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US Marine Corps - Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 235
VMFA-235 'Death Angels'
 
vmfa-235 death angels insignia crest patch badge marine fighter attack squadron 03x vmfa-235 death angels marine fighter attack squadron usmc mcas f-4 phantom ii 08x
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STATUS:   established as VMSB-235 on January 1, 1943
VMSB-235 deactivated on November 10, 1944
 
reactivated as VMF-235 on November 15, 1946 (Reserve Squadron)
VMF-235 called to active duty on September 18, 1950
VMF-235 redesignated VMF(AW)-235 on February 1, 1962
VMF(AW)-235 redesignated VMFA-235 on September 8, 1968
VMFA-235 deativated on June 30, 1996
 AIRCRAFT:   Vought F4U Corsair
Grumman F9F Panther
North American FJ-2/3 Fury
Vought F-8B/D/E Crusader
McDonnell Douglas F-4J/S Phantom II
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
 DEPLOYMENTS:   see history below
 
images

vmfa-235 death angels marine fighter attack squadron usmc f/a-18c hornet operation desert storm 1992 04
F/A-18C Hornet (VMFA-235) during Operation Desert Storm at Jubail Airport, Saudi Arabia - February 1992

vmfa-235 death angels marine fighter attack squadron usmc f/a-18c hornet jubail airport saudi arabia desert storm 03
F/A-18C Hornet (VMFA-235) during Operation Desert Storm at Jubail Airport, Saudi Arabia - February 1992

vmfa-235 death angels marine fighter attack squadron usmc f/a-18c hornet operation desert storm 1992 14
F/A-18C Hornet (VMFA-235) - 1992


vmfa-235 death angels marine fighter attack squadron usmc f-4s phantom ii mcas kaneohe bay hawaii 08
F-4S Phantom II (VMFA-235) during Exercise Opportune Journey 84 at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii - August 1984

vmfa-235 death angels marine fighter attack squadron usmc f-4s phantom ii 15
F-4S Phantom II (VMFA-235) - 1980's

vmfa-235 death angels marine fighter attack squadron usmc f-4s phantom ii nas cubi point philippines
F-4S Phantom II (VMFA-235) at NAS Cubi Point, Philippines - May 1982

vmfa-235 death angels marine fighter attack squadron usmc f-4s phantom ii nas whiting field florida
F-4S Phantom II (VMFA-235) at NAS Whiting Field, Florida - 1982

vmfa-235 death angels marine fighter attack squadron usmc f-4j phantom ii 05
F-4J Phantom II (VMFA-235) over Florida - January 1982

vmfa-235 death angels marine fighter attack squadron usmc f-4j phantom ii 06
F-4J Phantom II (VMFA-235) - March 1977


VMF(AW)-235

vmf(aw)-235 death angels marine fighter squadron all weather usmc f-8e crusader da nang vietnam 07
F-8E Crusader, VMF(AW)-235, loaded with 113 kg (250 lb) bombs and Zuni rockets, taxies to the runway at
Da Nang to fly a missing against Viet Cong positions - April 1967

vmf(aw)-235 death angels marine fighter squadron all weather usmc f-8e crusader vietnam war 10
F-8E Crusader,VMF(AW)-235, at Da Nang Airbase, Vietnam - April 1966


VMF-235
 vmf-235 death angels marine fighter squadron usmc fj-3 fury nas patuxent river maryland 13
FJ-3 Fury (VMF-235) over NAS Patuxent River, Maryland - October 1957

vmf-235 death angels marine fighter squadron usmc fj-3 fury uss randolph cva-15 12
FJ-3 Fury (VMF-235) aboard USS Randolph (CVA 15) - circa 1957

vmf-235 death angels marine fighter squadron usmc fj-2 fury mcas el toro california 11
FJ-2 Fury (VMF-235) over MCAS El Toro, California - 1954
 
 
History:

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron was commissioned on January 1, 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California as Fixed Wing Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 235 (VMSB-235). During World War II they flew the SBD Dauntless and participated in Operation Cartwheel, the Battle of Bougainville and operations in and around Rabaul. The squadron was decommissioned on November 10, 1944.

The squadron was recalled to active duty in September 1950 as part of Marine Aircraft Group 15 at MCAS El Toro flying the F4U Corsair. In September 1952 they transitioned to the F9F Panther and in March 1954 they again transitioned to the FJ Fury. In 1957 the squadron relocated to Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.

Redesignated Fixed Wing Marine Fighter (All Weather) Squadron VMF(AW)-235 deployed to Vietnam on February 1, 1966 flying the F-8E Crusader. Between February 2 and November 15, 1966 the “Death Angels” flew over 6,000 combat sorties in support of over 22 major operations. They returned to Vietnam on February 15, 1967 this time for over a year until May 11, 1968. They were the last active duty Crusader squadron. Upon leaving Vietnam, the squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay. On September 6, 1968 they were redesignated Fixed Wing Marine Fighter Attack Squadron VMFA-235 and equipped with the F-4 Phantom.

In November 1989, VMFA-235 transitioned to the F/A-18 Hornet. After Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, the squadron was deployed to the Shaikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain, on August 22, 1990 in support of Operation Desert Shield. They were the first Fighter squadron in theater, and were recognized with the "Phoenix Award", a highly prestigious Department of Defense award, for outstanding performance. During Operation Desert Storm they flew over 2800 sorties in support of coalition forces. In March, 1990, after seven months of operations, VMFA-235 redeployed to Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

The squadron moved to MCAS El Toro in 1994 and was attached to Marine Aircraft Group 11. They moved again to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in 1996 and were decommissioned later that year on June 14.

source: wikipedia
 
patches + more
vmfa-235 death angels insignia crest patch badge marine fighter attack squadron 02p   vmfa-235 death angels insignia crest patch badge marine fighter attack squadron 04p
 
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