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Contact Info
Home Town Newtown, PA
Date of Passing Jul 20, 1993
Location of Interment Washington Crossing United Methodist Cemetery - Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania
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His plane crashed on board the USS Abraham Lincoln during operations in the Indian Ocean. Lt. Robert D. Fuller of Boise, Idaho, the aircraft's radar intercept officer, was being treated for injuries sustained when he ejected from the plane. Both men were stationed at the Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego. The Navy said the accident occurred during routine carrier operations about 9 a.m. PDT on Tuesday. July 20, 1993
1991-1993, 131X, VFA-213 Black Lions
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The Blacklions were established as VF-213 on June 22, 1955 at NAS Moffett Field,California. The first cruise was aboard USS Bon Homme Richard flying the F2H Banshee. When they returned, they transitioned to the F4D Skyray which they flew for two deployments on USS Lexington. They then transitioned to the F3H Demon, which gave the squadron the capability to shoot the newly released AIM-7 Sparrow Air-to-Air missile. VF-213 deployed next for a third cruise aboard Lex.
In June 1961, VF-213 moved to NAS Miramar, which became their home for the next 36 years. Three years later, in February 1964, the Blacklions took a huge step forward in fighter capability by accepting the first of their new McDonnell F-4B Phantom IIs. In November 1965, VFA-213 joined Attack Carrier Air Wing 11 (CVW-11) and began the first of six combat deployments to Yankee Station aboardUSS Kitty Hawk, where they flew numerous missions over Southeast Asia in theVietnam War. This deployment marked the first use of the Phantom as a conventional bomber, which was a role destined to make the Phantom a mainstay of the US Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. On 20 December 1966, the Blacklions scored their first air-to-air kill when Lieutenant D.A. McRae and Ensign D.N. Nichols shot down a VietnameseAN-2 Colt. Between the years 1965 and 1972 VF-213 flew several combat cruises, flying 11,500 combat missions and delivering 6000 tons of ordnance.
In September 1976, VF-213 began the transition to the Grumman F-14A Tomcat. The first cruise with the F-14 was with CVW-11 aboard Kitty Hawk in October 1977. After the Kitty Hawk cruise, the carrier air wing switched to the USS Americaand took part in two Mediterranean cruises in 1979 and 1981.
1980s
In April 1982, the Blacklions added a new mission as they began training with the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) and in September 1982, VF-213 deployed aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65). During Indian Ocean operations, the Blacklions achieved a new milestone by flying the longest Tomcat flight from a carrier on a 1,775-mile (2,857 km) TARPS mission.
On 24 January 1986 they deployed with Enterprise to the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean, where VF-213 often intercepted Soviet and Indian aircraft. During this deployment, tensions between the U.S. and Libya escalated, necessitating the decision to move Enterprise through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Sea. Upon arrival in the Gulf of SidraCVW-11 aircraft flew patrols for two months, although encounters with Libyan aircraft were rare. The ship transited the Strait of Gibraltar and around the Cape of Good HopeSouth Africa before continuing onto Perth, Australia and across the Pacific to their home port.
The Blacklions won the prestigious “BOOLA BOOLA” award in March 1989 for their professional completion of all missile test firings. In fall 1989, VF-213 and CVW-11 went around the world on Enterprise for a WESTPAC deployment ending atNS Norfolk, Virginia for refurbishment.
F-213 received the 2001 Commander Naval Air Pacific Fleet Battle "E", Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Safety "S", Clifton Award and the Commander Fighter Wing Atlantic Golden Wrench for their performance in 2001.
VF-213 began their transition to the F/A-18F Super Hornet in April 2006 and was re-designated VFA-213 on 2 April 2006. VF-213 was the first Super Hornet squadron to fly AESA-equipped Super Hornets.