VF-781 served on board USS Bon Homme Richard with Air Group 102 (CVG-102) flying F9F-2B Panthers from 10 May to 17 December 1951.

[2]: 407  After re-designation to VF-121, the squadron transitioned to F9F-6 Cougars with commanding officer Jimmie E Savage for their 1954 western Pacific deployment with Carrier Air Group 12 (CVG-12) on the USS Boxer from 3 March to 11 October.

[2]: 371  They made another cruise with CVG-12 to the western Pacific and Korea on the USS Hancock from 10 August 1955 to 15 March 1956 flying F9F-8, with the tail code of 'D' then converted to FJ-3 Fury's.

[4] On 24 May 1961, Project LANA - the 50th Anniversary of Naval Aviation Transcontinental Race for the Bendix Trophy, was won by a VF-121 crew.

The original United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, more popularly known worldwide as Top Gun, started in March 1969 under VF-121 control.