The VMA-211 Wake Island Avengers
Patch Handle Heritage Home Ports Air Wings Deployments Aircraft Unit C.O.s Events Awards

Squadron Photograph Album Squadron Off-Duty Album (empty)

The Squadron Duty Officer (SDO), is the unit's contact point. They maintain unit rosters, help old friends link up, coordinate with unit reunions, and gather unit information. The SDO List.
The Association is particularly interested in your Skyhawk related information and photos, but will gladly accept information about all eras of the unit. e-Mail the Association Webmaster.
AND we welcome "anyone with an interest" in the Skyhawk to JOIN The Skyhawk Association.


Provided Gary Verver
Provided Gary Verver
Provided Gary Verver

Patch
Handle
Heritage
Home Ports
  • 1937 - - - - - - - - NAS San Diego, California
  • Jan. 1941 - - - - -  Hawaii
  • 1958 - - - - - - - - MCAS El Toro, California.
  • Aug. 1976 - - - - -  MCAS El Toro, California.
  • 1987 - - - - - - - - MCAS Yuma, Arizona.

  • Back to Table of Contents

Air Wings
  • REMOVE THIS AND PASTE AIR WINGS HERE

    • Date - - - - - - - - - - - - Tail code - - - - - - - Air Wing
  • Tail Code CF

Deployments
    Departure & Return - - - - - - - - Air Wing - Carrier -Aircraft - - Area of Operations:
  • Nov. 1941 - - - - - - - - - 1949 - Pacific Theater of Operations
  • July, 1959- - - - - - - - - NAS Atsugi Naval Air Station, Japan ?
  • March 1962- - - - - - - - - MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  • 1962- - - - - - - - - - - - Laos
  • Dec 1965 - Jul 1966 - - - - Chu Lai, South Vietnam
  • Oct 1966 - 1967 - - - - - - Chu Lai, South Vietnam
  • 1967 - Nov 1970 - - - - - - Chu Lai, South Vietnam
  • May 1972 - Jan 1973 - - - - Bien Hoa, South Vietnam
  • January 1973- - - - - - - - Iwakuni, Japan
  • 1974- - - - - - - - - - - - NAS Cubi Point, Phillipines
  • Jun 2004- - - - - - - - - - Iwakuni, Japan. (Deployed Detachment of 6 A/C)

  • Back to Table of Contents


Aircraft
Commanding Officers
Events
  • 1937:
    As Fighter Squadron 4M, the unit flew Grumman F-3F aircraft.

  • Jan. 1941:
    Stationed in Hawaii, the unit was redesignated VMF-211 and flew the Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat.

  • Nov. 1941:
    VMF-211 moved their Wildcats from Hawaii to Wake Island where they fought the Japanese in the following months until they were overcome. The surviving off-island personnel became the heart of a rebuilt unit named the "Avengers". They flew the F-4U Corsair throughout the remainder of WWII.

  • 1952:
    While aboard the U.S.S. Coral Sea, the unit was redesignated VMA-211

  • 1955-1956:
    VMA-211 and VMA-225 were components of MAG-14, Second Marine Aircraft Wing and were detached from Cherry Point to a facility some 65 miles north at NAAS Edenton, NC.
    Each squadron had 24 AD-4Bs. VMA-211 operated the AD Skyraider from 1952 to 1957. The only Navy personnel aboard were the Supply Officer and his staff , a medical contingent and the base Chaplain. CO of the station was the CO of Marine Air Base Squadron-14.
    Provided by Bill Holmes, Pilot in VMA-225.

  • Sept. 1957:
    It was in Sept. 57 that they (VMA-211) transitioned from the AD-4B to the A4. Their first A4D-1 (A4) Skyhawk was delivered by Major John Coffman, Group LSO and a member of 211. VMA-211's tail code at that time was AF, and they painted their rudders in alternating peppermint stick like red and white stripes, prompting us to refer to them as "Candy Asses." VMA-211 retaliated by referring to us as Wandering Idiots. A reference to our "WI" tail code.
    Provided by Bill Holmes, Pilot in VMA-225

  • 1957:
    VMA-211 left Edenton in 1957 for westpac, Iwakuni, 1stMAW, until spring 1959 in which they left Iwakuni for CONUS with aircraft (cacooned) on a jeep carrier. They off-loaded at North Island.
    Provided by Captain Dave Swaney, USMC (Ret.)

