Zuni rockets are being loaded Into the tubes of a VF-53 F-8E aboard the USS TICONDEROGA (CVA-14) during the Tonkin Gulf Incident in Aug. 64. (USN)VF-53 was established on 15 October 1963 when VF-141 (see VF-141) was redesignated VF-53. The Iron Angels were assigned to Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5) and won the Chief of Naval Aviation Safety Award for 1963.
Training for a 1964 WESTPAC cruise started on 3 November 1963 with a gunnery deployment to MCAS Yuma, which lasted until 22 November. Carquals were conducted from 5 to 13 December aboard the USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14). This was followed by a weapons training exercise aboard Tico from 22 to 31 January 1964. The Iron Angels and CVA-14 sailed for Hawaii on 13 February and conducted a strike exercise from 23 March until 3 April, prior to deploying to Vietnam.
During this cruise, four Iron Angel pilots came to the aid of the USS Maddox (DD-731) during what became known as the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. On 2 August 1964 while passing off the coast of Hon Me Island, the Maddox was attacked by three North Vietnamese torpedo boats. The Maddox called for air support, evaded the two torpedos fired at it and engaged the PT boats with gunfire. As the North Vietnamese craft retired, a flight of four VF-53 F-8Es lead by the squadron's CO, CDR R. F. Mohrhardt, arrived overhead and attacked with a load of 20 mike mike and Zuni's. The third PT boat, slowed by previous damage from the destroyer's guns, was set afire and sunk during the Iron Angels' strafing runs. On the night of 4 August the Maddox in company with the USS Turner Joy (DD-951) were attacked by PT boats again.
VF-53 F-8E 150877 at Miramar on 4-3-65; tail and ventral fin trim was yel-low bordered by black. (Clay Jansson)
VF-53 F-8E 149187 on board the TICONDEROGA on 9-24-65. The folded wings show the yellow and black wing tip trim. The name LCDR C. B. BAILEY Is painted below the canopy rail on a yellow background. (Swisher)
Because of the two unprovoked attacks in international waters, Presi¬dent Johnson ordered retaliatory attacks against four PT boat bases on 5 August 1964. VF-53's F-8s along with Crusaders, Skyhawks, and Skyraiders from the Ticonderoga and the Constellation proceeded to knock out an estimated twenty-five enemy torpedo boats. The Iron Angels' efforts during these actions resulted in the squadron being awarded the Navy Unit Citation.
The squadron returned to CONUS in December 1964 to commence training for the next WESTPAC de¬ployment. During the training cycle, March 1965 was spent at MCAS Yu¬ma, Arizona, for air-to-air and air-to¬ground gunnery exercises. In July a deployment to NAAS Fallon, Nevada, was made to participate in a joint weapon exercise with other CVW-5 squadrons.
With training completed, the squadron boarded the Tico and de¬parted on 29 September 1965 for the Far East. During the cruise the squadron flew 1,656 combat sorties over North and South Vietnam. A squadron record was established on the cruise when over 1,000 carrier-based hours were flown during the month of March 1966. The CO, CDR Mohrhardt, was shot down by AAA and recovered over the North on 19 April while flying 150853. Two other F-8Es ,149176 and 149179, were lost to operational accidents during this cruise.
IRON ANGELS 1965-66 USS TICONDEROGA CRUISE VF-53 F-8Es 149187 (#225), 149151 (#227), 149184 (#232), and 150900 (#234) land aboard the Tico on 9-24-65 while steaming off of North Island, California. Notice the location of the wing codes and the drooped leading edges. 149151 has LT MIKE WELCH painted under the canopy rail. (William Swisher)
Another intensive training period for the squadron began upon return to CONUS in May 1966. In September the Iron Angels deployed to MCAS Yuma for weapons training in air-to-air gunnery and air-to-ground weapons delivery. During the months of No¬vember and December 1966, the Iron Angels made an EASTPAC deploy¬ment aboard Hancock for carrier qualifications and further weapons training.
On 5 January 1967, VF-53 de¬parted California aboard the Hancock (CVA-19) for its third combat cruise in the Tonkin Gulf. In the following months Iron Angel pilots participated in major strikes against Kep Airfield, Haiphong POL stowage area, several major bridges and railyards near Hai Duong and thermal power plants, trans-shipment areas in the major cit ies of Darn Dinh and Ninh Binh.
After returning home in July 1967, the Iron Angels deployed for weapons and strike training in October at MCAS Yuma and NAAS Fallon. Once back at Miramar the squadron conducted carrier operations aboard the US$ Bon Homrne Richard (CVA-31) in preparation for their fourth Vietnam cruise.
