News 3 is proud to salute Strike Fighter Squadron 81, The "Sunliners", as our Squadron of the Month for February 2023. Each month, News 3 anchor Blaine Stewart spends a morning highlighting one of our local Navy squadrons and the work they do.

VFA-81, based at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, is led by Cmdr. Patrick Durnin. A native of Texas, Durnin has been part of this Squadron, first serving as the executive officer, before assuming the role of commanding officer in 2021.

"Everybody puts their heart and soul into this job and they do it with a smile," Durnin says. It is amazing to get to come to work with a bunch of people who have smiles on their faces every single day."

The Sunliners are currently in a maintenance phase, repairing and upgrading equipment and systems following a nine-month deployment with the U.S.S. Harry S. Truman. The deployment lasted longer than planned, due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

"It was a really unique opportunity, because we got to support NATO partners and allies in the region," Durnin adds.

According to the Navy, The Sunliners were originally commissioned as an all-weather fighter interceptor squadron, on July 1, 1955, flying the Grumman F9F-8 "Cougar." Originally called the Crusaders, the Squadron participated in two Mediterranean cruises before their mission, designation and aircraft changed with a transition to the A4D-2 "Skyhawk" in March 1959. After becoming an attack squadron, they made multiple deployments within the Second and Sixth Fleets. In 1963, the Squadron adopted the name SUNLINERS and the motto "Anytime, Anyplace."

Story from our media partner WTKR.

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