VMSB-141

Marine Attack Squadron 141
VMSB-141 Insignia
Active	1 Mar 1942 - 10 Sept 1945 5 Jul 1946 - 1 Sept 1969
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Type	Fighter squadron
Role	Air interdiction
Part of	Inactive
Engagements	World War II * Battle of Guadalcanal Korean War
Aircraft flown
Bomber	SBD Dauntless
Fighter	F4U Corsair

1 Mar 1942 - 10 Sept 1945

Marine Attack Squadron 141 (VMA-141) was a reserve fighter squadron in the United States Marine Corps. The squadron fought most notably as part of the Cactus Air Force during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II and they also saw service during the Korean War. While with the reserves they operated out of the San Francisco Bay Area until their deactivation on 1 September 1969

Marine Scout Bombing Squadron (VMSB-141) was commissioned on March 1, 1942 at Camp Kearny in San Diego, California. They were originally formed from personnel of VMSB-132. On August 30, 1942 they departed San Diego for the South Pacific and arrived at Henderson Airfield, Guadalcanal on September 23, 1942 and became part of the Cactus Air Force (CAF). On the night of October 13–14, the Japanese battleships Kongō and Haruna lobbed over 900 shells at Henderson Field. During this bombardment the squadron lost 26 of its 29 aircraft and five officers, including the commanding officer and executive officer. The squadron fought on the island until November 19, 1942 when they were transferred to the Efate in the New Hebrides. During its time with the CAF the squadron would lose 18 of its 41 officers killed in action. They remained on Efate until May 1943 when they moved to Auckland, New Zealand. In late September 1943, the squadron returned to the United States arriving at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California. In January 1945, the squadron was ordered to Marine Corps Auxiliary Airfield Gillespie in San Diego, CA where they undertook a rigorous syllabus in low-level bombing and strafing utilizing the Vought F4U Corsair.