Chronicles of Naval Aviation: Squadron Nicknames

We get mail and some of it is darn interesting. Take this for example – sometime back we posted on the return of CDR Pete Mongilardi’s remains from Vietnam. Following up on that posting came a note from the former OPS O of VA-153 relating how the Bluetail Flies came by that nickname.

It occurred while they were flying the F9F-5. Seems that one plane had a failure in the tail section and the only replacement on hand was painted in the old dark blue scheme. Grey body/blue tail and a new nickname is born … have to love naval aviation, eh? Which, of course, brings to mind a question – anyone else out there that knows of a similar tale leading to a squadron nickname? Feel free to pass it along here…

-SJS

P.S. One of the VMI grads whose postings YHS has come to look forward to and appreciate has a right decent shot of a gaggle of hummers over at OPFOR – fair warning Lex, better not stare too long into all those props!