VMA-211
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| Marine Attack Squadron 211 | |
|---|---|
| Image:Vma211 insig.jpg VMA-211 Insignia | |
| Active | 1937 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | USMC |
| Type | Attack |
| Role | Close air support Air interdiction Aerial reconnaissance |
| Part of | Marine Aircraft Group 13 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing |
| Garrison/HQ | Marine Corps Air Station Yuma |
| Nickname | "Wake Island Avengers" |
| Battles/wars | World War II Korean War Vietnam War Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom |
Marine Attack Squadron 211 (VMA-211) is a United States Marine Corps fighter squadron consisting of AV-8B Harrier (V/STOL) jets. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona and is attached to Marine Aircraft Group 13 (MAG-13), 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW).
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[edit] Mission
Marine Attack Squadron (VMA)-211 is one of four AV-8B Harrier squadrons assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. Its mission is to provide offensive air support, armed reconnaissance, and air-defense for Marine expeditionary forces.
[edit] History
[edit] Early history
VMA-211 can trace its lineage to 1 January 1937 when Marine Fighting Squadron 4M (VF-4M)was activated at Naval Air Station San Diego, California. Although it was the second time a VF-4M had existed, the previous one was decommissioned in 1931 and it was not considered the same squadron. On July 1, 1937 VF-4M was redesignated Marine Fighting Squadron Two (VMF-2) and by the end of the year, had completely reequipped with Grumman F3F-2s which replaced F3F-1s and a few even older F2F-1s. The squadron particiapted in annual Fleet Problems while at San Diego and even played a part in the making of the movie "Dive Bomber." Several future Medal of Honor receiptents served with the squadron during this period, including Henry Elrod, Robert Galer, and Gregory Boyington. In January 1941, squadron moved to Ewa, Hawaii and was redesignated VMF-211 on 1 July 1941.
[edit] WW II
In November 1941, VMF-211 flew 12 Wildcats aboard the USS Enterprise for movement to Wake Island, the scene of the squadron's heroic battle. On Dec. 8, 1941 the Japanese attacked, destroying seven of the 12 aircraft on the ground. In the next two weeks, the remaining five planes repelled numerous attacks and inflicted great losses on the enemy. During the course of the defense, the Marine ground forces and VMF-211 caused the loss of at least four enemy warships, the first major Japanese naval vessels sunk during the Pacific war, and the squadron was credited with 8 aircraft destroyed. After the loss of its last aircraft, the squadron became a ground unit and fought until the surrender of atoll. The first Marine airman to be awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II was VMF-211's Capt. Henry "Hammering Hank" Elrod. A planned operation to reinforce Wake Island was deemed too dangerous by the fleet command, and on Dec. 25 Wake Island was finally overrun by a numerically superior enemy.
The squadron's rear echelon at Ewa lost all but one of its 12 F4F-3s during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and even this lone survivor was lost when it was transferred to the navy. Slowly rebuilding as personnel and aircraft became available, the squadron, now under the command of Maj. Luther S. Moore was deployed in May 1942 to Palmyra Atoll in the South Pacific and adopted the name "Avengers" in memory of those squadron members who were killed or captured on Wake Island. When first deployed, VMF-211 was equipped with the Brewster F2A-3 and it was not until July that sufficient numbers of Grumman F4F-4s became availbale to reequip the squadron. As the Pacific Campaign continued the squadron transistioned to the F4U Corsair for the remainder of the war, VMF-211 participated in the Treasury-Bougainville, Battle of the Bismarck Sea, Northern Solomon, Battle of Leyte Gulf and Southern Philippine campaigns.
[edit] Post WW II
After World War II, VMF-211 participated in the occupation of China and returned to Edenton, N.C., in 1949. While operating aboard the USS Coral Sea in 1952, the squadron was redesignated VMA-211. In 1957, the squadron received its first A-4 Skyhawks and subsequently moved to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California in 1958.
[edit] Vietnam War
With escalation of the Vietnam conflict, VMA-211 moved to Japan in 1965 and commenced the first of four deployments to the Republic of Vietnam. In August 1976, the squadron returned to El Toro where it replaced its old A-4Es with the latest Skyhawk model, the A-4M.
[edit] Post Vietnam
In September 1987, the squadron celebrated an aviation milestone when it passed 30 years of flying the McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. After successfully completing the last overseas deployment with the A-4M Skyhawk in 1989, VMA-211 began transferring these aircraft to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing in preparation for transition to the AV-8B Night Attack aircraft. In June of 1990 the squadron began flying the Night Attack variant of the Harrier. During this time the Avengers were awarded Marine Corps Aviation Association "Attack Squadron of the Year" three times, in 1995, 1996, and 1998.
In September 2000, the squadron began introduction of the latest Harrier variant, the AV-8B II+ radar aircraft. The squadron soon fielded a compliment of both Radar and Night Attack Harriers.
[edit] Global War on Terror
After the September 11 terror attacks, the squadron deployed to the Arabian Sea aboard the U.S.S. Bonhomme-Richard. The Avengers lived up to their name in Operation Enduring Freedom, flying combat missions against targets in Afghanistan from January to March of 2002.
After a short break, the following January found the Avengers once again in familiar territory, aboard the Bonhomme-Richard. This time the squadron was headed for the Persian Gulf, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In one month of combat flying, the squadron flew over 360 sorties and 640 hours of flight time. The squadron returned to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in May 2003.
In September of 2006, the Avengers deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom to Al Asad, Iraq.
