Fighter Squadron 21 (VF-21) Freelancers was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. Originally established in 1944 as VF-81 it was redesignated VF-13A in 1946, redesignated VF-131 in 1948, redesignated VF-64 in 1950 and redesignated VF-21 on 1 July 1959, it was disestablished on 31 January 1996.

VF-21 Freelancers was the third US Navy fighter squadron to be designated VF-21. The first was VGS-11, which was established in 1942, redesignated VF-21 in 1944 and disestablished in 1945. The second VF-21 was established in 1945 as VF-74A and became VF-21 in 1948.

On May 16, 1943 redesignated Fighter Squadron 21 (VF-21) nicknamed "Freelancers". During 1943 part of Carrier Air Group 21 (CAG-21) that operated F4F-4 Wildcats land based from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.

This is why today there are squadrons with numbers as low as VFA-2 and as high as VFA-213 with many numbers missing in between. The table below does not list disestablished squadrons, it is a list of squadron designations which are no longer in use.

FJ-3 Fury (VF-21 / ATG-181) embarked on USS Forrestal (CVA 59) - 1956 One of three F9F-6 Cougars of VF-21 that completed the first transcontinental flight in less than four hours pictured at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio - 1954 (NNAM)

The squadron today known as VF-21 was first established in 1944 as VF-81, acquiring it's present designation in 1959, thus becoming the second US Navy squadron to be designated VF-21. The first Tomcats arrived in November 1983, replacing F-4N Phantoms.

FIGHTER SQUADRON 21 (VF-21) at HullNumber.com - Specs & Deployments - Crew Roster - Photos - NEW -> ALL HANDS - Internet Links - Reunion Info

VF-21 compiled a most impressive combat record by making six further visits to the war zone aboard USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) and USS Ranger (CV-61) between 1966 and 1973.

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Fighter Squadron 21 (VF-21) Freelancers was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. Originally established in 1944 as VF-81 it was redesignated VF-13A in 1946, redesignated VF-131 in 1948, redesignated VF-64 in 1950 and redesignated VF-21 on 1 July 1959, it was disestablished on 31 January 1996.