Soon thereafter, Bombing Fighter Squadron, VBF-19 moved to NAS North Island, California, where it first flew the Grumman F6F Hellcat and then the Vought F4U-4 Corsair.

[1] Between 1963 and 1975, VF-114 made nine cruises to Vietnam and the Western Pacific, all aboard the USS Kitty Hawk as follows:[2] On 15 December 1975, VF-114 transitioned to the Grumman F-14 Tomcat along with its sister squadron VF-213.

VF-114 also won the west coast "High Noon" aerial gunnery competition and the "Mutha" trophy in 1982, which signified it as the best Pacific Fleet squadron.

On 24 January 1986, under the leadership of CDR Pat "Killa" Kilkenny, the squadron's next overseas deployment began on board USS Enterprise which ventured out to the Western Pacific, including stops at Pearl Harbor and Subic Bay in the Philippines.

During this time, with operations against Libya by the National Command Authority taking center stage, the decision was made to move the Enterprise carrier battle group to the Mediterranean Sea.

To do this, the battle group transited through the Suez Canal, making USS Enterprise the first nuclear powered aircraft carrier to do so.

By February 1989, the carrier had returned to port and VF-114 began a compressed turnaround schedule, due to its next cruise beginning in September 1989.

Even with the restricted time period, VF-114 was able to fit in significant training, deploying to NAF El Centro for FFARP (Fleet Fighter ACM Readiness Program) and as part of the air wing to NAS Fallon.

In December 1989, the squadron participated in Operation Classic Resolve, providing support for the Philippine government during a coup attempt.

VF-114 arrived on board the USS Abraham Lincoln on 25 September 1990, while she was making her maiden voyage from Norfolk to Alameda, due to become her new home.

The first long-term deployment on Lincoln began in the middle of 1991, during the early part of the cruise the carrier and air wing were involved in the evacuation of thousands of military personnel and dependents from the Philippine Islands in the wake of the Mount Pinatubo eruption.

Although the initial plans had been for the Lincoln to be among the first relief carriers for those involved in Operation 'Desert Storm', by the time of her arrival the conflict was over and VF-114, along with the rest of CVW-11, was redirected to conduct post-ceasefire combat air patrols.