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VMFA(AW)-225
Encyclopedia
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 225 (VMFA-225) is a United States Marine Corps
F/A-18 Hornet
squadron. The squadron, known as the "Vikings", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
, California
and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 11
(MAG-11) and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
(3rd MAW).
. From August 1944 to January 1945, the F4U Corsair
s of VMF-225 participated in numerous combat operations in the New Hebrides Islands
.
Returning to the United States in February 1945, VMF-225 was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
, North Carolina
, with interim stops at MCAS Mojave and Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara
, California.
On June 1, 1965, skyhawks from VMA-225 were the first tactical fixed-wing aircraft to land at Chu Lai
for participation in combat operations against Viet Cong forces in South Vietnam
. Several hours after landing, Lieutenant Colonel Robert W. Baker, VMA-225 Commanding Officer, lead the first combat mission from the base striking the enemy six miles to the north.
VMA-225 returned to MCAS Cherry Point in October 1965. In April 1966 the Grumman built A-6 Intruder
replaced the A-4 Skyhawk
as the squadron's combat ready aircraft. With the advent of the Intruder and it's all weather capability, the squadron was redesignated VMA(AW)-225. While stationed at MCAS Cherry Point, VMA(AW)-225 provided air support for units of the 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force
, Atlantic. The squadron also deployed several times to MCAS Yuma
, Arizona
, for live weapons training.
In January 1969, VMA(AW)-225 deployed to Danang Air Base, Vietnam
. The primary mission of Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 225 was to provide close air support
and direct air support for ground elements for allied forces in the I Corp area of South Vietnam. The squadron attacked and destroyed surface targets day and night, and in all weather conditions. A secondary mission was to utilize the Intruder's unique search radar Airborne Moving Target Indicator (AMTI) features in the interdiction of trucks on the Ho Chi Minh Trail
in Southeast Asia
. During May 1971, VMA(AW)-225 returned to MCAS El Toro
, California, and the squadron was deactivated on June 15, 1972.
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The squadron was deployed in January 2003 from its home base at MCAS Miramar
in San Diego, CA to Ahmed Al Jabar Air Base in Kuwait
. From Kuwait, the "Vikings" took part in Operation Southern Watch
, assisting the US Air Force
in patrolling the Southern No-Fly-Zone set up by the United Nations
in Iraq
. In March 2003, VMFA(AW)-225 began flying combat sorties in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Joining 225 were other members of Marine Aircraft Group 11
.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
F/A-18 Hornet
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
squadron. The squadron, known as the "Vikings", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , formerly Naval Air Station Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 11
Marine Aircraft Group 11
Marine Aircraft Group 11 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of three F/A-18C squadrons, three F/A-18D squadrons, one fleet readiness squadron, one KC-130 tactical aerial refueling squadron and a maintenance and...
(MAG-11) and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 3d Marine Aircraft Wing is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and provides the aviation combat element for I Marine Expeditionary Force...
(3rd MAW).
World War II
Marine Fighting Squadron 225 (VMF-225) was commissioned January 1, 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station Mojave, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. From August 1944 to January 1945, the F4U Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
s of VMF-225 participated in numerous combat operations in the New Hebrides Islands
New Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
.
Returning to the United States in February 1945, VMF-225 was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, with interim stops at MCAS Mojave and Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara
Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara
'Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara was a United States Marine Corps air station that was located in Goleta, California north of Los Angeles during World War II...
, California.
Vietnam War
In the early 1960s the squadron had been trained for "special weapons" delivery. This meant they were certified to deliver nuclear weaponsOn June 1, 1965, skyhawks from VMA-225 were the first tactical fixed-wing aircraft to land at Chu Lai
Chu Lai
Chu Lai is a sea port, urban and industrial area in Dung Quat Bay, Núi Thành district, Quang Nam province of Vietnam. The city is served by Chu Lai Airport.-Vietnam War:...
for participation in combat operations against Viet Cong forces in South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. Several hours after landing, Lieutenant Colonel Robert W. Baker, VMA-225 Commanding Officer, lead the first combat mission from the base striking the enemy six miles to the north.
VMA-225 returned to MCAS Cherry Point in October 1965. In April 1966 the Grumman built A-6 Intruder
A-6 Intruder
The Grumman A-6 Intruder was an American, twin jet-engine, mid-wing attack aircraft built by Grumman Aerospace. In service with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps between 1963 and 1997, the Intruder was designed as an all-weather medium attack aircraft to replace the piston-engined A-1 Skyraider...
replaced the A-4 Skyhawk
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
as the squadron's combat ready aircraft. With the advent of the Intruder and it's all weather capability, the squadron was redesignated VMA(AW)-225. While stationed at MCAS Cherry Point, VMA(AW)-225 provided air support for units of the 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces are combined general and special purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that are designed in engaging offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment...
, Atlantic. The squadron also deployed several times to MCAS Yuma
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma or MCAS Yuma is a United States Marine Corps air station which is the home to multiple squadrons of AV-8B Harrier IIs of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 and Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 , an air combat adversary...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, for live weapons training.
In January 1969, VMA(AW)-225 deployed to Danang Air Base, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. The primary mission of Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 225 was to provide close air support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
and direct air support for ground elements for allied forces in the I Corp area of South Vietnam. The squadron attacked and destroyed surface targets day and night, and in all weather conditions. A secondary mission was to utilize the Intruder's unique search radar Airborne Moving Target Indicator (AMTI) features in the interdiction of trucks on the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Ho Chi Minh trail
The Ho Chi Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam to the Republic of Vietnam through the neighboring kingdoms of Laos and Cambodia...
in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. During May 1971, VMA(AW)-225 returned to MCAS El Toro
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was a United States Marine Corps Air Station located near Irvine, California.Before it was decommissioned in 1999, it was the home of Marine Corps aviation on the West Coast. Designated as a Master Jet Station, its four runways could handle the largest aircraft...
, California, and the squadron was deactivated on June 15, 1972.
The Gulf War & the 1990s
The squadron was reactivated on July 1, 1991, at MCAS El Toro, California, and redesignated as Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225.The Global War on Terror
VMFA(AW)-225 was the first Marine Corps fighter squadron deployed to the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The squadron was deployed in January 2003 from its home base at MCAS Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , formerly Naval Air Station Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force...
in San Diego, CA to Ahmed Al Jabar Air Base in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. From Kuwait, the "Vikings" took part in Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
, assisting the US Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
in patrolling the Southern No-Fly-Zone set up by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. In March 2003, VMFA(AW)-225 began flying combat sorties in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Joining 225 were other members of Marine Aircraft Group 11
Marine Aircraft Group 11
Marine Aircraft Group 11 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of three F/A-18C squadrons, three F/A-18D squadrons, one fleet readiness squadron, one KC-130 tactical aerial refueling squadron and a maintenance and...
.
See also
- List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
- United States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....
- Organization of the United States Marine CorpsOrganization of the United States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy . The most senior Marine officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recruiting, training, and equipping the Marine Corps so that it is ready for...