Strike Fighter Squadron 132 (VFA-132), also known as the "Privateers", was an aviation unit of the United States Navy that was based at Naval Air Station Cecil Field , Florida (USA) , in service from 1984 to 1992. Their radio callsign was "Pirate."
4-756: VFA-132 was established on 3 January 1984 as the first squadron to be assigned the VFA designation and as a unit of the newly established Carrier Air Wing 13 (CVW-13). VFA-132 operated the F/A-18A Hornet from NAS Lemoore , California, and moved to NAS Cecil Field in February 1985. They made their inaugural deployment aboard the USS ; Coral Sea (CV-43) and saw combat operations during Operations Prairie Fire and El Dorado Canyon against Libya . In March 1986, during Freedom of Navigation exercises in
8-852: The Gulf of Sidra , the squadron’s aircraft flew combat air patrols in support of the exercise, including the period of 24 and 25 March following a 24 March Libyan firing of an SA-5 missile against a U.S. aircraft operating in international waters. On 14–15 April 1986, in response for the Libyan-sponsored terrorist bombing of U.S. personnel in Berlin, Germany , the U.S. European Command launched Operation El Dorado Canyon . VFA-132 aircraft, along with other units of Carrier Air Wing Thirteen (CVW-13) and A-7E Corsairs from CVW-1 , provided air-to-surface AGM-45 Shrike and AGM-88 HARM missile strikes against Libyan surface-to-air missile sites at Benghazi. This
12-824: The coast of Lebanon following the Israeli capture of Sheik Obeid and the reported killing of Lieutenant Colonel William R. Higgins , USMC . In early September the squadron provided air cover for the CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters used to evacuate personnel from the U.S. embassy in Beirut . After Coral Sea and CVW-13 were decommissioned, VFA-132 was reassigned to CVW-6 aboard USS Forrestal (CV-59) . During May 1991, CVW-6 squadrons participated in Operation Provide Comfort , flying missions over northern Iraq in support of
16-644: Was the first use of the F/A-18 in combat. From October 1987 through April 1988 (6 months) the squadron deployed to MCAS Iwakuni , Japan , and was assigned to Marine Air Group 15 . While deployed to Japan, the squadron operated detachments at NAS Cubi Point , Tsuiki AB, Clark AB, Yechon AB, Misawa AB and Kadena AB. They also participated in exercises in Japan, the Philippines, and Korea. During August–September 1989, Coral Sea , with VFA-132 embarked, operated off
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