For nearly 70 years, the World Famous Golden Dragons of VFA-192 have stood watch over freedom, flying from 12 carriers through five major conflicts and earning a legacy of valor and sacrifice. Eight of their pilots have made the ultimate sacrifice in combat, and the squadron’s achievements include a Medal of Honor, three Silver Stars, two Legions of Merit with Combat “V”, and 14 Distinguished Flying Crosses. They’ve also earned numerous squadron-wide honors, including six Battle “E”s and the prestigious Michael J. Estocin Award—named for one of their own.

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Established in 1945 as VF-153 flying Hellcats, the squadron underwent several redesignations before becoming VF-192 in 1950 during the Korean War, where they earned acclaim for daring close air support missions. In Vietnam, they flew A-4 Skyhawks and A-7 Corsairs, earning further recognition—including the only Medal of Honor awarded to a Navy jet pilot, LCDR Michael Estocin. Several pilots became POWs, enduring immense hardship while embodying courage and resilience.

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In 1986, the squadron became VFA-192 with the transition to the F/A-18 Hornet and moved to Japan. They flew in Operation Desert Storm and conducted five deployments during Operation Southern Watch in the 1990s. Post-9/11, they supported combat ops in Iraq and Afghanistan, flying hundreds of missions and deploying multiple times.

Today, based in NAS Lemoore and flying the F/A-18E Super Hornet, the Golden Dragons remain ready to project power across the globe—proud of their heritage, their sacrifices, and their mission to defend freedom anytime, anywhere.

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Our version of the SSHWFGD US Navy Fighter Attack Squadron artwork, used in the F/A-18c Hornet livery: