![]() On 18 June F-4J #155546 was hit by a SAM-2, both crewmen ejected successfully and were rescued. On 4 June F-4J #155554 was hit by antiaircraft fire, the pilot LT Eric Brice was killed in action, body not recovered, while the Radar Intercept Officer ejected successfully and was rescued. During their time in the theatre VF-33 would drop over three million pounds of ordnance, flying 4000 combat hours over a period of 5 months. VF-33 deployed to the Vietnam War on board USS America from 10 April to 16 December 1968. Between 19 Carrier Air Wing Six made the shakedown cruise and three deployments aboard the USS America. The first VF-33 Phantom was the F-4B, which they flew until 1967 at which time they moved up to the F-4J which featured better radar, higher thrust engines, slatted tailplanes, extra fuel cells and a larger main wheels to handle the increased weight. ![]() In 1964 the unit transitioned to the F-4 Phantom II and would fly the Phantom for the next seventeen years alongside its sister squadron VF-102. This all-nuclear-powered unit steamed 56,606 km (30,565 nm) unrefuelled around the world for sixty-five days. This was the around-the-world cruise of the United States Navy's Task Force One, consisting of USS Enterprise, USS Long Beach, and USS Bainbridge. In 1963 Enterprise and CVW-6 were again deployed to the United States Sixth Fleet, before taking part in Operation Sea Orbit in 1964. However, Enterprise was recalled in October to reinforce the naval blockade of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The squadron was then deployed aboard the USS Enterprise, to the Mediterranean Sea in August 1962. VF-33 took its F8U-1E (F-8B) again aboard Intrepid to the Mediterranean in 1961-62 and was then equipped with the F8U-2NE (F-8E) version. In early 1961 the squadron changed already to its fourth jet fighter in seven years, the F8U-1E Crusader, and changed its name back to Tarsiers. As part of CVG-6 VF-33 made two tours to the Mediterranean Sea aboard the Intrepid. ![]() In 1958 VF-33 transitioned to the supersonic F-11 Tiger and was renamed Astronauts. Aboard Intrepid VF-33 took part in the NATO exercise Operation Strikeback. After this tour the Tarsiers again transitioned to the FJ-3 Fury and made three deployments in 19 to the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, this time aboard the carriers USS Lake Champlain, USS Leyte, and USS Intrepid. The squadron was assigned to Carrier Air Group Six (CVG-6) and deployed to the Mediterranean Sea aboard the USS Midway in 1954. East Coast and transitioned to the F9F-6 Cougar. The squadron affectionately called their tarsier "Minky".įollowing its deployment to Korea VF-33 returned to the U.S. ![]() The squadron called themselves the "Tarsiers", after a fierce primate. For its action in the Korean War VF-33 earned the Navy Unit Citation. The first was to the Mediterranean Sea in mid-1950 quickly followed by a combat deployment to Korea from September 1950 to February 1951. It was assigned to Carrier Air Group Three (CVG-3) and made two deployments on the aircraft carrier USS Leyte. The squadron was originally equipped with the Chance-Vought F4U-4 Corsair. VF-33 History Korean War The VF-33 Tarsiers patch featuring "Minky", a tarsier. Originally established on 11 October 1948 it was disestablished on 1 October 1993. Fighter Squadron 33 (VF-33) was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. ![]()
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