: ▁A ▁det achment ▁of ▁three ▁aircraft ▁deployed ▁on ▁ ▁to ▁provide ▁cou rier ▁service ▁during ▁a ▁Project ▁Mercur y ▁space ▁flight ▁of ▁the ▁Fa ith ▁ 7 ▁caps ule . ▁▁ 1 7 ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 5 : ▁The ▁squad ron ’ s ▁executive ▁officer , ▁Commander ▁H . ▁B . ▁South worth , ▁led ▁the ▁first ▁successful ▁strike ▁against ▁a ▁surface - to - air ▁SA - 2 ▁miss ile ▁installation ▁in ▁North ▁Vietnam . ▁The ▁strike ▁was ▁composed ▁of ▁four ▁V A - 7 2 ▁A - 4 Es ▁and ▁one ▁A - 6 A ▁from ▁V A - 7 5 . ▁▁ 1 8 ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 0 : ▁While ▁operating ▁in ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁ab o ard ▁, ▁the ▁squad ron ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁deploy ▁with ▁the ▁car rier ▁to ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁fighting ▁between ▁Jordan ian ▁and ▁Palest in ian ▁forces ▁and ▁the ▁inter vention ▁of ▁Sy ria ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁the ▁Palest ini ans . ▁ ▁October ▁ 1 9 7 3 : ▁With ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁Y om ▁K ipp ur ▁War , ▁Kennedy ▁and ▁her ▁air ▁wing , ▁while ▁operating ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁Atlantic ▁after ▁just ▁comple ting ▁a ▁Mediter rane an ▁deployment , ▁were ▁ordered ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁Mediter rane an . ▁V A - 7 2 ▁conducted ▁flight ▁operations ▁while ▁the ▁car rier ▁was ▁on ▁station ▁south ▁of ▁Cre te , ▁from ▁the ▁latter ▁part ▁of ▁October ▁through ▁mid ▁November