F-4 Phantom II U.S. operators

U.S. units that operated the F-4 Phantom II are listed below.

U.S. Navy

The Phantom entered service with the U.S Navy on 30 December 1960 with VF-121 Pacemakers at NAS Miramar. The VF-74 Be-devilers at NAS Oceana became the first deployable Phantom squadron when it received its F4H-1s (F-4Bs) on 8 July 1961.Thornborough and Davies 1994, p. 260.]

Frontline & Reserve

*U.S. Atlantic Fleet
**VF-11 "Red Rippers"
**VF-31 "Tomcatters"
**VF-14 "Tophatters"
**VF-32 "Swordsmen"
**VF-33 "Tarsiers" (Also known as the "Starfighters")
**VF-102 "Diamondbacks"
**VF-41 "Black Aces"
**VF-84 "Jolly Rogers" (Formerly known as the "Vagabonds")
**VF-74 "Bedevilers"
**VF-103 "Sluggers"

*U.S. Pacific Fleet
**VF-21 "Freelancers"
**VF-154 "Black Knights"
**VF-51 "Screaming Eagles"
**VF-111 "Sundowners"
**VF-92 "Silver Kings"
**VF-96 "Fighting Falcons"
**VF-114 "Aardvarks"
**VF-213 "Black Lions"
**VF-142 "Ghostriders"
**VF-143 "Pukin Dogs"
**VF-151 "Vigilantes"
**VF-161 "Chargers"
**VF-191 "Satan's Kittens"
**VF-194 "Red Lighnings"

*United States Navy Reserve
**VF-201 "Hunters" (Atlantic Fleet)
**VF-202 "Superheats" (Atlantic Fleet)
**VF-301 "Devil's Disciples" (Pacific Fleet)
**VF-302 "Stallions" (Pacific Fleet)
**VF-22L1 "?" (Pacific Fleet. NB: Was based at NAS Los Alamitos, California)

Training

These kind of units are known in Navy parlance as Replacement Air Groups (RAG) or Fleet Replacement Squadrons (FRS). The purpose of these particular training units was to provide fleet squadrons with F-4 Phantom-qualified aircrew and maintenance personnel. During the Vietnam War, they also furnished spare aircraft to replace those lost in combat.

*VF-101 "Grim Reapers" (Atlantic Fleet)
*VF-121 "Pacemakers" (Pacific Fleet)
*VF-171 "Aces" (Atlantic Fleet. NB: The DACT detachment of this squadron was located at NAS Key West, Florida, and flew the A-4 Skyhawk. This unit assumed the F-4 training role in the Atlantic Fleet upon VF-101's transition to the F-14 Tomcat)

Fleet Support

These units provided services to the fleet such as aerial target-towing, air combat training and enemy electronic warfare simulation support.

*VC-7 "Tallyhoers"
*VAQ-33 "Firebirds"

Flight Development, Test & Evaluation

*VX-4 "Evaluators"
*VX-5 "Vampires"
*VX-30 "Bloodhounds"

U.S. Marine Corps

The U.S. Marines received their first F-4Bs in June 1962, with the VMFA-314 Black Knights at MCAS El Toro, California becoming the first operational squadron. In addition to attack variants, the Marines also operated several tactical reconnaissance RF-4Bs. Marine Phantoms from the VMFA-531 Gray Ghosts arrived in Vietnam on 10 April 1965, flying close air support missions from land bases as well as from USS "America". Marine F-4 pilots claimed three enemy MiGs (two while on exchange duty with the USAF) at the cost of 75 aircraft lost in combat, mostly to ground fire, and four in accidents. On 18 January 1992, the last Marine Phantom, an F-4S, was retired by VMFA-112 Cowboys. [ Crowther, M.J. and Baker, Rusty. [http://www.mfr.usmc.mil/4thmaw/mag41/Header/VMFA%20History/vmfa-112%20history.pdf The History of VMFA-112] Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112, U.S. Marine Corps. Retrieved: 13 February 2008.]

* VMFA-112 (DC)
* VMFA-115 (tail code "VE")
* VMFA-122 (MA)
* VMFA-134 (MF)
* VMFA-212 (WD)
* VMFA-232 (WT)
* VMFA-235 (DB)
* VMFA-251 (DW)
* VMFA-312 (DM)
* VMFA-314 (VW)
* VMFA-321 (MG)
* VMFA-323 (WS)
* VMFA-333 (DN)
* VMFA-334 (WU)
* VMFA-351 (MC)
* VMFA-451 (VM)
* VMFA-513 (WF)
* VMFA-531 (EC)
* VMFA-542 (CR)
* VMCJ-1 (RM)
* VMFP-3 (RF or NF as part of CVW-5)
* VMFAT-101 (SH)

U.S. Air Force

Following the test and evaluation of loaned Navy F-4Bs, the first production F-4C was delivered to U.S. Air Force in November 1963. 4453th Combat Crew Training Wing at MacGill AFB was the first unit to receive the Phantoms. The first combat unit to receive F-4Cs was the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing in 1964.Wilson, Stewart. "McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phanton". Notebook Publications, 2000. ISBN 1-876722-00-2.]

"Partial List"

;Wing
*1st Tactical Fighter Wing (MacDill AFB, FL 1970–1975)
*3d Tactical Fighter Wing (Clark Air Base, Philippines 1971–1991)
*4th Tactical Fighter Wing (Seymour Johnson AFB, NC c.1973–1991)
*8th Tactical Fighter Wing (George AFB, CA 1964–1966, Ubon RTAFB, Thailand 1966–1974)
*10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (RAF Alconbury, United Kingdom 1965–1987)
*12th Tactical Fighter Wing (Cam Ranh Air Base, South Viet Nam 1964–1971)
*15th Tactical Fighter Wing (MacDill AFB, FL 1967–1972)
*18th Tactical Fighter Wing (Kadena Air Base, Japan 1967–1989)
*21st Tactical Fighter Wing (Elmendorf AFB, AK 1970–1982)
*26th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (Zweibrucken AB, West Germany 1965–1991)
*31st Tactical Fighter Wing (Homestead AFB, FL 1967–1986)
*32d Tactical Fighter Wing (George AFB, CA 1964)
*33d Tactical Fighter Wing (Eglin AFB, FL 1967–1979)
*35th Tactical Fighter Wing (George AFB, CA 1971–1991)
*36th Tactical Fighter Wing (Bitburg Air Base, West Germany 1966–1977)
*37th Tactical Fighter Wing (George AFB, CA 1981–1989)
*48th Tactical Fighter Wing (RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom c.1974–1977)
*49th Fighter Wing (Holloman AFB, NM 1967–2005)
*50th Tactical Fighter Wing (Hahn Air Base, West Germany c.1977–1980)
*51st Tactical Fighter Wing (Osan Air Base, South Korea 1974–unknown)
*52d Tactical Fighter Wing (Spangdahlem Air Base, West Germany c.1975–1994)
*53d Wing (Holloman AFB, NM)
*54th Tactical Fighter Wing (Kunsan Air Base, South Korea 1970)
*56th Tactical Fighter Wing (MacDill AFB, FL 1975–1978)
*57th Fighter Weapons Wing (Nellis AFB, NV c.1970–1984)
*58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing (Luke AFB, AZ 1970–1982)
*66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (RAF Upper Heyford, United Kingdom 1969–1970)
*67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (Bergstrom AFB, TX unknown–1993)
*75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (Bergstrom AFB, TX 1966–1971)
*81st Tactical Fighter Wing (RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge, United Kingdom 1965–1978)
*86th Tactical Fighter Wing (Ramstein AB, West Germany c.1976–1978)
*347th Tactical Fighter Wing (Yokota AB, Japan 1971)
*354th Tactical Fighter Wing (Kunsan AB, South Korea 1968–1970)
*355th Tactical Fighter Wing (Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ 1971)
*363d Tactical Fighter Wing (Shaw AFB, SC 1965–1989)
*366th Tactical Fighter Wing (Da Nang Air Base, South Viet Nam 1969–1973)
*388th Tactical Fighter Wing (Korat RTAFB, Thailand 1969–1973)
*432d Tactical Fighter Wing (Udorn RTAFB, Thailand c.1972–1974)

;Squadrons
*3d Tactical Fighter Squadron (Clark Air Base, Philippines c.1971–1972, 1975–1991)
*32d Tactical Fighter Squadron (Soesterberg Air Base, Netherlands c.1974–1979)
*43d Tactical Fighter Squadron (Elmendorf AFB, AK 1975–c.1980)
*57th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (NAS Keflavik, Iceland c.1974–1980)
*82d Aerial Targets Squadron (Eglin AFB, FL, 1995–present)
*334th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Seymour Johnson AFB, NC c.1973–1991)
*335th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Seymour Johnson AFB, NC c.1973–1990)
*336th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Seymour Johnson AFB, NC c.1973–1989)
*337th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Seymour Johnson AFB, NC c.1985)

ee also

*F-4 Phantom II
*F-4 Phantom II non-U.S. operators
*F-4 Phantom II variants

References

* Thornborough, Anthony M. and Davies, Peter E. "The Phantom Story". London: Arms and Armour Press, 1994. ISBN 1-85409-121-2.