VMF-222

Quality 0.50 · 1 view · Updated 2 months ago

title: "VMF-222" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["fighter-squadrons-of-the-united-states-marine-corps", "inactive-units-of-the-united-states-marine-corps"] topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMF-222" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox military unit"]

FieldValue
unit_nameMarine Fighting Squadron 222
imageVmf222a insig.jpg
captionVMF-222’s Insignia
dates1 March 1942 – 31 December 1949
countryUnited States
allegianceUnited States of America
branchUnited States Marine Corps
typeFighter squadron
roleAir interdiction
Close air support
command_structureInactive
nickname"Flying Deuces"
"SeaBee Air Force"{{cite web
titleVMF-222
publisherwww.flightsuits.com
urlhttp://www.flightsuits.com/patch_vmf222.html
access-date2007-12-16
archive-urlhttps://web.archive.org/web/20071212023350/http://www.flightsuits.com/patch_vmf222.html
archive-date2007-12-12
url-statuslive
battlesWorld War II

| unit_name = Marine Fighting Squadron 222 | image = Vmf222a insig.jpg | caption = VMF-222’s Insignia | dates = 1 March 1942 – 31 December 1949 | country = United States | allegiance = United States of America | branch = United States Marine Corps | type = Fighter squadron | role = Air interdiction Close air support | size = | command_structure = Inactive | current_commander = | garrison = | ceremonial_chief = | colonel_of_the_regiment = | nickname = "Flying Deuces" "SeaBee Air Force"{{cite web | title = VMF-222 | publisher = www.flightsuits.com | url = http://www.flightsuits.com/patch_vmf222.html | access-date = 2007-12-16 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071212023350/http://www.flightsuits.com/patch_vmf222.html | archive-date = 2007-12-12 | url-status = live | patron = | motto = | colors = | march = | mascot = | battles = World War II

Marine Fighting Squadron 222 (VMF-222) was a fighter squadron of the United States Marine Corps that was activated and fought during World War II. Known as "The Flying Deuces," they fell under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 14 (MAG-14) and fought in many areas of the Pacific War, including the Philippines campaign (1944–45) and the Battle of Okinawa. During the war, the squadron was credited with shooting down 53 enemy aircraft and was the sister squadron to VMF-215. They were deactivated on 31 December 1949.{{cite web | url = http://www.acepilots.com/usmc_sqns.html | title = Fighting Squadrons of the USMC in WWII | work = History of Marine Corps Aviation | publisher = www.acepilots.com | access-date = 16 December 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080127152554/http://www.acepilots.com/usmc_sqns.html | archive-date = 27 January 2008 | url-status = live

History

VMF-222 was commissioned on 1 March 1942, at Midway Atoll. They were originally formed from members of VMF-221 and were part of Marine Aircraft Group 22. The squadron was transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii, in April 1942 and remained until September 1942 when they returned to the United States. They then were sent to the Solomon Islands, operating from bases on Munda and Bougainville.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Original_pilots_of_VMF-222_in_February_1943.jpg" caption="Pilots of VMF-222 aboard AV-9 Pocomoke during the voyage between San Diego and Pearl Harbor, February 1943. US Navy Photo 80-G-38594"] ::

Following the Battle of the Green Islands, on 13 March 1944, VMF-222 landed on the newly constructed airfield on Green Island along with VMF-223. From here they participated in the allied effort to isolate the Japanese bases on Rabaul and Kavieng. In May and June of that year Charles Lindbergh, while in the area as a civilian technician, flew combat sorties with the squadron.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/F4U-1_VMF-222_Bougainville_1944.jpeg" caption="An F4U-1 of VMF-222 on Bougainville, April 1944."] ::

On 11 January 1945, the squadron, along with other from MAG-14, landed on the island of Guinan in the Philippines.

Between April and June 1945, VMF-222 operated from Samar in the Philippines. These missions were in a fighter-bomber capacity.{{cite web | url = http://lonestar.texas.net/~snolep/fighter/index19.htm | title = Kenneth A. Walsh | access-date = 16 December 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071209184840/http://lonestar.texas.net/~snolep/fighter/index19.htm | archive-date = 9 December 2007 | url-status = live It was during this time that the squadron was a part of one of the worst aviation accidents of the war. At 0940 AM on 24 January 1945, while taking off, 1stLt Karl Oerth hit a lump in the runway, blew a tire, and his Corsair careened wildly into his own squadron's revetment area, which was shared with VMF-212. It completely wiped out the tents housing the intelligence, oxygen, parachutes, and materiel departments. Many men attempted to rescue the pilot but while they were making this brave effort the plane exploded and set off all its .50 cal ammunition. 14 men were killed and over 50 wounded during this incident.

By early May 1945 the need for air support in the central Philippines had decreased and VMF-222, was transferred to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing on the island of Okinawa.{{cite web | url = http://www.seeleyswanpathfinder.com/pfnews/2000news/Dec00/tampart14.html | title = Stories from the Tamaracks | access-date = 16 December 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061019002312/http://www.seeleyswanpathfinder.com/pfnews/2000news/Dec00/tampart14.html | archive-date = 19 October 2006 | url-status = live

Following the surrender of Japan the squadron was transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and placed in a cadre status while its gear was used to form the new VMF-912. They regained their flying status in January 1947 but were deactivated at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, on 31 December 1949

Notable former members

Unit awards

A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. VMF-222 was presented with the following awards:

Notes

References

;Bibliography

  • {{cite book | last = De Chant | first = John A. | title = Devilbirds - The Story of United States Marine Aviation in World War II | publisher = Harper & Brothers | year = 1947 | location = New York
  • {{cite book | last = Foster | first = John M. | title = Hell in the Heavens | publisher = ACE Books Inc. | year = 1961 | location = New York
  • {{cite book |title=U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle - Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939 - 1945s |author=Rottman, Gordon L. |year=2002 |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=0-313-31906-5
  • {{cite book | last = Sherrod | first = Robert | year = 1952 | title = History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II | url = https://archive.org/details/historyofmarinec00sher | url-access = registration | publisher = Combat Forces Press | location = Washington, D.C.
  • {{cite book | last = Tillman | first = Barrett | title = Corsair: The F4U in World War II and Korea | publisher = Naval Institute Press | year = 2001 | location = Annapolis, Maryland | isbn = 1-55750-994-8}}

References

  1. Foster ''Hell in the Heavens'', p.19.
  2. Sherrod ''History of Marine Corps Aviation in WWII'', p. 57.
  3. Sherrod ''History of Marine Corps Aviation in WWII'', p. 462.
  4. Tillman ''Corsair'', p. 67.
  5. Tillman ''Corsair'', p. 68.
  6. "John Galle's 212 History Page".
  7. Rottman ''The Marine USMC WWII OOB'', p. 442.
  8. link. (2011-07-13 . Leatherneck.com. Retrieved on 11 November 2009.)
  9. [http://www.acepilots.com/usmc_aces2.html#Walsh USMC Corsair Aces of WWII] {{Webarchive. link. (2010-01-16 . Acepilots.com. Retrieved on 11 November 2009.)
  10. Sherrod ''History of Marine Corps Aviation in WWII'', p. 427.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

fighter-squadrons-of-the-united-states-marine-corpsinactive-units-of-the-united-states-marine-corps