  • July 17, 1959:
    VMA 211 A4D-1 sited at Atsugi Naval Air Station, Japan. This information provided by Toda Yasunori of Miyaginoku, Sendai, Japan on July 7, 2002. See picture in Photo Album.

  • March 1962:
    VMA 211 was the first Skyhawk squadron to trans-pacific from El Toro, California to Iwakuni, Japan. The route was El Toro - Hawaii - Midway - Wake Island - Guam and Iwakuni. Squadron personnel were placed along the route to service aircraft as they landed at different locations across the Pacific. Approximately 20 VMA 211 A4D-2N Skyhawks departed El Toro, California arriving at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan about a week later. At Wake Island there was a brief tribute ceremony to the Marines from VMF 211 that died in 1942 defending Wake Island.

  • 1962 - 1963:
    During the following 13 months VMA 211 made several deployments to Okinawa and the Philippines.

  • MAY 1962:
    During VMA 211's Iwakuni deployment about 25 support personnel were loaned to assist VMA-332's flight operation at Udon, Thailand. VMA-332 flew close air support sorties into Laos assisting Air America's operations. VMA-332, had deployed from Atsugi on Air America's request.

  • March 1963:
    VMA 211 returned to El Toro, California where the Squadron was assigned the A-4E Skyhawk.

  • May 1965:
    I joined VMA-211 in Chu Lia Veitnam until we re-deployed back to Iiakuni Japan in July of 1966. They were in country from May of 1965 till July of 1966.
    Sgt Tom Pulliam

  • April 12, 1967:
    Capt. William C. Clay, III, U. S. Marine Corps, of Henderson, N.C. was piloting an A-4E Skyhawk on a close air support mission over South Vietnam. His aircraft was hit by enemy fire, exploded and crashed. No ejection seat or parachute was sighted by his fellow airmen as the plane crashed. Two joint investigations with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1993 and 1995 failed to locate his remains. However, as one U. S. team prepared to leave Vietnam in 1995, they were approached by a local farmer who turned over human remains and associated artifacts. These remains were later identified as those of Capt. Clay. DNA testing was one of the forensic techniques used in the process.
    http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/news/1997/970225_osd_023m_sea.htm

  • April 4 1969:
    First Lieutenant Ronald D. Layton, flying an A-4 Skyhawk against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam, was shot down and killed by enemy ground fire. His actions during this mission earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross.

  • March 1974:
    VMA-211 lost their A-4Es at Cubi Point, Phillipines due to a transfer of aircraft to Israel. They were replaced with A-4Ms.
    "We got them as replacements for the E's. ... if I remember correctly we received approx 10 of them. They had the variable inlet vanes on them and were far superior to the E's. We took them to Australia shortly after receiving them and took part in what was named "Operation Kangaroo". They painted little kangaroos on the nose. We were deployed to Brisbane and were on a RAF base. Steve James 31JAN04

  • September 1987:
    VMA-211 celebrates flying the McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk for 30 years.

  • 1989:
    When the Avengers transitioned to AV-8 Harriers the Squadron's A-4Ms were transfered to reserve squadron VMA-133. The Avengers were the last active duty Marine Squadron to fly the A-4 Skyhawk.

  • June 2004:
    VMA-211 stationed at MCAS Yuma, AZ. currently has a detachment of six Harriers flying out of Iwakuni, Japan.

  • Back to Table of Contents

Awards

Sources:
  • Captain Tom Hanson, USMC (Ret.)
  • Masaaki Hayakawa
  • Takafumi Hiroe
  • Jimmy Little
  • Frank J. Mirande
  • C. J. Tapia
  • Lore Wiseman
  • Toda Yasunori
  • Barbara Layton Scheibel
  • Lt.Col Russ Dyer USMC (ret)
  • Captain Dave Swaney USMC (ret)
  • Captain "Nanners" Foster
  • John Gabbard

Return To The Marine Units Page