Editing Blue Angels (section)

===1970–1979===
[[File:Golden Crown and Blue Angles.jpg|thumb|left|Members from the Imperial Iranian Air Force [[Golden Crown]] and the Blue Angels during the joint airshow; [[Kushke Nosrat Airbase]], 1973]]
[[File:A-4Fs Blue Angels Fleur de Lis 1984.JPEG|thumb|right|All six Blue Angels [[Douglas A-4 Skyhawk|Douglas A-4F Skyhawk]]s executing a "fleur de lis" maneuver]]

In 1970, the Blues received their first U.S. Marine Corps [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules|Lockheed KC-130F Hercules]], manned by an all-Marine crew. That year, they went on their first South American tour.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Squadron History |url=https://blueangelsassociation.org/squadron-history/ |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=Blue Angels Association |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1971, the team which wore the gold flight suits for the first show,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blueangelsassociation.org/flight-teams/ |title=Flight Teams, 1971 |publisher=Blue Angels Association |access-date=17 March 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323145156/http://blueangelsassociation.org/flight-teams/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> conducted its first Far East Tour, performing at a dozen locations in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Guam, and the Philippines.

In 1972, the Blue Angels were awarded the Navy's [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]] for the two-year period from 1 March 1970 to 31 December 1971. Another European tour followed in 1973, including air shows in Iran, England, France, Spain, Turkey, Greece, and Italy.

On 10 December 1973, the Navy Flight Exhibition Team was reorganized and commissioned the ''United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron''.<ref name="History">{{cite web |url=https://www.blueangels.navy.mil/history/ |title=History of the Blue Angels |publisher=United States Navy Blue Angels |access-date=November 17, 2020}}</ref><ref name=demonstration>{{cite web |url=http://a4skyhawk.org/3e/blues/blues.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326154653/http://a4skyhawk.org/3e/blues/blues.htm |archive-date=26 March 2012|url-status=dead |access-date=3 March 2012 |title=Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team}}</ref> The Blues mission was more on Navy recruiting.

In 1974, the Blue Angels transitioned to the new [[Douglas A-4 Skyhawk|Douglas A-4F Skyhawk II]]. Navy Commander [[Anthony A. Less|Anthony Less]] became the squadron's first "commanding officer" and "flight leader". A permanent flight surgeon position and administration officer was added to the team.<ref name="History"/><ref name=demonstration/> The squadron's mission was redefined by Less to further improve the recruiting effort.

Beginning in 1975, "Bert" was used for [[JATO|Jet Assisted Take Off]] (JATO) and short aerial demonstrations just prior to the main event at selected venues, but the JATO demonstration ended in 2009 due to dwindling supplies of rockets.<ref name="FA JATO">{{cite news |last=McCullough |first=Amy |date=9 November 2009 |title=Abort Launch: Air shows to do without Fat Albert's famed JATO |page=6 |work=[[Marine Corps Times]]}}</ref> "Fat Albert Airlines" flies with an all-Marine crew of three officers and five enlisted personnel.