The Dambusters trace their lineage to August 15, 1943, when the squadron was established as Torpedo Squadron 19 (VT-19). Flying the TBM Avenger during World War II, the squadron participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf and strikes throughout the Pacific. After the war, it was redesignated VA-20A and then VA-195, transitioning to the AD Skyraider.
During the Korean War, VA-195 earned the Dambusters name following one of the most remarkable missions in Naval Aviation history. On May 1, 1951, Skyraiders from VA-195 and VC-35 launched a low-level aerial torpedo attack against the heavily defended Hwachon Dam in North Korea. Six torpedoes struck successfully, destroying one floodgate and disabling another. The mission was the last aerial torpedo attack against a surface target in history, and all eight participating pilots received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The Dambusters later flew the A-4 Skyhawk and A-7E Corsair II in combat during the Vietnam War. In 1985, VA-195 was redesignated VFA-195 and transitioned to the F/A-18 Hornet. The squadron subsequently participated in operations including Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. In 2011, VFA-195 transitioned to the F/A-18E Super Hornet, which the Dambusters continue to fly today, carrying forward a combat legacy spanning more than eight decades.
