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{{short description|US Navy squadron}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= Fighter Squadron 194
| image= Fighter Squadron 194 (US Navy) patch.png
| image_size = 150
|caption= VF-194 insignia
|dates=26 March 1952 – 1 March 1978
|country= [[United States]]

|branch= [[United States Navy]]
|type= fighter squadron
|role=
|size=
|command_structure=
|current_commander=
|garrison=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname= "Red Lightnings"
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=[[Korean War]]<br>[[Vietnam War]]
|anniversaries=
}}
'''Fighter Squadron 194 (VF-194)''' was an aviation unit of the [[United States Navy]]. It was originally established as '''VF-91''' on 26 March 1952, redesignated '''VF-194''' on 1 August 1963 and disestablished on 1 March 1978. It was the third US Navy squadron to be designated VF-194.<ref>{{cite vf lineage|access-date=6 October 2016}}</ref>

==Squadron lineage==
The US Navy does not recognize the tradition of squadrons once they have been disestablished. Therefore, even if there is a squadron with the same designation and nickname, it is officially a totally new squadron. Four different squadrons have been designated VF-194 since 1948, [[VA-196 (U.S. Navy)|VF-194 ''Main Battery'']] (1950–1955), [[VF-194 (1955-8)|VF-194 ''Yellow Devils'']] (1955–1958), VF-194 ''Red Lightnings'' (1952–1978) and [[VF-194 (1986-8)|VF-194 ''Red Lightnings'']] (1986–8), this page is focussed on the third VF-194.

===Operational history===
VF-91 was established on 26 March 1952 and equipped with the [[F9F Panther|Grumman F9F-2 Panther]]. The squadron was assigned to [[Carrier Air Wing Nine|Carrier Air Group 9 (CVG-9)]] and made its first deployment on {{USS|Philippine Sea|CVA-47|6}} from December 1952 to August 1953 to [[Korean War|Korea]] and the Western Pacific.

In 1954 the squadron exchanged their Panthers for the swept wing [[F9F Cougar|Grumman F9F-6 Cougar]]. Between 11 May 1954 and 12 December 1954 VF-91 circumnavigated the world aboard {{USS|Hornet|CVA-12|6}}. From February to June 1956 VF-91 made its next deployment on {{USS|Kearsarge|CVA-33|6}} as part of CVG-5, this time equipped with the F9F-8 Cougar.

The F9F-8s were replaced by the [[FJ Fury|North American FJ-3 Fury]] in 1957 and the squadron made a Western Pacific cruise aboard {{USS|Ticonderoga|CVA-14}} between September 1957 and April 1958.

In 1959 VF-91 transitioned to the [[F-8 Crusader|Vought F-8C Crusader]] and made three deployments aboard {{USS|Ranger|CVA-61|6}} between 1960 and 1963.

On 1 August 1963 VF-91 was redesignated VF-194 and reassigned to [[Carrier Air Wing Nineteen]]. Between 1964 and 1973 VF-194 made eight deployments to the [[Vietnam War]], two aboard {{USS|Bon Homme Richard|CVA-31|6}} (1964, 1965/66), two aboard {{USS|Ticonderoga|CV-14|6}} (1966/67, 1967/68) and the last four aboard {{USS|Oriskany|CV-34|6}}. During these deployments the squadron flew the F-8E from 1965 to 1968 and then the F-8J. After the end of the US involvement in Vietnam in 1973, VF-194 made another two cruises to the Western Pacific aboard ''Oriskany''. VF-194 and its sister squadron [[VF-191]] were the last US Navy fighter squadrons equipped with the F-8 Crusader.

When USS ''Oriskany'' was retired as the last active {{Sclass|Essex|aircraft carrier|2}}, VF-194 received the [[F-4 Phantom|McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom]] in 1976. Together with VF-191 the squadron was reassigned to [[Carrier Air Wing Fifteen]]. However, after only one deployment aboard {{USS|Coral Sea|CV-43|6}} the squadron was disestablished on 1 March 1978.

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center">
File:North American FJ-3 Fury of VF-91 in flight, in 1957-1958.jpg|An FJ-3 of VF-91 in 1957
File:F-8C Crusader VF-91 in flight c9162.jpg|An F-8C of VF-91 from USS ''Ranger'' in 1962
File:Six Vought F-8J Crusader of VF-194 in flight, in 1971.jpg|F-8Js of VF-194 in 1971
File:F-4J VF-194 CV-43 1977.jpg|An F-4J of VF-194 on USS ''Coral Sea'' in 1977
File:F-4J VF-194 Tu-95 1977.jpg|F-4Js intercepting a Soviet Tu-95 in 1977
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[History of the United States Navy]]
* [[List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons]]
* [[List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
* [http://unitpages.military.com/unitpages/unit.do?id=202508&ESRC=unitpages.kw&ppcseid=6110&ppcsekeyword=VF-194&mmtctg=212004870&mmtcmp=5073030&mmtmt=5&mmtgglcnt=0&mmtadid=1227833910&niadgrp=NavyUnit&nicmp=Unit+Pages&nichan=Google military.com: ''VF-194 : Fighter Squadron 194'']

{{US Navy navbox}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

[[Category:Fighter squadrons of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1978]]