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VMFA(AW)-332
Encyclopedia
Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 (VMFA(AW)-332) is a United States Marine Corps
F/A-18 Hornet
squadron. Also known as the "Moonlighters", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
, South Carolina
and is attached to Marine Aircraft Group 31
(MAG-31), 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
(2nd MAW). The squadron flew its last flight in the F/A-18 Hornet on March 30, 2007. They are now in cadre status
but are expected to be reactivated when the Marine Corps fields the new F-35 Lightning II
. At the time of their transition they held the longest streak of mishap-free flight hours for a tactical jet squadron at 109,000 hours.
, North Carolina
. Originally designated as Marine Scout Bomber Squadron 332 (VMSB-332) the squadron flew SBD Dauntless
dive bombers out of Cherry Point and Bogue Field, North Carolina and Mojave, California
before departing for the Pacific Theatre
during World War II
. After a brief stay in Ewa, Hawaii, the squadron located to Midway Island
. Its mission was to escort and provide air cover for all incoming and outgoing surface craft and submarines. In July 1944, the squadron relocated back to Ewa, where it would remain until after the war. On March 1, 1945, the squadron would make the first of four changes in squadron designations. Re-designated Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 332 (VMTB-332), the squadron transitioned to the TBM Avenger. After the war, 332 relocated to San Diego in November 1945 for deactivation.
Marine Attack Squadron 332 (VMA-332) was re-commissioned on April 23, 1952 as part of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
at Marine Corps Air Station Miami, Florida
flying the F6F Hellcat
and later F4U Corsair
s. During the Korean War
, 332 was assigned a combat role operating from the USS Bairoko. It was at this time the famous polka-dots, hat, and cane originated. Replacing the VMF-312 "Checkerboards", who had a black and white checkerboard painted around the engine cowlings, VMA-332, somewhat mockingly, adopted the red polka-dots on white background. The design was reminiscent of Captain Eddie Rickenbacker
's hat in the Ring Squadron of World War I
. The addition of the hat and cane was derived from the squadron tail letters of "MR". Being the abbreviation of mister, and feeling they were gentlemen in every regard, the hat and cane was adopted as accouterments every gentleman has. It was then that the squadron picked up the nickname VMA-332 "Polka-dots". The squadrons last cruise of the war would be on board the USS Point Cruz (CVE-119)
from April to December 1953.
Upon return from the war in 1953, VMA-332 transitioned to the AD-1 Skyraider
. From 1953 to 1957, VMA-332 rotated annually between the East Coast and the Far East. In 1958, the squadron relocated back to MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, and entered the jet age transitioning to the venerable A4D Skyhawk
.
-332_1993.jpg)
VMA-332 continued its yearly rotation to Japan
until 1962. In 1962, VMA-332 was deployed to Thailand
to support a Marine Expeditionary Force quelling unrest in that country. Later in 1962, the squadron would redeploy back home. It was during this time that the squadron's nickname was mysteriously changed to the "Moonlighters" and the tail letters were changed to "EA". Although there are speculations, no written explanation exists for the change.
On August 20, 1968, the "Moonlighters" transitioned to the A-6 Intruder
and was designated Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 332 (VMA(AW)-332). On March 1, 1975, the squadron received its first A-6E Intruder and in July 1982, they again upgraded to the A-6E TRAM (Target Recognition and Attack Multi-Sensor).
-332_tail_dec2005.jpg)
On June 16, 1993 the "Moonlighters" were redesignated Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 (VMFA(AW)-332), moved to MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, and transitioned to the F/A-18D Hornet
. Having to ramp up rapidly as a "new" squadron, the "Moonlighters" were called on to support NATO's Operation Deny Flight
and Operation Provide Promise
in the former Yugoslavia
n republic of Bosnia
, deploying to Aviano Air Base
, Italy
from October 1994 to March 1995. During the deployment, the squadron led what was the largest NATO air strike to date against the Udbina Airfield as well as participating in several other strikes. The squadron deployed a second time to Aviano Air Base, Italy, in March 1996 in support of Operation Decisive Edge and Operation Joint Endeavor and returned home August of that year.
In May 1999, the squadron deployed to Taszar Air Base
, Hungary
in support of Operation Allied Force
and Operation Joint Guardian. From 28 May to 7 June 1999, the "Moonlighters" flew 120 combat sorties over the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, performing every type of mission required of an F/A-18D squadron during both day and night, expending 175,000 pounds of ordnance. VMFA(AW)-332 was, along with VMFA(AW)-533
, one of the first deployable units flying appropriately configured Hornets for the Joint Direct Attack Munition
(JDAM). After the bombing campaign ceased, the "Moonlighters" continued to fly contingency operations in support of NATO peacekeeping forces in Kosovo
. During the deployment, the squadron utilized the Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System
(ATARS) operationally for the first time ever. The squadron returned to MCAS Beaufort in July 1999.
