VMF (AW-All Weather)-235 "Death Angels" were renamed VMFA-235 in September 1968 and equipped with the F-4J Phantom II. VMFA-235 flew the last active duty F-4 and aircraft 153879 was the last F-4 launched from a carrier. VMFA-235 pilots referred to their red-nosed aircraft as "Bozo-Noses".
In April 1980 153879 was upgraded to an S variant retiring in December 1983 while with VF-151. The aircraft went to storage and eventually was removed for restoration and destined for the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum.
