VF-31 Tomcatters

The VF-31 Tomcatters are the U.S. Navy's second oldest operating fighter squadron, next to the VF-14 Tophatters. They are based at NAS Oceana , their call sign is Felix, their tail code is NK, and they fly the F-14 Tomcat, though soon they will transition to the F-18 Hornet.

The Tomcatters began as the VF-1B Shooting Stars in July 1935, flying the Boeing F4B . Two years later, the Shooting Stars changed squadron designations to VF-6 and switched aircraft to the F3F Wildcat . Between 1937 and 1943 the squadron flew the F3F-2 and two variants of the Grumman F4F, ending with the F4F-4.

In July 1943, VF-6 swapped designations with VF-3 , The Felix Cat squadron, and began flying the F6F Hellcat. Both squadrons claimed the Felix mascot and call-sign after the switch, which caused a controversy for the next three years. Finally, in 1946, VF-3 became VF-3A , flying the F8F Bearcat, while VF-6 was decommissioned. The Chief of Naval Operations officially approved the adoption of the Felix the Cat name and call sign for VF-3A's use.

On August 7, 1948, VF-3A became the VF-31 Tomcatters. For almost four years the Tomcatters flew the F9F Panther, the squadron’s first jet aircraft. From 1952 to 1957, VF-31 flew the F2H Banshee. In 1957, the squadron switched to the F3H Demon, flying it through 1962. For two years after this the Tomcatters flew the F-3B variant before transitioning to the F-4 Phantom. After two years with the B model, the squadron switched to the F-4J, and flew this through 1981. Then in 1982 the Tomcatters began flying the F-14A Tomcat. VF-31 flew the F-14A for ten years before switching to its current aircraft, the F-14D Super Tomcat, in 1992.

Through the years the Tomcatters and their predecessors have served on many of the Navy's aircraft carriers, including the first, the USS Langley; the second, USS Langley; and the sixth, USS Enterprise. They were aboard USS Enterprise during the bombing of Pearl Harbor as well as the battles of Wake Island, Marcus Island, Midway, Guadalcanal, and the Eastern Solomon Islands. In 1980, VF-31 and USS Saratoga concluded a 24-year period of continuous service together, the longest in naval history.

The Tomcatters’ combat experience includes battles in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, as well as regional conflicts all over the world. In 1972, flying the F-4J Phantom, Tomcatter aircrew shot down a MiG-21 over North Vietnam and in doing so made VF-31 the only Navy fighter squadron to achieve aerial victories in three wars.

During its long history VF-31 has received the Battle "E" for the best fighter squadron in the Atlantic Fleet, the prestigious Admiral Joseph Clifton Award for the top fighter squadron in the Navy, and the Chief of Naval Operations Safety "S" award.

In late 1996, VF-31 returned from its second Western Pacific deployment aboard USS Carl Vinson, flying missions in the Persian Gulf and over southern Iraq in support of Operation Southern Watch and Operation Desert Strike . Following the cruise, the Tomcatters returned to NAS Oceana, where they stayed five years before moving to NAS Miramar.

History of the Felix Insignia

The squadron emblem is the famous cartoon character Felix the Cat, running with a large spherical bomb with a lighted 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.

Present day

The "Fighting 31" today specializes in night fighting -- their motto is "We get ours at night."

Currently the Tomcatters are resting at NAS Oceana, having returned from a five-month Western Pacific deployment on the USS John C. Stennis. During that deployment, the Tomcatters became the last U.S. Navy squadron to fly F-14 Tomcats in the Pacific Fleet. In 2006, the Tomcatters will hang up their Tomcats and begin to fly the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, on which the squadron must first be trained.

External links

Tomcatters Association