Second VA-36 (U.S. Navy)

Operational history

• 30 Dec 1988: VA-36 deployed aboard for the carrier’s maiden cruise to the Mediterranean Sea.
• 20 Jan–28 Feb 1991: The squadron participated in Operation Desert Storm, combat operations against Iraq.
• Apr–Jun 1991: The squadron participated in Operation Provide Comfort, a multi-national operation providing relief and aid for Kurdish refugees in northern Iraq.
• Mar–Sep 1993: The squadron, along with other units of CVW-8, deployed aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt in a new approach to joint operations to test the Navy’s ability to project a wide range of power and mobility from the sea. The composition on the carrier during the deployment included the regular air wing, minus an F-14 and S-3 squadron, and a Special Marine Air-Ground Task Force consisting of a Marine Corps fixedwing and helicopter squadron and a company of Marines. The mix of units provided the carrier with the ability to project air and ground striking power ashore from a single deck.
• Jun 1993: The squadron, along with other units embarked on USS Theodore Roosevelt, operated in the Red Sea in support of a strike on the Iraqi Intelligence Service headquarters building in Baghdad in response to Iraq’s attempt on the life of former President George H. W. Bush while on a visit to Kuwait in April. During this time, the squadron also participated in Operation Southern Watch missions, enforcing the U. N. no-fly zone within southern Iraq.