IFIGHTER SQUADRON FIVE ONE, VF-51 SCREAMING EAGLES

VF-51 F8U-2NE (F-8E) 149154 taxis in at Norton AFB on 5-19-62. Initial F-8E scheme was Spartan with a red tail stripe between the rudder and the fin tip_ Early F-8Es also had painted afterburners. (Swisher)

The Screaming Eagles started out as in 1927 flying Curtiss F6C-4s as VF-3S. The squadron designation was soon changed to VF-3B and the Boe¬ing FB-5 replaced the F6C-4. In 1929 the FB-5 gave way to Boeing F3B-Is which were traded for Boeing F4B-4s in 1931. 1935 saw the retractable gear Grumman F2F-1 join the squadron. In 1937 the squadron was redesignated VF-5B and upgraded F3F-3s were assigned. When war broke out on 7 December 1941 the squadron was equipped with Grumman F4F-3 Wildcats.
The Screaming Eagles were decommissioned on 7 January 1943, and most of the squadron's assets including personnel were assigned to the newly commissioned VF-1. VF-1 was redesignated VF-5 on 15 July 1943 while flying Grumman F6F Hellcats. By February 1945 VF-5 was flying the Vought F4U Corsair. Then on 15 November 1946 VF-5 was redesignated VF-5A while flying the Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat. The Bearcat was replaced by the North American FJ-1 Fury on 18 November 1947 and VF-5A became the first Navy fleet squadron to operate jets from carriers.

VF-51 F8U-2NE (F-8E) 149142 at NAS Lemoore on 5-30-62. (Swisher)



The Screaming Eagles were once again redesignated on 16 August 1948 when they were given their current deiignation of VF-51. Grum¬man F9F-2 Panthers replaced the Furies and the squadron flew F9F-2s and F9F-5s during three Korean War deployments. in late 1953 F9F-6 Cougars replaced the Panthers which were replaced by North American FJ-3 Furies in 1955. The squadron transitioned to the supersonic Grum¬man F11 F-1 Tigers in 1958, only to re¬equip with Douglas F4D-1 Skyrrays in January 1959.
VF-51 returned from their F4D-1 Skyray cruise on 11 October 1960 and the Ford pilots were replaced by a group of RAG (see VF-124) trained F-8 Crusader pilots. After a change-of¬command ceremony on 10 November a concentrated training schedule was commenced in the new F8U-1 Crusader to prepare the squadron for a scheduled WESTPAC cruise in the spring of 1961.
VF-51 completed carrier qual¬ifications from 16 until 20 January 1961 aboard the USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14). Then during the first two weeks of February and the first two weeks in March, intensive weapons training was conducted at MCAAS Yuma. From 22 until 26 April, VF-51 acted as day fighter CAP for the Tico in exercise Green Lite off of Southern California.

VF-51 F8U-2NE (F-BE) Crusaders 149140 (#101), 149141 (#102), 149143 (#104), and 149147 (#105) on a gunnery flight. Note that the Bureau Numbers are consecutive because VF-51 was the first AIRPAC F-8E unit. (USN via Miller)

Fighting Fifty One left on its first F-8 WESTPAC cruise on 10 May 1961 aboard the Ticonderoga. On 15 and 16 May 1961 an ORI inspection was conducted in Hawaii. During the de¬ployment a majority of the squadron's aircraft and pilots were shore based at either NAS Atsugi or NAS Cubi Point. The following operations were con¬ducted by VF-51 during this cruise:
1.) Operation Checkertail I, strike against Okinawa on 16 June.
2.) Operation Big Shot, CAP for Tico on 20-22 June.
3.) Operation Checkertail II, strike against Okinawa on 10 July.
4.) Operation New Boy, strikes against Luzon on 28 July.
5.) Operation Blue Sky, AAWEX with ADCC Taiwan on 7-19 October.
6.) Operation Cross Tie, CAP for joint exercises with HMS Victorious on 24-28 October.
7.) Operation Base Hit, strikes against Luzon on 26 November to 8 December.
In addition to these operations, VF-51 participated with an aerial demonstra¬tion for the Chinese Nationalist celebration of the Ten-Ten Day, and for Philippine Aviation Week. The Ticonderoga and the squadron re¬turned stateside on 14 January 1962.
After returning from WESTPAC, the squadron transitioned to the F8U-2NE (F-8E) on 8 February 1962. The new Crusaders participated in operation Pot Shot off San Diego on 16-21 March. On 1 April VF-51 took the bomb capable F-8E to NAAS Fal¬lon to learn how to bomb. The squadron returned to NAS Miramar on 20 April and then conducted carquals aboard the USS Ranger (CVA-61) from 22 June until 3 July 1962.
On 16 July 1962 the Screaming Eagles flew aboard the USS Constel¬lation (CVA-64) during its transit from AIRLANT to AIR PAC. The transit was completed on 17 September.

VF-51 F-8E 149154 with new red rudder and ventral fin trim on 8-4-63. LT R. P. KARR is painted below the canopy rail. (Swisher)

VF-51 F-8E 150887 on 4-3-65 at NAS Miramar. Double nuts nose number and multicolored check-marks on the rud¬der identify this as the CAG bird. CDR MAC SNOWDEN and the VF-51 Insignia were painted below the canopy rail. (Swisher)

During the three month pre-deployment period, the squadron had an eight day gunnery deployment at MCAAS Yuma, a ten day carqual re¬fresher deployment, ten day weapons training exercise, and a ten day strike exercise aboard the USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14). The Tico and the Scream¬ing Eagles departed for its WESTPAC cruise on 3 January 1963.
During the ORI off the Hawaiian coast, VF-51 had a very successful Sidewinder firing exercise with all missiles fired resulting in direct hits on DELMAR targets. Because of space limitations, at least one-third of the squadrons aircraft, pilots and enlisted men were shorebased at Sangley Point NS, NAS Cubi Point, or NAS Atsugi.
Because of the F-8E the squadron contributed a significant advancement to fleet capability and readiness by becoming the first squadron to con¬duct regularly scheduled night oper¬ations with supersonic aircraft from the 27 Charlie carrier. After returning from their first F-8E WESTPAC on 15 July 1963, VF-51 conducted a weapons deployment to MCAS Yuma from 3 November until 21 November. This was followed by four brief training cruises aboard Tico from 5-13 December 1963, 22-31 January 1964,13 February until 6 March 1964, and 21 March until 3 April 1964, The squadron deployed again to WESTPAC on 14 April 1964 and con¬ducted an OR! aboard the Tico from 20-23 April while off the coast of Ha¬waii. The Screaming Eagles were ordered to the USS Constellation (CVA-64) from 5 June until late July of 1964, to provide escort for RF-8As on aerial photographic reconnaissance missions over Southeast Asia. From late July until September the squadron remained at sea off Southeast Asia while aboard the Ticonderoga. After a short layover in Cubi Point, the Tico returned to the South China Sea and Southeast Asia until 15 December 1964 when the cruise was concluded.

VF-51 F-8E 149201 on 4-3-65 after re¬turning from the 1964 cruise. This well weathered Crusader has the USS TICONDEROGA painted in large letters on the aft fuselage and the USS CON¬STELLATION painted in smaller letters. This was because the squadron oper¬ated in combat from both carriers during this cruise. LTJG ROY MILLER is painted below the canopy rail and the radome is red. (Clay Jansson)

Once back at Miramar, VF-51 participated in Operation Fighter Sweep from 16-18 February 1965 and Operations Silver Lance from 26 Feb¬ruary until 8 March and Tee Shot from 6 until 8 April. This was followed by a weapons deployment to Yuma from 23 May until 5 June and a carqual ex-ercise aboard the USS Hancock (CVA-19) from 28 June until 1 July 1965. Another weapons deployment, this time to NAAS Fallon, Nevada, took place from 11 until 22 July. Once back at Miramar the squadron took part in operation Hot Stove during Au¬gust and September 1965.
The Screaming Eagles went to war again aboard the Ticonderoga on 28 September 1965. VF-51 participat¬ed in the following large air strikes against North Vietnam: Uong Bi ther¬mal power plant on 12-22-65, Hai Duong highway/railway bridge on 12-23-65, Hai Phong railway bridge on 4-14-66, Ha Tinh complex, Ha Chanh highway bridge, and Bach Long V military area. The squadron returned to Miramar on 13 May 1966 and con¬ducted one last at-sea period aboard CVA-14 from 8 until 12 August, fol¬lowed by a weapons deployment to Yuma on 19 September 1966.
VF-51 boarded its new home, the USS Hancock (CVA-19) on 26 No¬vember for fleet exercises associated with preparations for the 1967 war cruise. The Hancock and VF-51 sailed for Vietnam on 5 January 1967. Three F-8Es were lost during the cruise, one (149138) was lost to AAA fire and its pilot LT R. W. Dodge became a POW on 5-17-67. The other two were oper¬ational losses with 149192 being lost on 2-12-67 and 150301 being lost on 5-1-67. The squadron returned to Miramar on 22 July 1967.

