Fighter Squadron 84 (FITRON 84) VF-84 ‘Vagabonds / Jolly Rogers’
STATUS:		established as VA-86 on July 1, 1955 VA-86 redesignated VF-84 on July 1, 1955 VF-84 disestablished on October 1, 1995 Nickname: Vagabonds (1955-59) / Jolly Rogers (1959-95)
AIRCRAFT:		North American FJ-3 Fury (1955-59) Vought F8U-2 Crusader (1960-62) Vought F-8C Crusader (1962-64) McDonnell F-4B/J/N Phantom II (1964-75) Grumman F-14A Tomcat (1976-95)
DEPLOYMENTS:		November 1956 - December 1956 with ATG-182 aboard USS Lake Champlain (CVA 39) January 1957 - July 1957 with CVG-1 aboard USS Forrestal (CVA 59) September 1957 - October 1957 with CVG-1 aboard USS Forrestal (CVA 59) May 1958 with ATG-181 aboard USS Intrepid (CVA 11) July 1958 - March 1959 with CVG-7 aboard USS Randolph (CVA 15) June 1960 - March 1961 with CVG-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) June 1961 - December 1961 with CVG-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) April 1962 - August 1962 with CVG-7 aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) October 1962 - November 1962 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) 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 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) 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) April 1982 - June 1982 with CVW-8 aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) 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 1993 - September 1993 with CVW-8 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)
images
F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) taking off from NAS Oceana, Virginia - 1994 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1993 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1993 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1992 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1992 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1992 excerpt from image above F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1992 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1992 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcats (VF-84 + VF-41 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) during aerial refueling with an USAF KC-135R - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1991 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1990 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - 1990 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - 1990 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) escorting a Sovjet Tupolev Tu-95 Bear - 1989 F-14A Tomcats (VF-84 / CVW-8) flying over USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1989 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1989 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) - 1989 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8 / CVN 71) at NAS Fallon, Nevada - 1988 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Nimitz (CVN 68) - 1987 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Nimitz (CVN 68) - 1987 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Nimitz (CVN 68) - 1986 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) at NAS Fallon, Nevada - 1986 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / CVW-8) embarked on USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) - 1982 F-14A Tomcat (VF-84 / 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-4N Phantom II (VF-84 / CVW-6) embarked on USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) flying over Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy - 1975 (National Naval Aviation Museum) F-4J Phantom II (VF-84 / CVW-6) embarked on USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) - 1972 F-4J Phantom II’s (VF-84 / CVW-6) embarked on USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) over Grand Canyon - 1970’s F-4J Phantom II’s (VF-84 / CVW-6) embarked on USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) over Grand Canyon - 1970’s F-4J Phantom II (VF-84 / CVW-6) embarked on USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA 42) - 1970 F-4B Phantom II (VF-84 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Independence (CVA 62) - 1964 (National Naval Aviation Museum) F-4B Phantom II (VF-84 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Independence (CVA 62) - 1964 (National Naval Aviation Museum) F-4B Phantom II (VF-84 / CVW-7) embarked on USS Independence (CVA 62) - 1964 F-8C Crusader (VF-84 / CVG-7) embarked on USS Independence (CV 62) - 1963 F-8C Crusader (VF-84 / CVG-7) embarked on USS Independence (CV 62) - 1963 F8U-2 Crusaders (VF-84 / CVG-7) embarked on USS Independence (CV 62) - early 1960’s FJ-3 Fury (VF-84 / CVG-7) embarked on USS Randolph (CVA 15) - 1958 (National Naval Aviation Museum) FJ-3 Fury (VF-84 / CVG-7) embarked on USS Randolph (CVA 15) - 1958 (National Naval Aviation Museum) FJ-3 Fury (VF-84 / CVG-7) embarked on USS Randolph (CVA 15) - 1958 (National Naval Aviation Museum) FJ-3M Fury (VF-84 / CVG-1) embarked on USS Forrestal (CVA 59) - 1957 FJ-3 Furies (VF-84 / CVG-1) embarked on USS Forrestal (CVA 59) - 1957 (National Naval Aviation Museum)
