VA-43 / VF-43 Challengers
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Patch
- It is not yet known what squadron patch, if any, was adopted at the establishment of VF-74-A (Fighter Squadron SEVENTY FOUR A), its successor VF-74 (Fighter Squadron SEVENTY FOUR) or its successor VF-1-B (Fighter Squadron ONE B). About the time VF-21 (Fighter Squadron TWENTY-ONE) began receiving F9F-2 Panthers (replacing F4U-5 Corsairs, the squadron took the moniker of "Mach Busters" or "Mach Knockers" and the "Mach Buster" patch was adopted. Three white diamonds adorn the back of the armored fist. The upper two represents the number "2" and the lower one represents the number "1" thereby denoting "21" for VF-21. A new patch was adopted by VA-43 (Attack Squadron FORTY-THREE) in 1961 and the squadron moniker was changed to "Challengers". The banner bearing ATKRON-43 was not attached to the mailed right fist patch. With the mission change from instrument training to an adversary role, VF-43 (Fighter Squadron FORTY-THREE) adopted the first VF-43 patch displayed above.
- First patch: possible VF-74A, VF-74, VF-1B and early VF-21 patch - design provided by Frank M. Natonick - reproduction by John T. Gabbard.
- Second patch: VF-21 Mach Busters or Mach Knockers - 1950, provided by Frank M. Natonick.
- Third patch: VA- Challengers provided by John T. Gabbard.
- Fourth patch: VF-43 Challengers - time unknown, provided by Gary Verver.
- Fifth, sixth and seventh patches: VF-43 drawn by Bud Southworth.
- Eight, nine, ten, eleven and twelve: provided by Gary Verver
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Handle
Heritage
- 01 MAY 1945: VF-74A (Fighter Squadron SEVENTY FOUR A) established.
- 01 AUG 1945: VF-74A redesignated VF-74
- 15 NOV 1946: VF-74 redesignated VF-1B
- 01 SEP 1948: VF-1B redesignated VF-21
- JUN 1958: FAWTULANT Det. B (Fleet All Weather Training Unit) absorbed by VF-21.
- 01 JUL 1959: VF-21 redesignated VA-43
- 01 JUN 1973: VA-43 redesignated VF-43
- 01 JUL 1994: VF-43 (Fighter Squadron FORTY THREE) disestablished.
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Home Ports
- 01 APR 1945: NAAF Otis Field, Camp Edwards, Falmouth, Massachusettes
- 194?: NAS Oceana, Virginia
- 29 NOV 1950: NAAS Weeksville, North Carolina
- 1951: NAS Oceana, Virginia
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Air Wings
- 01 NOV 1945: VF-74 - C-1xx - CVBG-74 - USS Midway, CVB-41
- SEP 1948: VF-21 - M-1xx - CVG-2 - USS Coral Sea, CVB-43
- Unknown time: VF-21 - C-1xx - CVG-6 - - USS FD Roosevelt, CVB-42
- 1953: - VF-21 - L-4xx - CVG-7 - USS Bennington, CVA-20
- 15 MAR 1958: VF-21 - AD - CVG-4 - USS Forrestal, CVA-59
- APR 1958: VF-21 - AD - RCVG-4 - USS Forrestal, CVA-59
- 20 DEC 1963: VA-43 - AD - RCVW-4 - Unknown
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Deployments
- 07 NOV 1945 - 02 JAN 1946: VF-74 F4U-4 C-1xx CVBG-74 USS Midway CVB-41 Caribbean (shakedown)
- 29 OCT 1947 - 11 MAR 1948: VF-1B F4U-4 M-1xx CVBG-1 USS Midway (CV-41) Mediterranean
- 03 MAY 1949 - 26 SEP 1949: VF-21 F4U-4 M-1xx CVG-2 USS Coral Sea (CVB-43) Mediterranean
- 22 NOV 1950 - 28 NOV 1950: VF-21 F4U-5NL & F9F-2 C-1xx CAG-6 USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42) Western Atlantic (Carrier qualifications)
- 10 JAN 1951 - 18 MAY 1951: VF-21 F9F-2 C-1xx CAG-6 USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42) Mediterranean
- 22 OCT 1951 - 15 NOV 1951: VF-21 F9F-2 C-1xx CAG-6 USS Midway (CVB-41) Caribbean (Operation "Land Flex")
- 09 JAN 1952 - 05 MAY 1952: VF-21 F9F-2 C-1xx CAG-6 USS Midway (CVB-41) Mediterranean
- 18 AUG 1952 - 23 AUG 1952: VF-21 F9F-7 C-1xx CAG-6 USS Midway (CVB-41) Western Atlantic (Carrier qualifications)
- 26 AUG 1952 - 08 OCT 1952: VF-21 F9F-7 C-1xx CAG-6 USS Midway (CVB-41) North Atlantic (Operation "Main Brace")
- 01 DEC 1952 - 19 MAY 1952: VF-21 F9F-7 C-1xx CAG-6 USS Midway (CVA-41) Mediterranean
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Aircraft
Commanding Officers
- 1947 - 1948: CDR E.P. Rankin (VF-1B)
- 1952: CDR R L. Johns (VF-21)
- JUL 1953: CDR G.D. Acker (VF-21)
- 1954: CDR F.X. Brady (VF-21)
- 1957 - 1958: LCDR J.L. Holbrook (VF-21)
- 1959: CAPT J.E. LaCouture
- MAY 1960: CDR J.K. Beling
- 1963: CDR A.J. Hall
- 1967: CDR D.L. Sutherland
- 1969: CDR J.W. Harris
- 1970: CDR H.L. Bullman
- 1971: CDR John G. Colgan
- 1972: CDR Chris R. Vatidis
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Events
- 01 APR 1945:
Fighter Squadron Forty-Three (VF-43) had its beginnings on April 1, 1945, when Fighter Squadron Seventy Four A (VF-74A) was formed at NAS Otis Field,
Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. The squadron was assigned to Carrier Air Group
Seventy-Four (CVG-74) aboard the USS Midway, (CVB-41). They were flying the
F4U Corsair during Midway's shakedown cruise in May 1947.
- 01 AUG 1945:
VF-74A redesignated VF-74.
- 07 OCT 1945:
VF-74, flying the F4U-4 Corsair, participated
in the Navy Day celebration as part of CVBG-74 on the USS Midway on the
Hudson River, New York.
- 01 - 28 MAR 1946:
VF-74 conducted local operations in the western Atlantic
and Arctic Circle Operations, Operation Frostbite, in the northern
Atlantic flying the F4U-4 Corsair as part of CVBG-74 aboard
the USS Midway.
- 15 NOV 1946:
VF-74 redesignated VF-1B.
- Early to Mid 1947:
VF-1B performed training operations in the Caribbean
flying the F4U-4 Corsair as part of CVBG-1 aboard the USS
Midway.
- SEP 1947:
VF-1B patricipated in Operation Sandy (V-2 Rocket
Launch), flying the F4U-4 Corsair as part ov CVBG-1 aboard the USS
Midway.
- A DAY ON CVB-41 (USS Midway) VF-l-B, ATLANTIC (As reported in NavAirNews - April 1948)
- All this happened in one day while Fighting One was operating in the
Mediterranean off the Midway. The incidents included the 12,000th landing
aboard, an unassisted take-off from a catapult, and a new member for the
Royale Order of The Flat Hats.
- INCIDENT ONE - LTJG Ralph R. Lang found himself in the
unenviable position of rolling along the catapult with full gun on but no
catapult assistance to his F4U-4B Corsair loaded with a full belly tank.
After being turned up to full power ready to be shot off, the hold
back ring prematurely broke. The man with the beard (he resembles Monty
Woolley), realizing his predicament, promptly seized the bull by the tail,
bent the throttle around the throttle quadrant, and flew off unassisted!
Lang was last seen disappearing over the horizon leaving a wake of
sea spray and frustrated flying fish.
In due time he joined the
squadron in the rendezvous area. Our hero upon landing aboard was heartily
congratulated by Captain A. K. Morehouse, skipper of the Midway, for his fine
demonstration of pilot skill and technique (plus luck!).
- INCIDENT TWO - The Air Group calls its junior officers Peons and
Peasants. Wheels are those officers of LCDR and up, as prescribed by CAG
CDR R. E. Riera. Peon (Ens.) Wallace R. Carter had the privilege of
adroitly maneuvering his Corsair in for the 12,000th landing
aboard the Midway.
- INCIDENT THREE - Ens. Carter had hardly climbed out of his aircraft
before CAPT Morehouse came down from the bridge to present Peasant (LTJG)
George W. Hoskins with the honorary title of Flat Hat, 3d Class.
It seems that Hoskins had flown his section somewhere between flight deck level
and the water's edge just under the fantail at a mere 400 knots on a
coordinated attack on the ship.