On 27 January 1968 Bonnie Dick sailed for the Tonkin Gulf. During the early months of the cruise, March and April, the weather over the North prevented the squadron from conducting strikes into assigned Lines of Communications (LOC) sectors. The majority of the first line period was spent flying weather reconnaissance, BARCAP, FORCAP, and limited strikes into South Vietnam and Laos. This negated the requirement for TARCAP and MIGCAP and therefore the F-8 was used as a bomber to increase the effectiveness of the Air Wing's daily assignments.
On 20 March 1968, the weather cleared sufficiently over the North to afford the Air Wing the opportunity to launch its first Alfa Strike into North Vietnam. The strike was conducted against the Thanh Hoa Transhipment Point. Light resistance was en¬countered and the strike group incurred no losses.
VF-53 F-8E 150663 at Miramar after returning from the 1965/66 cruise on 7-16-66. The name LT DAVE BOURLAND
VF-53 CAG bird, F-8E 150323 repainted for the 1967 cruise aboard Hancock on 9-17-66. (Clay Jansson)During the Subic Bay inport period following the first line period, a bomb¬ing restriction was announced by President Johnson. This affected op¬erations for the remainder of the cruise, as bombing was no longer permitted north of 19 degrees. The remainder of the cruise developed into a relatively normal routine of operations with daily strikes into assigned Lines of Communications sectors against transhipment points, rail lines, and storage areas. Then, during the months of May and June, the employ¬ment of enemy fighters brought aerial combat to VF-53 and Air Wing Five.
On 29 July 1968, four iron Angel fighters engaged four enemy MiG-17s. When the ensuing battle was ended, VF-53 had joined the MiG Killers, when CDR Guy Crane, Exec¬utive Officer, scored a MiG Kill shooting down one MiG-17. A few days later, on 1 August, LT George E. Hise joined up with a pilot from VF-51 and succeeded in severely damaging a MiG-21. Although the aircraft was fi¬nally downed by the VF-51 pilot, LT Norman McCoy, Jr., the airmanship and teamwork exhibited by the two pi¬lots were considered outstanding.
At the completion of the cruise, the Iron Angels flew eight of their F-8Es to the Continental United States via Guam, Wake, and Hawaii. Upon arrival at San Diego on 10 October 1968, the squadron commenced a thirty day stand down period.
On 31 October 1968 VF-53 traded their F-8Es for upgraded F-8J Cru¬saders. The new aircraft was an improved version of the F-8E and in¬cluded a more sophisticated air-intercept radar (APO-124), more ad¬vanced DECM equipment (ALO-100), a radar warning and homing device (APR-30), and a bound ry layer control (BLC) wing. A more substantial land¬ing gear combined with BLC and double drooped ailerons provided the F-8J with the capability of increased gross landing weights and a decrease in landing approach speeds of ap¬proximately 15-18kts. The new aircraft were not fully operationally equipped when received, however, posing many problems during the ensuing training cycle. Immediately a major modifica¬tion program was started at NARF North Island to complete installation of necessary equipment. The time re¬quired for this modification program cost the squadron many valuable flight hours of training.
The F-8J modifications increased the airframe weight by about 2,0001bs and reduced the J57P20 engine thrust available in BLC, by about 1,000lbs. The drag configuration and aircraft manueverabilty were affected by changes both to wing, UHT and thrust¬to-weight ratio. The F-8J was in fact a new improved aircraft that developed less maneuverability potential, restric¬tions for employment, and had failures not common to prior F-8 series air¬craft. The F-8J was limited to carrying two AIM-9D/G Sidewinders.
On 1 December 1968, the squad¬ron deployed to MCAS Yuma for a one week training period in twenty thou¬ sand foot air-to-air gunnery. This period of training was immediately fol¬lowed by a one week period of intensive combined air wing training operations at Fallon, Nevada.
The fifth Iron Angel war cruise started on 18 March 1969, when CVW-5 deployed aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31). After a brief operating period off the Hawaiian Islands, the ship commenced a 15 day transit to the Naval Station, Subic Bay, arriving at Subic Bay on 15 April 1969. At this time a Navy EC-121 Warning Star was shot down by a North Korean MiG off the Sea of Japan. As a result of the EC-121 incident, Task Force 71 was formed and CVA-31 and VF-53 were assigned to this force. The Bon Homme Richard was immediately or¬dered to get underway for Yankee Station, Combat operations com¬menced on 18 April 1969 and lasted until 8 October, with operations from both Yankee Station and in the waters off Okinawa.