history
The second VF-84, initially known as the Vagabonds, was established on July 1, 1955, at NAS Oceana flying the FJ-3 Fury. After deactivation of VF-61 in 1959, VF-84's commanding officer, formerly with VF-61, requested to change his squadron's name and insignia to that of the Jolly Rogers. His request was approved on April 1, 1960. The squadron then was reassigned to Carrier Air Wing Seven and made a single deployment on the USS Randolph (CVA-15) in 1958/59. The squadron transitioned to the F8U-2 Crusader in 1959. VF-84 deployed aboard Independence during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Bay of Pigs incident, the squadron made several Mediterranean cruises on board the Independence. The squadron flew the F-8C Crusaders for several years prior to being introduced to the F-4B during 1964. In 1964, VF-84 transitioned to the F-4 Phantom II and flew the F-4B, F-4J and the F-4N until they transitioned to the F-14 Tomcat in early 1976. In 1965 the squadron deployed for 7 months on board Independence in the Gulf of Tonkin and flew 1507 combat sorties, logging 2200 flight hours over both North Vietnam and South Vietnam. From 1970 to 1975, VF-84 was assigned to Carrier Air Wing Six aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42) for four deployments to the Mediterranean Sea. Roosevelt's twenty-first Sixth Fleet deployment was marked by indirect participation in the October 1973 Yom Kippur War, as she served as a transit "landing field" for aircraft being delivered to Israel. The Roosevelt battlegroup, Task Force 60.2, also stood by for possible evacuation contingencies. Planes of VF-84 (temporarily assigned to VF-41 for the 1973-74 cruise and operating with VF-41 markings) escorted US transport planes to within 150 miles of Israel during Operation Nickel Grass, the resupply of Israel. After its transition to the F-14 was completed, the squadron embarked on its first cruise on Nimitz in December 1977. In 1979 the unit was the first TARPS capable squadron of the fleet. In 1980 it participated in the motion picture The Final Countdown which propelled the skull-and-crossbones-adorned F-14's to international stardom. The movie featured a memorable scene involving two VF-84 Tomcats engaging two Japanese A6M Zeros. In January 1980, Nimitz diverted from the Mediterranean to take up station in the Arabian Sea in response to the Iranian hostage crisis and in April participated in the failed hostage rescue attempt. In November 1983, the squadron embarked on an extended deployment off the coast of Beirut, Lebanon, in support of a multinational peacekeeping force. During 1985, VF-84 spent 68 days off the coast of Lebanon in response to the hijacking of TWA Flight 847. The squadron's last cruise with Nimitz lasted from December 1986 until June 1987, when Nimitz was rebased to Bremerton, WA. In October 1988, CVW-8 (the carrier wing of which VF-84 was a part) was deployed with Theodore Roosevelt, beginning in the North Atlantic for Exercise Teamwork '88 which involved operations with the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Roosevelt's first Mediterranean deployment was in December. In December 1990, Theodore Roosevelt deployed as the last carrier to join the Operation Desert Shield force. "TR" joined Ranger and Midway in the Persian Gulf and was later joined by America. Throughout the Gulf War, VF-84 flew combat air patrols for the fleet, escorting the Air Wing Eight’s strike aircraft and performing TARPS missions to collect bomb damage assessments. In total, squadron members flew 468 combat sorties. After the war, VF-84 flew an additional 111 sorties in support of Operation Provide Comfort before Roosevelt was relieved by Forrestal in June 1991. In March 1993, VF-84 deployed again on Theodore Roosevelt, the only F-14 squadron in a reconfigured airwing that included Marine F/A-18, CH-53 and UH-1 squadrons. VF-84 flew critical TARPS reconnaissance missions during Operation Deny Flight, providing information about Bosnian Serb positions around Sarajevo. The squadron also flew in support of Operation Southern Watch, enforcing the no-fly zone over southern Iraq. VF-84 returned to NAS Oceana in September 1993. It was to be the squadron's last Mediterranean deployment. Due to the downsizing of the Navy after the Cold War, the Navy disestablished several squadrons, and VF-84 was one of them. The squadron spent its last eighteen months of existence participating in several joint service operations, honing its skills in air-to-air combat, strike and TARPS. The squadron also made another memorable appearance in another motion picture, Executive Decision. VF-84 was disestablished on October 1, 1995, but VF-103 Sluggers adopted the name and insignia of the Jolly Rogers. From its transition to the F-14 until its disestablishment, VF-84 had been a part of CVW-8. source: wikipedia
patches
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