Actually the “V” stands for “Fixed Wing”. It is used in the Marine Corps also as in VMFA - 232 (Fixed Wing, Marine, Fighter - Attack)
'Actually the “V” stands for “Fixed Wing”.'
Yes indeed. I remember asking my late Father about the V designator in the VF-41 of his squadron when he was Skipper back in the late 1960s. He had told me that originally the 'V' was for heavier-than-air squadrons with 'Z' being for lighter-than-air squadrons (i.e., blimps) and that during late WWII the 'V' became fixed-wing, 'H' was added for rotary winged and 'Z' was maintained for lighter-than-air. I guess the Navy got the 'Z' from the German Zepplins of WWI fame...
As far as the McCain history as a Naval Aviator, he was an Attack pilot in A-4s during Vietnam. My Father flew F-4Bs in VF-96 during the 1964-1967 period over Vietnam. I am sure that he would be a bit amused to hear McCain described as a fighter pilot given the rivalry between the 'Fighter' and 'Attack' communities that existed in that day. Now days with the advent of the 'strike-fighters' with the various models of the F-18 and the retirement of the A-7, A-6 attack aircraft and the F-14 fighters, no such split still exists.
Besides, my three sisters tell me that our Father looked like a recruitment poster for US Navy fighter pilots, while John McCain had that scruffier attack pilot look... :-) I'll have to scrounge up a picture to post someday...
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