VMFA-312

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312
VMFA-312 Insignia
Active	June 1, 1943 - present
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Type	Fighter/Attack
Role	Close air support Air interdiction Aerial reconnaissance
Part of	Marine Aircraft Group 31 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
Garrison/HQ	Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
Nickname(s)	Checkerboards Day's Knights (World War II)
Motto(s)	"Fights On"
Tail Code	DR / AC / NA
Mascot(s)	Bulldog
Engagements	World War II * Battle of Okinawa Korean War Vietnam War Operation Desert Fox Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom
Commanders
Commanding Officer	LtCol. Benedict G. Buerke
Executive Officer	Maj. Thomas E. Bolen, Jr.
Sergeant Major	SgtMaj. Adrian L. Tagliere
Notable commanders	Gen. James F. Amos
Aircraft flown
Fighter	Goodyear FG-1 Corsair Vought F4U Corsair F7F-3 Tigercat F9F Panther FJ Fury F-8 Crusader F-4 Phantom II F/A-18A/C Hornet

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 (VMFA-312) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Also known as the "Checkerboards", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 31 (MAG-31) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW).

Marine Fighter Squadron 312 (VMF-312) was commissioned on June 1, 1943, at Page Field, Parris Island, South Carolina. Originally it was part of MAG-31, 1st MAW. As first aircraft the squadron received 10 SNJ-4 Texans and one F4U-1D Corsair. As their unit crest the squadron members choose a satan-like bulldog wearing a flying helmet and carrying -at that time- six .50 caliber machineguns (the armament of the Corsair) drawn by Technical Sergeant James R. Wroble. In honor of their commanding officer, Major Richard M. Day, the men nicknamed their squadron "Day's Knights". Also at this time, the Checkerboards emblem began to appear on both the cowling and rudder of the aircraft.

After being transferred in August 1943 to MAG-32, 3rd MAW, the squadron relocated to San Diego, California, and departed Parris Island on January 2, 1944, and headed for Miramar. They departed MCAS Miramar on February 28, 1944 and headed for Marine Corps Air Station Ewa on Hawai. VMF-312 trained at Ewa for 3 months and then headed out for Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides to become part of MAG-11, 2nd MAW.