VFA-27
Encyclopedia
Strike Fighter Squadron 27 (VFA-27), also known as the "Royal Maces", are a United States Navy
F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi
. They are a part of Carrier Air Wing 5 and are attached to the USS George Washington (CVN-73)
. Their tail code
is NF.
The squadron’s insignia was approved by the CNO
on 25 March 1968, and consisted of a light blue glove and black mace. They were nicknamed the Royal Maces.
, and in January 1968, the squadron officially reported to Carrier Air Wing 14. In May 1968, as the Vietnam War
continued, the Royal Maces departed for their first combat deployment aboard USS Constellation (CVA-64). On 28 Jun 1968, the squadron flew its first combat sortie, striking targets in the panhandle region of North Vietnam
.
During a second combat cruise aboard Constellation in August 1969, VA-27 flew over 2,500 combat sorties.
during the carrier’s transit around Cape Horn to her new home port in NAS Alameda, California, and then deployed on Enterprise from 11 Jun 1971 to 12 Feb 1972, the Royal Maces third combat cruise. With the outbreak of war between India
and Pakistan
over East Pakistan (later Bangladesh
) in Dec 1971, Enterprise departed Yankee Station
and made a quick transit to the Indian Ocean
to provide support for the evacuation of foreign civilians. Squadron pilots amassed over 4,400 combat flight hours and participated in over 1,500 air strikes without loss.
The Royal Maces commenced their fourth combat deployment in September 1972 aboard Enterprise, participating in Linebacker I and Linebacker II operations, heavy air strikes against targets in North Vietnam to interdict the flow of supplies in that country and into South Vietnam.The squadron began its next deployment to the Western Pacific in September 1974. In Apr 1975, the Royal Maces flew surveillance missions over Vietnam and flew escort for United States Marine Corps
and United States Air Force
helicopters during the evacuation of American and Vietnamese personnel as part of Operation Frequent Wind
.
by providing air cover for the forces directly involved in the rescue operation.
In Aug 1986, the Maces participated in the first carrier tactical flight operations in the Bering Sea
since the end of World War II
.
in support of Operation Restore Hope and augmented United States Central Command
’s multi-national coalition Air Forces supporting Operation Southern Watch
. The squadron participated in a coalition night strike against Iraq
on 13 January 1993, delivering over 18,000 pounds of ordnance on target. In 1994 the Chargers of VFA-27 deployed aboard the USS Kitty Hawk CV-63 to the Sea of Japan. In 1996 the Chargers commenced their homeport change from NAS LeMoore CA to NAF Atsugi, Japan deploying aboard USS Independence (CV-62)
.
In the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks
, the squadron participated in Operation Enduring Freedom flying missions against the Al Qaida infrastructure and Taliban forces in Afghanistan
as well as protecting valued assets in Diego Garcia
. When Kitty Hawk deployed to the Persian Gulf
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, VFA-27 was soon heavily involved in combat prior to the war. As part of Carrier Air Wing 5, VFA-27 attacked command, control and communications sites, surface-to-surface missile batteries and an air traffic control radar near Basrah. At the Al Faw peninsula long range artillery guns and 155mm howitzer
s near Az Zubayr
were targeted. The Royal Maces flew hundreds of close air support
and strike sorties against Iraq
i forces in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. VFA-27 completed their transition to the F/A-18E Super Hornet in October 2004 at NAS Lemoore.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi
Naval Air Facility Atsugi
is a naval air base located in the cities of Yamato and Ayase in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is the largest United States Navy air base in the Pacific Ocean and houses the squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 5, which deploys with the aircraft carrier...
. They are a part of Carrier Air Wing 5 and are attached to the USS George Washington (CVN-73)
USS George Washington (CVN-73)
USS George Washington is an American nuclear-powered supercarrier, the sixth ship in the Nimitz class and the fourth United States Navy ship to be named after George Washington, the first President of the United States...
. Their tail code
Tail Code
Tail codes are the markings usually on the vertical stabilizer of U.S. military aircraft that help to identify the aircraft's unit and/or base assignment and occasionally other information that is not unique. This is not the same as the serial number, bureau number, or aircraft registration which...
is NF.
Mission
To conduct carrier based air strike and strike force escort missions, anti-ship operations, battle group anti-air operations, and surveillance/intelligence collection operations in support of Carrier Air Wing 5 tasking and requirements. The squadron is permanently forward deployed with Carrier Air Wing 5, shore based at Naval Air Facility Atsugi and embarked on the USS George Washington (CVN-73).Squadron Insignia and Nickname
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
on 25 March 1968, and consisted of a light blue glove and black mace. They were nicknamed the Royal Maces.
1960s
The Royal Maces were commissioned Attack Squadron 27 (VA-27) on September 1, 1967 flying the A-7 Corsair IIA-7 Corsair II
The Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II is a carrier-based subsonic light attack aircraft introduced to replace the United States Navy's Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, initially entering service during the Vietnam War...
, and in January 1968, the squadron officially reported to Carrier Air Wing 14. In May 1968, as the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
continued, the Royal Maces departed for their first combat deployment aboard USS Constellation (CVA-64). On 28 Jun 1968, the squadron flew its first combat sortie, striking targets in the panhandle region of North Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
.
