The VMA-331 Bumblebees 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. Courtesy of Elizabeth Johnston Courtesy of Maxie Jarrell Courtesy of Bob Herrman Courtesy of Lnn Savage Patch VMA-331 has always used a patch displaying a Bumblebee riding a bomb and guiding itself with a bombing telescope sight. The bomb's shape and color change over the years but the basic patch remains the same. Back to Table of Contents Handle 1943 to present - - - Bumblebees. During WW-II Squadron personnel used the name "Doodlebug" for the squadron. Back to Table of Contents Heritage January 1943, Marine Bomber Squadron 331 (VMSB-331) was commissioned at MCAS Cherry Point. In 1983, VMA-331 was ordered to Stand-down. In 1986, VMA-331 was ordered to Stand-up. The squadron is presently operational. Back to Table of Contents Home Ports Date - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Location: 1943 - - - - - - Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Rhode Island. 195? - - - - - - Marine Corps Air Station Opa Loca, (Miami) Florida. 1960 - - - - - - Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina. Back to Table of Contents Air Wings Date - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tail code - - - - - - - - Air Wing 1964- - - - - - - - - - - AJ- - - - - - - - CVW8 Jun 1965 - Mar 1966 - - - WL/WT - - - - - - MAG 12 MCAS Chulai 1966 - Apr 1967 - - - - - WL/WT - - - - - - MAG 12 MCAS Chulai 1967 - Jul 1970 - - - - - WL/WT - - - - - - MAG 12 MCAS Chulai Jul 1970 - May 1971 - - - WL- - - - - - - - MAG 11 DaNang AB Jul 1970 - May 1971 - - - WL- - - - - - - - MAG 12 BeinHoa AB Back to Table of Contents Deployments Departure & Return - - - - - - Tail Code - - A/C - - - Group - - - Operations Area: 1959 (14 months) - - - - ??? - - AD-6 - - ???- - - WestPac Jun 1965 - Mar 1966 - - WL/WT - - ??? - - MAG 12 - MCAS Chulai 1966 - Apr 1967 - - - - WL/WT - - ??? - - MAG 12 - MCAS Chulai 1967 - Jul 1970 - - - - WL/WT - - ??? - - MAG 12 - MCAS Chulai Jul 1970 - May 1971 - - WL- - - - ??? - - MAG 11 - DaNang AB Jul 1970 - May 1971 - - WL- - - - ??? - - MAG 12 - BeinHoa AB Back to Table of Contents Aircraft Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft: 1943 - - - - - - - North American SNJ Trainer. 1943 - - - - - - - Douglas SBD (Speed-D-Bee) Dauntless. 194? - - - - - - - Vought F4U-4 Corsair. 1954 - - - - - - - Douglas AD-5 Skyraider. 1959 - - - - - - - Douglas AD-6 Skyraider. 15 July 1958 - - - Douglas a4d-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk * 14 June 1963 - - - Douglas A4D-5 (A-4E) Skyhawk * 8 December 1965- - Douglas A4D-2n (A-4C) Skyhawk * 5 November 1970- - Douglas A-4M Skyhawk. 1986 - - - - - - - ????????? * November 30, 1962 The A4D-2 designation changed to A-4B The A4D-2N designation changed to A-4C The A4D-5 designation changed to A-4E A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit Back to Table of Contents Commanding Officers Date Assumed Command - - - - - - - Commanding Officer 1943 - - - - - - - Captain R D Cox 1943 - - - - - - - Major J L Beam 1943 - - - - - - - Captain J A Feeley 1944 - - - - - - - Major J C Otis 1944 - - - - - - - Major P R Byrum 1945 - - - - - - - Major J H Mceniry 1945 - - - - - - - Captain P J Ebsen 1945 - - - - - - - Major J H Stock 1945 - - - - - - - Major W E Jewson 1952 - - - - - - - Captain G W Curtis 1952 - - - - - - - Captain C H Jones 1952 - - - - - - - Ltcol J A Golchrist 1953 - - - - - - - Major W T Porter 1953 - - - - - - - Ltcol W L Gaffney 1955 - - - - - - - Ltcol G F Vaughan 1956 - - - - - - - Major E P Carey 1956 - - - - - - - Ltcol C C Lee 1957 - - - - - - - Ltcol E P Carey 1959 - - - - - - - Ltcol J E Barnett 1961 - - - - - - - Ltcol J C Prestridge 1961 - - - - - - - Ltcol D Conroy 1963 - - - - - - - Ltcol S H Carpenter 1965 - - - - - - - Ltcol R F Warren 1966 - - - - - - - Ltcol G V Hodde 1966 - - - - - - - Ltcol E K Jacks 1967 - - - - - - - Major R L Critz 1967 - - - - - - - Ltcol P E Maginnis 1968 - - - - - - - Major T M D'andrea 1969 - - - - - - - Major F T Sullivan 1970 - - - - - - - Ltcol J J Caldas 1971 - - - - - - - Ltcol P E Brookshire 1972 - - - - - - - Ltcol T D Brooks 1973 - - - - - - - Ltcol S P Brutcher 1974 - - - - - - - Ltcol D E Baker 1975 - - - - - - - Major R L Wood 1976 - - - - - - - Ltcol R B Savage 1977 - - - - - - - Ltcol R H Ulm 1978 - - - - - - - Ltcol S M Horton 1979 - - - - - - - Ltcol M R Snedeker 1981 - - - - - - - Ltcol M W Wehrung 1981 - - - - - - - Ltcol J L Adkinson 1983 - - - - - - - Standown 1986 - - - - - - - Standup Back to Table of Contents Events January 1943: Marine Bomber Squadron 331 (VMSB-331) was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Rhode Island. The Bumblebees were assigned the Douglas SBD Dauntless - Slow But Deadly - which the Squadron dubbed the Speed-D-Bee. 1944: VMSB-331 flew the SBD in combat through the central Pacific islands, places such as Majuro Atoll or Nukufetau in the Marshall Islands. 1961: I was in VMA 331 from Jul 57 until the spring of 62 just before I got orders to go to Fighters Weapons School at Nellis. We flew AD-5's at Opa Locka until the summer of 59 and then deployed to West Pac for 14 months where we flew the AD-6. We were the last AD Squadron in the Marine Corps. The Sqdrn. Flag was transferred back to MCAS Beaufort, SC. I was lucky enough to be one of two pilots who got to stay in the Sqdrn. We transitioned into the A4D-2. and spent about five months in 30 to 60 day increments in Gitmo and Rosie Rds. getting ready for the Bay of Pigs. I took a camera with me on most every flight. Ray Powell 1962: VMA-331 deployed to Guantanamo (Leeward Point), Cuba during the Bay of Pigs and Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico during the blockade of Cuba. 10 aircraft deployed to Gitmo and 10 to Roosevelt Roads during each incident. Two Skyhawks were lost during a two plane section take-off the day the Bumblebees left Beaufort for the Caribbean. A very gusty cross-wind blew the lead aircraft into the wingman. At Leeward Point a Skyhawk making a low level practice gunnery run hit the base perimeter fence. Another Skyhawk flew into the ocean off Viegas, Puerto Rico. No one was killed when a Squadron liberty run plane went in off the end of the runway and into the drink at St. Thomas. After these Caribbean escapades the Bumblebees became known as the "Suicide Squadron." 1964: Deployed aboard the U.S.S.Forrestal in Air Wing 8. 1972: From Lee Jackson November 30, 1974: On a return flight from NAS Pensacola, FL to MCAS Beaufort, SC, A-4M BuNo 158188 crashed near Brundidge, AL. The pilot ejected but perished. Bill Ezell Back to Table of Contents Awards Award - - - - - - - - - Inclusive Dates: 1990 The Bumblebees were selected by the Marine Corps Association as the "Attack Squadron of the Year." Back to Table of Contents Sources: Harry S. Gann Bob Herrman Takafumi Hiroe Major Maxie Jarrell USMCR-R Elizabeth Johnston Carl Markle Sam Melville Major Fred Miclon USMC Naval Aviation News Lynn E. Savage Lee Jackson Elizabeth Johnston Joe Turpen Tony Redman Captain Frank E. Sturges USMCR. Ray Powell Bill Ezell Return To The Navy Units Page