, Japan
. The deployment would take the squadron to mainland Japan, Okinawa and Khorat
, Thailand. On March 1, 2000, the "Moonlighters" reached the milestone 81,000 mishap free flight hours, a safety record spanning 21 years.
, Guam
, on January 11, 2002 and took over Operation Noble Eagle
, relieving VMFA-212
and VMFA-232
. During the squadron’s tour in Guam, they flew 262 sorties and amassed 582.7 hours of flight time.
In January 2002, VMFA(AW)-332 joined the VMFA-212 to form two composite squadrons, providing the Lancers the capability of conducting ATARS reconnaissance missions and FAC(A) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Southern Watch
(OSW). The squadrons exchanged four aircraft as well as aircrew and maintainers for this effort.
During this deployment, the squadron deployed to Okinawa, the Philippines
, Khorat
and MCAS Iwakuni, and surpassed 90,000 mishap-free flight hours.
On September 11, 2003, they again returned to Japan to as part of the Unit Deployment Program. During this deployment, the squadron deployed to Dhaka
, Bangladesh
in support of Operation Sumo Tiger as well as to Thailand
, Guam, and Townsville, Australia
.
On May 26, 2005, the “Moonlighters” reached the 100,000 mishap-free flight hour mark, recognizing 27 years of professionalism and safety. LtGen James Amos
presented the squadron with the 100,000 award on July 20, 2005. This achievement represents the longest record of mishap-free flight of any tactical aviation squadron in Marine Corps history.
On July 26, 2005, VMFA(AW)-332 departed MCAS Beaufort for its combat deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). 332 regularly flew a twelve-sortie Air Tasking Order
cycle with intermittent surge days and ground alerts. Typical missions included close air support (CAS), Armed Reconnaissance (AR), Infrastructure Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System (ATARS) and Convoy Escort. These missions were conducted on a daily basis, during both day and night, in support of Marine, Army, and various Joint Special Operations units. The most common tasking from these ground units required use of the LITENING Pod
to identify, monitor, and report any activity in the vicinity of historical insurgent mortar and rocket Points of Origin (POO) sites. Most of these POO sites were in the vicinity of Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) and coalition airfields throughout Al Anbar province.
During just 7 months of combat operations, which included both the Iraqi Constitutional Referendum and National elections, the Moonlighters participated in such named Operations as Rivergate, Iron Fist, Steel Curtain
, Blue Devil, Trifecta, Tigers, Skinner, Spider Web and Liberty Express. During this deployment, the “Moonlighters” flew 2406 sorties for a total of 6031.9 hours. The squadron departed the Al Anbar province successfully on February 11, 2006 with another combat deployment of zero missed sorties. The total ordnance expended for the deployment was: 50 GBU-38s, 270 GBU-12s, 23 AGM-65s, 10 5” rockets, 2 GBU-16s, 6 GBU-32s, 16 LUU-19s and 7640 rounds of 20mm for a total of 160,966 lbs of ordnance. During the deployment they used the combat callsign of “Dealers."
In late 2006 the squadron began downsizing in preparation for the decommissioning of the squadron. Flight operations focused on preparing aircrew and Marines for follow on units. The squadron flew its last flight in the F/A-18 Hornet on March 30, 2007. They are now in cadre status but are expected to be reactivated when the Marine Corps fields the new F-35 Lightning II
around 2012. The Moonlighters were named the 2006 Marine Corps Aviation Association Fighter/Attack Squadron of the Year and held the longest streak of mishap-free flight hours for a tactical jet squadron with a remarkable 109,000 hours.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
F/A-18 Hornet
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
squadron. Also known as the "Moonlighters", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort or MCAS Beaufort is a United States Marine Corps air base located three miles northwest of the central business district of Beaufort, a city in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and is attached to Marine Aircraft Group 31
Marine Aircraft Group 31
Marine Aircraft Group 31 is a United States Marine Corps aviation group based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina that is currently composed of four F/A-18C squadrons, one F/A-18A+ squadron, two F/A-18D squadrons and a maintenance and logistics squadron...
(MAG-31), 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina...
