The SLUF's Swan Song

February 26th, 1991... flying from the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy, CV-67, an A-7E of VA-72 'Blue Hawks', toting eight Mark 82 Snakeyes, heads for a target in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm.

Photo by: Commander John 'Lites' Leenhouts (Source)

Two days after this photo was taken the fighting stopped, effectively ending the SLUF's final curtain call in service with the U.S. military. Upon arrival back home a few months later, the last of the U.S. Navy's SLUFs were retired from front-line service. Specialized variants of the A-7 continued to serve a while longer in training and support roles, but her combat days with the Navy were over.



Fade to Black...