At the completion of my tour as a Topgun instructor, I went through a short refresher course in the F-14 training squadron and then reported to Fighter Squadron 2 (VF-2). When I joined the Bounty Hunters (squadron nickname) in June 1987, our Tomcats wore the letter “E” on the forward fuselage in recognition of winning the 1986 Battle E for West Coast F-14 squadrons. The Battle E was one of the highest honors for a squadron — an official Navy award presented to ships, aircraft squadrons,...