In a scene reminiscent of war days,
the captain, after concluding his flowery, humorously sarcastic speech,
turned, lifting from its pillow a misshapen blue sailor flat hat of the
extremely raunchy salty variety and placed it on the unbowed head of the
sheepishly-grinning Hoskins.
- 01 SEP 1948:
VF-1B was re-designated VF-21, and in March
1950, they began transitioning to the F9F-2 Panther and in 1954
to the F9F-6 Cougar, which they flew until 1955. They then
transitioned to the FJ-3 Fury, and to the F11F Tiger
in 1957. They were the first squadron to operate the F11F-4 Tiger
aboard a carrier, being assigned to USS Ranger, (CVA-61), and later for a short
time aboard USS Forrestal, (CVA-59).
- 01 APR 1954:
Three pilots of VF-21 flying F9F-6 Cougar
aircraft flew the first transcontentinal flight utilizing in-flight refueling
covering 2438 miles and doing so set a new west-to-east speed record of 3 hours,
45 minutes and 30 seconds. Read about it.
- 10 MAR 1958:
The Chief of Naval Operations established the
Replacement Air Group (RAG) concept. VF-21 was assigned the Grumman F11F-4
Tiger and designated the Atlantic F11F Tiger RAG
squadron at Naval Air Station Oceana.
- JUN 1958:
VF-21 absorbed FAWTULANT Det. B which included Lockheed
TV-2 Sea Stars, Beechcraft SNB Bug Smashers, North
American T-28 Trojans, and Grumman F9F-8T Cougars
and a number of personnel.
- 04 FEB 1959:
VF-21 received their first A4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawks at
Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Initial A4D-1 Skyhawk maintenance
certification training took place at NAS Jacksonville under the watchful eye of
VA-44 personnel. Certificate for Jerry L. Skipper, AEM3
- 01 JUL 1959:
Fighter Squadron TWENTY ONE (VF-21) was redesignated
Attack Squadron FORTY THREE (VA-43) at Naval Air Station Oceana.
The
squadron's mission was fleet replacement air group (RAG) training. The mission
involved A-4 Skyhawk flight training for pilots and maintenance
training for enlisted personnel. Under this concept, pilots and enlisted
personnel ordered to East Coast fleet Skyhawk squadrons completed the
course of instruction provided by VA-43 before reporting to their assigned
fleet squadrons.
- 1960:
VA-43 Challengers were assigned the A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk.
- 24 OCT to 31 DEC 1962:
VA-43 participated in the Cuban
Missile Crisis with a detachment on the United States Ship Essex (CVS-9).
- FEB 1965:
The VA-43 mission changed from A-4 RAG to instrument
training for east coast squadrons.
The VA-44 instrument training mission
and its compliment of TF9-J Cougar aircraft were transfered to
VA-43.
VA-43 A-4 Skyhawk aircraft were transfered to VA-44
and other squadrons.
- JUN 1967:
VA-43 began receiving TA-4J Skyhawk aircraft to
replace its TF9-J Cougar instrument trainers.
- O1 MAY 1970:
VA-43 control was transferred to Commander Fleet Air,
Norfolk, Virginia.
- 1973:
Attack Squadron FORTY THREE (VA-43) was redesignated as Fighter
Squadron FORTY THREE (VF-43) Challengers.
The squadron's mission changed
from fleet instrument training to an adversary mission for Atlantic fleet
squadrons.
- 01 JUL 1994:
Fighter Squadron FORTY THREE (VF-43) was disestablished.
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Awards
- 06 OCT 1953: (VF-21) AIRLANT Battle "E" Pennant.
- OCT 1962: (VA-43) NAS OCEANA'S "Golden Cadillac" (Symbolizing Support Equipment Care) was awarded VA-43 in recognition of excellent care given ground support equipment by the squadrons maintenance crews. This rolling symbol of excellence is awarded quarterly to the Oceana-based squadron judged tops in keeping vital group support equipment mission-ready. The Golden Cadillac is actually a dolled-up tractor, painted gold and silver, with white sidewall tires. As reported in NavAirNews November, 1962.
- 1973 (VF-43) CNO Safety Award.
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Sources
- John Gabbard
- Torg Anderson
- Howie Batts
- Peter E. Brown
- John T. Gabbard
- Harry S. Gann
- Randall Huston
- Michael Klaver
- Frank Mirande
- Frank M. Natonick
- Youthly Puresome
- Jerry Lynn Skipper
- Don Trask
- Dan Perrine
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