What island was the VMF-214 on?

Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF) 214 was originally commissioned on 1 July 1942 at Ewa, on the island of Oahu, in the Hawaiian group. Initially called the “Swashbucklers,” they successfully completed two combat tours before the designation was given to the Marine command on Espiritu Santo.

What does VMF stand for in the Marines?

Marine Night Fighter Squadron
Marine Night Fighter Squadron. VMF(N) designator was instituted during the World War II years for squadrons composed of radar-equipped fighters.

How many kills did the black sheep have?

The Black Sheep Squadron fought for 84 days. They achieved a record of 203 Japanese planes destroyed or damaged, produced nine fighter aces with 97 confirmed air-to-air kills and sank several troop transporters and supply ships. They were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action.

Where is Pappy Boyington’s Corsair?

He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery at section 7A, site 150. “17915 (VMF-214) shot down Jan 3, 1944 with Maj Gregory Boyington.

What does the V in VMF 214 stand for?

As the Navy and Marine aviation divisions grew and lighter than air aircraft were removed from service, the letter “V” was changes to denote a “Fixed Wing” aircraft. With the implementation of helicopters, the Navy and Marines added the letter designation “H” for helicopters, to denote a “rotary wing” aircraft.

What does VMA 214 stand for?

Marine Attack Squadron 214
Marine Attack Squadron 214 (VMA-214) is a United States Marine Corps attack squadron consisting of AV-8B Harrier (V/STOL) jets.

How did Pappy Boyington get shot down?

In January 1944, Boyington, outnumbered by Japanese “Zero” planes, was shot down into the Pacific Ocean after downing one of the enemy planes. He was captured by a Japanese submarine crew and was held as a prisoner of war for more than a year and a half. He was released shortly after the surrender of Japan.

What happened to VMF-214?

VMF-214 was a newly reorganized squadron on just its third mission, and flying an ill-starred fighter to boot: the Vought F4U-1 Corsair, or “Bent-Wing Bird.” High atop the four-mile-tall array, squadron commander Major Gregory Boyington was feeling sorry for himself.

Who are the Black Sheep of the vmf214?

“Black Sheep Squadron” by John D. Shaw Battle-weary Corsairs and pilots of VMF-214 cool down on Vella Lavella after a mission. Left to right: Intelligence Officer Frank Walton, Flight Surgeon James Reames, pilots Chris Magee, John Bolt, Boyington, Bruce Matheson and Ed Olander.

What does a Marine Fighter Squadron 214 do?

Provide offensive air support, armed reconnaissance, and air defense for Marine expeditionary forces. Marine Fighter Squadron 214 was commissioned on July 1, 1942, at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

What happened to vma214 in Vietnam?

VMA-214 returned from Vietnam in April 1967, relocated to MCAS El Toro, and was reassigned to MAG-33, 3d MAW, FMF, Pacific. Once in El Toro, the unit became recognized as an operational training squadron for attack pilots, many of whom were replacement pilots bound for Vietnam.