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US Marine Corps - Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 531
VMFA-531 'Grey Ghosts'
 
vmfa-531 grey ghosts insignia crest patch badge marine fighter attack squadron 02x vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f/a-18a hornet usmc 15x mcas el toro
12/21
STATUS:   established as VMF(N)-531 on November 16, 1942
VMF(N)-531 deactivated on September 3, 1944
VMF(N)-531 reactivated on October 13, 1944
VMF(N)-531 redesignated VMF(AW)-531 on October 14, 1948
VMF(AW)-531 redesignated VMFA-531 on August 1, 1963
VMFA-531 deactivated on March 30, 1992
 AIRCRAFT:   Lockheed PV-1 Ventura
Douglas SBD Dauntless
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
 
Grumman F7F Tigercat
Douglas F3D Skyknight
Douglas F4D Skyray
 
Mc Donnell Douglas F-4B/N Phantom II
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet
 DEPLOYMENTS:   July 1964 - April 1965 at NAS Atsugi, Japan
September 1972 - July 1973 with CVW-17 aboard USS Forrestal (CVA 59)
November 1979 - June 1980 with CVW-14 aboard USS Coral Sea (CV 43)
April 1988 - October 1988 at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
October 1989 - April 1990 at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
February 1991 - August 1991 at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
 
images

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f/a-18a hornet usmc 23 mcas el toro california
F/A-18A Hornet (VMFA-531) over MCAS El Toro, California - February 1992

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f/a-18a hornet usmc 25 formation
F/A-18A Hornet (VMFA-531) over MCAS El Toro, California - February 1992

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f/a-18a hornet usmc 22 mcas el toro
F/A-18A Hornet (VMFA-531) at MCAS El Toro, California - February 1992

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f/a-18a hornet usmc 14 exercise bright star 1985
F/A-18A Hornet (VMFA-531) during Exercise Bright Star at Kairo West Air Base, Egypt - August 1985

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f/a-18a hornet usmc 16 kairo west air base egypt
F/A-18A Hornet (VMFA-531) during Exercise Bright Star at Kairo West Air Base, Egypt - August 1985

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f/a-18a hornet usmc 18 exercise bright star egypt
F/A-18A Hornet (VMFA-531) during Exercise Bright Star at Kairo West Air Base, Egypt - August 1985

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f/a-18a hornet usmc 15 bright star kairo west air base
F/A-18A Hornet (VMFA-531) during Exercise Bright Star at Kairo West Air Base, Egypt - August 1985

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f/a-18a hornet usmc 19
F/A-18A Hornet (VMFA-531) during Exercise Bright Star at Kairo West Air Base, Egypt - August 1985

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f/a-18a hornet usmc 17
F/A-18A Hornet (VMFA-531) during Exercise Bright Star at Kairo West Air Base, Egypt - August 1985

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f/a-18a hornet usmc 20
F/A-18A Hornet (VMFA-531) during Exercise Bright Star at Kairo West Air Base, Egypt - August 1985

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f/a-18a hornet usmc 21 exercise bright star 1985 egypt
F/A-18A Hornet (VMFA-531) with an Egyptian Air Force F-16 during Exercise Bright Star - Egypt - August 1985

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f/a-18a hornet usmc 28
F/A-18A Hornet (VMFA-531) with an A-4M Skyhawk (VMA-214) in flight - 1980's



vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 13 mcas el toro california
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531) at MCAS El Toro, California - September 1982

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 38
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531) at MCAS El Toro, California - September 1982

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 12 napalm bomb
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531) drops a napalm canister on a training range - 1982

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 11 uss coral sea cv-43 cvw-14
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531 and VMFA-323 / CVW-14) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1980

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 10 cvw-14 uss coral sea cv-43
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531 and VMFA-323 / CVW-14) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1980

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 09 uss coral sea cv-43 cvw-14
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531 and VMFA-323 / CVW-14) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1980

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 06 cvw-14 uss coral sea cv-43
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531 and VMFA-323 / CVW-14) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1980

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 39 cvw-14
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531) with other aircraft of CVW-14 aboard USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1980

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 07a
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531 and VMFA-323 / CVW-14) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1980

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 07 cv-43 uss coral sea
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531 and VMFA-323 / CVW-14) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1980

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 08
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531 and VMFA-323 / CVW-14) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1980

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 08a
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531 and VMFA-323 / CVW-14) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1980

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 40
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531 and VMFA-323 / CVW-14) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1979/80

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 03
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531 / CVW-14) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1979

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 02
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531 / CVW-14) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1979

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 05
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531 / CVW-14) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1979

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 04
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531 / CVW-14) embarked on USS Coral Sea (CV 43) - 1979

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4n phantom usmc 27
F-4N Phantom II (VMFA-531) with an A-4E Skyhawk (VMA-131) - 1970's

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4b phantom usmc 24 uss forrestal cva-59
F-4B Phantom II (VMFA-531 / CVW-17) embarked on USS Forrestal (CVA 59) - 1973

