Now operating from USS Ranger (CV 4),
the squadron had switched to the Atlantic
Fleet prior to the outbreak of war. VS-41
became known as the ‘Top Hats’ by early
1942, the term ‘high hat’ having become a
phrase used to describe a person who was
snooty towards others.
VS-41 received its rst Douglas SBD-3
Dauntless scouting/dive bombers in
September 1942 and two months later the
unit saw its rst ever combat action during
Operation ‘Torch’ — the US and Allied
invasion of North Africa. The ‘Top Hats’
became bombing squadron VB-41 on
March 1, 1943 before changing yet again
to VB-4 on August 4 as Ranger’s embarked
aircraft were placed under Carrier Air
Group Four (CVG-4) command.
In October 1943, VB-4 ew its SBD-5s
into action over Norway and moving into
1944 the name had morphed into being
the ‘Top Hatters’ as the squadron was
ordered to the Paci c, receiving Curtiss
SB2C-3 Helldivers. Its rst action against
Japanese forces was in November that
year, ying with the rest of Carrier Air
Group Four from the carrier USS BunkerHill (CV 17) and subsequently the USS
Essex (CV 9).
After withdrawing from the Paci c
theater in spring 1945, the ‘Top Hatters’
went to New Jersey, California, and then
eventually Connecticut as the war ended
that August. By then operating the SB2C-5
version of the Helldiver, it continued
under CVG-4’s command and made a
rst post-war cruise in 1946 aboard USS
Tarawa (CVA 40), which brought the ‘Top
Hatters’ back to the US west coast via the
Panama Canal. It was during that cruise
that VB-4 became an attack squadron,
being designated VA-1A on November
15, 1946. At the same time, CVG-4 was
re-designated Attack Carrier Air Group
One (CVAG-1).
Incredibly, the ‘Top Hatters’ changed
aircraft once again in April 1948, adopting
Vought F4U-4 Corsairs, and on August 2
underwent yet another identity change
to become VA-14. Embarking on Tarawa
once again, this time for an around-the-
world cruise that culminated on February
21, 1949, the ‘Top Hatters’ returned to the
Atlantic Fleet for the next 52 years. By thistime, VA-14’s nickname was being written
as ‘Tophatters’, an identity that endures to
the present day — while on December 15,
1949, the squadron switched to a ghter
role, becoming VF-14.The jet age
The ‘Tophatters’ entered the jet age with
the Douglas F3D-2 Skyknight in early
1954, but the type proved problematic
and was never fully deployed. VF-14
had to wait until March 8, 1956 before
accepting the altogether more e ective
McDonnell F3H-2N Demon (re-designated
the F-3B in 1962) deploying for a maiden
jet-powered Sixth Fleet cruise on the USS
Forrestal (CVA 59) on January 15, 1957.
The Demons continued in service until
1963 when, on May 20, VF-14 entered
the classrooms of VF-101 ‘Grim Reapers’
at NAS Key West, Florida, to commence
conversion to the latest and greatest naval
ghter — the F-4B Phantom II.
Just two days later, nine F-4Bs were
accepted en masse from VF-101’s charge
along with a single example from VF-41
‘Black Aces’. Transition was completed onTHE OLDEST AND THE BOLDEST
VFA-14’s
centenary
CAGbird F/A-18E
fl ies at low level in
California in June
2019 following the
unit’s most recent
deployment.
Richard
Vandermeulenhttp://www.combataircraft.net // September 2019 53
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