(2nd MAW). The squadron flew its last flight in the F/A-18 Hornet on March 30, 2007. They are now in cadre status
En cadre
En cadre or cadre is a French expression originally denoting either the complement of commissioned officers of a regiment or the permanent skeleton establishment of a unit, around which the unit could be built if needed...
but are expected to be reactivated when the Marine Corps fields the new F-35 Lightning II
F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability...
. At the time of their transition they held the longest streak of mishap-free flight hours for a tactical jet squadron at 109,000 hours.
Mission
Attack and destroy surface targets, day or night, under the weather; conduct multi-sensor imagery reconnaissance; provide supporting arms coordination; and intercept and destroy enemy aircraft under all weather conditions.World War II
Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 was commissioned in June 1943 at the newly constructed Marine Corps Air Station Cherry PointMarine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Originally designated as Marine Scout Bomber Squadron 332 (VMSB-332) the squadron flew SBD Dauntless
SBD Dauntless
The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a naval dive bomber made by Douglas during World War II. The SBD was the United States Navy's main dive bomber from mid-1940 until late 1943, when it was largely replaced by the SB2C Helldiver...
dive bombers out of Cherry Point and Bogue Field, North Carolina and Mojave, California
Mojave, California
Mojave is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Mojave is located east of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 2762 feet...
before departing for the Pacific Theatre
Pacific Theater of Operations
The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After a brief stay in Ewa, Hawaii, the squadron located to Midway Island
Midway Atoll
Midway Atoll is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, near the northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago, about one-third of the way between Honolulu, Hawaii, and Tokyo, Japan. Unique among the Hawaiian islands, Midway observes UTC-11 , eleven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time and one hour...
. Its mission was to escort and provide air cover for all incoming and outgoing surface craft and submarines. In July 1944, the squadron relocated back to Ewa, where it would remain until after the war. On March 1, 1945, the squadron would make the first of four changes in squadron designations. Re-designated Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 332 (VMTB-332), the squadron transitioned to the TBM Avenger. After the war, 332 relocated to San Diego in November 1945 for deactivation.
1950s
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 3d Marine Aircraft Wing is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and provides the aviation combat element for I Marine Expeditionary Force...
at Marine Corps Air Station Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
flying the F6F Hellcat
F6F Hellcat
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a carrier-based fighter aircraft developed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat in United States Navy service. Although the F6F resembled the Wildcat, it was a completely new design powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Some tagged it as the "Wildcat's big...
and later F4U Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
s. During the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, 332 was assigned a combat role operating from the USS Bairoko. It was at this time the famous polka-dots, hat, and cane originated. Replacing the VMF-312 "Checkerboards", who had a black and white checkerboard painted around the engine cowlings, VMA-332, somewhat mockingly, adopted the red polka-dots on white background. The design was reminiscent of Captain Eddie Rickenbacker
Eddie Rickenbacker
Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.-Early...
's hat in the Ring Squadron of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The addition of the hat and cane was derived from the squadron tail letters of "MR". Being the abbreviation of mister, and feeling they were gentlemen in every regard, the hat and cane was adopted as accouterments every gentleman has. It was then that the squadron picked up the nickname VMA-332 "Polka-dots". The squadrons last cruise of the war would be on board the USS Point Cruz (CVE-119)
USS Point Cruz (CVE-119)
USS Point Cruz was a of the United States Navy.Named Trocadero Bay until 5 June 1944, was laid down on 4 December 1944 by Todd-Pacific Shipyards Incorporated, Tacoma, Washington; launched on 18 May 1945, sponsored by Mrs. Earl R. DeLong; and commissioned on 16 October 1945, with Captain Douglas T...
from April to December 1953.
Upon return from the war in 1953, VMA-332 transitioned to the AD-1 Skyraider
A-1 Skyraider
The Douglas A-1 Skyraider was an American single-seat attack aircraft that saw service between the late 1940s and early 1980s. It became a piston-powered, propeller-driven anachronism in the jet age, and was nicknamed "Spad", after a French World War I fighter...
. From 1953 to 1957, VMA-332 rotated annually between the East Coast and the Far East. In 1958, the squadron relocated back to MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, and entered the jet age transitioning to the venerable A4D Skyhawk
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
.
1960s - 1980s
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
until 1962. In 1962, VMA-332 was deployed to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
to support a Marine Expeditionary Force quelling unrest in that country. Later in 1962, the squadron would redeploy back home. It was during this time that the squadron's nickname was mysteriously changed to the "Moonlighters" and the tail letters were changed to "EA". Although there are speculations, no written explanation exists for the change.
