Marine Fighting Squadron 221 (VMF-221) was a
reserve
Reserve or reserves may refer to:
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fighter squadron of the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
. Originally commissioned during the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, it flew the
Brewster F2A
The Brewster F2A Buffalo is an American fighter aircraft which saw service early in World War II. Designed and built by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation, it was one of the first U.S. monoplanes with an arrestor hook and other modifications ...
-3, and after reconstitution in 1943, the
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft which saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production contract ...
. The squadron, also known as the “Fighting Falcons”, is most notable for its actions on June 4, 1942, during the
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place on 4–7 June 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. The U.S. Navy under Adm ...
, which resulted in 23 members of the squadron, many posthumously, being awarded the
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...
for their actions in combat. VMF-221 ended World War II with 185
air-to-air victories, the second most of any Marine Fighting Squadron in the war.
History
Organization
![Marine Aviator Survivors of the Battle of Midway](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Marine_Aviator_Survivors_of_the_Battle_of_Midway.jpeg)
VMF-221 was formed on July 11, 1941 in
San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. In December of that year, following the
attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
, they moved to
Marine Corps Air Station Ewa
Marine Corps Air Station Ewa (MCAS Ewa) was a United States Marine Corps air station that was located west of Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The base was hit during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and later served as the hub for all Mar ...
in
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
. On December 25, 1941, fourteen
Brewster F2A
The Brewster F2A Buffalo is an American fighter aircraft which saw service early in World War II. Designed and built by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation, it was one of the first U.S. monoplanes with an arrestor hook and other modifications ...
-3's landed on
Midway Island
Midway Atoll (colloquial: Midway Islands; haw, Kauihelani, translation=the backbone of heaven; haw, Pihemanu, translation=the loud din of birds, label=none) is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. Midway Atoll is an insular area of the Unit ...
after launching from the . They were originally part of a relief force bound for
Wake Island
Wake Island ( mh, Ānen Kio, translation=island of the kio flower; also known as Wake Atoll) is a coral atoll in the western Pacific Ocean in the northeastern area of the Micronesia subregion, east of Guam, west of Honolulu, southeast of To ...
, but were diverted to Midway instead after the force was controversially recalled on 22 December 1941, Wake Island
fell
A fell (from Old Norse ''fell'', ''fjall'', "mountain"Falk and Torp (2006:161).) is a high and barren landscape feature, such as a mountain or Moorland, moor-covered hill. The term is most often employed in Fennoscandia, Iceland, the Isle o ...
on the following day.
On March 1, 1942, VMF-221,
VMF-222
Marine Fighting Squadron 222 (VMF-222) was a fighter squadron of the United States Marine Corps that was activated and fought during World War II. Known as “The Flying Deuces,” they fell under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 14 (MAG-14) ...
,
VMSB-241, and their headquarters units formed
Marine Aircraft Group 22
Marine Aviation Training Support Group 22 (MATSG-22) is a United States Marine Corps aviation training group that was originally established during World War II as Marine Aircraft Group 22 (MAG-22). Squadrons from MAG-22, were decimated at the ...
commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
Ira L. Kimes
Ira Laffayete Kimes (August 8, 1899 - February 3, 1949) was a highly decorated United States Naval Aviator, naval aviator of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Brigadier general (United States), brigadier general. He is most noted f ...
.
The squadron’s first taste of combat came on March 10, 1942, when four of its pilots recorded the first aerial victory flying F2A-3's downing an enemy
Kawanishi H8K
The Kawanishi H8K was a flying boat used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during World War II for maritime patrol duties. The Allied reporting name for the type was "Emily".
The Kawanishi H8K was a large, four-engine aircraft designed ...
"Emily" flying boat.
By late May, the squadron had been augmented with the arrival of additional aircraft. VMF-221 had 21 F2A-3's and 7
Grumman F4F-3 Wildcats, all of which were essentially worn out "hand-me-down" from the Navy. Leadership of the squadron was passed to Major
Floyd B. Parks
USS ''Floyd B. Parks'' (DD-884) was a in service with the United States Navy from 1945 to 1973. She was scrapped in 1974.
Namesake
Floyd Bruce Parks was born on 16 January 1911 in Salisbury, Missouri, the first child of James B. Parks and his ...
, with Kimes taking command of Marine Air Group 22. Much has been written of the inferiority of the Brewster fighter, particularly with regard to the Midway engagement. Many of Park's pilots, fresh from flight training Stateside, had very little operational experience. This fact, combined with the overwhelming size and disposition of the Japanese force posed against the atoll's defenses, would have more bearing on the outcome than the operational capabilities of the F2A.
Battle of Midway
On June 4, 1942, during the
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place on 4–7 June 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. The U.S. Navy under Adm ...
, the pilots of VMF-221 were alerted to intercept the incoming formation of Japanese bombers and the 36 escorting
Zero fighters that were headed towards the island. Parks led his squadron against the inbound Japanese armada, which combined air groups from ''
Akagi'', ''
Kaga'', ''
Hiryu'', and ''
Soryu''. In the lead were the level bombers, a "vee of vees" made up of
Nakajima B5N
The Nakajima B5N ( ja, 中島 B5N, Allied reporting name "Kate") was the standard carrier-based torpedo bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) for much of World War II.
Although the B5N was substantially faster and more capable than its Al ...
"Kates", followed by the dive bomber formation of
Aichi D3A
The Aichi D3A Type 99 Carrier Bomber ( Allied reporting name "Val") is a World War II carrier-borne dive bomber. It was the primary dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and was involved in almost all IJN actions, including the at ...
"Vals" at a slightly higher altitude. The fighter escort was "stepped-up" behind the dive bombers, this disposition gave the pilots of VMF-221 a clear shot at the bombers for the first few passes. Once the Zeros were able to engage the Marine fighters, the tables were effectively turned.
When the smoke of the battle cleared, fourteen of the squadron's aviators, including Parks, had been killed in action; four more had been wounded. Only two of VMF-221's remaining 13 aircraft were serviceable, effectively eliminating the squadron as a viable combat unit. Four of the squadron's
ordnancemen were also killed when a Japanese bomb stuck the
ammunition
Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...
area near the airstrip at Midway. For their actions during the Battle, the squadron, as a component of MAG-22, also received a Presidential Unit Citation.
"For conspicuous courage and heroism in combat at Midway Island during June 1942. Outnumbered five to one, Marine Aircraft Group 22 boldly intercepted a heavily escorted enemy bombing force, disrupting their attack and preventing serious damage to island installations. Operating with half of their dive-bomber's obsolete and in poor mechanical conditions, which necessitated vulnerable glide bombing tactics, they succeeded in inflicting heavy damage on Japanese surface units of a large enemy task force. The skill and gallant perseverance of flight and ground personnel of Marine Aircraft Group 22, fighting under tremendously adverse and dangerous conditions were essential factors in the unyielding defense of Midway.
Two VMF-221 aviators would later become
aces during the course of the war. 2nd Lt
Charles M. Kunz, who had flown a
Brewster F2A
The Brewster F2A Buffalo is an American fighter aircraft which saw service early in World War II. Designed and built by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation, it was one of the first U.S. monoplanes with an arrestor hook and other modifications ...
in Capt
Kirk Armistead's division, was later assigned to
VMF-224
Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 (VMFA(AW)-224) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Also known as the "Fighting Bengals", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina and falls under ...
; he would end the war with 8 confirmed aerial victories. Capt
Marion E. Carl
Major general (United States), Major General Marion Eugene Carl (November 1, 1915 – June 28, 1998) was an American military officer, World War II fighter ace, record-setting test pilot, and naval aviator. He was the United States Marine Corps' ...
, who piloted a
Grumman F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that entered service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet. First used by the British in the North Atlan ...
at Midway, would later fly with
VMF-223
Marine Attack Squadron 223 (VMA-223) is a United States Marine Corps fixed wing attack squadron that consists of McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Harrier II ( V/STOL) jets. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina ...
, running his score to 18.5 kills.
Rest of the War
Following the Battle of Midway, the squadron was transferred back to Ewa and was one of three Marine fighting squadrons that made up
Marine Air Group 21. As new pilots arrived in Hawaii and additional aircraft became available, the squadron was slowly rebuilt. In January 1943, MAG-21 was notified for deployment and the three squadrons were loaded aboard the USS Nassau and transported to Espiritu Santo. Upon arrival,
VMF-214
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 214 (VMFA-214) is a United States Marine Corps attack squadron consisting of Lockheed Martin F-35B STOVL jets. It is currently in the process of transitioning from its fleet of AV-8B Harrier ( V/STOL) jets. The ...
and VMF-221 sent detachments to Guadalcanal, but
VMF-213
Marine Fighting Squadron 213 (VMF-213) was a reserve fighter squadron in the United States Marine Corps. Nicknamed the "Hell Hawks", the squadron fought during World War II in the Philippines and at the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. With its ...
was held back and selected to become one of the first squadrons to be equipped with the
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft which saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production contract ...
. Most of VMF-221's tour at Guadalcanal consisted of combat air patrols over Guadalcanal, but the large raid on April 1, 1943, resulted in Lt
James Swett's Medal of Honor action.
After transition to the F4U-1, VMF-221 supported operations during the
Battle of Guadalcanal
The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by American forces, was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the ...
, while also striking Japanese shipping in the vicinity of
Bougainville. During the landing on the first day of the
Battle of New Georgia
The New Georgia campaign was a series of land and naval battles of the Pacific campaign of World War II between Allied forces and the Empire of Japan. It was part of Operation Cartwheel, the Allied strategy in the South Pacific to isolate th ...
, VMF-221 pilots got credit for shooting down 16 Japanese aircraft. In December 1943, they were sent back to the states for another reorganization.
The squadron's final combat deployment was from January 24, 1945 to June 6, 1945, aboard the ''
USS Bunker Hill''.
Reserve years
VMF-221 was recommissioned on April 1, 1946 as part of the Marine Corps Reserve. The squadron trained at throughout the 1950s and was decommissioned in June 1959 when the base was closed.
Squadron aces
The following members of VMF-221 were credited with at least 5 enemy aircraft shot down:
Other notable members
*
Marion E. Carl
Major general (United States), Major General Marion Eugene Carl (November 1, 1915 – June 28, 1998) was an American military officer, World War II fighter ace, record-setting test pilot, and naval aviator. He was the United States Marine Corps' ...
, first Marine Corps ace in World War II
*
Albert E. Hacking JR., Became an Ace on his first enemy engagement, credited with 4 confirmed kills, on that mission. Later he would go on to receive 6, Distinguished Flying Crosses, amongst other Medals in WWII, and Korea.
*
Harold W. Bauer
Harold William "Joe" Bauer (November 20, 1908 – November 14, 1942) was a United States Marine Corps air group commander, fighter pilot and flying ace credited with destroying 11 Japanese aircraft during World War II. He was posthumously awa ...
, Medal of Honor recipient for actions in the later
Battle of Guadalcanal
The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by American forces, was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the ...
See also
*
United States Marine Corps Aviation
United States Marine Corps Aviation (USMCA) is the aircraft arm of the United States Marine Corps. Aviation units within the Marine Corps are assigned to support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force, as the aviation combat element, by providing six ...
*
Citations
References
;Bibliography
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VMF-221 at Midway
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vmf-221
Fighting221
Inactive units of the United States Marine Corps