Collection: VFA-27 Royal Maces

The Royal Maces were established as Attack Squadron 27 (VA-27) on September 1, 1967, initially flying the A-7 Corsair II. The squadron entered combat during the Vietnam War in 1968 and went on to fly thousands of combat hours in Southeast Asia. During its years with the A-7, VA-27 also participated in Operation Frequent Wind during the evacuation of Saigon and provided air cover during the 1980 Iranian hostage rescue attempt.

In 1991, VA-27 transitioned to the F/A-18A Hornet and was redesignated VFA-27. The squadron later transitioned to the F/A-18C and officially adopted the Royal Maces name in 1996. The Royal Maces went on to fly combat missions during Operation Southern Watch, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

VFA-27 transitioned to the F/A-18E Super Hornet in 2004. Today, the Royal Maces continue to fly the single-seat F/A-18E, carrying forward a Naval Aviation legacy that began during the Vietnam era and has continued through decades of carrier-based operations and combat missions.