VMA-124
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| Marine Attack Squadron 124 | |
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 VMA-124 Insignia |
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| Active | September 2, 1942 - 1996 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | USMC |
| Type | Fighter squadron |
| Role | Air interdiction |
| Nickname | "Whistling Death" “Wild Aces” |
| Battles/wars | World War II * Battle of Guadalcanal * Solomon Islands Campaign * Philippines Campaign, 1944-45 * Battle of Iwo Jima * Battle of Okinawa |
Marine Attack Squadron 124 (VMA-124) was a fighter squadron in the Marine Forces Reserve based out of Naval Air Station Memphis flying the A-4 Skyhawk. They were part of Marine Aircraft Group 42 and were decommissioned in 1996. The squadron is best known as the first Marine squadron to fly the F4U Corsair during World War II and also the first squadron to be based on an aircraft carrier. The squadron, also known as the “Wild Aces”, ended WWII with 78 air to air victories against Japanese aircraft.
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[edit] History
VMF-124 was formed on September 2, 1942 at Camp Kearney, San Diego, California. They were declared fully operational on December 28, 1942 and arrived on Guadalcanal on the morning of February 11, 1943 and flew their first mission before lunch that day. The squadron’s pilots had only an average of 25 hours each in the plane when they first arrived. The first F4U pilot to be decorated with the Medal of Honor came from VMF-124 — 1stLt Kenneth A. Walsh for a mission on August 30, 1943, during which he shot down four Japanese Zeros before ditching his borrowed Corsair. The squadron remained in the Solomon Islands until September 1943, fighting over the Russell Islands, New Georgia and Vella Levella.
Following the fighting in the Solomons, the squadron was disbanded and reconstituted back in the United States where it trained in the Mojave Desert for the next year. VMF-124 left the States again on September 18, 1944, heading to Hawaii. While in Hawaii they were attached to Navy Air Group 4 who were operating off the USS Essex (CV-9). Along with VMF-213, 124 became the first Marine squadron to be based of an aircraft carrier. While deployed aboard the Essex, they took part in fighting over Lingayen, Luzon, Formosa, Tokyo, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. On January 3, 1945 VMF-124 and VMF-213 struck Formosa and the Ryūkyū Islands in the first Marine land strike off a carrier.
[edit] Squadron aces
The following members of VMF-124 were credited with at least 5 enemy aircraft shot down during World War II:
- William E. Crowe
- Howard J. Finn
- Wallace E. Sigler
- Kenneth A. Walsh