On August 20, 1968, the "Moonlighters" transitioned to the A-6 Intruder
A-6 Intruder
The Grumman A-6 Intruder was an American, twin jet-engine, mid-wing attack aircraft built by Grumman Aerospace. In service with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps between 1963 and 1997, the Intruder was designed as an all-weather medium attack aircraft to replace the piston-engined A-1 Skyraider...
and was designated Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 332 (VMA(AW)-332). On March 1, 1975, the squadron received its first A-6E Intruder and in July 1982, they again upgraded to the A-6E TRAM (Target Recognition and Attack Multi-Sensor).
1990s
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
. Having to ramp up rapidly as a "new" squadron, the "Moonlighters" were called on to support NATO's Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation that began on April 12, 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina...
and Operation Provide Promise
Operation Provide Promise
Operation Provide Promise was a humanitarian relief operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Yugoslav Wars, from 2 July 1992, to 9 January 1996, which made it the longest running humanitarian airlift in history....
in the former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
n republic of Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, deploying to Aviano Air Base
Aviano Air Base
Aviano Air Base is a NATO Air Base under U.S. Air Force administration in northeastern Italy, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. It is located in Aviano municipality, at the foot of the Carnic Pre-Alps, or Southern Carnic Alps, about 15 kilometers from Pordenone.-Units:Aviano is hosted by the...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
from October 1994 to March 1995. During the deployment, the squadron led what was the largest NATO air strike to date against the Udbina Airfield as well as participating in several other strikes. The squadron deployed a second time to Aviano Air Base, Italy, in March 1996 in support of Operation Decisive Edge and Operation Joint Endeavor and returned home August of that year.
In May 1999, the squadron deployed to Taszar Air Base
Taszár Air Base
Taszár Air Base is a military air base located near Taszár, a village in Somogy county, Hungary. It is east of Kaposvár.-Overview:Taszár Air Base was a Soviet airfield during the Cold War, but it became the primary staging post for peacekeeping forces coming and going into the Balkans in December...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in support of Operation Allied Force
Operation Allied Force
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
and Operation Joint Guardian. From 28 May to 7 June 1999, the "Moonlighters" flew 120 combat sorties over the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, performing every type of mission required of an F/A-18D squadron during both day and night, expending 175,000 pounds of ordnance. VMFA(AW)-332 was, along with VMFA(AW)-533
VMFA(AW)-533
Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 553 is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Also known as the "Hawks", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 31 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing...
, one of the first deployable units flying appropriately configured Hornets for the Joint Direct Attack Munition
Joint Direct Attack Munition
The Joint Direct Attack Munition is a guidance kit that converts unguided bombs, or "dumb bombs" into all-weather "smart" munitions. JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Positioning System receiver, giving them a published range of up to...
(JDAM). After the bombing campaign ceased, the "Moonlighters" continued to fly contingency operations in support of NATO peacekeeping forces in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
. During the deployment, the squadron utilized the Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System
Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System
Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System is a system for image acquisition, data storage, and data link used by the United States Marine Corps on it F/A-18D Hornet aircraft...
(ATARS) operationally for the first time ever. The squadron returned to MCAS Beaufort in July 1999.
2000s
In January 2000, VMFA(AW)-332 deployed to Marine Corps Air Station IwakuniMarine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni or MCAS Iwakuni is a United States Marine Corps air station located in the Nishiki river delta, southeast of the Iwakuni Station in the city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi in Japan.-Tenant commands:...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The deployment would take the squadron to mainland Japan, Okinawa and Khorat
Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base
Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base is a base of the Royal Thai Air Force. It is located in northeast Thailand, located approximately 157 miles northeast of Bangkok and about 5 miles south of Nakhon Ratchasima , the second largest city in Thailand.During the Vietnam War, Korat RTAFB was the...
, Thailand. On March 1, 2000, the "Moonlighters" reached the milestone 81,000 mishap free flight hours, a safety record spanning 21 years.
Global War on Terror
The Moonlighters arrived at Andersen Air Force BaseAndersen Air Force Base
Andersen Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam....
, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, on January 11, 2002 and took over Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...
, relieving VMFA-212
VMFA-212
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 212 is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron, which is currently in a cadre status. Most recently known as the "Lancers", the squadron was last based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan and fell under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 12 and...
and VMFA-232
VMFA-232
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Nicknamed the "Red Devils", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and fall under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 11 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing...
. During the squadron’s tour in Guam, they flew 262 sorties and amassed 582.7 hours of flight time.
