Fighter Squadron 41 (FITRON 41) VF-41 ‘Black Aces’
STATUS:		established as VF-41 on September 1, 1950 VF-41 redesignated VFA-41 on December 1, 2001
AIRCRAFT:		Vought F4U Corsair (1951-53) McDonnell F2H Banshee (1953-57) McDonnell F3H Demon (1957-62) McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom II (1962-67 / 1973-74) McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II (1968-73) McDonnell Douglas F-4N Phantom II (1974-75) Grumman F-14A Tomcat (1977-2001)
DEPLOYMENTS:		January 1952 - May 1952 with CVG-6 aboard USS Midway (CVB 41) August 1952 - October 1952 with CVG-6 aboard USS Midway (CVB 41) December 1952 - May 1953 with CVG-6 aboard USS Midway (CVA 41) November 1953 - December 1953 with ATG-181 aboard USS Hornet (CVA 12) January 1954 - March 1954 with ATG-181 aboard USS Hornet (CVA 12) November 1954 - June 1955 with ATG-181 aboard USS Randolph (CVA 15) January 1956 - March 1956 with ATG-181 aboard USS Forrestal (CVA 59) October 1956 - May 1957 with ATG-181 aboard USS Bennington (CVA 20) May 1958 with ATG-181 aboard USS Intrepid (CVA 11) June 1958 - August 1958 with ATG-181 aboard USS Hornet (CVA 12) April 1959 - June 1959 with CVG-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) June 1960 - March 1961 with CVG-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) June 1961 - December 1961 with CVG-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) June 1963 with CVG-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) August 1963 - March 1964 with CVG-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) June 1964 - July 1964 with CVW-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) September 1964 - November 1964 with CVW-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) May 1965 - December 1965 with CVW-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) June 1966 - February 1967 with CVW-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) April 1968 - January 1969 with CVW-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) August 1969 - September 1969 with CVW-6 aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) January 1970 - July 1970 with CVW-6 aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) January 1971 - July 1971 with CVW-6 aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) November 1971 - December 1971 with CVW-6 aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) February 1972 - December 1972 with CVW-6 aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) September 1973 - March 1974 with CVW-6 aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) January 1975 - July 1975 with CVW-6 aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) September 1977 - October 1977 with CVW-8 aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) December 1977 - July 1978 with CVW-8 aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) September 1979 - May 1980 with CVW-8 aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) August 1980 - October 1980 with CVW-8 aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) June 1981 - February 1982 with CVW-8 aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) November 1982 - May 1983 with CVW-8 aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) October 1984 - November 1984 with CVW-8 aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) March 1985 - October 1985 with CVW-8 aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) August 1986 - October 1986 with CVW-8 aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) December 1986 - July 1987 with CVW-8 aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) August 1988 - October 1988 with CVW-8 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) December 1988 - June 1989 with CVW-8 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) January 1990 - February 1990 with CVW-8 aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) December 1990 - June 1991 with CVW-8 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) March 1995 - September 1995 with CVW-8 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) March 1996 with CVW-8 aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) April 1997 - October 1997 with CVW-8 aboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) March 1999 - September 1999 with CVW-8 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) April 2001 - November 2001 with CVW-8 aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65)
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F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - 2001 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - 2001 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - 2001 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Enterprise (CVN 65) during refueling with an USAF KC-10 tanker - 2001 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - 2001 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - 2000 F-14A Tomcats (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - 2000 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - 2000 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1994 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1994 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1994 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 nose art on a F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1990 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - 1990 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - 1990 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - 1990 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - 1990 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - 1990 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - 1990 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - 1989 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Nimitz (CVN 68) - 1981 F-14A Tomcats (VF-41 & VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Nimitz (CVN 68) - 1980 F-14A Tomcat (VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Nimitz (CVN 68) launches an AIM-7 Sparrow missile - circa 1978 (courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum) F-4B Phantom II (VF-41 / CVW-6) embarked on USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) - 1973 (courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum) F-4J Phantom II (VF-41 / CVW-6) embarked on USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) - 1971 (courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum) F-4B Phantom II (VF-41 / CVW-6) with a RF-8A Crusader (VFP-63) over USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) - 1970’s (courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum) F-4B Phantom II (VF-41 / CVW-6) embarked on USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) - early 1970’s F-4J Phantom II (VF-41 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Independence (CVA 62) flying over NAS Oceana, Virginia - 1968/69 F-4B Phantom II (VF-41 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Independence (CVA 62) - 1965 F-4B Phantom II (VF-41 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Independence (CVA 62) - 1965 F-4B Phantom II (VF-41 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Independence (CVA 62) - 1964 F-4B Phantom II (VF-41) dropping Mk.82 bombs - 1962 (courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum) F3H-2 Demon (VF-41 / CVG-7) embarked on USS Independence (CVA 62) - 1961 (courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum) F3H-2 Demon (VF-41 / CVG-7) embarked on USS Independence (CVA 62) - 1961 (courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum) F2H-3 Banshee (VF-41 / ATG-181) embarked on USS Bennington (CVA 20) - 1956 (courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum) F2H-3 Banshee (VF-41 / ATG-181) embarked on USS Randolph (CVA 15) - 1954/55
history
1940s The “Fighting Forty-One” began on June 1, 1945 when it was commissioned at NAS Chincoteague, Virginia, flying the Vought F4U-4 Corsair. In July 1948, the squadron was designated Fighter Squadron 3B (VF-3B), only to be re-designated VF-41 in September of the same year. The squadron made early deployments to the Mediterranean aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt and USS Midway. 1950s After being decommissioned for a short period, the Black Aces were re-commissioned in 1950 at NAS Oceana. The Black Aces began flying the McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee in 1953, deploying to the Mediterranean and Far East aboard USS Independence. In 1959, the Banshee was replaced by the McDonnell F3H-2 Demon. 1960s In February 1962, VF-41 transitioned to the McDonnell F-4B Phantom II and made a special deployment to Key West, Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In May 1965, the Black Aces deployed to the western Pacific for seven months of combat operations in Vietnam. They flew a wide range of missions: fighter cover, reconnaissance escort, flak suppression and day/night interdiction. 1970s The next five deployments [(Flying the F-4J,B,N)] were on USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42) with CVW-6 tail code AE (awarded the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation for period March 9, 1972 through December 1, 1972). VF-41 transitioned from the F-4J to the F-4B in 1973 and (as an 18 aircraft squadron) was on USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42) during the Yom Kippur War providing escorts for Operation Nickel Grass. They were part of the peacekeeping force that helped keep the truce after the October War. In 1974, VF-41 transitioned from the F-4B to the F-4N and conducted their last cruise with the Phantom aboard Roosevelt in 1975. During that year VF-41 was awarded the COMNAVAIRLANT Safety “S”, which they also would receive in 1981, 1989 and 1992. In April 1976 VF-41 transitioned to the Grumman F-14 Tomcat and their first cruise began in December 1977 as part of CVW-8 on the USS Nimitz, the first of the Nimitz Class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers to join the Atlantic Fleet. More cruises followed in 1978 and 1979, both to the Mediterranean Sea. 1980s In 1980, Nimitz and CVN-68 took part in a round the Horn cruise. While on this cruise, the carrier served as the seaborne base in response to the Iran hostage crisis and the subsequent attempted rescue of the U.S. Embassy hostages from Iran. VF-41 (and the rest of the battle group) spent 144 continuous days at sea, the longest period the squadron had spent at sea without break since World War II. During workups for the 1981–1982 Mediterranean cruise, an EA-6B Prowler piloted by Marine Lieut. Steven E. White, crashed on the deck of the Nimitz. Upon crashing onto the deck, the EA-6B Prowler rammed broadside into a "six pack" of fueled F-14 Tomcats causing a fuel fire and ordnance to explode, including an AIM-7 Sparrow missile. The incident, which caused only superficial damage to the Nimitz, resulted in three F-14s destroyed, 45 injured sailors and fourteen casualties with VF-41 losing three shipmates. While on deployment in the Mediterranean Sea on August 19, 1981, during a routine combat air patrol mission over the Gulf of Sidra, two Libyan Su-22 “Fitter” aircraft were shot down by Black Aces aircraft. The incident marked the first Navy air combat confrontation since the Vietnam War and the first ever for the F-14A Tomcat. It was the first time a variable wing geometry aircraft shot down another variable wing geometry aircraft. 