence " was not without incident or tension . Along with the USS Nimitz ( CVN - 68 ) , " Independence " and her air wing were involved in operations to demonstrate US resolve in support of Taiwan . The 1995 Chinese military exercises once raised tension in the region and signaled China ' s opposition to Taiwans ' Presidential Election . VF - 21 returned from deployment on board the " Independence " in late 1995 . Unfortunately this was their last at sea period and the squadron was soon after disestablished , the official ceremony was on the January 31 , 1996 .