1970s
Attack Squadron 27 transitioned to the newer A-7E on June 20, 1970. From 4 Feb–7 Mar, VA-27 embarked in USS Enterprise (CVN-65)USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
USS Enterprise , formerly CVA-65, is the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth US naval vessel to bear the name. Like her predecessor of World War II fame, she is nicknamed the "Big E". At , she is the longest naval vessel in the world...
during the carrier’s transit around Cape Horn to her new home port in NAS Alameda, California, and then deployed on Enterprise from 11 Jun 1971 to 12 Feb 1972, the Royal Maces third combat cruise. With the outbreak of war between India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
over East Pakistan (later Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
) in Dec 1971, Enterprise departed Yankee Station
Yankee Station
Yankee Station was a point in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Vietnam used by the U.S. Navy aircraft carriers of Task Force 77 to launch strikes in the Vietnam War. While its official designation was "Point Yankee," it was universally referred to as Yankee Station...
and made a quick transit to the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
to provide support for the evacuation of foreign civilians. Squadron pilots amassed over 4,400 combat flight hours and participated in over 1,500 air strikes without loss.
The Royal Maces commenced their fourth combat deployment in September 1972 aboard Enterprise, participating in Linebacker I and Linebacker II operations, heavy air strikes against targets in North Vietnam to interdict the flow of supplies in that country and into South Vietnam.The squadron began its next deployment to the Western Pacific in September 1974. In Apr 1975, the Royal Maces flew surveillance missions over Vietnam and flew escort for United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
and United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
helicopters during the evacuation of American and Vietnamese personnel as part of Operation Frequent Wind
Operation Frequent Wind
Operation Frequent Wind was the evacuation by helicopter of American civilians and 'at-risk' Vietnamese from Saigon, South Vietnam, on 29–30 April 1975 during the last days of the Vietnam War...
.
1980s
In Apr 1980, VA-27 participated in the Iranian hostage rescue attemptOperation Eagle Claw
Operation Eagle Claw was an American military operation ordered by President Jimmy Carter to attempt to put an end to the Iran hostage crisis by rescuing 52 Americans held captive at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran on 24 April 1980...
by providing air cover for the forces directly involved in the rescue operation.
In Aug 1986, the Maces participated in the first carrier tactical flight operations in the Bering Sea
Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves....
since the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
1990s
While stationed at Naval Air Station, LeMoore CA the Royal Maces transitioned to the F/A-18C Hornet on 24 January 1991 and were officially re-designated the Chargers of Strike Fighter Squadron 27 (VFA-27). The squadron also changed roles as well as aircraft. The Chargers were now a fighter/attack squadron. Now with the a capable aircraft of the F/A-18 the Chargers performed duties of air to air as well as air to ground attack missions. The Squadron Emblem was also changed to a green background, white cloud, and silver guntlet with silver mace. In November 1992, while deployed aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), VFA-27 operated off the coast of SomaliaSomalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
in support of Operation Restore Hope and augmented United States Central Command
United States Central Command
The United States Central Command is a theater-level Unified Combatant Command unit of the U.S. armed forces, established in 1983 under the operational control of the U.S. Secretary of Defense...
’s multi-national coalition Air Forces supporting Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
. The squadron participated in a coalition night strike against Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
on 13 January 1993, delivering over 18,000 pounds of ordnance on target. In 1994 the Chargers of VFA-27 deployed aboard the USS Kitty Hawk CV-63 to the Sea of Japan. In 1996 the Chargers commenced their homeport change from NAS LeMoore CA to NAF Atsugi, Japan deploying aboard USS Independence (CV-62)
USS Independence (CV-62)
The fifth USS Independence is a of the United States Navy. It was the fourth and final member of the Forrestal-class conventional-powered Supercarrier...
.
2000s
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, the squadron participated in Operation Enduring Freedom flying missions against the Al Qaida infrastructure and Taliban forces in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
as well as protecting valued assets in Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....
. When Kitty Hawk deployed to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, VFA-27 was soon heavily involved in combat prior to the war. As part of Carrier Air Wing 5, VFA-27 attacked command, control and communications sites, surface-to-surface missile batteries and an air traffic control radar near Basrah. At the Al Faw peninsula long range artillery guns and 155mm howitzer
Howitzer
A howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
s near Az Zubayr
Az Zubayr
Az Zubayr is a town in Basra Governorate in Iraq. It has a population of around 90,000.The name is also sometimes written Az Zubair, Zubair, Zoubair, El Zubair, or Zobier.-Early history:...
were targeted. The Royal Maces flew hundreds of close air support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
and strike sorties against Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i forces in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. VFA-27 completed their transition to the F/A-18E Super Hornet in October 2004 at NAS Lemoore.
External links and reference
- VFA-27's Official Webpage
- Royal Maces' Unofficial Page
- Tony Holmes (2005). US Navy Hornet Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom Part One, Osprey Publishing Limited.
See also
- Naval aviationNaval aviationNaval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
- Modern US Navy carrier air operationsModern US Navy carrier air operationsModern United States Navy aircraft carrier air operations include the operation of fixed wing and rotary aircraft on and around an aircraft carrier for performance of combat or non-combat missions. Modern United States Navy aircraft carrier flight operations are highly evolved, based on experiences...
- List of military aircraft of the United States (naval) / List of US Naval aircraft
- United States Naval AviatorUnited States Naval AviatorA United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
- United States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....
- Military aviationMilitary aviationMilitary aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
- List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
- List of Inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons