VMA-124
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| Marine Attack Squadron 124 | |
|---|---|
 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 Checkerboards |
| Tail Code | NJ |
| Engagements | World War II * Battle of Guadalcanal * Solomon Islands Campaign * Philippines Campaign, 1944-45 * Battle of Iwo Jima * Battle of Okinawa |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | A-4 Skyhawk |
| Fighter | F4U Corsair |
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. They were known as the “Wild Aces” and ended World War II 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 even though the squadron’s pilots had only an average of 25 hours each in the plane. They arrived on Guadalcanal on the morning of February 12, 1943 led by their commanding officer, Major William Gise. The squadron flew their first mission before lunch that day, with twelve F4Us escorting a PBY Catalina on a 230 mile mission to pick up two downed pilots at Sandfly Bay, Vella Lavella[1].
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. When they received their orders for carrier assignments they had 5 combat experienced pilots as their training nucleus[2] 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 on 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 Ryukyu 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
[edit] See also
- United States Marine Corps Aviation
- List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
- List of inactive United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
[edit] References
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Tillman, Barrett (1979). Corsair - The F4U in World War II and Korea. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-994-8.
- Condon, John Pomeroy (1998). Corsairs and Flattops - Marine Carrier Warfare, 1944-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-127-0.
- Web
- Mersky, Peter B. (1993). Time of the Aces: Marine Pilots in the Solomons, 1942-1944 (English). Marines in World War II Commemorative Series. History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. Retrieved on November 03, 2007.
- Sherrod, Robert. USMC Fighting Squadrons. Cactus Squadrons: Guadalcanal, Aug. 1942 - Feb. 1943. Retrieved on 2006-07-15.
- Marine Fighting VMF-124 and VMF-213 - History and photos of VMF-124 and VMF-213's service aboard the USS Essex (CV-9)
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