VMFA-232

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232


caption= VMFA-232 insignia
dates= *Sept 1, 1925 - November 16, 1945
*June 3, 1948 - present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= USMC
type= Fighter/Attack
role= Close air support
Air interdiction
Aerial reconnaissance
size=
command_structure= Marine Aircraft Group 11
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
current_commander= LtCol Matthew D. Feringa
notable_commanders= William L. Nyland
James Cartwright
garrison= Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= Red Devils
patron=
motto=
colors=WT
colors_label=Tail Code
march=
mascot=
battles= World War II
Vietnam War
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Iraqi Freedom
* 2003 Invasion of Iraq
Operation Enduring Freedom
aircraft_bomber= SBD Dauntless
TBF-1C Avenger
aircraft_fighter= Vought VE-7
Boeing FB-1
Curtiss F6C-4
Boeing F4B-4
F4U Corsair
FJ Fury
F-8 Crusader
F-4 Phantom II
F/A-18 Hornet
anniversaries=

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 (VMFA-232) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Nicknamed the "Red Devils", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and fall under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 11 (MAG-11) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW). The squadron is also attached to Carrier Air Wing 11 and deploys with them onboard the USS Nimitz (CVN-68). The Red Devils are the oldest and most decorated fighter squadron in the Marine Corps.

History

VMFA-232 can trace its lineage back to VF-3M, which was commissioned on September 1, 1925, at Naval Air Station San Diego, California. Originally equipped with Vought VE-7s, the squadron received three of the new Boeing FB-1s in the first part of 1926, allowing them to operate one division of modern aircraft while retaining the older VE-7s for training purposes. With the civil war in China threatening American interests, it was decided to deploy U.S. forces and in November and December 1926, seven additional FB-1s were transferred to VF-3M from VF-1M and VF-2M on the east coast, bringing the squadron's complement to 10 FB-1s. As diplomacy and planning was taking place on the international level, the squadron concentrated on familiarizing itself with their new aircraft and training the influx of new pilots.

On April 7, 1927, VF-3M departed San Diego bound for China, but upon arrival, no airfield was available for operations. After waiting in the Philippines for almost two months, the squadron returned to China and eventually operated from airfields at Tientsin and Hsin-Ho, where they supported the 3rd Brigade. Shortly after setting up camp and starting flight operations, the squadron was redesignated VF-10M on July 1, 1927, the first of many changes in designation caused by the reorganization of naval aviation assets. The mission to China demonstrated that Marine Aviation was vital to the expeditionary role Marine forces were called on to perform and the squadron performed photography, mapping and reconnaissance missions while deployed. Another change in designation occurred while the squadron was still in China, when on July 1, 1928, the squadron was redesignated VF-6M. With its mission in China completed, the squadron withdrew on October 3, 1928, arriving back at San Diego on October 31, 1928, after stops at Guam and Hawaii.

With its return to San Diego, most of the squadron's personnel were transferred to other units and the next year was spent re-organizing and training new personnel as they arrived. In addition to new pilots, several Boeing FB-5s were assigned to the squadron in 1929, the last of the in-line aircraft to be used by Marine squadrons. On July 1, 1930 the squadron was again re-designated, this time reverting back to VF-10M, but the most noticeable change was the replacement of the FB-5s with Curtiss F6C-4s, the first radial engine fighters the squadron would be assigned. The squadron would operate the F6C-4s for over two years and be awarded the Herbert H. Schiff Cup for aviation safety before they were replaced by factory fresh Boeing F4B-4s in late 1932, the most advanced bi-plane fighter in service at that time.In 1932, it was determined that Marine Aviation should be provided with two light bombing squadrons, and on July 1, 1933, VF-10M became VB-4M, and was re-equipped with Boeing F4B-3s, a move considered a step back by members of the squadron. Participation in the Los Angeles National Air Races and annual Fleet Exercises were part of the routine that marked the squadron’s activity in the early '30s. In 1935, the squadron received 16 Great Lakes BG-1s, large two-place dive bombers that would equip the squadron for over five years.

On July 1, 1937, Marine aviation was completely reorganized to conform to Navy requirements, and VB-4M became VMB-2. Still flying the BG-1, the squadron continued to take part in the annual Fleet Exercises, and in December 1940, the squadron began receiving the new Douglas SBD-1, the first mono-plane in Marine Corps service. Arrival of the SBD also marked the first time that the Red Devil insignia was not carried on the squadron's aircraft, even though it was authorized to do so.

World War II

With the tension in the Pacific increasing, VMB-2 was deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Oahu, Hawaii. Early 1941 also saw the transition from the colorful pre-war scheme to the tactical, and less colorful light grey scheme, but still the Red Devil insignia was absent. On July 1, 1941, in anticipation of the large expansion Marine Aviation was about to undergo, VMB-2 became VMSB-232, the designation it carried during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during which 1 member of the squadron was killed and 9 of the squadrons aircraft were destroyed, with 10 more requiring major overhaul. On Wake Island, a Red Devil detachment suffered twenty five enlisted Marines killed or captured while assisting in the defense of the doomed island.

