VMFA-142
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 142 | |
|---|---|
 VMFA-142 Insignia |
|
| Active | March 1, 1942 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | USMC |
| Type | Fighter/Attack |
| Role | Close air support Air interdiction Aerial reconnaissance |
| Part of | Marine Aircraft Group 42 4th Marine Aircraft Wing |
| Garrison/HQ | Naval Air Station Atlanta |
| Nickname | Flying Gators |
| Battles/wars | World War II Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
LtCol Baumert |
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 142 (VMFA-142) is a reserve United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. The squadron is based at Naval Air Station Atlanta, Georgia and is attached to Marine Aircraft Group 42 (MAG-42), 4th Marine Aircraft Wing (4th MAW).
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[edit] Mission
Plan for the conduct of air operations in support of the Fleet Marine Force, supervise and train selected Marine Corps Reserve units, provide administrative and logistical support for selected Marine Corps Reserve units, and ensure mobilization readiness.
[edit] History
[edit] World War II
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron-142 [VMFA-142] was activated March 1, 1942 at Camp Kearney, California as Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 142, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force. It was assigned during August 1942 to Marine Aircraft Group 12, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force before being reassigned during September 1942 to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force. The squadron was deployed from October to November 1942 to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force. During World War II, VMFA-142 participated in the following Campaigns:
- Guadalcanal
- Southern Solomons
- Luzon
- Southern Philippines
The squadron relocated in August 1942 to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California, and was reassigned to Marine Base Defense Aircraft Group 41, Marine Fleet Air, West Coast. It relocated during April 1944 to Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii, and was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 32, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force.
[edit] Post World War II
The squadron was deactivated September 21, 1945 and reactivated July 1, 1946 at Miami, Florida, as Marine Fighting Squadron 142 (VMF-142) and assigned to Marine Air Detachment, Naval Air Reserve Training Unit, Naval Air Station, Miami, Florida. The "Flying Gators" were reassigned in December 1946 to the Marine Air Reserve Training Command, Naval Air Reserve Training Unit, Naval Air Station, Miami, Florida.
The squadron was redesignated April 1, 1949 as Marine Fighter Squadron 142, Marine Air Reserve Training Command, Naval Air Station, Miami, Florida, later itseld redesignated in February 1952 as Marine Corps Air Station, Miami, Florida.
The squadron was redesignated in September 1953 as Marine Fighter Squadron 142, Marine Air Reserve Training Detachment, Marine Air Reserve Training Command, Marine Corps Air Station, Florida. The squadron was yet again redesignated on 15 May 1958 as Marine Attack Squadron 142 (VMA-142) and relocated during March 1959 to Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida.
The squadron was reassigned during January 1971 to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force before relocating during December 1978 to Naval Air Station, Cecil Field, Florida. Soon thereafter, in January 1979, the squadron was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 42 Detachment, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force and, a year later in January 1980, reassigned again to Marine Aircraft Group 42, Detachment A, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force.
The squadron was formally redesignated on December 21, 1990 as Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 142 (VMFA-142)and relocated, in August 1997, to Naval Air Station Atlanta, approximately 25 miles North of Atlanta in Marietta, Georgia. It was the second F-18 squadron to be transferred into NAS Atlanta
VMFA-142 integrated the Department of the Navy TACAIR concept which integrates Marine and Navy tactical jets into the Carrier Air Wing Group.
In May 2000, in a first for CVWR-20, five Marine Hornets from VMFA-142 joined them for carrier qualification, qualifying all five pilots. Three of the Hornets then flew to Roosevelt Roads.
[edit] Global War on Terror
In February 2005, VMFA-142 became the first fixed wing Marine reserve unit activated to combat since the Korean War. They deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and served at Al Asad Air Base, providing combat support in the Al Anbar province of Iraq until September 2005.
