VF-11

<h2 id="operational-history">Operational history</h2>
<h3>1920s-30s</h3>

<p>VF-5 was established on 1 February 1927 at <a href="/facts/Hampton_Roads/bEl4cN5H">Hampton Roads</a>, <a href="/facts/Virginia/g2kucGdn">Virginia</a> flying the <a href="/facts/Curtiss_P-1_Hawk/XSU6zaUU">Curtis F6C-3 Hawk</a>.  From 1927 to World War II, the squadron flew various aircraft including the <a href="/facts/Boeing/tF5sMe9F">Boeing</a> <a href="/facts/Boeing_F3B/nAWqtEYT">F3B-1</a> and <a href="/facts/Boeing_P-12/0uaQTtJw">F4B-1</a>, the <a href="/facts/Grumman/0qsyLV6J">Grumman</a> <a href="/facts/Grumman_FF/c3vD0ksn">FF-1</a> and <a href="/facts/Grumman_F3F/eI4hTnEm">F3F-1</a> and also held the following designations (designations tended to change based on the mission; e.g., "S" for scout, "B" for bomber): VF-5S, VF-5B, VB-1B, and VF-4.
</p>
<h3>1940s</h3>

<p>During <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">World War II</a>, VF-41 deployed on <a href="/facts/USS_Ranger_(CV-4)/XhJ3A9qK">USS <i>Ranger</i></a> supported the <a href="/facts/Operation_Torch/7jNrT1Sd">Allied invasion of Northwest Africa</a>, downing 14 <a href="/facts/Vichy_France/7wTyYUnW">Vichy French</a> aircraft in the Grumman <a href="/facts/F4F_Wildcat/jRFdI00s">F4F-3 Wildcat</a> on 8/9 November 1942.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> The squadron lost 7 F4Fs in action over the same period.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a>[<i>self-published source?</i>]<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> In October and November 1943 while operating from USS <i>Ranger</i>, VF-41 attacked targets in German-occupied Norway.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a>: 81 
</p><p>The squadron transferred to the <a href="/facts/Asiatic-Pacific_Theater/L0L2Fo1b">Pacific Theatre</a>. VF-4 deployed aboard <a href="/facts/USS_Bunker_Hill_(CV-17)/WY8Gc7aR">USS <i>Bunker Hill</i></a> losing 5 <a href="/facts/Grumman_F6F_Hellcat/jfHXmp5n">F6Fs</a> in operations off the Philippines in November 1944.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a>: 34  VF-4 deployed aboard <a href="/facts/USS_Essex_(CV-9)/azHwgSLy">USS <i>Essex</i></a> and participated in the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Mindoro/omW4Vqha">Battle of Mindoro</a>, attacks on Japanese bases on Formosa and the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Okinawa/r8CXlMc9">Battle of Okinawa</a>, losing 28 F6Fs between November 1944 and March 1945.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a>: 70–1  For the fighter-bomber mission the Hellcat was fitted with wingroot pylons, each of which could carry a 1,000 -Ib bomb or a 'Tiny Tim' rocket. Smaller rockets were carried on three zero-length launchers on each wing.
</p><p>VF-11 operating the <a href="/facts/Grumman_F8F_Bearcat/uecn3Lwn">F8F-1 Bearcat</a> was assigned to <a href="/facts/Carrier_Air_Wing_One/9DsLNMJ4">Carrier Air Group One (CVG-1)</a> embarked on <a href="/facts/USS_Tarawa_(CV-40)/xb27qoUp">USS <i>Tarawa</i></a> on a cruise from the U.S. West Coast to the U.S. East Coast from 1 October 1948 to 21 February 1949.
</p>
<h3>1950s</h3>

<p>VF-11 flew the <a href="/facts/McDonnell_F2H_Banshee/IXrDe4AV">F2H-2 Banshee</a> during the <a href="/facts/Korean_War/Qo93pNhE">Korean War</a> as part of Carrier Air Group 101 (CVG-101) deployed on <a href="/facts/USS_Kearsarge_(CV-33)/EbHNTHI8">USS <i>Kearsarge</i></a> from 11 August 1952 to 17 March 1953. During this deployment VF-11 lost 2 F2H-2s and their pilots to enemy fire.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a>[<i>self-published source?</i>]
</p><p>VF-11 was assigned to Carrier Air Group 10 (CVG-10) aboard <a href="/facts/USS_Coral_Sea_(CV-43)/fu77pyxc">USS <i>Coral Sea</i></a> for a Mediterranean from 13 August 1956 to 11 February 1957.
</p><p>VF-11 operating the F2H-4 was assigned to Air Task Group 201 (ATG-201) aboard <a href="/facts/USS_Essex_(CV-9)/azHwgSLy">USS <i>Essex</i></a> for a deployment to the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific from 2 February to 17 November 1958. In the Mediterranean, USS <i>Essex</i> supported the <a href="/facts/1958_Lebanon_crisis/qfRSTKk2">US Marines landed in Lebanon</a>.
</p><p>In 1959, VF-11 moved to <a href="/facts/NAS_Jacksonville/E9n6YhoA">NAS Jacksonville</a> and was disestablished on 15 February 1959, their men and equipment being distributed to other squadrons and activities. The <a href="/facts/VFA-11/D9XpevSB">3rd VF-11</a>, redesignated from VF-43 on 16 February 1959 adopted the insignia and nickname of the disestablished second VF-11.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="home-port-assignments">Home port assignments</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Naval_Station_Norfolk/zLjCdg9n">Hampton Roads</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/NAS_Jacksonville/E9n6YhoA">NAS Jacksonville</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="aircraft-assignment">Aircraft assignment</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Curtiss_P-1_Hawk/XSU6zaUU">F6C-3 Hawk</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Boeing_F3B/nAWqtEYT">F3B-1</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Boeing_P-12/0uaQTtJw">F4B-1</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Grumman_FF/c3vD0ksn">FF-1</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Grumman_F3F/eI4hTnEm">F3F-1</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Grumman_F4F_Wildcat/jRFdI00s">F4F-3 Wildcat</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Grumman_F6F_Hellcat/jfHXmp5n">F6F Hellcat</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Grumman_F8F_Bearcat/uecn3Lwn">F8F Bearcat</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/McDonnell_F2H_Banshee/IXrDe4AV">F2H-2/4 Banshee</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Douglas_F3D_Skyknight/mjMqDTdS">F3D-2 Skynight</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/VFA-11/D9XpevSB">VFA-11</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/History_of_the_United_States_Navy/anV51Rls">History of the United States Navy</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/List_of_inactive_United_States_Navy_aircraft_squadrons/LdjvfWX8">List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/List_of_United_States_Navy_aircraft_squadrons/G8l7ryex">List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>"Lineage for Fighter Squadrons" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
 <a href="https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/histories/naval-aviation/insignias/vf-lin.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/histories/naval-aviation/insignias/vf-lin.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Tillman, Barrett (1995). Wildcat Aces of World War 2. Osprey Publishing. pp. 60–1. ISBN 9781855324862. <a href="9781855324862" target="_blank">9781855324862</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>Campbell, Douglas (2011). Volume I: U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard Aircraft Lost During World War II - Listed by Ship Attached. Lulu.com. p. 180. ISBN 9781257822324. <a href="9781257822324" target="_blank">9781257822324</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>Wordell, M.T. (1943). "Wildcats" Over Casablanca: US Navy Fighters in Operation Torch. Little, Brown, and Co. p. 304. ISBN 157488722X. <a href="157488722X" target="_blank">157488722X</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>Campbell, Douglas (2011). Volume I: U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard Aircraft Lost During World War II - Listed by Ship Attached. Lulu.com. p. 180. ISBN 9781257822324. <a href="9781257822324" target="_blank">9781257822324</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>Campbell, Douglas (2011). Volume I: U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard Aircraft Lost During World War II - Listed by Ship Attached. Lulu.com. p. 180. ISBN 9781257822324. <a href="9781257822324" target="_blank">9781257822324</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>Campbell, Douglas (2011). Volume I: U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard Aircraft Lost During World War II - Listed by Ship Attached. Lulu.com. p. 180. ISBN 9781257822324. <a href="9781257822324" target="_blank">9781257822324</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:8"><p>Campbell, Douglas (2013). U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and MATS Aircraft Lost During the Korean War. Lulu.com. p. 121. ISBN 9781304610737. <a href="9781304610737" target="_blank">9781304610737</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:9"><p>"Lineage for Fighter Squadrons" (PDF). Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
 <a href="https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/histories/naval-aviation/insignias/vf-lin.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/histories/naval-aviation/insignias/vf-lin.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

VF-11 open-in-new

VF-11