On August 20, 1942, the squadron became part of the Cactus Air Force. cite web
month =
url = http://ftp1.us.proftpd.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-M-AvPhil/USMC-M-AvPhil-1.html
title = Marine Aviation in the Philippenes
work =
publisher =
language =
accessmonthday = December 16
accessyear = 2007] and flew SBD Dauntlesses from Guadalcanal's 3,000-foot dirt runway Henderson Field. The Red Devils became the first Marine dive bomber squadron to fly against the Japanese. They left Guadalcanal on October 12, 1942 and headed for Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California where they were redesignated yet again as Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 232 (VMTB-232), flying newly acquired Grumman TBF Avengers. They returned to the Pacific in July 1943 when they were originally based out of Espiritu Santo. From there they moved to Munda in order to support allied forces during the Bougainville landings in November 1943.

For the next few months the squadron participated in strkies against the isolated Japanese garrison at Rabaul. On February 14, 1944, Avengers from VMTB-232 and VMTB-233 took part in a mission to sow mines in Simpson Harbor at Rabaul. The TBMs were to fly up in three groups of eight each at the slow speed of 160 knots to drop their parachute-mines, weighing 1,600 pounds a piece. The first group lost one plane. The commanding officer tried to radio the other TBFs to warn them to turn back but he couldn't make radio contact. The second group lost two planes. The third group was immediately found by searchlight and anti-aircraft guns while flying at 800 feet over the water and had five aircraft shotdown. A total of six planes and eighteen men were lost during the attack.Foster, "Hell in the Heavens", p. 192-3. ] cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = MONDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 1944
work =
publisher = www.pacificwrecks.org
date =
url = http://pacificwrecks.com/60th/today/1944/2-44.html#14
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-12-20] Four of the eighteen men survived the loss of the six TBF's that evening. Of the four, none survived captivity. One was murdered at Tunnel Hill, two died of starvation / disease / medical neglect, and a fourth was murdered by the Japanese Navy some time in April.cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = TBF-1 Avenger Bureau Number 06311
work =
publisher = www.pacificwrecks.org
date =
url = http://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/avenger/06311.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-12-20]

The next few months would see them move continuously, operating from Piva, Green Island, Emirau and Ulithi. VMTB-232 landed at Kadena on April 22, 1945 and began flying close air support missions 3 days later and for the rest of the Battle of Okinawa. In July 1945 they began to fly strikes against the Japanese mainland until the surrender of Japan. [Sherrod "History of Marine Corps Aviation", p. 464.] The price of victory did not come cheaply. During its participation in operations throughout World War II, VMTB-232 lost forty nine Marines and seventeen aircraft. On November 16, 1945, the squadron, one of the few to earn two presidential citations during the war, arrived at San Diego, and was temporarily decommissioned.

1950s

On June 3, 1948 the Red Devils were reactivated as a reserve fighter squadron at NAS Bennet Field, New York, with the name it currently holds; Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232. With the outbreak of hostilities in Korea, the squadron was placed on alert and ordered to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California. Here, the squadron received its first delivery of the F4U Corsair. Although the unit itself did not deploy to Korea, by April 1951 nearly all the original aviators and forty percent of the enlisted Marines in the squadron had been detached and sent overseas for combat duty.In March 1953, the Red Devils transitioned to the jet age with the receipt of the Grumman F9F Panther. In 1954, homebase for 232 was changed from MCAS El Toro, to Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, where they flew the FJ Fury, the "Navalized" version of the F-86 Sabre. In March 1956, the Red Devils, VMF 232 set a "till that time" record of 2558 flight hours and 1571 sorties in one month. The Red Devils moved to the final version of the Fury, the FJ-4 from '56-'59. VMF 232 was deployed to Westpac on the USS "Bennington" during the Quemoy Matsu Crisis in the fall of 1958 and later was stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi. That year the squadron flew over 10,000 hours and was named by the Commandant, the Marine Fighter Squadron of the Year. In 1958 the squadron returned from Japan to transition into the F-8 Crusader.

Vietnam War

As a result of intensified operations in Southeast Asia, VMF(AW)-232 departed Kaneohe Bay, and became fully operational in Danang,South Vietnam by December 1966. Staying online for the next 290 consecutive days, the Red Devils flew 5,785 sorties and 7,273 flight hours, delivering 6,221 tons of ordnance.

In September 1967, the squadron returned to MCAS El Toro and painted the Red Devil insignia on their new McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms. Redesignated as Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232, the squadron returned to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan.

In April 1972, the entire squadron redeployed from Japan to Vietnam with minimum notice to counter the spring offensive of that year. After a three month stay at DaNang, VMFA-232 moved its operations to Royal Thai Air Base Nam Phong, Thailand. Here they continued to fly air to ground sorties in addition to playing a key fighter role on Operation Linebacker missions over North Vietnam. The only "last" in VMFA-232's history occurred in September 1973 as the Red Devils became the last Marine squadron to leave the Vietnam War.

