VFA-143

Strike Fighter Squadron 143 (VFA 143), also known as the "Pukin Dogs," is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The Pukin Dogs are an operational fleet squadron and flying the F/A 18E Super Hornet. They are currently attached to Carrier Air Wing One and Harry S Truman. They are currently at their homeport of NAS Oceana. Their radio callsign is Taproom.

The squadron adopted its current insignia in 1953, a winged black griffon on a blue shield. The distinctive squadron name "Pukin' Dogs" came about when the squadron commander's wife saw the creature’s droopy head and gaping mouth design. She stated, in front of the squadron pilots, that it looked like a "pukin' dog." The pilots loved that, and the name stuck. In the aftermath of the Tailhook scandal in 1991, the squadron was forced to officially rename itself the "Dogs". This official banishment was widely ignored until Admiral John Mazach, Commander, Naval Air Force U. S. Atlantic Fleet, rescinded the policy in a 1996 speech to the squadron.

Two Navy squadrons have held the designation VF 143. The first VF 143 was established on 20 July 1950 as VF 821 redesignated VF 143 on 4 February 1953 and disestablished on 1 April 1958. The second VF 143 was established in 1950, was eventually redesignated VFA 143, and is the subject of this article.

VF 871, a reserve F4U 4 Corsair squadron based at NAS Alameda called to active duty on 20 July 1950. The squadron deployed twice during the Korean War, flying from the aircraft carriers Princeton from 31 May to 25 August 1951 and Essex from 16 June 1952 to 6 February 1953. On 4 February 1953, the squadron was redesignated VF 123 and transitioned to the F9F 2 Panther. In April 1958 they transitioned to the F3H Demon and were redesignated VF 53.

On 20 June 1962, the unit was redesignated VF 143 and began its transition to the F 4 Phantom II. They deployed seven times during the Vietnam War. The squadron deployed on Constellation from 5 May 1964 to 1 February 1965. The squadron deployed on USS Constellation again from 29 May 1968 to 31 January 1969. The squadron returned to NAS Miramar on 12 June 1973, and three months later made a final Phantom deployment to the Mediterranean. In 1974, VF 143 transitioned to the F 14 Tomcat and then changed homeport to NAS Oceana in 1976. VF 143 and its sister squadron VF 142 were aboard America for her maiden voyage in 1976.

In 1980 VF 143 deployed to the Indian Ocean in response to the Iran–Iraq War, setting a Navy underway record of 153 days. VF 143 soon gained Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) capability, and provided the first time imagery of the new Soviet aircraft carrier Novorossiysk and the new Soviet On 5 August 1983, VF 143 intercepted five Libyan Air Force MiG 23s some south of USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Mediterranean Sea. No weapons were fired during these encounters but the situation was described as "very tense". The squadron became the first to fly combat TARPS missions when they flew 45 combat reconnaissance sorties over Lebanon in the autumn of 1983.

VF 143 was one of the first squadrons to deploy with the F 14A(+) (later renamed F 14B), in March 1990 aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 2005 VF 143 transitioned to the F/A 18E Super Hornet, and was designated Strike Fighter Squadron 143 (VFA 143). Much to the Chagrin of Actual Aviators around the world. The first deployment with the F/A 18E commenced in 2006 and ended in the spring of 2007. During the cruise aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, VFA 143 supported Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and operations off the Somali coast. On 21 February 2009 VFA 143 and CVW 7 embarked aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower for a deployment supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations in the Persian Gulf. On 30 July 2009, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower returned to Naval Station Norfolk after almost a six month deployment.

VFA 143 and the rest of CVW 7 embarked on board USS Dwight D. Eisenhower on 2 January 2010 for a seven month deployment in support of 5th and 6th Fleet operations. The "Pukin' Dogs" won the 2010 Wade McClusky Award, as most outstanding attack squadron in the US Navy, for its performance during this deployment. In June 2012, VFA 143 deployed again on board Dwight D. Eisenhower for a nine month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. That deployment was cut short due to the requirement for entire Carrier Strike Group to surge. Dwight D. Eisenhower returned to Naval Station Norfolk just prior Christmas in December 2012. The Air Wing re embarked on Dwight D. Eisenhower and got underway in February 2013 for a five month surge deployment, again in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. After a two year maintenance period, the "Pukin' Dogs" and the rest of CVW 7 embarked on board Harry S. Truman on 15 November 2015 for a seven month deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. CVW 7 dropped a record breaking number and tonnage of ordnance on targets in the vicinity of Fallujah, Ramadi, and Mosul Iraq. As well as support coalition forces in western Syria. VFA 143 dropped 422 precision guided weapons, totaling nearly 400,000 pounds of ordnance. After being extended for a month, VFA 143 returned to NAS Oceana Virginia on 12 July 2016. After 45 years with CVW 7, the squadron was transferred to Carrier Air Wing One as of October 2023.