VA-34 Blue Blasters Unisex Hoodie

VA-34 “Blue Blasters” operated the A-6 Intruder family from 1970 through 1996 as an Atlantic Fleet medium attack squadron. Formed at NAS Oceana as a new A-6 unit, they carried forward the Blue Blasters name and insignia from an earlier VA-34, building their own record around all weather carrier strike with A-6A/B/C/E and KA-6D aircraft. Through the 1970s and 1980s they deployed across the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Norwegian Sea, Indian Ocean, and Red Sea, including cross-deck operations with HMS Ark Royal and regular NATO and Cold War presence cruises. VA-34 played a major role in actions against Libya in 1986. During Operation Prairie Fire one of their A-6Es fired an AGM-84 Harpoon at a Libyan missile boat in what is often cited as the first combat use of the AGM-84 Harpoon. They later struck targets around Benghazi during Operation El Dorado Canyon. In 1990 to 1991 the squadron flew A-6E missions from the Red Sea in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and follow on Gulf operations. Their final Intruder deployment in 1996 on USS George Washington supported NATO operations over Bosnia under Decisive Endeavor and post war enforcement over Iraq under Southern Watch. VA-34 was redesignated VFA-34 later in 1996 when it transitioned to the F/A-18, marking the end of more than twenty years of Blue Blaster Intruder service.

[1] VFA-34 / VA-34 overview and aircraft history, including A-6 variants and 1996 redesignation to VFA-34, at “VFA-34” entry on Wikipedia.
[2] US Navy and AIRLANT command history noting VA-34 redesignation to VFA-34 and Hornet transition in 1996, from official AIRLANT command history.
[3] VA-34 Intruder service dates and final A-6E deployment on USS George Washington supporting Decisive Endeavor and Southern Watch, from Navy Together We Served unit history.
[4] A-6 Intruder article noting VA-34 participation in 1986 Libya strikes and the first combat use of the AGM-84 Harpoon, from “Grumman A-6 Intruder” entry on Wikipedia.
[5] Intruder Association material on VA-34 deployments, 1970s to 1980s operations, and cross-decking with HMS Ark Royal, from Intruder Association squadron history.