VF-143

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Fighter Squadron 143
Fighter Squadron 143 (United States Navy) insignia c1957.png
VF-143 squadron insignia
Active20 July 1950 – 1 April 1958
CountryUnited States
Branch United States Department of the Navy Seal.svg United States Navy
Role Fighter aircraft
Part ofInactive
Nickname(s)Kingpins
Engagements Korean War
Aircraft flown
Fighter F4U-4 Corsair
F9F-6 Cougar
FJ-3M Fury

Fighter Squadron 143 or VF-143, also known as the World Famous Pukin' Dogs, [1] is an aviation unit of the United States Navy originally established as a Naval Reserve squadron VF-821 on 20 July 1950. It was redesignated VF-143 on 4 February 1953 and deactivated on 1 April 1958. [2] In June 1962, the squadron was reactivated, and currently is flying the F/A-18E as part of Carrier Air Wing 7 at Naval Air Station Oceana. [3]

Contents

Operational history

VF-143 F9F-6 lands on USS Kearsarge in 1953 F9F-6 of VF-143 landing on USS Kearsarge (CVA-33) 1953.jpg
VF-143 F9F-6 lands on USS Kearsarge in 1953
VF-143 FJ-3M lands on USS Hancock in 1957 FJ-3M of VF-143 landing on USS Hancock (CVA-19) 1957.jpg
VF-143 FJ-3M lands on USS Hancock in 1957

VF-821 equipped with F4U-4 Corsairs was deployed on USS Princeton to the waters off Korea from 30 May – 12 September 1951. [4] The squadron lost 4 F4Us and 3 pilots killed during this deployment. [5]

In June 1952 VF-821 now re-equipped with F9F-6 Cougars was again deployed to Korea on USS Essex under the command of Damon W. Cooper. The deployment ended on 6 February 1953 without the squadron losing any aircraft. [6]

VF-143 was embarked on the USS Philippine Sea in 1955.

VF-143 was embarked on the USS Hancock for a western Pacific deployment from 6 April to 18 September 1957.

VF-143 was reactivated in June 1962 at Naval Air Station Miramar, and embarked aboard the USS Constellation (CV-64) later that year. The squadron insignia changed to the 'Griffin' and they were called the 'Pukin Dogs'.

Home port assignments

Aircraft assignment

See also

References

  1. ↑ Pedersen, Dan (2019). Top Gun: An American Story. New York, NY: Hachette Books. p. 187. ISBN   9780316416269.
  2. ↑ "Lineage for Fighter Squadrons" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  3. ↑ Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (4 March 2024). "VFA-143". VFA-143. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  4. ↑ "Ships & Other Units Eligible for the Korean Service Medal". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  5. ↑ Campbell, Douglas (2013). U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and MATS Aircraft Lost During the Korean War. Lulu Enterprises Incorporated. p. 155. ISBN   9781304610737.
  6. ↑ Thompson, Warren (2014). F9F Panther Units of the Korean War. Osprey Publishing. p. 53. ISBN   9781782003526.
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