FIGHTER SQUADRON NINE THREE ONE VF-931 (VF-34W1)

NAS Willow Grove, Illinois, was home base for VF-931 and its sister squadron VF-932. The squadron transistioned from the North Ameri¬can AF-1E Fury to the Vought F-8B Crusader in 1964. In later years the F-8Bs were supplemented with some F-8As. The "Weekend Warrior" rou¬tine came to a halt when on 25 August 1968 the squadron was called to ac¬tive duty in response to the Pueblo Crisis. The activation orders called for a 24 month tour of duty but as was the case with the other two F-8 units (see VF-661 and VF-703) called to active duty, the squadron was released by the end of the year.


The squadron officially arrived at NAS Cecil Field, Florida, on 21 May 1968. In August VF-931 and VF-661 were detailed to take the places of VF-13 and VF-62 aboard the USS Shangri-La for a January 1969 de¬ployment to'the MED. In preparation for this the squadron received F-8Hs that same month. The planned de¬ployment never took place and VF-931 was released from active duty on on 16 September 1968 and complet¬ed the return to Willow Grove on 1 November.

The F-8Hs were left at Cecil and the squadron returned home with F-8As and Bs.


On 1 November 1968, VF-931 was redesignated VF-34W1. In 1969 F-8Ls (remanufactured F-8Bs) were brought in to supplement the F-8As and Bs. Then with the reorganization of the reserves in 1970, the squadron was decommissioned on 1 November 1970. All future F-8 fighter operations were moved to NAS Dallas (see VF-201, VF-202) and to NAS Miramar (see VF-301, VF-302).

VF-931 shared aircraft with VF-932 and VMF-511. These F-Bs had both NAVY and MARINE painted on the fuselage sides to denote this fact.

F-88 145466, piloted by a VF-931 pilot and wearing only the Marine designa¬tion is seen taxiing at Guantanamo Bay in 1965. A black bordered red shield with a white and black liberty bell was located on the tail. (Hogan) F-8B 145483 over the Chocolate Mountain gunnery range near Yuma in 1967. (B. Hogan)

F-88 145457 as used by VF-931 and VF-932 at NAS Willow Grove in 1965. (R. Esposito via Clay Jansson)

F-8H 1 47904 was CDR BOB HOGAN's, VF-931 skipper during the recall. Full squadron markings consisting of yellow stripes bordered by black and LISS SHANGRI-LA on the aft fuselage were carried when photographed at NAS Cecil Field in late August 1968. (Bob Hogan)

VF-931 F-88 145492 at NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, in the squadron markings that were developed for the call-up. The fuselage and tail stripes were yellow bordered by black. The "AJ" tail code reflects the squadrons assignment to CVW-8. (R. Esposito via Clay Jansson)