With the recent thread about the impending retirement of the Turkey, I’ve decided on another F-14 for the POTD…
Here’s a couple of VF-191 Tomcats takin’ a swig from a Whale operated by VAK-308.
USN Photo
The original VF-191 stood down in March 1978 while flying F-4s. The unit stood up once again in December of 1986, along with sister squadron VF-194, as part of CVW-10. However, due to budget cuts, both VF-191 and VF-194 were again disestablished in April of 1988 along with all but one squadron from CVW-10, giving these two fitrons the dubious honor of being the shortest-lived F-14 units in the US Navy.
While operating the F-14, VF-191 was known alternately as ‘Satan’s Kittens’ and ‘Hellcats’; the former being the official name of the original VF-191 and the latter being adopted from the newly-formed VF-191’s callsign. Both names were used interchangeably by the unit during its brief existence as an F-14 squadron.
As a semi-related bit of trivia, during the Korean War the Blue Angels were disbanded and reported for combat duty as part of VF-191, forming the nucleus of the then-newly established unit. While engaging in combat operations over Korea LCDR Johnny Magda, the Blues’ leader, became the first and only Blue Angels pilot to be killed in action.
You can read an account of that fateful mission HERE, written by LCDR Magda’s wingman.
Fade to Black…