VF-173

Fighter Squadron 173 or VF-173 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy established on 11 August 1948 and disestablished on 1 February 1959.^[1]

Fighter Squadron 173
Active	11 August 1948 – 1 February 1959
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Role	Fighter aircraft
Part of	Inactive
Nickname(s)	Jesters
Aircraft flown
Fighter	F8F-2 Bearcat F4U-5 Corsair F9F-6 Cougar FJ-3 Fury

Operational history

VF-173 FJ-3s on USS Saratoga c.1956

VF-173 was the first squadron equipped with the FJ-3 Fury replacing its F9F-6 Cougars in late 1954, VF-173 completed the carrier qualification of the FJ-3 aboard USS Coral Sea in early 1955.^[2]

VF-173 was assigned to Carrier Air Group 17 (CVG-17) which was assigned to the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1956 to 1958. In September 1957, VF-173 participated in Operation Deep Water.

Home port assignments

• NAS Jacksonville

Aircraft assignment

• F8F-2 Bearcat
• F4U-5 Corsair
• F9F-6 Cougar
• FJ-3 Fury

See also

• History of the United States Navy
• List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
• List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons