VMF-218

Marine Fighting Squadron 218
Marine Fighting Squadron 218
	VMF-218 Insignia
Active	1 July 1943 – 31 December 1949; 1950s - 30 September 1962;
Country	F9F Cougar

Marine Fighting Squadron 218 (VMF-218) was a

Philippines Campaign (1944–45)

. The squadron was credited with downing 18 enemy aircraft during the course of the war.

History

World War II

VMF-218 was organized at

Marine Corps Air Station Mojave, California on 1 July 1943 and officially commissioned 15 September 1943. They departed the United States in December 1943 on board the USS Barnes (CVE-20) and arrived at Espiritu Santo on 5 January 1944. Their first combat action took place on 15 February when they covered the allied landing on Green Island. On 27 April the squadron moved to Green Island where they remained until November.^[1] During their time on Green Island the squadron was one of a number of Marine squadrons that let a then civilian contractor Charles Lindbergh fly strikes against the Japanese garrison at Rabaul.^[2]

In November they moved to

SBD Dauntless strikes and regularly took part in combat air patrols.^[3] ^[4]

From Tacloban the squadron took part in escorting naval convoys, close air support (CAS) and attacks on Iliolo. On 10 March 1945, VMF-218 covered the allied landings at Zamboanga where they would then be based. From the airstrip at Zamboanga the squadron flew CAS at Capisan and conducted strikes against Bongao and Jolo. April would see more strikes against Cotabato, Parang and Malabang and there would be continued strikes against Mindanao until the surrender of Japan.

Following the war VMF-218 spent a year in

Beiping. Following their year in China the squadron returned to Guam where they would de deactivated as part of the post-war drawdown of forces on 31 December 1949.^[6]

Reserve years

The squadron was reactivated in the Marine Corps Reserve in the 1950s and were based out of

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The squadron was decommissioned on 30 September 1962.^[7]

Notable former members

John Glenn

Gallery

Capt's Herb Person and Don Bean Collection of Capt Frank Harriman USMCR
Squadron members Collection of Capt Frank Harriman USMCR
Officer's Mess - Tacloban Island Collection of Capt Frank Harriman USMCR

Unit awards

A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. VMF-218 was presented with the following awards:

Ribbon	Unit Award
	Navy Unit Commendation
	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
	World War II Victory Medal
	Navy Occupation Service Medal
	China Service Medal
	National Defense Service Medal

Notes

^ Sherrod 1952, pp. 462.
^ Tillman 2001, pp. 68.
^ Chapin (1979). . . . And A Few Marines: Marines in the Liberation of the Philippines. Retrieved 21 February 2009.
^ Chapin 1979, pp. 25.
^ Francis, Timothy L. (14 December 2005). "Bairoko". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 21 February 2009.
^ Rottman 2002, pp. 442.
^ "United States Marine Corps Muster Rolls - 1962" (PDF). NARA. United States Marine Corps. p. 58. Retrieved 23 November 2023.

References

Bibliography

Chapin, Capt John C. (1997). ....And a Few Marines: Marines in the Liberation of the Philippines. Marines in World War II Commemorative Series. Washington, D.C.: Marine Corps Historical Center, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 19 February 2009.
Rottman, Gordon (2002). U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle - Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939 - 1945s. Greenwood Press.
ISBN 0-313-31906-5
.

Sherrod, Robert (1952). History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Combat Forces Press.
Tillman, Barrett (2001). Corsair: The F4U in World War II and Korea. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.
ISBN 1-55750-994-8
.

Web

"Marine losses in the December 18, 1944 Pacific Typhoon". Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. Retrieved 19 February 2009.

[FOOTNOTESherrod1952462-1] Sherrod 1952, pp. 462.

[FOOTNOTETillman200168-2] Tillman 2001, pp. 68.

[Philippines-3] Chapin (1979). . . . And A Few Marines: Marines in the Liberation of the Philippines. Retrieved 21 February 2009.

[FOOTNOTEChapin197925-4] Chapin 1979, pp. 25.

[Bairoko-5] Francis, Timothy L. (14 December 2005). "Bairoko". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Retrieved 21 February 2009.

[FOOTNOTERottman2002442-6] Rottman 2002, pp. 442.

[7] "United States Marine Corps Muster Rolls - 1962" (PDF). NARA. United States Marine Corps. p. 58. Retrieved 23 November 2023.

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