1945

  1 February: In accordance with a secret dispatch order, Bombing - Fighting Squadron THREE (VBF-3) was established by the Commanding Officer of the USS Yorktown (CV-10) with Lt. Cmdr Fritz WOLF as Commanding Officer.

  16 February: The morning was a heavy blanketing overcast that force the first sweep to turn back to the Yorktown. Lt.Cmdr. Wolf took his VBF-3 pilots in low, flying into the base of the clouds and from there making the attacks. Thus becoming the first Navy carrier-based Squadron to attack the sacred soil of the Empire of Japan. During the heavy action on that day, the squadron totaled 24 airborne kills of Japanese aircraft for which they were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

  20 – 22 February: After the two and half day attack on the mainland of Japan, the Yorktown’s battle group sailed back to Iwo Jima to give support to the Marines landing on that island, justifying the "B" in their name but finding little opportunity to embellish the "F".

  20 - 28 March: Departed Pearl Harbor aboard the USS LEXINGTON (CV-16) and arrived at Bremerton, Washington. All personnel received thirty days leave.

  7 May: Squadron reforms at Naval Air Station, Wildwood, N.J. to begin training.

  2 September: Japan surrenders onboard the Battleship Missouri while anchored in Tokyo bay, thus ending the Second World War.

1946

  3 July: Eight planes from the Squadron departs for Ripley, West Virginia to participate in a Fourth of July Celebration.

  25 September: Squadron received four of the F8F-1 "Bearcat" as the first of an entire new complement of this type of aircraft.

  15 November: In accordance with the CNO order, the official squadron designation is changed from Bombing Fighting Squadron THREE (VBF-3) to FIGHTING SQUADRON FOUR ABLE (VF-4A).

1947

  1 March: Planes flown from NAAS Oceana, VA. to NAS Norfolk, VA to be hosted aboard the USS KEARSARGE (CV-33).

  7 March: USS KEARSARGE (CV-33) is underway for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

  14 March: Ensign Thomas M. KLOBUCAR USNR lost in the line of duty when his plane crashed during landing approach to the carrier.

  17 April: Squadron based at NAS Quonset Point, RI.

  19 May: Planes hosted aboard the USS KEARSARGE (CV-33) in preperation for the Midshipmen's Cruise to Europe.

  1 June: Ensign John VOTOLATO was involed in a barrier crash sustaining injuries, later removed to Portsmouth Naval Hospital for more through examination. He was unable to make the cruise. His plane BuNo.95335 sustained class "A" damage and was transferred to NAS Norfolk, VA for crash evaluation.

1948

  11 March: The Chief of Naval Operations approves the new design of the Squadron Insignia.

  7 August: Squadron designation was changed from VF-4A to VF-32 by authority of the Chief of Naval Operations.

1949

  20 January: Twelve squadron pilot and aircraft participated in the aerial parade over Washington, D.C. in celebration of Harry S. Truman's presidential inaguration.

  17 February: Pursuant to ComAirLant directives, four VF-32 enlisted men were transfered to NAS Patuxent, MD for subsequent assignments to the Berlin Airlift.

  1 September: The Squadron is awarded the Battle Efficiency Pennant at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island.

  24 December: VF-32 received its first F4U-4 Corsair.

1950

  28 April: The Squadron embarked aboard the USS Leyte (CV-32) for a five month Mediterranean Cruise.

  25 June: North Korea invades the Republic of South Korea.

  11 August: While anchored at Beirut, Lebanon the USS Leyte received orders to proceed back to the United States.

  11 September: Transited through the Pamama Canal.

  28 September: The Leyte crossed the International date line.

  8 October: The Leyte joins up with the Seventh Fleet as a part of Task Force 77.

  10 October: LCDR Frank Cronin's division makes the Squadrons first Korean Combat mission along with Martin Goode, Eddie Byron and Frank Sheffield in the Wonsan area.

  11 October: LCDR Neill's aircraft lost oil pressure enroute to Wonsan and was forced to make an emergency landing at the Wonsan airfield. This airfield had been captured by friendly forces only a few hours previously and was still under enemy fire.

  30 October: Moored at Sasebo, Japan, much of the time before is spent with Combat Operation over North Korea.

  7 November: Returned to Combat Operation over North Korea.

  17 November: Ensign H. SARGENT made the 28,000 landing aboard the U.S.S. LEYTE (CV-32).

  4 December: Ensign J.L. BROWN shot down at the Choshin Reservoir. LT(jg) T.J. HUDNER, Jr. made an intentional wheels up landing in an unsuccessful attempt to extract BROWN from the cockpit of his plane before he died. HUDNER was rescued by a Marine Helicopter.

  26 December: U.S.S. LEYTE returned to Sasebo, Japan.

  27 December: First group of pilots departed for Tokyo, Japan.

  31 December: Second group of pilots departed for Tokyo, Japan.

1951

  7 January: U.S.S. LEYTE underway for Combat Operation off the coast of North Korea.

  22 January: Launched 12 aircraft for Kisarazu AFB for transfer to units remaining in the area. U.S.S. LEYTE arrived at Yokosuka, Japan.

  26 January: U.S.S. LEYTE underway for San Diego, California.

  3 February: U.S.S. LEYTE arrived at San Diego, and Squadron personnel disembarked and loaded aboard Navy transport aircraft to be airlifted to NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island.

  28 Febuary: LCDR C.A. WILLIAMS relieved LCDR D.T. Neill as Commanding Officer, during the ceremony decorations awarded were given to Squadron personnel for Korean service.

  13 April: At a ceremony in the White House, LTJG T.J. HUDNER, Jr. was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Truman for outstanding act of heroism while on duty with the squadron in Korea.

  1 May: Squadron deployed to NAAS Sanford, Florida.

  20 October: Squadron aboard USS SAIPAN (CVL-48) with a detachment aboard the USS KULA GULF (CVE-108) until the 15th of November.

1952

  1 February: Squadron deloyed to NAAS Oceana, Virginia.

  15 February: Squadron deloyed to NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island.

  25 February: Underway with the USS WRIGHT (CVL-49) in participation of CONVEX III.

  19 March: With CONVEX III completed, squadron returns to NAAS Sanford, Florida.

  7 November: Squadron arrived at NAS Cecil Field, Jacksonville, Florida.

  14 November:Began to transition from the F4U-4 Corsair to the Navy's newest swept wing jet fighter, the F9F-6 Cougar.

1957

  25 March: Vought Aircraft delivers the first F8U-1 Crusader supersonic Naval jet fighter to Fighter Squadron 32 at NAS Cecil Field, Florida, within a record two years from the first experimental test flight.

1958

  15 July: The USS Saratoga was in the Western Mediterranean and came steaming with reinforcements to aid the USS Essex which was stationed off the coast of Lebanon. Lebanese Muslims and Druzes instigated the Lebanese Civil War who was inspired by the revolutionary overthrow of the monarchy in Iraq and the killing of the entire royal family. President Camille Chamoun of Lebanon summoned the ambassadors of the United States, Britain, and France on the morning of July 14. He requested immediate assistance, insisting that the independence of Lebanon will be in jeopardy. Carrier Air Group 3 (CAG-3), prepared a large number of fighters and fighter-bombers for flying combat air patrol over Lebanon, so to ensure against any foreign invasion, including a plan for a nuclear war against the Soviet Union (USSR). Fighter Squadron 32 equipped with the new F-8 Crusader had a highly successful cruise: within the 23 days of operations off Lebanon, the pilots accumulated 1295 flying hours without a single accident.

1959

1960

1961

  March: The Squadron received the Navy's first F8U-2N aircraft.

1962

  16 March: A competition for a state-of-the-art fighter for French Naval Aviation was eventually narrowed to the F-4 Phantoms and the F-8 Crusaders. After a pair of VF-32 F-8s conducted flight operations on the French carrier Clemenceau (R-98), the French realized that the F-8 "fit" their carriers Clemenceau and Foch (R-99) better than the Phantom. The F-8 was chosen as the next-generation French Navy fighter. Later the French Connection continues with the Swordsmen sending some of its Crusaders to the French Navy when VF-32 transitioned to the F-4 Phantoms in 1965

  15 October to 15 November: During the Cuban Misslie Crisis, VF-32 maintained a detachment of six F8U-2N's at NAS Key West under the operational control of COMKEYWESTFOR. Many hours were spent on 15 minute alert duty and 96 sorties were flown in support of photo reconnaissance flights and other intelligence gathering missions over Cuba.

1963

  19 March: The Commanding Officer, CDR E.J. Clayton was killed when his F-8D crashed on the flight deck during night air operations. CDR Gordon "Gordo" L. Gray immediataly became Commanding Officer.

1965

  1 August: The squadron turned in their F-8 Crusaders and moved to NAS Oceana, Virginia, and converted to the F-4 Phantom II.

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