VFA - 103 Strike Fighter Squadron 103 ( VF - 103 ) , nicknamed the Jolly Roger s is an aviation unit of the United States Navy established in 1952 . VFA - 103 flies the F / A - 18F Super Hornet and is based at Naval Air Station Oceana , Virginia ( USA ) . The squadron ' s radio callsign is " Victory " and it is assigned to Carrier Air Wing Seven . Insignia and nicknames . The original VF - 103 squadron insignia was a cloverleaf , and the aircraft tailfins had a horizontal yellow arrow outlined in black . Later a stylized aircraft darting through the leaf was added , along with a baseball bat . The baseball stemmed from an early skipper who often carried one with him . In 1991 , VF - 103 ' s aircraft used the squadron insignia for tail - art , in place of the bold arrow . When the " Sluggers " became the " Jolly Rogers " they adopted the famous white skull - and - crossbones . The " Jolly Rogers " have always displayed some of the most recognizable squadron markings in the world : sinister white skull - and - crossbones on all - black tails , with gold bands wrapped around the tip of the tail fins , and black bands with gold chevrons ( known as vagabonds strips from the Crusader days of VF - 84 ) run down the sides of the forward fuselage . History . Three distinct U . S . Naval Aviation squadrons have used the name and insignia of the Jolly Roger : " VF - 61 " ( originally VF - 17 ) , " VF - 84 " , and " VFA - 103 " . While these are distinctly different squadrons that have no lineal linkage , they all share the same " Jolly Roger " name , the skull and crossbones insignia and traditions . The first incarnation of the " Jolly Rogers " was established on January 1 , 1943 at NAS Norfolk , as VF - 17 , flying the F4U Corsair . Inspired by the piratical theme of the aircraft ' s name , VF - 17 ' s commanding officer Tommy Blackburn selected the Jolly Roger as the squadron ' s insignia . " VF - 17 " was redesignated as " VF - 5B " in 1946 , and as " VF - 61 " in 1948 . While in existence , VF - 61 flew the F6F - 5 Hellcat , F4U - 1 Corsair , F8F - 2 Bearcat , F9F - 2 / 4 Panther , F9F - 8 Cougar , and F3H - 2M Demon , and was disestablished on April 15 , 1959 . The second squadron to be called " Jolly Rogers " was VF - 84 , activated on July 1 , 1955 . This squadron was initially known as the " Vagabonds " , but assumed the " Jolly Rogers " name on April 1 , 1960 . This squadron flew the FJ - 3 Fury , F - 8C Crusader , F - 4B / J / N Phantom II , and F - 14A Tomcat before deactivation on September 29 , 1995 . After disestablishment of VF - 84 , the " Jolly Rogers " name and insignia were adopted by VF - 103 , which later became VFA - 103 , the subject of this article . There has been only one squadron designated VF - 103 . 1950s . VF - 103 ( the " Sluggers " ) was activated in 1952 as an F4U Corsair squadron . After a few years flying the F9F Cougar , VF - 103 was one of the first squadrons to transition to the F - 8 Crusader . Once the transition was completed they were teamed up with VF - 102 on board " Forrestal " . Prior to the introduction of the supersonic Crusader jets , American carrier battle groups were often embarrassed by British bombers during allied exercises as the RAF English Electric Canberra s had always been able to make mock attacks on U . S . carriers with impunity . At the time , the U . S . fighters simply could not put up much resistance . While cruising in Europe , VF - 103 learned of a revolutionary new air combat tactic known as the Dutch Rudder from their European brethren . Its use made a significant improvement in survivability during later combat deployments . During the 1958 Mediterranean cruise , British pilots were surprised when VF - 103 tore through their formation of Canberras before they even had a chance to start their simulated attack . 1960s . The " Sluggers " became an F - 4 Phantom II squadron during the Vietnam War . 1970s . When the war escalated in the summer of 1972 , the " Sluggers " were with Carrier Air Wing Three ( CVW - 3 ) aboard " Saratoga " , which was rushed to the South China Sea in an attempt to deter a second North Vietnam ese invasion of the South . On August 10 , Lieutenant Commander Robert Tucker and Lieutenant Junior Grade Stanley Edens shot down a MiG - 21 ' Fishbed ' with an AIM - 7 Sparrow missile during a night interception . It was the first and only night MiG kill by the US Navy . 1980s . In January 1983 , VF - 103 was among the last fighter squadrons to transition to the F - 14 Tomcat . The squadron conducted the first East Coast fighter squadron ’ s low altitude AIM - 54 Phoenix missile shoot a month later . In October 1985 , VF - 103 and VF - 74 participated in the interception of the Egypt ian 737 carrying the Achille Lauro hijackers . During a long range night intercept by VF - 74 and VF - 103 , the 737 was forced to land at NAS Sigonella , Sicily . The terrorists were taken into custody and then set free by Italian authorities . VF - 103 and the rest of the airwing participated in Operation Attain Document and Operation El Dorado Canyon in the spring of 1986 . In 1989 VF - 103 transitioned to the F - 14A + ( now known as the F - 14B ) 1990s . VF - 103 , along with VF - 74 , took the more powerful breed of the Tomcat to sea in August 1990 . When Kuwait was invaded by Iraq the same month , " Saratoga " was in the Mediterranean and soon joined " Dwight D . Eisenhower " in the Red Sea . VF - 103 and VF - 74 worked together to develop the fighter tactics which were used in Operation Desert Storm . When the war started in January 1991 , VF - 103 conducted fighter escort for the air wing ’ s strike packages , reconnaissance and bomb damage assessment and combat air patrols . On the fourth day of the war , while on an escort mission , a VF - 103 F - 14A + was shot down by what is believed to be an SA - 2 ' Guideline ' surface - to - air missile . After ejecting from his aircraft , the RIO ( Radar Intercept Officer ) , Lieutenant Larry Slade , was captured by Iraqi troops and held in Baghdad as a POW until the end of the war . The pilot , Lieutenant Devon Jones , was able to evade capture and , after eight hours deep in enemy territory , was rescued by USAF Special Forces . On October 1 , 1995 , VF - 84 was disestablished bringing an end to the " Jolly Rogers " . Not wanting the " Jolly Rogers " insignia to fade away , VF - 103 requested to do away with their " Slugger " moniker and adopt the " Jolly Rogers " name and insignia . Also in 1995 , VF - 103 conducted the fleet feasibility testing of the Air Force ' s LANTIRN targeting pod in a rapid prototyping initiative that led to adoption of the LANTIRN for the Tomcat community . When they deployed with " Enterprise " in the summer of 1996 , VF - 103 became the first Tomcat squadron to introduce the LANTIRN targeting pod to operational service . The LANTIRN radically improved the F - 14 ' s strike capabilities by providing an autonomous precision strike capability . In 1997 VF - 103 transferred from " Enterprise " to USS " Dwight D . Eisenhower " ( CVN - 69 ) , and set sail to former Yugoslavia in June 1998 in support of NATO operations in Kosovo . In November the carrier moved to the Persian Gulf in response to aggressive Iraqi posturing . 2000s . In June 2002 , VF - 103 and its carrier " George Washington " deployed to the North Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf and participated in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Southern Watch . VF - 103 supported Coalition forces in Afghanistan flying Close Air Support , Forward Air Controller and TARPS missions . VF - 103 was already on their way home by the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom in early 2003 . VF - 103 returned to the Persian Gulf for its final Tomcat cruise with " John F . Kennedy " on July 10 , 2004 and ten days later the squadron bombed an insurgent position . The unit participated in Operation Phantom Fury in October 2004 to provide aerial support over Falluja for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and Iraqi Army soldiers . During one mission an F - 14 from VF - 103 provided laser designation for an AH - 1 Cobra helicopter ’ s AGM - 114 Hellfire missile to destroy a building where insurgents had taken cover . This operation had never previously been attempted with a Hellfire , but the missile successfully hit the building , neutralizing the enemy fire that the US troops were receiving . The F - 14 crew was ordered to two drop additional GBU - 12 laser - guided bombs on the building , leveling the structure . After a last deployment on " John F . Kennedy " with Carrier Air Wing Seventeen and returning to NAS Oceana in December 2004 , VF - 103 gave up their F - 14B Tomcats and began transition to the F / A - 18F Super Hornet and transfer to Carrier Air Wing Seven . The squadron was officially re - designated as VFA - 103 in February 2005 . The first deployment with the F / A - 18F commenced in 2006 and ended in the spring of 2007 . During the cruise with USS Dwight D . Eisenhower , VFA - 103 and VFA - 143 supported Operations Iraqi Freedom , Enduring Freedom and operations off the Somali coast , and combined with VFA - 131 and VFA - 83 , they dropped 140 precision guided weapons and performed nearly 70 strafing runs . For their outstanding performance on this deployment , VFA - 103 was awarded the AIRLANT Battle " E " for both 2006 & 2007 , as well as the Wade McClusky Award as the best Attack Squadron in the US Navy for 2007 . VFA - 103 temporarily embarked with CVW - 17 in 2008 as " USS George Washington " sailed to the Pacific Ocean to replace USS Kitty Hawk ( CV - 63 ) in Japan . On February 21 , 2009 VFA - 103 and CVW - 7 embarked aboard " Eisenhower " 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 " was relieved by " Ike " . On 30 July 2009 , the Eisenhower returned to Naval Station Norfolk after almost a six - month deployment . 2010s . VFA - 103 and the rest of CVW - 7 embarked on board the USS Eisenhower on January 2 , 2010 for a six - month deployment in support of 5th and 6th Fleet operations . On July 27 , 2010 , the squadron returned home to NAS Oceana after completion of their latest deployment . After a successful maintenance and workup cycle , VFA - 103 embarked with CVW - 7 onboard USS Dwight D . Eisenhower on June 22 , 2012 for a scheduled nine month deployment in the 5th Fleet Area of Operations . However , due to changes in operational requirements , VFA - 103 , CVW - 7 and the Eisenhower returned to NAS Oceana on December 21 , 2012 , to perform maintenance in preparation of returning to sea shortly thereafter . VFA - 103 returned to sea on February 21 , 2013 after the short turnaround , and along with the rest of CVW - 7 and Carrier Strike Group Eight , supported operations in the 5th Fleet Area of Operations . After a combined eleven months at sea in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Persian Gulf presence operations , the Jolly Rogers returned to NAS Oceana on July 3 , 2013 . In honor of the Jolly Rogers ' 70th anniversary , the squadron undertook a massive redesign of the immensely recognizable skull and crossbones insignia , choosing to feature the original VF - 17 patches , colors , and tail fin .