1981 was also the first year in which the Black Aces won the COMNAVAIRLANT Battle Efficiency "E", signifying them as the most efficient squadron in the Atlantic Fleet. VF-41 was also awarded the Battle “E” in 1985 and 1989. In November 1982, the squadron embarked on an extended deployment off the coast of Beirut, Lebanon, in support of a multinational peacekeeping force. During 1985, VF-41 spent 68 days off the coast of Lebanon in response to the hijacking of TWA Flight 847. If not that situation had been solved by other means, it's quite probable that VF-41 (and its sister squadron VF-84) would have been employed in the same way as VF-74 and VF-103 during the Achille Lauro incident, to intercept the hijackers and force them down to be arrested. The 1986 cruise was the last with Nimitz; it began in December and ended in June 1987 when Nimitz got to her new home in San Diego. In October that year, CVW-8 was deployed with USS Theodore Roosevelt and the first cruise was in the North Atlantic for Exercise Teamwork ’88 which involved operations with the Royal Norwegian Air Force and the first Mediterranean deployment was in December. 1990s On December 28, 1990, VF-41 embarked on Theodore Roosevelt to support Operation Desert Shield, arriving in the Persian Gulf shortly after hostilities with Iraq began. By the end of the war, the squadron had amassed over 1,500 combat flight hours. After the war, the Black Aces remained in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea as part of a military presence enforcing the Operation Desert Storm cease fire until late April 1991, when the squadron was tasked with providing air support for ground forces assisting Kurdish refugees in Northern Iraq during Operation Provide Comfort. VF-41 was soon training for the F-14’s new role: air-to-ground bombing. In late 1991, VF-41 had flown over 46,500 hours without an accident over a period of 11 years. In 1995 VF-84 was disestablished and VF-41 picked up the TARPS mission. The disestablishment of VF-84 was the only occasion in which a TARPS capable unit was disestablished instead of a non-TARPS capable unit. In early 1995 VF-41 deployed on a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf and the Adriatic Sea. During this cruise VF-41 conducted combat operations in support of Operation Deliberate Force and Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia and Herzegovina and Operation Southern Watch over Iraq. On September 5, 1995, two VF-41 F-14A’s dropped laser-guided bombs for the first time in combat during Operation Deliberate Force. The target was an ammunition dump in eastern Bosnia. The bombs were guided by F/A-18s. VF-41 adopted the slogan “First To Fight, First To Strike” in recognition of being the first F-14 squadron to score air-to-air kills and drop bombs in combat. During this deployment VF-41 logged over 600 combat hours and 530 sorties. In 1996, VF-14 joined VF-41 in CVW-8 and thus CVW-8 was one of few air wings in the US Navy with two F-14 squadrons, rather than one. CVW-8 deployed onboard USS John C. Stennis in February 1996, for a Joint Fleet Exercise. This was followed by deployed operations to the North Atlantic while embarked in USS John F. Kennedy with port calls to Dublin, Ireland and Portsmouth, England. In April 1997, CVW-8 embarked in USS John F. Kennedy for a Mediterranean Sea / Persian Gulf deployment. During this deployment, CVW-8 participated in numerous exercises and detachments including Infinite Acclaim, Beacon Flash and Invitex. During Invitex the Air Wing completed over 350 sorties including 203 sorties in a single day of surge operations. This deployment also included operations over Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operation Deliberate Guard and over Iraq in support of Operation Southern Watch. In 1999, USS Theodore Roosevelt departed for the Mediterranean and joined NATO forces for Operation Allied Force. VF-41’s first strike was against an ammunition storage facility in Pristina, Kosovo on April 6. In July, Theodore Roosevelt was ordered to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch, where VF-41 became the first squadron to expend ordnance in two theatres on a single deployment. VF-41 logged over 1,100 combat hours during 384 sorties and dropped over 160 tons of laser-guided munitions with an unprecedented 85% success rate in support of Operation Allied Force and Operation Southern Watch. The squadron won the RADM Wade McClusky Award in 1999, which previously been given only to A-6 and F/A-18 units. This marked the first time an F-14 squadron won the award. 2000s In April 2001, VF-41 embarked on their final F-14 cruise aboard USS Enterprise, supporting Operation Southern Watch and Operation Enduring Freedom. As the carrier headed for home, they were given order to head to the Gulf of Oman after the September 11, 2001 Attacks. During the build-up to war, VF-41 conducted several TARPS missions near the Pakistani/Afghani-border. The USS Enterprise/CVW-8 were the night carrier during OEF and thus didn’t see action until October 8, when VF-41 attacked several cave complexes. One of the first target hit was the Shindand airbase, in western Afghanistan, where the Taliban were storing aircraft, radar and vehicles. Upon return to the US in November, VF-41 had dropped over 200,000 lbs of ordnance (202 laser-guided bombs). Shortly after their return in late 2001, VF-41 transitioned to the F/A-18F Super Hornet and was redesignated VFA-41. source: wikipedia
patches
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