Strike Fighter Squadron 113 (VFA-113), better known as the “Stingers,” is a U.S. Navy strike fighter squadron based out of Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. They fly the F/A-18E Super Hornet as part of Carrier Air Wing 2 (CVW-2). Their tail code is NE, and their radio callsign is “Sting.”

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The squadron’s original insignia was approved back in 1949, the same year they picked up the “Stingers” nickname. The design got a small refresh in 1985.

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1940s – The Beginning

VFA-113 started out as Fighter Squadron 113 (VF-113) on July 15, 1948, at NAS San Diego, flying the old-school F8F Bearcat. By 1950, they’d moved on to the F4U-4B Corsair and were soon flying combat missions from USS Philippine Sea and USS Valley Forge during the Korean War. They supported the Inchon landings, took part in Operation Pinwheel, and even went up against MiG-15s over the Yalu River. In 1952, they helped carry out the first major coordinated strikes against North Korean power plants—earning six battle stars, a Presidential Unit Citation, and multiple Navy Unit Commendations.

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1950s–1960s – Jets, Skyhawks, and Moves

After Korea, the squadron transitioned through several jets—the F9F Panther, Cougar, and eventually the A-4 Skyhawk. They officially became Attack Squadron 113 (VA-113) in 1956. In 1958, while operating off USS Shangri-La, the Stingers supported Taiwan during the Quemoy crisis and took home the Battle “E” for best West Coast attack squadron. They later moved to NAS Lemoore in 1961, where they’re still based today. Over the next few years, the squadron flew a mix of missions over Vietnam and Laos and supported search-and-rescue and refueling operations.

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Vietnam Era and Beyond

In 1968, they deployed aboard USS Enterprise, briefly diverting to the Sea of Japan after the USS Pueblo incident. Soon after, they transitioned to the A-7 Corsair II, earning both the Arleigh Burke Award and the Battle “E.” Throughout the 1970s, the Stingers continued to fly combat missions over Southeast Asia, including during Operation Linebacker II. They kept up an impressive safety record—tens of thousands of accident-free flight hours—and even earned the Wade McClusky Award as the Navy’s top attack squadron.

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1980s – Enter the Hornet

By 1984, VA-113 officially became VFA-113, transitioning to the brand-new F/A-18 Hornet. They were the first operational Hornet squadron in the Navy, deploying aboard USS Constellation in 1985. They later supported Operation Earnest Will in the Persian Gulf, escorting U.S. ships during the Iran-Iraq War. By 1990, they’d logged over 70,000 mishap-free hours, setting Navy safety records.

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1990s – Desert Shield and Beyond

When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, the Stingers were right there aboard USS Independence, flying Operation Desert Shield missions in the Gulf—the first carrier ops in the area since 1974. They went on to fly missions in Operation Southern Watch over Iraq and earned multiple CNO Safety Awards, marking over 93,000 accident-free hours by the mid-’90s.

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2000s–2010s – The Super Hornet Era

The Stingers joined USS Ronald Reagan’s first deployment in 2006, flying missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2011, one of their Hornets made a fiery but safe single-engine landing aboard USS Carl Vinson—thankfully with no injuries. In 2014, they deployed again aboard Carl Vinson for Operation Inherent Resolve, flying combat missions over Iraq and Syria. Sadly, that same year, the squadron lost a pilot in a mid-air collision during Exercise Valiant Shield near Wake Island.

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By 2016, the Stingers said goodbye to their last F/A-18C Hornet—the final legacy Hornet on the West Coast—and fully transitioned to the F/A-18E Super Hornet, marking the end of an era and the start of another.