The squadron also saw aerial combat over the Philippines, Formosa, Okinawa, and China. On 7 August 1948, VF-3A was redesignated VF-31. For almost four years, the squadron flew the F9F Panther, the squadron's first jet aircraft. 1950s In 1952, the squadron transitioned to the F2H Banshee, and then switched to the F3H Demon in 1957, flying it through 1962. 1960s VF-31 transitioned to the F-4 Phantom II in 1964, flying the B model for two years before transitioning to the F-4J. 1970s In 1972, squadron aircraft shot down a MiG-21 over North Vietnam with a F-4J Phantom and in doing so made VF-31 the only Navy fighter squadron to achieve aerial victories in three wars – World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. 1980s In 1980, VF-31 and concluded a 24-year period of continuous service together, the longest in US naval history. VF-31 received the F-14A Tomcat in early 1981. The squadron's first cruise was on board . In 1983, VF-31 embarked on its fourth cruise with Kennedy. The cruise took the carrier and its air wing to the southern Mediterranean off the North African coast. VF-31 regularly flew over Lebanese and Syrian positions in support of multi-national peacekeeping operations, often being fired at by Syrian AAA. During a mission in early December 1983, heat-seeking SA-7 SAMs were launched at two squadron F-14s. Although both Tomcats were able to return safely to Kennedy, this incident led to US Navy retaliatory strikes. On December 4, both carriers in the Mediterranean Sea, Kennedy and , launched strikes against Syrian SAM sites, losing one A-7 Corsair II and one A-6 Intruder. VF-31 shifted carriers and air wings in April 1985 joining along with its sister squadron, the VF-11 Red Rippers. In June 1986, VF-31 and the rest of the Forrestal battle group set sail for the Mediterranean. While deployed the squadron participated in numerous fleet exercises. In August 1986, VF-31 participated in joint exercises with the Egyptian Air Force and Navy. In September 1987, VF-31 and the Forrestal battle group participated in North Atlantic exercises above the Arctic Circle. In April, 1988 VF-31 and the Forrestal battle group set sail for a six-month Indian Ocean cruise which lasted for six months. While heading home from the "IO", the battle group once again participated in North Atlantic NATO exercises before coming home to NAS Oceana. 1990s VF-31 stayed with Forrestal until