Second VA-34 (U.S. Navy)



This VA-34, nicknamed the Blue Blasters, was an Attack Squadron of the U.S. Navy. It was the second of three squadrons to bear the VA-34 designation. The squadron was established as Fighter Squadron VF-20 on 15 October 1943, redesignated as VF-9A on 15 November 1946, as VF-91 on 12 August 1948, and as VF-34 on 15 February 1950. It was finally redisignated VA-34 on 1 July 1955. The squadron was disestablished on 1 June 1969.

Significant events

 * 16 Apr 1944: The squadron departed NAS Alameda aboard Essex (CV 9) en route to Hawaii for four months of operational training prior to its first combat tour.


 * 31 Aug 1944: Combat strikes were flown against the Bonin Islands. This was the squadron’s first combat action.


 * 24–25 Oct 1944: The squadron participated in the Battle for Leyte Gulf, sometimes referred to as the Second Battle of the Philippines Sea. VF-20 aircraft struck elements of all three Japanese Task Forces which were converging on Leyte Gulf.


 * Aug–Nov 1944: The squadron flew strikes against targets on the Bonin Islands, Yap and Palau Islands, Peleliu Island, Okinawa, Formosa, Luzon, and Leyte.


 * 14 Dec 1944: Lieutenant (jg) Douglas Baker was on a strike mission against Clark Field on Luzon when he encountered Japanese fighter opposition. During this engagement he destroyed four Japanese aircraft before being shot down by antiaircraft fire and lost in the action. This final action brought his air-to-air kills to 16, making him one of the high ranking aces for the Navy. Only eight other Navy pilots equalled or exceeded this record.


 * Dec 1944–Jan 1945: VF-20 engaged in another series of combat actions, flying missions against targets on and around Luzon, Formosa, French Indochina (Vietnam), Hong Kong, the South China Sea, and Okinawa. Many of these operations were in support of the landings at Lingayen Gulf.


 * 22 Jan 1945: This was the last day of combat action for the squadron during World War II. During the period from 31 August 1944, the squadron compiled a formidable combat record. There were 8 aces (9 counting the Commander of CVG-20 who flew the squadron’s aircraft), 12 individuals received the Navy Cross and 22 individuals received the Silver Star. VF-20 credits itself with the destruction of over 15 ships and 407 aircraft, not counting an even greater number that were damaged but not destroyed.


 * Feb 1945: Embarked in Kwajalein (CVE 98) at Ulithi and departed for the United States, arriving there in the latter part of the month. Jul–Sep 1948: In cooperation with Commander Operational Development Force, Atlantic Fleet, the squadron participated in the experimental carrier controlled approach program aboard Philippine Sea (CV 47).


 * Apr 1953: The squadron embarked on Antietam (CVA 36) with its F2H-2s to conduct evaluation tests on the Navy’s first angled deck carrier. 26 May 1954: The squadron was aboard Bennington (CVA 20), en route to the Mediterranean Sea, when an explosion aboard ship resulted in the death of 7 squadron personnel. The ship returned to the States and the squadron disembarked. 31 Oct 1954: Ensign Duane L. Varner completed a 1,900 mile nonstop, non-refueling, transcontinental flight from Los Alamitos, California, to NAS Cecil Field, Florida, in a squadron F2H-2 Banshee. His flight took 3 hours and 58 minutes and set a new long distance record for the Banshee. 4 Mar 1958: During cross-deck operations the squadron landed its A4D-1 Skyhawks aboard HMS Ark Royal.


 * Jul 1958: VA-34 flew support missions during the amphibious landings in Beirut, Lebanon, by U.S. Marines.


 * Jun 1959: Operating from NAAS Mayport, the squadron conducted the first operational firing of the Bull Pup air-to-ground missile in the Atlantic Fleet. Apr 1961: VA-34’s A4D-2 Skyhawks operated from Essex (CVS 9) in the Caribbean Sea during the Bay of Pigs invasion. This operation involved the first use of jet attack aircraft as part of an ASW Air Group, CVSG- 60, operating aboard an ASW designated carrier.


 * 26 Oct–18 Nov 1962: During the Cuban missile crisis the entire squadron flew aboard Enterprise (CVAN 65) on 26 October to augment the assigned air wing. Enterprise had departed for the Caribbean on 19 October. VA-34 flew numerous missions in support of Cuban quarantine.


 * 18–26 Nov 1962: On 18 November the squadron transferred from Enterprise to Independence (CVA 62) during the quarantine operations. VA-34 continued to fly quarantine missions aboard Independence until her return to the States on 26 November. 3–21 Dec 1962: The squadron was aboard Saratoga (CVA 60) for carrier refresher training in the Caribbean and continued operations relating to the Cuban missile crisis.


 * Dec 1963 and Jan–Feb 1964: The squadron provided detachments of A-4C Skyhawks aboard Intrepid (CVS 11) and Randolph (CVS 15). The aircraft were used for Combat Air Patrol to provide a fighter capability for the ASW carriers.


 * May–Dec 1967: VA-34 deployed to Vietnam as a component of an Attack Carrier Air Wing (CVW-10) embarked in Intrepid (CVS-11). This was the squadron’s first combat action since 1945.

Home port assignments
The squadron was assigned to these home ports, effective on the dates shown: * During the squadron’s Pacific tour from April 1944 to February 1945 it operated from numerous air and shore stations.
 * NAS San Diego – 15 Oct 1943*
 * NAS Atlantic City – 16 Apr 1945
 * NAAS Edenton – 26 Jun 1945
 * NAAS Elizabeth City – 02 Nov 1945
 * NAAS Charlestown – 11 Mar 1946
 * NAS Quonset Point – 01 May 1947
 * NAAS Charlestown – 26 Jun 1948
 * NAS Quonset Point – 01 Dec 1949
 * NAAS Sanford – 01 May 1951
 * NAS Jacksonville – 06 Oct 1952
 * NAS Cecil Field – 04 Feb 1953

Aircraft Assignment
The squadron first received the following aircraft on the dates shown:
 * F6F-3 Hellcat – Oct 1943
 * F6F-5 Hellcat – Jul 1944
 * F8F-1 Bearcat – 03 Apr 1946
 * F8F-2 Bearcat – 03 Dec 1948
 * F9F-2 Panther – 27 Nov 1950
 * F2H-2 Banshee – 14 Feb 1952
 * F7U-3 Cutlass – 06 Oct 1955
 * A4D-1 Skyhawk – Jan 1957
 * A4D-2 Skyhawk – Nov 1958
 * A4D-2N/A-4C Skyhawk – 07 Jul 1962