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US Marine Corps - Marine Attack Squadron 322

VMA-322 'Fighting Gamecocks'
 
vma-322 fighting gamecocks insignia crest patch badge marine attack squadron usmc
 vma-322 fighting gamecocks marine attack squadron usmc a-4 skyhawk
 
STATUS:   established as Marine Fighter Squadron 322 (VMF-322) on July 1, 1943
VMF-322 deactivated on November 30, 1949
VMF-322 reactivated on July 6, 1951
VMF-322 redesignated VMA-322 in May 1958
 VMA-322 deactivated on June 27, 1992
 AIRCRAFT:   North American FJ-3 Fury (1959-62)
Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk
Douglas A-4E Skyhawk
Douglas A-4M Skyhawk
 DEPLOYMENTS:    
 

images

vma-322 fighting gamecocks a-4m skyhawk us marine corps usmc
A-4M Skyhawk (VMA-322) - 1988

marine attack squadron vma-322 fighting gamecocks a-4e skyhawk
A-4E Skyhawk (VMA-322) - 1970's

vma-322 fighting gamecocks a-4e skyhawk usmc squadron
A-4E Skyhawk (VMA-322) - undated


vma-322 fighting gamecocks fj-3 fury usmc marine attack squadron
FJ-3 Fury (VMA-322) - circa 1959
 
 
Marine Fighting Squadron 322 (VMF-322) was established on July 1, 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point flying the F4U Corsair. In the fall of that year they moved to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina to continue their training. They moved again in January, 1944 to Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii.

In October, 1944, the squadron became part of Marine Aircraft Group 33 (MAG-33) when they moved to Espiritu Santo. The squadron was part of the Battle of Okinawa and on April 3, 1945 over 150 of its members were killed when its lead support element was struck by a Kamikaze. They rebounded quickly and were able to fly their first combat mission on April 9, 1945. VMF-322 remained on Okinawa for the rest of the war as they made bombing runs over the Japanese mainland. Following the war, the squadron moved to Midway Island in November 1945 where they remained as part of Marine Aircraft Group 44 (MAG-44) until they were deactivated on November 30, 1949.


VMF-322 was reactivated during the Korean War on July 6, 1951 again flying the F4U Corsair. The squadron moved to Naval Air Station South Weymouth in January 1954 and transitioned to the F9F Cougar in March 1955. The squadron was re-designated as Marine Attack Squadron 322 (VMA-322) in May 1958 and changed aircraft again, this time to the FJ3 Fury in November 1959. In September 1962 the squadron received its final aircraft in the venerable A-4 Skyhawk. In 1964, VMA-322 absorbed the aircraft and personnel of VMA-217 after their deactivation.

VMA-322 was decommissioned on June 27, 1992 as part of the post-Cold War drawdown of the United States Military

source: wikipedia
 
 
 

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