The cruise was uneventful insofar as there being any aerial combat. All MiG activity took place above the 19th parallel and the rules of engagement precluded fighters from entering North Vietnam airspace unless in pursuit of enemy aircraft which had attempted to penetrate US airspace.
The squadron experienced near tragedy on five occasions when air¬craft were lost at sea. None of these loses were do to combat, and all five pilots were recovered. LT Mansell ejected when a fuel cell ruptured dur¬ing inflight refueling; LCDR Lusk ditched his F-8 when the afterburner failed during the catapult shot; LT Wells and LT Manlove ejected when they experienced engine failure; and LCDR Taylor ejected when his controls failed.
Upon arrival at San Diego on 29 October 1969, the squadron com¬menced a thirty-day stand-down period, after which an intensive train¬ing period commenced in preparation for the 1970 combat deployment. This deployment commenced on 2 April 1970, and was the squadron's sixth war cruise.
Because of the bombing restric¬tions, strike missions were not flown into North Vietnam. The only actual dombat missions were occasional strafing runs made in Laos after com¬pleting TARCAP assignments. Op¬erations consisted of a normal routine for combat support missions; BAR-CAP, FORCAP, Photo Escort and Weather Recce. Sorties. Armed Photo Reconaissance sorties were flown over Laos and over Route Package II in North Vietnam. Most weather recce assignments were flown in Laos.
During the cruise, the squadron lost its youngest pilot, LTJG Lloyd G. Howie on 15 May, and shortly there¬after, on 14 June, its senior pilot and skipper, CDR Dean Elmer Kaiser.
Howie's aircraft went down in the Gulf of Tonkin following a normal two hour BARCAP mission over the Northern Gulf. He had taken two wave-offs from the BHR and was pro¬ceeding with instructions to tank while heading in-bound to Da Nang. Shortly after refueling, both aircraft entered a thin cloud layer and both pilot and air¬craft were never seen again.
CDR Kaiser was lost while partici¬pating in a scheduled fly-off to NAS Cubi Point, after completion of a Yan¬kee Station line period. CDR Kaiser and his wingman were climbing through 35,000'MSL when CDR Kai¬ser directed afterburner selection. The wingman's burner failed to light and he soon lost sight of his skipper, who in turn tried to find his wingman. CDR Kaiser disappeared and one of the most extensive searches in Naval History began. Available assets were drawn from Clark AFB, NAS Cubi and NAS Sangley Point as well as com¬plete participation by the BHR and America and all available surface units in the Subic Bay areas. Despite the effort , neither CDR Kaiser or his air¬craft were ever found.
All squadron aircraft were brought back to the States aboard the Bonnie Dick, which arrived in San Diego on 12 November 1970. Upon arrival at Mira¬mar the squadron began preparing for the disestablishment of the squadron on 29 January 1971.
VF-53 F-8E 150877 with under-wing pylon painted in the squadron's second scheme on 9-17-66. (Clay Jansson)
VF-53 F-8E 149215 at Miramar on 8-26-67. The Iron Angel insignia can be seen on the tail. The tail, wing and ven¬tral fin markings were yellow bordered by black. (William Swisher)
VF-53 F-8E 150349 on 1-20-68 just prior to their 1968 cruise. A replacement metal panel can be seen behind the cockpit. (Clay Jansson)
VF-53 F-8Es 149158 (#206) and 150900 (#209) on 18 March 1967 while flying to-ward targets over North Vietnam. The area around the gunports was painted black. (USN)
VF-53 F-8J 149195 prepares to launch from the USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31) in June of 1970. See page one for a color photo of this air¬craft. (Barry Miller)
149195 again in June 1970 while orbiting the ship prior to making its approach for recovery aboard the Bon Homme Richard. Aircraft is equipped with the "V" racks and twin Sidewinders. (USN)
VF-53 F-8J 150877 on 3-15-69 at HAS North Island during the major modification program to prepare the new F-8Js for Vietnam employment. (William Swisher)
VF-53 F-8J, belonging to LT BILL TRIONE after a nose gear failure at Da Nang in June 1970. (Barry Miller)
VF-53 CAG Bird, F-8J 150343 at Da Nang in June 1970. CDR JOE ELLISON CAG is painted below the canopy rail. The multicolor tail colors were red-yellow-blue-orange. (Barry Miller)
VF-53 F-8J 150905 takes off from NAB Atsugi on 12 August 1970. (T. Matsuzaki)
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