VF-96

File:F4U-4 Corsair over Korea in September 1951.jpg over Korea in September 1951]]

File:F9F-6s VF-142 on USS Randolph (CVA-15) 1954.jpg on {{USS|Randolph|CV-15|6}} in 1954]]

File:F-8C VF-142 after bolter on USS Oriskany (CVA-34) 1960.jpg on {{USS|Oriskany|CV-34|6}} in 1960]]

File:F-4B of VF-96 intercepting Soviet Tu-16 in 1963.jpg

VF-791 was assigned to Carrier Air Group 101 (CVG-101) aboard {{USS|Boxer|CV-21|6}} for a deployment to the Western Pacific and Korea from 2 March to 24 October 1951. During this deployment VF-783 lost 4 F4U-4s.{{cite book|last=Campbell|first=Douglas|title=U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and MATS Aircraft Lost During the Korean War|publisher=Lulu.com|year=2013|isbn=9781304610737|page=155}}

VF-142 was assigned to Carrier Air Group 14 (CVG-14) aboard {{USS|Randolph|CV-15|6}} for a Mediterranean deployment from 3 February to 6 August 1954.

VF-142 was assigned to CVG-14 aboard {{USS|Ranger|CV-61|6}} for a deployment to the Western Pacific from 3 January to 27 July 1959.

VF-142 was assigned to CVG-14 aboard {{USS|Oriskany|CV-34|6}} for a deployment to the Western Pacific from 14 May to 15 December 1960.

VF-142 was assigned to Carrier Air Group 11 (CVG-11) aboard {{USS|Kitty Hawk|CV-63|6}} for her voyage around South America from 11 August to 1 November 1961.

VF-96 was assigned to Carrier Air Wing Nine aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ranger for a deployment to the Western Pacific from 9 November 1962 to 14 June 1963.

VF-96 embarked aboard USS Ranger for a deployment to Vietnam from 5 August 1964 to 6 May 1965.

On 9 April 1965 an F-4B #151425 from VF-96 crashed into the sea following an engine flameout on launch for a four-plane combat air patrol.{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=82586|title=ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 82586|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|access-date=21 December 2015}} Later during the patrol an F-4B #151403 piloted by Lieutenant j.g. Terence M. Murphy and his RIO, Ensign Ronald Fegan, shot down a Chinese MiG-17 "Fresco" near Hainan, scoring the F-4 Phantom's first air-to-air victory. The Phantom was then shot down either by another MiG or, as enemy reports later indicated, an AIM-7 Sparrow from one of Murphy's and Fegan's wingmen.{{cite book|last=Burgess|first=Richard|title=The Naval Aviation Guide, 4th edition|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1985|isbn=0870214098|page=388}}{{cite book|last=Elward|first=Brad|title=US Navy F-4 Phantom II MiG Killers 1965-70|publisher=Osprey Publishing|year=2012|isbn=9781782006589|pages=7–9}} Murphy and Fegan were listed as killed in action, body not recovered.{{cite web |url=http://www.virtualwall.org/dm/MurphyTM01a.htm|title=Terence Meredith Murphy|work=The Virtual Wall|access-date=15 July 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.virtualwall.org/df/FeganRJ01a.htm|title=ENS Ronald James Fegan|work=The Virtual Wall|year=2012}}

VF-96 embarked aboard the aircraft carrier {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65|6}} for a deployment to Vietnam from 26 October 1965 to 21 June 1966.

On 12 February 1967, Lieutenant Commander Martin Sullivan and Lieutenant j.g. Paul Carlson flying F-4B #152219 crashed at sea during intercept training.{{cite web |url=http://www.virtualwall.org/dc/CarlsonPV01a.htm |title=LTJG Paul Victor Carlson |work=The Virtual Wall|access-date=21 December 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.virtualwall.org/ds/SullivanMJ02a.htm |title=LCDR Martin Joseph Sullivan |work=The Virtual Wall|access-date=21 December 2015}}

On 9 May 1968 USAF exchange pilot Captain John Heffernan and his RIO Lieutenant j.g. Frank Schumacher shot down a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) MiG-21 with an AIM-7.{{rp|60–62}}

File:Aircraft burning on USS Enterprise (CVN-65).jpg

Six squadron F-4Js were destroyed and ten crewmen killed during the USS Enterprise fire on 14 January 1969.

VF-96 embarked aboard {{USS|America|CV-66|6}} for a deployment to Vietnam from 10 April to 21 December 1970.

File:F-4J VF-96 Showtime 100 in flight.jpg

VF-96 embarked aboard {{USS|Constellation|CV-64|6}} for a deployment to Vietnam from 1 October 1971 to 1 July 1972. During this deployment, Lieutenant Duke Cunningham and Lieutenant j.g. William P. Driscoll of VF-96 scored their five aerial victories. On 19 January Cunningham and Driscoll shot down a MiG-21, on 8 May a MiG-17, and on 10 May they shot down three MiG-17s, becoming the only US Navy aces of the war. Three more VPAF MiG-17s were downed by two other VF-96 crews on 10 May, two by Lieutenant Michael J. Connelly and Lieutenant Thomas J. Blonski and one by Lieutenant Steven C. Shoemaker and Lieutenant j.g. Keith V. Crenshaw. All eight victories were scored with AIM-9 Sidewinders.

VF-96 again embarked on Constellation for its final Vietnam cruise from 5 January to 11 October 1973.

Between 21 June and 23 December 1974 the Fighting Falcons along with sister-squadron VF-92 made its last operational deployment with CVW-9, aboard Constellation, before being disestablished on 1 December 1975.

• NAS Jacksonville
• NAS Miramar

• F4U-5 Corsair
• F9F-6 Cougar
• F-8C Crusader
• F-4B/J Phantom II

• Pete Conrad
• Duke Cunningham
• William P. Driscoll
• Richard F. Gordon, Jr.
• Vincent O'Rourke
• Lawrence E. "Larry" Wear Jr.

• History of the United States Navy
• List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
• List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons

{{reflist}}

{{US Navy navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:VF-96}}

Category:Strike fighter squadrons of the United States Navy