History VMFA-121

1 history

1.1 world war ii
1.2 korean war
1.3 vietnam war
1.4 gulf war & 1990s
1.5 global war on terror , beyond
1.6 f-35b lightning ii joint strike fighter era

history
world war ii

squadron s logo when vmf-121

marine fighting squadron 121 (vmf-121) activated on june 24, 1941. green knights began combat operations flying f4f wildcat , later f4u corsair charter members of cactus air force , throughout battle of guadalcanal. squadron fought forward air bases of espirito santo, turtle bay, bougainville, , emirau. on september 15, 1944, green knights landed on peleliu , fought there until july 25, 1945. returned united states deactivated on september 9, 1945. during pacific war, vmf-121 produced fourteen fighter aces, more other squadron, including medal of honor recipient, major joseph j. foss. vmf-121 downed 208 japanese aircraft (165 flying wildcats , 44 flying corsairs) in aerial combat.

after world war ii, squadron reactivated in united states @ naval air station glenview, illinois squadron s designation changed marine attack squadron 121 (vma-121). during time flew variety of aircraft including f4u corsair, f8f bearcat , a-1 skyraider.

korean war

in mid 1951, vma-121 received orders activate reserve members , departed nas glenview marine corps air station el toro, california. after completion of training in skyraider, squadron transported aboard carrier uss sitkoh bay yokosuka, japan begin final preparations combat deployment republic of korea. in june 1953 set marine record single day s ordnance delivery when 16 ad-2 skyraiders dropped 156 tons of bombs during attack on sui-ho dam.

vma-121 deployed k-6 airfield @ pyongtaek, republic of korea on october 19, 1951 , conducted first strike on october 27. mission conduct strike missions in support of infantry operations. squadron dropped more bomb tonnage during korean war other navy or marine corps squadron, devastating enemy airfields, supply dumps, bridges, , railroad yards.

during korean war squadron insignia depicted al capp s wolfgirl comic strip li l abner. wolf raiders of vma-121 remained in south korea several years after korean armistice agreement signed in 1953. returning mcas el toro in 1957, squadron assumed role in unit deployment program scheduled rotations japan , traded in ad skyraider aircraft , joined jet age f9f-8b. cougar equipped labs system loft bombing, first aircraft flown squadron capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

in late 1958, squadron traded cougars brand new a-4 skyhawks. spending of next year @ likes of naas fallon, mcas yuma, , nots china lake, green knights became first squadron complete entire special weapons delivery syllabus. during november 1962, green knights deployed in new a-4s nas cecil field in jacksonville, florida in response cuban missile crisis.

vietnam war

in august 1966, under command of ltcol donald stiver, green knights ferried a-4e skyhawks mcas iwakuni, japan , after preparatory training in japan , okinawa, began combat operations chu lai air base, south vietnam in december, 1966. in may 1967 vma-121 shattered old ordnance record marine attack squadrons delivering on 1750 tons of ordnance in combat operations. after 6 months of combat operations, squadron rotated mcas iwakuni, japan , naha air base, okinawa before returning chu lai combat tour in september 1967. during first 6 months of deployment, vma-121 supported 118 major operations.

in 1969, squadron reconstituted @ mcas cherry point, north carolina , newly designated vma(aw)-121 reflect squadron s transition all-weather attack mission grumman a-6 intruder. green knights capable of acquiring , destroying surface targets in weather, day or night, wide variety of air-to-ground ordnance. squadron participated in 13-month deployment mcas iwakuni member of 1st maw. while stationed in japan, squadron participated in training exercises @ cubi point philippines , team sprit in yechon, korea. green knights returned el toro in june 1978, , commanding officer lt. col. waldo adams.

on november 11, 1985, operational control of vma(aw)-121 transferred commander, carrier airwing 2 attached uss ranger. in july 1987, under command of ltcol. joe java weston, squadron deployed aboard ranger on six-month westpac/indian ocean cruise. arriving on gonzo station in north arabian sea, squadron participated in operation earnest will, escorting of reflagged kuwaiti tankers.

in february 1989, squadron once again set sail aboard ranger westpac/indian ocean cruise under command of pete nodac jacobs. upon return mcas el toro in august 1989, operational control of vma(aw)-121 transferred commander, 3rd marine aircraft wing (3rd maw).

the gulf war & 1990s

on december 8, 1989 squadron redesignated marine fighter attack squadron (all weather) 1 2 1 (vmfa(aw)-121), becoming first marine corps f/a-18d hornet night attack squadron. on 1 year later, squadron deployed in support of operation desert storm. during desert storm air campaign, squadron flew 557 sorties , 1,655.5 combat hours (more other navy or marine corps tactical jet squadron).

returning mcas el toro following cessation of hostilities, green knights resumed unit deployment rotation , relocated marine corps air station miramar, california during august 1994 when custody of installation transferred navy (as nas miramar) marine corps pursuant brac action closed mcas el toro. green knights made 3 deployments western pacific before returning combat on iraq in march 2000. during 2000 deployment, squadron flew 287 sorties in support of operation southern watch (osw) while based @ ahmad al-jaber air base, kuwait, providing much-needed operational tempo (optempo) relief active duty usaf, air force reserve , air national guard a-10 thunderbolt ii fighter squadrons had been manning osw mission @ al jaber since end of first gulf war.

global war on terror , beyond

in april 2002, squadron deployed 6 aircraft kyrgyzstan, followed remaining 6 aircraft , personnel month later. squadron flew more 900 combat sorties on afghanistan in support of operation enduring freedom, returning mcas miramar in october 2002.

only 3 months after returning kyrgyzstan, green knights deployed al jaber air base, kuwait. february may 2003, squadron flew more 750 combat sorties on iraq in support of operation southern watch , operation iraqi freedom, , returned mcas miramar on may 12.

in march 2005, squadron deployed part of unit deployment program mcas iwakuni, japan. squadron returned mcas miramar on september 15, 2005.

in february 2007, squadron deployed al asad air base, iraq in support of operation iraqi freedom 06-08.

the squadron deployed part of unit deployment program marine corps air station iwakuni, japan september 2008 march 2009, march 2010 september 2010, , january 2012 july 2012.

on august 17, 2011, f/a-18d vmfa(aw)-121 crashed pacific ocean approximately 85 miles southwest of san diego. both pilot , wso ejected safely.

f-35b lightning ii joint strike fighter era

on 28 september 2012, ltcol. jeff scott took command of green knights ltcol. michael waterman, marking end of f/a-18d hornet s tenure in vmfa(aw)-121 , ushering in fifth-generation stealth fighter era. change of command officially moved squadron mag-11 @ mcas miramar mag-13 @ mcas yuma. on 20 november, vmfa(aw)-121 officially redesignated vmfa-121, accepting delivery of first 3 f-35b aircraft becoming first operational f-35b squadron in marine corps operating forces , first operational f-35 squadron in service.

on 9 january 2017, vmfa-121 permanently departed marine corps air station yuma, arizona transferring marine corps air station iwakuni, japan.

on 18 january 2017, vmfa-121 arrived @ mcas iwakuni, japan first forward deployed permanent f-35b squadron.