USS Langley (CV-1/AV-3) was the United States Navy's first aircraft carrier, converted in 1920 from the collier USS Jupiter, and also the US Navy's first turbo-electric-powered ship. Conversion of another collier was planned but canceled when the Washington Naval Treaty required the cancellation of the partially built Lexington-class battlecruisers Lexington and Saratoga, freeing up their hulls for conversion to the aircraft carriers Lexington and Saratoga. Langley was named after Samuel Langley, an American aviation pioneer. Following another conversion to a seaplane tender, Langley fought in World War II. On 27 February 1942, while ferrying a cargo of USAAF P-40s to Java, she was attacked by nine twin-engine Japanese bombers of the Japanese 21st and 23rd naval air flotillas and so badly damaged that she had to be scuttled by her escorts. She was also the only carrier of her class.
John Smith Thach was a World War II Naval Aviator, air combat tactician, and United States Navy admiral. Thach developed the Thach Weave, a combat flight formation which could counter enemy fighters of superior performance, and later the big blue blanket, an aerial defense against kamikaze attacks.
Forrest Percival Sherman was an admiral in the United States Navy and the youngest person to serve as Chief of Naval Operations until Admiral Elmo Zumwalt in 1970. The Forrest Sherman-class destroyer and the airfield at Naval Air Station Pensacola were named for him.
The Strike Fighter Squadron 14 (VFA-14) "Tophatters" are a United States Navy fighter attack squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. They fly the F/A-18E Super Hornet, and are the Navy's oldest active squadron, having formed in 1919. Their callsign is Camelot, and their tail code is NG.
VFA-31 or Strike Fighter Squadron 31 is known as the Tomcatters, callsign "Felix", a United States Navy strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet. The Tomcatters are the second oldest Navy Fighter Attack squadron operating today.
The Grumman F3F is a biplane fighter aircraft produced by the Grumman aircraft for the United States Navy during the mid-1930s. Designed as an improvement on the F2F, it entered service in 1936 as the last biplane to be delivered to any American military air arm. It was retired from front line squadrons at the end of 1941 before it could serve in World War II, and replaced by the Brewster F2A Buffalo. The F3F, which inherited the Leroy Grumman-designed retractable main landing gear configuration first used on the Grumman FF, served as the basis for a biplane design ultimately developed into the much more successful F4F Wildcat that succeeded the subpar Buffalo.
USS Cooper (DD-695), was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer of the United States Navy.
A carrier air wing is an operational naval aviation organization composed of several aircraft squadrons and detachments of various types of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Organized, equipped and trained to conduct modern US Navy carrier air operations while embarked aboard aircraft carriers, the various squadrons in an air wing have different but complementary missions, and provide most of the striking power and electronic warfare capabilities of a carrier battle group (CVBG). While the CVBG term is still used by other nations, the CVBG in US parlance is now known as a carrier strike group (CSG).
The Boeing F3B was a biplane fighter and fighter bomber that served with the United States Navy from 1928 into the early 1930s.
Fighter Squadron 11 or VF-11 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. It was originally established as VF-5 on 1 February 1927, redesignated as VF-5S on 1 July 1927, redesignated as VF-5B in January 1928, redesignated VB-1B on 1 July 1928, redesignated VF-5B on 1 July 1930, redesignated VF-5S in July 1932, redesignated VF-5B in April 1933, redesignated VF-4 on 1 July 1937, redesignated VF-41 on 15 March 1941, redesignated VF-4 on 4 August 1943, redesignated VF-1A on 15 November 1946, redesignated VF-11 on 2 August 1948 and disestablished on 15 February 1959. It was the second US Navy squadron to be designated VF-11.
Strike Fighter Squadron 81 (VFA-81), also known as the "Sunliners", is a United States Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana. They are currently assigned to Carrier Air Wing 1. Their mission is to conduct prompt and sustained combat operations from the sea. The squadron was originally designated VA-66 on 1 July 1955, was redesignated VF-81 the same day, redesignated VA-81 on 1 July 1959, and finally redesignated VFA-81 on 4 February 1988.
Attack Squadron 42 (VA-42) was a United States Navy attack squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The squadron was established as Fighter Squadron 42 (VF-42) on 1 September 1950, redesignated as VA-42 on 1 November 1953 and disestablished on 30 September 1994.
Attack Squadron 35 (VA-35) was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. The squadron's nickname is unknown. Its insignia, a winged dragon, was revised several times during its lifetime. The squadron was first established as Torpedo and Bombing Squadron 2 (VT-2) on 6 July 1925, and was redesignated as VT-2B on 1 July 1927, VT-3 on 1 July 1937, VA-4A on 15 November 1946, and, finally, VA-35 on 7 August 1948. The squadron was disestablished on 7 November 1949. It was the first squadron to carry the VA-35 designation, the second VA-35 was redesignated from VA-34 on 15 February 1950 and disestablished on 31 January 1995.
Second VA-35, nicknamed the Black Panthers, was a long-lived Attack Squadron of the U.S. Navy. It was the second squadron to be assigned the VA-35 designation.
VA-54 was an early and long-lived Attack Squadron of the U.S. Navy, operating under many designations during its 20-year life. It was established as Scouting Squadron VS-2B on 3 July 1928, and redesignated as VS-3 on 1 July 1937, and as Bombing Squadron VB-4 on 1 March 1943. It was redesignated as VB-5 on 15 July of that same year, and as Attack Squadron VA-5A on 15 November 1946. Finally, it was redesignated as VA-54 on 15 November 1946. VA-54 was disestablished on 1 December 1949. The squadron's insignia varied over its lifetime, depicting in turn a bird dog, a devil, and finally a bomb and five playing cards. Its nickname is unknown. It was the first squadron to be designated VA-54, a second VA-54 was redesignated from VF-54 on 15 June 1956 and disestablished on 1 April 1958.
VA-34, nicknamed the Blue Blasters, was an Attack Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Fighter Squadron VF-20 on 15 October 1943, redesignated as VF-9A on 15 November 1946, as VF-91 on 12 August 1948, and as VF-34 on 15 February 1950. It was finally redesignated VA-34 on 1 July 1955. The squadron was disestablished on 1 June 1969. It was the second squadron to bear the VA-34 designation, the first one having been renamed VA-35 in 1950.
Fighting Squadron 2 or VF-2 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. Originally established as VF-2 on 1 January 1927, it was redesignated VF-2B on 1 July 1927, redesignated as VF-2S on 1 July 1932, redesignated as VF-2B in April 1933, redesignated as VF-2 on 1 July 1937, it was disestablished on 1 July 1942. It was the second US Navy squadron to be designated as VF-2.
Fighting Squadron 72 or VF-72 was an aviation unit of the U.S. Navy, originally established as VF-7 on 1 July 1939, it was redesignated as VF-72 on 19 November 1940 and disestablished on 29 March 1943.
Albert Ogden "Scoop" Vorse Jr. was an accomplished United States Navy aviator and flying ace of World War II who participated in some of the most prominent actions of the Pacific theater, including the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Guadalcanal Campaign. Vorse served in early fighter squadrons with legendary figures like Butch O'Hare and Jimmy Thach. Rising in rank throughout the war, he would act as executive officer and operations officer in different squadrons before being given command of his own squadron, VF-80, the eponymous Vorse's Vipers, assigned to Carrier Air Group 80 (CVG-80) on the USS Ticonderoga. Vorse ended the war as commander of CVG-80 and ultimately achieved rear admiral rank before his retirement in 1959.
United States 
United States Navy 
