VFA-105
| Strike Fighter Squadron 105 | |
|---|---|
_insignia.jpg)
VFA-105 Insignia
|
|
| Active | 1 November 1967 - present |
| Country | United States of America |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Type | Fighter / Attack |
| Part of | Carrier Air Wing Three |
| Garrison/HQ | Naval Air Station Oceana |
| Nickname(s) | "Gunslingers" |
| Motto(s) | "Tonight... we ride!" |
| Engagements |
Vietnam War Operation Southern Watch Operation Desert Fox Iraq War Operation Enduring Freedom |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
CDR Andrew P. Mariner, USN |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | A-7 Corsair II |
| Fighter | F/A-18E Super Hornet |
Strike Fighter Squadron 105 (VFA-105) also known as the "Gunslingers" is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The "Gunslingers" are an operational fleet squadron and fly the F/A-18E Super Hornet. Their radio callsign is "Canyon" and the tail code is AC.
VA-105's insignia was approved by the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) on 20 September 1968, and has remained essentially unchanged. The squadron gained the nickname "105th Light Attack and Twilight Pursuit Squadron" during the Vietnam War. "Twilight Pursuit" was a tongue-in-cheek reference to the fact that squadron aircraft carried the air-air AIM-9 Sidewinder missile. The nickname became somewhat more formally accepted in the months leading up to the 1974-75 Mediterranean Cruise. Appearing on squadron patches, belt buckles, (stickers and lighters) proudly worn by officers and enlisted men alike, the moniker was heavily promoted by the squadron's pilots. The current squadron often refers to itself as the "105th Strike Fighter and Twilight Pursuit Squadron".
Two distinct squadrons have been designated VA-105. The first VA-105 was established on 1 May 1952 and disestablished on 1 February 1959, and the second was later redesignated as VFA-105, the main subject of this article. Officially, the US Navy does not recognize a direct lineage with disestablished squadrons if a new squadron is formed with the same designation. Often, the new squadron will assume the nickname, insignia, and traditions of the earlier squadrons.
Attack Squadron 105 (VA-105) was established on 1 November 1967 at NAS Cecil Field, flying the new A-7A Corsair II. On 4 March 1968 the squadron completed A-7A training under VA-174 and became an operational Atlantic Fleet unit.
The squadron embarked on their first deployment to Southeast Asia aboard USS Kitty Hawk, participating in combat operations in the Gulf of Tonkin from January to October 1969. Following the shootdown of a Navy EC-121 by the North Koreans in April, Kitty Hawk was part of a continuing American presence being maintained off the coast of Korea.
...
Wikipedia