VMF-123

Marine Fighter Squadron 123
VMF-123 Insignia
Active	Sept 7, 1942 – Sept 10, 1945 2 May 1946 – Late 1950s
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Type	Fighter squadron
Role	Air interdiction
Part of	Inactive
Nickname(s)	Eight Balls Flying Eight Balls
Engagements	World War II * Battle of Guadalcanal * Battle of Iwo Jima * Battle of Okinawa

Marine Fighter Squadron 123 (VMF-123) was a fighter squadron of the United States Marine Corps during World War II and in the Marine Forces Reserve. Known as the “Flying Eight Balls”, they fought on Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima and Okinawa and served as a training squadron for replacement pilots during the Korean War. They were deactivated in the late 1950s and remain in an inactive status today.

VMF-123 was activated on September 7, 1942 at Camp Kearney. The squadron took delivery of 18 Grumman F4F Wildcats in December of that year. A large percentage of the squadron’s initial pilots came from the experienced VMF-121 hoping it would require them less time to become combat ready. The squadron left the United States on January 8, 1943 and were operating from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal less than a month later, flying their first combat mission on February 4, 1943. Because they were the last of the Marine fighter squadrons to arrive in the Solomon Islands, VMF-123 was the last of these eight squadrons to transition from the Grumman F4F Wildcat to the Vought F4U Corsair.

In August 1943, the squadron moved to the new field at Munda in the Central Solomon Islands and flew their first mission from there on August 14, 1943. The arrival on Munda coincided with the landings on Vella Lavella which were constantly under attack from Japanese aircraft based on Bougainville. VMF-123 was one of many squadrons that fought Japanese aircraft for control of the skies over Vella Lavella. The squadron was split up in September 1943 with half remaining on Munda and the other half moving to a field in the Russell Islands. Their last mission in the South Pacific was flown in November 1943 and the squadron returned to the United States on December 14, 1943.