NAS OCEANA, Va. — Members of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA-32) were part of this month's missing man flyover in honor of President Jimmy Carter, during his funeral ceremonies in Plains, Georgia. During that formation, a single aircraft breaks away from the formation and soars skyward. This symbolizes the departure of life from the ranks. A specially decorated jet was one of the 21 aircraft taking part in that salute.
According his Navy biography, Carter graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946 with distinction. He was assigned to the USS Wyoming, a submarine (SSK-1), and he served with the Naval Reactors Branch, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, D.C., rising to the rank of Lieutenant. He was honorably discharged in 1953.
Cmdr. Jason Hoch, commanding officer of VFA-32, was part of that flyover.
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"It was a great honor to be able to be a part of that, not only for a former president, for a former naval officer as well," he said. "It was very special moment in my career."
The aircraft in the flyover from VFA-32 had a special paint job. Crew members painted part of the jet to look like an American flag waving as it flies through the sky.
"That was our coming home from deployment, and we knew it had to fly in president carter's memorial," said MCPO Megan Newberry, VFA-32.
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I spent time with many of the roughly 200 sailors who make up the squadron this week. The crew is building back up after a historic nine-month deployment to the area around the red sea, attached to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, returning home in July 2024.
VFA-32, also known as the Fighting Swordsmen, is a strike fighter squadron flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet. The two-seater jet is crewed by a pilot and weapons system operator. The squadron traces its roots back to 1945, celebrating 80 years of history.
