VMFA-115

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Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115
VMFA-115 Insignia
Active	July 1, 1943
Country	United States
Branch	USMC
Type	Fighter/Attack
Role	Close air support Air interdiction Aerial reconnaissance
Part of	Marine Aircraft Group 31 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
Garrison/HQ	Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
Nickname	"Silver Eagles" "Able Eagles" "Joe's Jokers"
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War Vietnam War Operation Desert Storm Operation Iraqi Freedom

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 (VMFA-115) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina and is attached to Marine Aircraft Group 31 (MAG-31), 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW).

1 Mission
2 History
3 Unit Awards
4 See also
5 References

[edit] Mission

Intercept and destroy enemy aircraft under all-weather conditions and attack and destroy surface targets.

[edit] History

[edit] World War II

VMF-115 was organized on July 1, 1943 in Santa Barbara, California, as a F4U Corsair squadron. One of the Marine Corps most famous aces, Maj. Joseph Foss assumed command 16 days later. The squadron quickly gained the nickname "Joe's Joker's", and in May 1944 joined the Pacific campaign. VMF-115 was considered a major contributor to the American victory in the Philippines providing close air support, fighter cover, and deep air strikes in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. With over 18,000 flight hours during 5,856 combat sorties, VMF-115 lost 28 aircraft and had nine pilots killed.

To protect U.S. interests after the war and support Marines supervising the surrender of Japanese, the squadron deployed to Peking, China. Communist troops began patterns of hostility leading to convoy coverage and "Air Presence" missions. 31 months after initial deployment, VMF-115 left the Pacific theater.

[edit] Korean War

In 1949, VMF-115 was the first Marine Corps squadron equipped with Grumman F9F-2 Panther jets, and in 1950, the first Marine squadron to carrier qualify all 18 pilots aboard the USS Roosevelt.

The squadron then deployed to Pohang, Korea, for combat operation in February 1952. Throughout the Korean War, VMF-115 expended more ordanance than anyother Marine jet fighter squadron. A total of 15,350 flight hours were logged on 9,250 combat sorties with a price of 19 aircraft lost. Six pilots were lost with their aircraft in a single day and a total of 14 pilots were killed in action. Close air support was provided by VMF-115 in battles such as Bunker Hill, The Hook, Reno, Carson-Elko, Vegas, Berlin, East Berlin, and the Marines famous battle at the Chosin Reservoir.