Today we bring you yet another awesome video that has been making the rounds this weekend, featuring the Echo Drivers of VFA-143 out of Naval Air Station Oceana. Known as the “World Famous Pukin’ Dogs,” this video features their Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornets in action in the Pacific Northwest, running low-level on Military Training Routes (MTRs), cloud surfing, and engaging in some dogfights for good measure. There’s definitely some beautiful scenery to be had out in that part of the country, and the Pukin’ Dogs seem to be right at home down in it, even far from their home station in Virginia.
The squadron was commissioned as a Naval reserve unit in 1949, known as the “Griffins” of VF-871. They underwent several designation and aircraft changes, finally becoming the Pukin’ Dogs of VF-143 in 1962 when they received their McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom IIs.
They moved to Oceana in 1975 as part of their transition to the F-14A, and operated the mighty Tomcat with distinction until their last cruise in 2004. The Pukin’ Dogs have since employed the single-seat F/A-18E Super Hornet on multiple deployments in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
They returned to Oceana from their most recent cruise with Carrier Air Wing 7 in July 2013, ending a year of back-to-back deployments away from home. When they’re home from the boat, you can count on the Pukin’ Dogs to train for the next deployment – and this video shows them doing just that.
Sans Reproache
