History of the Wardogs (Strike Fighter Squadron 108)
Vietnam War - NRF uprising
The Strike Fighter Squadron 108 (VFA-108), was a naval FRS (Fleet Replacement Squadron) that originally in its creation were part of the COMNAVAIRLANT (Commander Naval Air Force Atlantic Fleet). After the russian attacks on the US Soil, this squadron were moved to a remote air reserve base JAS Sand Island, Hawaii (Midway Island) from NAS Oceana, Virginia, becoming permanent unit of COMNAVAIRPAC (Commander Naval Air Force Pacific Fleet).
Vietnam War (Mid 60's)
The squadron were officially an FRS (Fleet Replacement Squadron) based at NAS Miramar, the Fighter Squadron Seven One (VF-71) flying the F-4J Phantom II from the Kitty Hawk Class USS Kestrel (CVN-30) deployed to the Yankee Station, their radio callsign is 'Battlehound', their late arrival to the battlefront were due to the Forrestal Fire incident on July 29th, 1967, which saw death of 134 crews and dozens of aircrafts inoperable in the catastrophe, the task of the Wardogs were to keep the numbers of US Combat aircraft on the combat airspace. The squadron were commanded by LT CDR (Lieutenant commander) Jonas Weeker, son of the captain of the Kestrel, Captain Colbie Weeker, and his Radar Intercept Officer LT Don Umar. Onboard, the squadron conducted missions alongside two air units, its sister squadron flying the A-6A Intruder, VA-8, the Cosmos, led by Lieutenant Katsu Umar. They were indirectly involved during the 'Operation Niagara', the mission was to provide air superiority for the B-52 squadron in the attempt to prevent the North Vietnamese forces entering Khe Sanh, Weeker and his squadron were also deployed in March 30th to April 2nd and December 18th, 1972 for clear passage for allied air squadrons missions in the 'Operation Linebacker' One and Two deeper into North Vietnam, Weekers squadron were reportedly have downed 118 combined MiG-21s (NATO Codename Fishbed) and MiG-17s (Fresco) of their total 1.765 sorties, their sister squadron has also confirmed dozens of enemy convoys and fortified positions to support the ground forces particularly the Green Berets as they were the only naval unit to coordinated fully with Army.
The capital city Saigon were fell in 1975 which led to dozens of citizens and personnels of the United States and South Vietnam fleeing the city which turned its name to Ho Chi Min city, the US troops begins a massive evacuation operation from the southeast asian region back home. The Wardogs stayed on full alert in the 'Operation Frequent Wind' to ensure their safe passage back to the United States unhindered. They were awarded with Battle Efficiency Award for never losing a single aircraft during the operations.
1970-80s
After the arrival to the home base Miramar, they switched roles for training purpose, the VF-71 changed to VFC-108 (Composite Fighter Squadron 108), the VA-8 were disestablished. The wardogs serving as the OPFOR (Opposition Force) Squadron during the training flight, five F-14A were received for training and evaluation purposes to help the Tomcat fliers, for three years from 1977 the Wardogs played role as enemy squadron during training, even though mostly pilots with less broader combat experience, they showed many air maneuvers that were impressive, in 1982, they were subsequently becoming an official unit of the Naval Fighter Weapon School, known widely by navy pilots as the 'Top Gun', typically flying with Tomcats and the Phantom II since then.
1990s
In 1993, all of the F-4Js were switched the newest F-14D Super Tomcat and all the A model Tomcat were replaced with the improvised F-14B Bombcat, the multirole variant of the A Tomcat. After received the new aircrafts two weeks later, the squadron were reactivated its status as the operational combat unit as the VF-108 under the new squadron leader Commander Kenny 'Slash' Linder (RIO Lieutenant Grande Gonzales), his squadrons deployment were the Mediterranean sea following the Iraqi invasion to Kuwait on 'Operation Southern Watch', once again meet up with its former sister squadron, the Cosmos, now becoming the Electronic Attack Squadron 192 (VAQ-192) flying the EA-6B as well with the newly established VF-206 Shorebirds which also flies the F-14A, they were deployed aboard the USS Kestrel, the Wardogs has conducted 1.370 missions inside the occupied kuwait and iraq without losing an aircraft or personnels, this were actually due to majority of their missions were aerial reconnaissance mission, using the TARPS (Tactical Aerial Reconnaissance Pod System), incidents were occurred when two F-14s were painted by enemy SAMs and even frantic dogfight with several Su-22s but none involve of using life weapons, this unusual incident were kept being a personal secret of the pilots but soon seeped out following their arrival back to the US, Lieutenant Kyle Crawford and his RIO Masahide Coleman were interviewed in the local Talk Show regarding the incident.
October 1st 1996, NAS Miramar were given to the United States Marine Corps and becoming the new home for the Scarfaces, VF-108 were relocated to NAS Lemoore, taking part being a Pacific Fighter Squadron for the second time since the Vietnam War.
2000s
The Wardogs were deployed to Iraq in the 'Operation Iraqi Freedom', they were conducting reconnaissance for the ground troops and bombardment of several anti-air sites with the laser guided bomb GBU-16 and laser designation for allied air attacks with LANTIRN pod, they were also scored several air-air kills of several MiG-29As and mostly MiG-21Fs, they were returning to Lemoore in the new years eve of 2004.
News already seeped out from the US Department of Defense in early 2000 that the F-14 fleet will be all scheduled for retirement in 2006, it will be replaced by the more advanced F/A-18F Super Hornet, Linder decided to deactivated the squadron when the time comes in. However, the Wardogs were kept activated under the direct order of the Pacific Command, but they were keep up the six F-14D and four F-14A/B. In 2007, under the command of his ex-2nd in Command Lieutenant Commander Aya Morales (RIO Lieutenant Adam Heatherly), the squadron deployed to the Korean peninsula with the Carrier Air Wing 2 (Tailcode NE) aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, the sole Tomcat squadron in full operational status, as it wasn't according to the high ranked officers expectation, they were referred as the 'Heartbreaker' for disobeying order for the better aircraft transitional before their deployment. Even so, she and her squadron members once again received the Battle Efficiency Award and Presidential Unit Citation for their 2.108 successful sorties with another record of never losing an aircraft or crew.
In the first 2008 the Wardogs kept using the Tomcats and were forward deployed to NAF Atsugi to flying under the command of Carrier Air Wing 5 (NF) until mid 2010 returning to the United States.
2010s
After returned to Lemoore, the squadron were disestablished, the squadron members were either switching squadron or partaking on other aircraft maintenance roles.
Five years later, following the NATO aid request by the Somalian government during the rebelion in 2015, 'They' were reactivated again by the command of the US DoD, led by Lieutenant Jack Bartlett (WSO Lieutenant JG Ritsuko Akizuki), sporting mission Callsign of their squadron nickname, 'Wardog', their name designation were changed to VFA-108 as they were provided with the new standard F/A-18F Block 2 and operated once again onboard the USS Kestrel (CVN-30) as part of the CVW-7 (Tailcode AA) stationed at the Mediterranean sea alongside the Strike Fighter Squadron 103 (VFA-103). During the SRN uprising at africa and getting involved once during the air battle over the skies of Dubai, UAE. They were supporting to prevent the bombing attempt by Blatnoi which turns out to be a ruse for the Coup D'etat at Moscow by the NRF (New Russian Federation). Unofficially during the OAT (Operation Autumn Thunder), the NATO and loyalists campaign inside Russian soil against the regime of General Stagleishov, under the authority and command of Atlantic Command, the Wardogs forward deployed to CVW-3 at the Black Sea aboard the USS Carl Vinson. Since then the squadron has conducted considerable number of air superiority, interception and other ground strike missions implementing the newest Sniper XR Targeting pod which with it during the course of the war they had conducted numbers of laser designation roles for allied air strikes against key targets ie. SAM Sites, fuel/ammo depots, makeshift training camps, as well recorded four air bases captured with the joint USMC MEU-SOC and Spetsnaz unit Advanced Force Operations Zoya. The wartime had led them being awarded with their second Navy Unit Commendation since the OSW, the Battle Efficiency Award for the third time since the previous 2007 deployment.
After the war, the CVN-30 were returned to Norfolk, Virginia and retired off the service, the Wardogs were kept its active status under the authority of Naval Air Command, it were moved to a new base JAS (Joint Air Station) Sand Island as part of the Pacific Force Command within the newly created Carrier Air Wing 20, their tailcode were NZ which applied to the AF and USMC squadrons on the air station. Initially the Wardogs intended be relocated to Diego Garcia alongside the Warwolves but for unknown reason were canceled. Previously canceled awards since the Vietnam War were officially awarded to the squadron in early 2016 by semi-closed indoor ceremony only by the squadron members and their family, earning them the nickname from officers that soon be adapted as their new mission callsign, the 'Heartbreak', this also due to fact many allied aviators flown modern aircrafts cannot or some barely match their kill records during the SRN and NRF uprising, particularly squadron members of the same boat.
In 2017, when the US Forces officially pulling out from Afghanistan being replaced the european forces, VFA-108 joining the Carrier Air Wing 17, were involved in ORB (Operation Ribbon Blue), the mission was to eliminate NRF units attempting to intercept the withdrawing NATO forces, after returning home, the squadron were stationed temporarily to Lemoore, being replaced by the same two seater Super Hornet user, VFA-94 'Mighty Shrikes'.
F-14D over the Dubai
The F-14D of the squadron which were officially retired of the service on 2004 were rolled out and refurbished on 2014, total of eight Super Tomcats were provided to two squadrons, the navy Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 9 Vampires (VX-9) and the USAF 108th Fighter Squadron Warwolves for field testing and evaluation purpose. The plane, despite regarded being old craft to ply the battle over the skies of Dubai, the combat capability were regarded to be so impressive that it would be possible to brought it back to service and facing real combat.
When leased, the squadron marking were changed respectively with each groups insignia to identify each squadron.
The four Tomcats operated by Warwolf were having the insignia of their own squadron, but also kept the Navy VF insignia (Both squadron features number 108) as it would hopefully kept solidify the professional relationship between the two squadron, four RIOs (Radar Intercept Officer) originally partake on the last previous deployment were substituting the squadron.
- Awards
Captain Michael J. Estocin Award
Rear Admiral Clarence Wade McClusky Award
Battle Efficiency Award
Navy Unit Commendation
Presidential Unit Citation
- Aircrafts flown
F-4J Phantom II
F-14A Tomcat
F-14B Tomcat
F-14D Super Tomcat
F/A-18F Super Hornet
- Involved operations
Niagara 1968
Linebacker (OLB I/II)1972
Frequent Wind (OFW) 1975
Southern Watch (OSW) 1993-95
Iraqi Freedom (OIF) 2003-04
Autumn Thunder (OAT) 2015-2016
Ribbon Blue (ORB) 2017
For those who dont know, Navy Lieutenant was the equivalent of Captain in the Army, AF and MC, Captain in the Navy was Colonel, so...yeah!
During the squadron posted at Atsugi, the F-14D were using Zipang livery but having NF tailcode instead NZ and sporting other markings such as squadrons and USAF logo on the wings with low visibility color so as like it's totally a Zipang from far.
Imagine the standard F/A-18F and F-14D on the Assault Horizon but change the Warwolf logo to Wardog, Voila!.
As for the Vietnam War F-4 is up to you, this site encourage you to unleash your imaginations anyway! :D