VMFA-321 Hell's Angels deactivate

0 Comments | Naval Aviation News, Jan-Feb, 2005

An 11 September 2004 ceremony marked the deactivation (officially 30 September) of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 321, one of four VMFA squadrons assigned to the reserve 4th Marine Aircraft Wing. Lt. Col. William Reavis was the squadron's last CO.

The Hell's Angels were activated on 1 February 1943 at MCAS Cherry Point, N.C., as Marine Fighting Squadron (VMF) 321. After an intensive workup period, the squadron deployed to the South Pacific in November 1943 and staged a detachment at Barakoma in the Solomon Islands. In December, the squadron moved to Bougainville and later to Green Island, and conducted combat operations over the Solomons and the Bismarcks with their F4U-1 Corsair fighters. Under Maj. Edmund F. Overund, an ace formerly of the American Volunteer Group (the Flying Tigers) in China, VMF-321 downed 39 Japanese aircraft and 11 probables while losing 8 of its own during intense combat.

In August 1944, VMF-321 moved to Guam, where it conducted strikes to neutralize Japanese forces on the Rota and Pagan islands. The squadron transferred in December 1944 to California for rest and was on its way back to the western Pacific when the war ended. The Hell's Angels were deactivated on 28 January 1946.

In early 1946, some Marine Corps aviators who served in VMF-321 began organizing a reserve squadron in the Washington, D.C., area. The reserve unit was reactivated as VMF-321 on 1 July 1946 at NAS Anacostia, D.C., and equipped with F4Us. On 1 April 1949, Marine Fighting Squadron 321 was redesignated Marine Fighter Squadron (still VMF) 321. VMF-321 was mobilized on 1 March 1951 and equipped with F8F Bearcat fighters, preparing to deploy to the Korean War zone. Instead, the squadron sent its personnel to fill gaps in other Marine squadrons in Korea, but still maintained its official identity, in the form of a single Marine at Anacostia.

After the Korean War, VMF-321 rebuilt its personnel strength. The squadron acquired the AD-5 Skyraider attack aircraft and was redesignated Marine Attack Squadron 321 on 15 May 1958. In October 1961, the squadron moved to nearby NAF Washington, D.C., and on 1 July 1962 was redesignated as a Marine Fighter Squadron when it upgraded to FJ-4B (AF-1E) Fury jets.

VMF-321 switched to the supersonic F-8B Crusader fighter beginning in January 1965, and to the F-8K version in November 1970, although it operated a few F-8A, F-8L, and T-33A aircraft during its Crusader era. The squadron was known as the Black Barons beginning in 1973, but reverted to Hell's Angels in 1975. On 1 January 1974, the squadron was redesignated VMFA-321 when it started transition to the F-4B Phantom II fighter. In 1976, the F-4N began replacing the F-4B. In late 1984, the F-4S took over for the squadron's F-4Ns. In 1991, VMFA-321 began transition to the F/A-18A Hornet strike fighter. During the 1980s through 2004, VMFA-321 participated in numerous exercises, including short deployments overseas. As part of the Tactical Aviation Integration Plan being implemented by the Department of the Navy in 2004, VMFA-321 was chosen for deactivation.

Contributed by LCdr. Rick Burgess, USN (Ret.)