VFA-31
| Strike Fighter Squadron 31 | |
|---|---|
VFA-31 Insignia
|
|
| Active | July 1, 1935 - present |
| Country | United States of America |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Type | Fighter/Attack |
| Role |
Close air support Air interdiction Aerial reconnaissance |
| Part of | Carrier Air Wing Eight |
| Garrison/HQ | NAS Oceana |
| Nickname(s) | "Tomcatters" |
| Motto(s) | "We get ours at night." |
| Colors | Yellow and Black |
| Mascot(s) | Felix the Cat |
| Engagements |
World War II Korean War Vietnam War Operation Southern Watch Iraq War Operation Enduring Freedom |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter |
F3F F4F Wildcat F6F Hellcat F9F Panther F2H Banshee F3H Demon F-4 Phantom II F-14 Tomcat F/A-18E Super Hornet |
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 squadron was originally known as the Shooting Stars. The original "Felix the Cat" squadron was VF-3. After the Battle of Midway, VF-3 and VF-6 swapped designations on 15 July 1943, resulting in a three-year controversy as to which squadron owned the Felix name and emblem until VF-3 was re-designated VF-3A on 15 November 1946, and awarded the official approval to adopt Felix the Cat by the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). VF-3A was then re-designated VF-31 on August 7, 1948.
The emblem and mascot is the famous cartoon character Felix the Cat, running with a large spherical black bomb with a lit fuse. The yellow field and outline were omitted from the aircraft and four stars at the end of a pair of sweeps were added. This emblem can be seen on the fuselage of the aircraft above the wing.
Several well-known aviators have flown with Felix on their shoulders, including Charles Lindbergh and Butch O'Hare.
The nickname Tomcatters was adopted in 1948.
Two US Navy squadrons have held the designation VF-31. The first to be designated VF-31 was in existence from May 1943 to Oct 1945 and is not related to the subject of this article. The second VF-31 has a direct lineage to the current VFA-31 " Tomcatters".
VFA-31, was originally established as VF-1B on July 1, 1935 flying the F4B, making it the second oldest active US Navy squadron behind VFA-14 which was originally established in 1919.
On 1 July 1937, the squadron combined with VF-8B and was redesignated VF-6, flying the F3F. Between the years 1937 and 1943 VF-6 flew the F3F-1 and two variants of the F4F Wildcat and ended with the F4F-4.
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