VMO-251
| Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 | |
|---|---|
VMFA-251 Insignia
courtesy of www.military-graphics.com |
|
| Active |
|
| Country | United States |
| Branch | USMC |
| 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) | Thunderbolts Lucifer's Messengers (WWII) |
| Motto(s) | "Custos Caelorum" "Guardians of the Sky” "Squadron of Firsts" |
| Tail Code | DW |
| Engagements |
World War II * Battle of Guadalcanal * Philippines campaign (1944–45) Korean War Cold War Operation Deny Flight Operation Provide Promise Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom * 2003 invasion of Iraq |
| Commanders | |
| Commanding Officer | Lt. Col. Allen E. Szczepek, Jr. |
| Executive Officer | Maj. Neil Brubeck |
| Sergeant Major | Sgt. Maj. Rosalia Scifo |
| Powerline Division Chief | LCpl Henry Thomas |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | AD-4 Skyraider |
| Fighter |
F4F Wildcat F4U Corsair FJ-3 Fury F8U Crusader F-4 Phantom II F/A-18A/C Hornet |
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 (VMFA-251) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Also known as the "Thunderbolts", 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). The Squadron radio callsign is "T-Bolt"
Marine Observation Squadron 251 (VMO-251) was activated December 1, 1941 at Naval Air Station North Island, California. In mid-1942 it was transferred to Tontouta, New Caledonia and then to Turtle Bay Airfield on the island of Espiritu Santo in the British-French Condominium of New Hebrides prior to the invasion of Guadalcanal. While flying the Grumman F4F Wildcat during World War II, the squadron participated in numerous Pacific campaigns including Guadalcanal, Southern Solomons, Santa Cruz, Luzon, and the Southern Philippines.
In 1944, the squadron transitioned to the F4U Corsair, and was re-designated Marine Fighter Squadron 251 (VMF-251) in February 1945. 22 F4U Corsairs from the squadron landed on Samar on 2 January 1945 as part of Marine Aircraft Group 14 (MAG-14) and continued operations in the Philippines until May 1, 1945 when it flew its last combat mission of World War II while supporting clean-up operations at Leyte. The squadron's excellent performance during this time can be drawn from an award write up by the then Commanding Officer of MAG-14, Colonel Zebulon Hawkins, in which he noted, "During the month of January 1945 . . . this squadron [23 planes] flew 626 combat flights, totaling 2,403 hours. Since... 1 October 1944, until 15 February 1945, this... ground crew has maintained in commission 98% of the squadron's assigned aircraft. Not once, from June 1944, has it failed to execute an assigned mission because of failure to have the necessary planes in commission... Since 23 July 1944... this squadron has not lost a plane or pilot because of failure or malfunctioning of its aircraft ."
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Wikipedia