In January 2002, VMFA(AW)-332 joined the VMFA-212 to form two composite squadrons, providing the Lancers the capability of conducting ATARS reconnaissance missions and FAC(A) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...
(OSW). The squadrons exchanged four aircraft as well as aircrew and maintainers for this effort.
During this deployment, the squadron deployed to Okinawa, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Khorat
Khorat
Khorat can refer to*the informal name of Nakhon Ratchasima town or Nakhon Ratchasima Province*the Khorat Sub-district in Sung Noen District of Nakhon Ratchasima Province...
and MCAS Iwakuni, and surpassed 90,000 mishap-free flight hours.
On September 11, 2003, they again returned to Japan to as part of the Unit Deployment Program. During this deployment, the squadron deployed to Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
in support of Operation Sumo Tiger as well as to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Guam, and Townsville, Australia
Townsville, Queensland
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
.
On May 26, 2005, the “Moonlighters” reached the 100,000 mishap-free flight hour mark, recognizing 27 years of professionalism and safety. LtGen James Amos
James F. Amos
James F. Amos is a four-star general in the United States Marine Corps and the 35th and current Commandant of the Marine Corps. A naval aviator by trade, Amos commanded the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and 2004. He served as the 31st Assistant Commandant of the...
presented the squadron with the 100,000 award on July 20, 2005. This achievement represents the longest record of mishap-free flight of any tactical aviation squadron in Marine Corps history.
Air tasking order
An air tasking order is a means by which the Joint Forces Air Component Commander controls air forces within a joint operations environment. The ATO is a large document written in United States Message Text Format that lists air sorties for a fixed 24-hour period, with individual call signs,...
cycle with intermittent surge days and ground alerts. Typical missions included close air support (CAS), Armed Reconnaissance (AR), Infrastructure Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System (ATARS) and Convoy Escort. These missions were conducted on a daily basis, during both day and night, in support of Marine, Army, and various Joint Special Operations units. The most common tasking from these ground units required use of the LITENING Pod
LITENING targeting pod
The AN/AAQ-28 LITENING targeting pod is a precision targeting pod system currently operational with a wide variety of combat aircraft. LITENING significantly increases the combat effectiveness of the aircraft during day, night and under-the-weather conditions in the attack of ground and air...
to identify, monitor, and report any activity in the vicinity of historical insurgent mortar and rocket Points of Origin (POO) sites. Most of these POO sites were in the vicinity of Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) and coalition airfields throughout Al Anbar province.
During just 7 months of combat operations, which included both the Iraqi Constitutional Referendum and National elections, the Moonlighters participated in such named Operations as Rivergate, Iron Fist, Steel Curtain
Operation Steel Curtain
Operation Steel Curtain was a military endeavor executed by coalition forces in early November 2005 to reduce the flow of foreign insurgents crossing the border and joining the Iraqi insurgency. The operation was important in that it was the first large scale deployment of the New Iraqi Army...
, Blue Devil, Trifecta, Tigers, Skinner, Spider Web and Liberty Express. During this deployment, the “Moonlighters” flew 2406 sorties for a total of 6031.9 hours. The squadron departed the Al Anbar province successfully on February 11, 2006 with another combat deployment of zero missed sorties. The total ordnance expended for the deployment was: 50 GBU-38s, 270 GBU-12s, 23 AGM-65s, 10 5” rockets, 2 GBU-16s, 6 GBU-32s, 16 LUU-19s and 7640 rounds of 20mm for a total of 160,966 lbs of ordnance. During the deployment they used the combat callsign of “Dealers."
In late 2006 the squadron began downsizing in preparation for the decommissioning of the squadron. Flight operations focused on preparing aircrew and Marines for follow on units. The squadron flew its last flight in the F/A-18 Hornet on March 30, 2007. They are now in cadre status but are expected to be reactivated when the Marine Corps fields the new F-35 Lightning II
F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability...
around 2012. The Moonlighters were named the 2006 Marine Corps Aviation Association Fighter/Attack Squadron of the Year and held the longest streak of mishap-free flight hours for a tactical jet squadron with a remarkable 109,000 hours.
Unit awards
Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal
National Defense Service MedalNational Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
with one Bronze Star
Armed Forces Expeditionary MedalArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalThe Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
Navy Unit CommendationNavy Unit CommendationThe Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...- Kosovo NATO MedalNATO MedalThe NATO Medal is an international military decoration which is awarded to various militaries of the world under the authority of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization . It is manufactured by Eekelers - Centini, International, of Hemiksem, Belgium...
- Kosovo Campaign Medal
See also
- United States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....
- List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
- List of inactive United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons