| Unit Name: | Fighting Squadron 72 |
| Dates: | 1 July 1939 – 29 March 1943 |
| Country: | United States |
| Branch: | United States Navy |
| Command Structure: | Inactive |
| Equipment: | F3F-3 F4F Wildcat |
| Equipment Label: | Aircraft |
| Battles: | World War II |
Fighting Squadron 72 or VF-72 was an aviation unit of the U.S. Navy, originally established as VF-7 on 1 July 1939, it was redesignated as VF-72 on 19 November 1940 and disestablished on 29 March 1943.[1]
VF-7 was originally equipped with Grumman F2F and Grumman F3F aircraft. It was reequipped with the F4F-3 Wildcat in December 1940 and deployed as part of Carrier Air Group 7 (CVG-7) aboard the .[2]
From January to March 1942 VF-72 was deployed on in the Atlantic Fleet.[3] In April 1942, VF-72 was based ashore at Naval Station Norfolk and then transferred to the USS Wasp.[4] In early June 1942, VF-72 had reequipped with the F4F-4 at NAS Alameda and from mid-June through July was shore-based at Naval Station Pearl Harbor.[5] In August VF-72 was deployed on .[6]
Artist Thomas C. Lea III depicted VF-72's executive officer, Lt A. C. "Silver" Emerson in action during the Solomon Islands campaign in his painting "Defending the Ship."[7]
Following the sinking of the on 26 October 1942, VF-72 was deployed on from January until March 1943 when it was disembarked at Pearl Harbour.[8] [9]