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4b phantom usmc 31 uss forrestal cva-59
F-4B Phantom II (VMFA-531 / CVW-17) embarked on USS Forrestal (CVA 59) - 1972/73

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4b phantom usmc 32 cvw-17 uss forrestal cva-59
F-4B Phantom II (VMFA-531 / CVW-17) embarked on USS Forrestal (CVA 59) - 1972/73

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4b phantom usmc 30 hms ark royal r-09
F-4B Phantom II (VMFA-531 / CVW-17) was launched from HMS Ark Royal (R 09) during cross-deck operations in the Mediterranean Sea - 1972/73

vmfa-531 grey ghosts marine fighter attack squadron f-4b phantom usmc 26 da nang air base vietnam
F-4B Phantom II (VMFA-531) at Da Nang Air Base, Vietnam - April 1965



VMF(AW)-531
(1948-63)

vmf(aw)-531 grey ghosts marine fighter squadron all weather douglas f4d-1 skyray 34
Douglas F4D-1 Skyray from VMF(AW)-531 during Operation Blue Star - Taiwan - 1960

vmf(aw)-531 grey ghosts marine fighter squadron all weather douglas f3d-2 skyknight 33
Douglas F3D-2 Skyknight from VMF(AW)-531 - 1957

vmf(aw)-531 grey ghosts marine fighter squadron all weather douglas f3d-2 skyknight 29
Douglas F3D-2 Skyknight from VMF(AW)-531 - circa 1955


vmf(aw)-531 grey ghosts marine fighter squadron all weather grumman f7f-3n tigercat 35
Grumman F7F-3N Tigercat from VMF(AW)-531 near MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina - April 1950


VMF(N)-531
(1942-48)

vmf(n)-531 grey ghosts marine night fighter squadron grumman f7f-3n tigercat 36
Grumman F7F-3N Tigercat from VMF(N)-531 at the former Imperial Japanese Nan Yuan airfield, Peiping, China - December 1945


vmf(n)-531 grey ghosts marine night fighter squadron lockheed pv-1 ventura037
Lockheed PV-1 Ventura from VMF(N)-531 - 1943
 
 
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 531 (VMFA-531) was a United States Marine Corps fighter squadron consisting of F/A-18 Hornets. Known as the "Grey Ghosts”, the squadron participated in action during World War II and the Vietnam War.
They were decommissioned on March 27, 1992.


World War II:
Marine Night Fighter Squadron 531 (VMF(N)-531) was commissioned on November 16, 1942 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. On January 9, 1943 the squadron became part of the Fleet Marine Force and on April 1 was absorbed by Marine Aircraft Group 53 (MAG-53). The squadron took delivery of its first non-trainer aircraft, the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura on February 15. Due to the uniqueness of their night fight mission, VMF(N)-531 was placed under the direction of the Commandant of the Marine Corps until it was ready to deploy to combat.

Responding to Japanese night attacks on Guadalcanal, MAG-53 was reassigned to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing on April 15, 1943 and was quickly ordered to deploy to the South Pacific as soon as possible. VMF(N)-531 was the first combat squadron to leave MCAS Cherry Point. After layovers in Hawaii and Espiritu Santo, the squadron finally arrived at Renard Field on Banika in the Russell Islands on September 11. Joining Marine Aircraft Group 21, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, the Grey Ghosts flew their first combat patrol on September 16 making them the first naval aviation night-fighter squadron to operate in the South Pacific. The squadron's first kill was made by Captain Duane Jenkins, who happened upon a Betty bomber on the evening of November 13, 1943.

The first kill aided by GCI did not come until December 6. During their tour in the Pacific, the squadron operated out of fields in the Russell Islands, Vella Lavella and Bougainville. They accounted for 12 enemy planes shot down by 5 different crews, all at night, with a loss of 6 of their own aircraft and 17 crew members, none of them a result of enemy fire. The squadron returned to MCAS Cherry Point on September 1, 1944 and was quickly deactivated only to be reactivated a short time later on October 13 at Marine Corps Auxiliary Airfield Kinston (MCAAF Kinston), North Carolina and reassigned to MAG-53, 9th Marine Aircraft Wing. A short time later the squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station Eagle Mountain Lake near Fort Worth, Texas to operate as a training squadron for replacement pilots and ground control intercept operators being sent overseas.

Following the conclusion of World War II, the squadron was relocated back to MCAS Cherry Point and in March 1947 reassigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW).

Vietnam War:
On April 10, 1965, 15 F-4Bs from the squadron arrived at Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam becoming the first land-based Marine Corps jets during the Vietnam War. They immediately began flying bombing missions under radar guidance and standard close air support missions in support of Marines on the ground.

The 1980s to 1992:
On May 29, 1983, 531 received its first F/A-18 Hornet, becoming the 3rd fleet squadron to receive the new fighter.

source: wikipedia
 
patches + more

vmfa-531 grey ghosts insignia crest patch badge marine fighter attack squadron 02c f/a-18 hornet

vmfa-531 grey ghosts insignia crest patch badge marine fighter attack squadron 03 vmf(aw)-531
 
 
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