VF-51 F-8E 149153 with TICONDEROGA and CONSTELLATION on the aft fuse¬lage and overspay evident everywhere in order to protect the aircraft from fur¬ther corrosion. (Swisher)

VF-51 F-8Es arrive aboard the Ticon¬deroga on 9-24-65, 4 days prior to the 65/66 cruise: CAW-5 CAG ,CDR Mac Snowden in 150851; 149147 minus rudder and ventral fin stripes; 149179 with Screaming Eagle insignia under the canopy rail; 149152 with rescue triangle inside the nose number; and 149201 with the pilot wearing an As¬tronaut type helmet. (William Swisher)

VF-51 COMMAND F-8s
F-8E 150670 on 7-16-66 with CDR C. B. McDANIEL, COMMANDING OFFICER painted on the white and red placard above national insignia. 150670 re¬painted on 9-17-66 with CDR R. E. FERGUSON ON THE PLACARD. (Jan¬sson) CDR FERGUSON's CAG F-8E 150679 with CAW-5 insignia on the tail and multi-colored rudder stripes on 8-26-67. (Swisher) CDR JACK SNY¬DER's F-BE 150320. (Clay Jansson)

During the summer of 1967 the squadron converted to the remanu¬factured F-8H Crusader and then departed to Vietnam aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31) on 27 January 1968. Combat operations soon got under way and once again it was looking as if VF-51 would not get the opportunity to down MiGs. Then on 26 June, CDR "Moose" Myers downed a MiG-21. This was followed by LT Norm McCoy downing a second MiG-21 on 1 August 1968. The squadron left for home on 29 September 1968 and arrived back at Miramar on 10 October.
The F-8H were traded for F-8Js and the squadron was on its way back to Vietnam aboard the Bonnie Dick on 6 April 1969. The Screaming Eagles were unable to add to their 1968 MiG kills during this cruise, and although the squadron did not lose an F-8 in combat, two were lost to operational causes. F-8J 150341 was lost on 26 April and 149226 was lost on 8 May. VF-51 returned to Miramar on 29 October 1969.
VF-51s last F-8 deployment took place aboard the Bon Homme Richard from 2 April 1970 until 12 November 1970. After returning from Vietnam the squadron spent the next year transitioning to the McDonnell F-4B Phantom, which would score four MiG-17 victories for VF-51.
The F-4Bs were replaced with F-4Ns in early 1974 which were re¬placed in turn by the Grumman F-14A Tomcat on 16 June 1978. VF-51 con¬tinues to fly the Tomcat today.

VF-51 F-8E 150845 in the landing con-figuration passes over the USS Hancock In the Gulf of Tonkin on 31 May 1967. (USN)

VF-51 F-8H 148710 from the USS Bon Homme Richard loaded with six 5001b.
Iron bombs heads for Vietnam in 1968.

VF-51 F-8H 148691 on 1-20-68 from the USS Ban Harnrne Richard with the name CDR PARRISH painted under the canopy rail.
The radome and the area surrounding the gun parts were black. (Swisher)

VF-51 F-8Hs 148691 (#101) and 148680 (#114) over the Pacific. (USN) F-8J 149196 launches from the Ban Homme Richard

(CVA-31) in the Gulf of Tonkin an 13 June 1970. (USN via Barry Miller)

VF-51 F-8J 149155 with CDR A. A. SCHAUFFELBERGER painted under the canopy rail and red-yellow-blue-orange-black diagonal CAG stripes on the rudder on 3-15-69. (Swisher) 149155 again almost one year later on 3-14-70 with a red radome and upper tail stripe. (Jansson) F-8J 150295 on 3-14-70 with shield on tail reading "Adm Joseph Clifton AWARD out¬standing Navy fighter squadron 1969." F-8J 150311 over HAS Atsugi on 8-12-70 with the Budweiser man painted on the side. (T. Matsuzaki)