VMF-313

Marine Fighting Squadron 313
VMF-313 Insignia
Active	October 1, 1943 – June 1, 1945 N/A - 1950s
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Type	Fighter squadron
Role	Air interdiction Close air support
Part of	Inactive
Nickname	Lily Packin' Hellbirds
Engagements	World War II * Philippines Campaign, 1944-45

Marine Fighting Squadron 313 (VMF-313) was a reserve fighter squadron in the United States Marine Corps. They were a part of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing and stationed at Naval Air Station New York. Also known as the “Lily Packin' Hellbirds”, they fought in World War II mainly during the Philippines Campaign, 1944-45. The squadron was decommissioned in the 1950s.

History

World War II

VMF-313 was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station El Centro on October 1, 1943. They trained there until May 1944 when they moved to Midway Island in the Pacific Ocean. There they continued to train including training with Charles Lindbergh in April 1944. In July 1944, the squadron flew to Emirau in the Solomon Islands and began to attack Japanese shipping in the area around Kavieng.

They arrived at Tacloban Airfield on Leyte on December 3, 1944 as part of Marine Aircraft Group 12. During the Philippines Campaign, 1944-45 the squadron lost 16 of its F4U-Corsairs.^[1] In one notable incident while in the Philippines, the then commanding officer, Major Theodore Olsen, took off in a plane that had over 300 patched from earlier missions. The plane failed while airborne and Olsen was killed after he hit the tail while bailing out.^[2]

During the War, VMF-313 was credited with destroying nine enemy aircraft in aerial combat.^[3]

1950

The squadron was reactivated following World War II becoming part of the Marine Forces Reserve and were based out of New York state. They were decommissioned during the 1950s.

Unit awards

A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. VMF-313 was presented with the following awards:

Ribbon	Unit Award
	Presidential Unit Citation
	Navy Unit Commendation
	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
	World War II Victory Medal
	National Defense Service Medal with one Bronze Star

See also

United States Marine Corps portal

• United States Marine Corps Aviation
• List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
• List of inactive United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons

Notes

1. ^ Sherrod, USMC WWII OOB, p. 467.
2. ^ Astor, Semper Fi, p.300.
3. ^ Crowder, USMC - Aviation Squadron Lineage, Insignia & History’’, p. 123.

References

Bibliography

• Astor, Gerald (2005). Semper Fi in the Sky - The Marine Air Battles of World War II. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-89141-877-6. 
• Crowder, Michael J. (2000). United States Marine Corps Aviation Squadron Lineage, Insignia & History - Volume One - The Fighter Squadrons. Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 1-56311-926-9. 
• Rottman, Gordon L. (2002). U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle - Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939 - 1945. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31906-5. 
• Sherrod, Robert (1952). History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Combat Forces Press. 

Web

• Historic California Posts: Naval Air Facility, El Centro
• Marines in the liberation of the Philippines
• Leyte reinforcement convoys 23 Oct – 11 Nov, 1944
• www.warbirdinformationexchange.org