The squadron remained at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan as a force in readiness while participating in numerous training deployments and exercises. In 1974, the Red Devils received the coveted Robert M. Hanson "Marine Fighter Attack Squadron of the Year" award.

In October 1977, the Red Devils of VMFA-232 returned to MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, after an eleven year absence. This event, in turn, marked the beginning of Red Devils participation in the demanding Westpac Unit Deployment Program. In October 1986, the Red Devils completed their sixth, and last six month tour of the Western Pacific in the venerable F-4 Phantom. In December 1988, VMFA-232 turned in their last F-4 Phantom II to the National Air and Space Museum.

1980s and 1990s

In early 1989, the Red Devils began their transition to the F/A-18 Hornet. Aircrew trained at VMFAT-101 at MCAS El Toro and the maintenance department at FRAMP in Lemoore, California. In June 1989, with return of aircrew and maintenance personnel to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and receipt of their twelfth Hornet, the Red Devils had completed the transition.

In December 1990, with intensification of Operation Desert Shield, the squadron deployed to Shaikh Isa, Bahrain. On January 17, 1991, the Red Devils were among the first to cross the Iraqi border during Operation Desert Storm. After 41 days of intense combat operations, Kuwait was liberated as the Red Devils completed 740 combat missions and 1,390 hours. For their outstanding performance in Southwest Asia, VMFA-232 received the Navy Unit Commendation. Returning to Hawaii in April 1991, the squadron spent four short months at home before they were again deployed to Westpac.

Upon completion of their Westpac deployment in July 1993, the squadron stopped briefly at MCAS Kaneohe Bay enroute to their new home at MCAS El Toro, California, ending a sixteen year absence. In October 1993, a significant milestone was reached when members of the Hornet Industry Team presented the squadron with a plaque honoring the Red Devils for achieving 50,000 accident free flight hours. This achievement spans almost 13 years of flying in the F-4 and F/A-18.
[
Operation Iraqi Freedom] The squadron returned to Iwakuni in February 1996 and began what was to be a most memorable WestPac. While deployed to WestPac, the squadron achieved two impressive milestones. The squadron was honored as it received both the 1995 Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award as they surpassed 66,000 hours and 17 years of mishap free flying, and the 1996 Marine Corps Aviation Association's, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron of the Year Award. VMFA-232 returned to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in August 1996.

Global War on Terror

The squadron deployed to Kuwait in January of 2003 and took part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During the three and a half weeks of the war the squadron flew 1,150 hours during 540 sorties dropping 620,000 pounds of ordinance. [Visconage & Harris: 102.] The squadron returned to MCAS Miramar in April 2003. [cite web
last = Steele
first = Jeanette
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = 30-person advance team from Miramar is welcomed back from Gulf
work =
publisher = San Diego Union-Tribune
date =
url = http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/iraq/homefront/20030423-9999_1n23return.html
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-03-28] In 2005, VMFA-232 became part of the United States Navy's Carrier Air Wing 11. In May 2005 they deployed with the rest of CVW-11 aboard the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) to the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf, participating in combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and multinational exercises with Japan, Egypt, and India until November 2005. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Carrier Air Wing Eleven - Command History
work =
publisher = United States Navy
date =
url = http://www.lemoore.navy.mil/cvw-11
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-03-28] Early in the Nimitz deployment several of the squadron members were interviewed for the PBS documentry "Carrier".

Notable former members

* James F. Amos
* Randolph Bresnik
* Oliver Mitchell

ee also

* United States Marine Corps Aviation
* Organization of the United States Marine Corps
* List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
* List of inactive United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons

Notes

References

:Marine Corps

;Bibliography
* Crowder, Michael J. (2000). "United States Marine Corps Aviation Squadron Lineage, Insignia & History - Volume One - The Fighter Squadrons". Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 1-56311-926-9.
*cite book
last = Foster
first = John M.
title = Hell in the Heavens
publisher = ACE Books Inc.
year = 1961
location = New York
page =
isbn =
*cite book
title=U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle - Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939 - 1945.’’
author=Rottman, Gordon L.
year=2002
publisher=Greenwood Press
id=ISBN 0-313-31906-5
*cite book
last = Sherrod
first = Robert
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1952
chapter =
title = History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II
publisher = Combat Forces Press
location = Washington, D.C.
id =
*cite book
title=SBD Dauntless Units of World War 2
author=Tillman, Barrett
year=1998
publisher=Osprey Publishing
id=ISBN 1-85532-732-0
* Visconage, Michael D. & Harris, Carroll N. "Third Marine Aricraft Wing - Operation Iraqi Freedom". Marine Corps Association, 2004.

;Web
* [http://www.3maw.usmc.mil/mag11/vmfa232/default.asp VMFA-232's official website] . Retrieved on 2006-08-07.
* cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = VMFA-232 Red Devils, MAG-11, 3D MAW
work =
publisher = United States Marine Corps Aviation Association
date =
url = http://image.flymcaa.org/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=257&g2_navId=x8b4d8ae8
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-03-28