Description
Computer made/mounted on velcro 3.5 inch-90mm & 3.0 inch-77mm
MARINE FIGHTER ATTACK SQUADRON 542 (VMFA-542)
Lineage. Established as Marine Night Fighter 542 (VMF(N)-542) on 6 Mar 1944. Redesignated Marine Night All-Weather Fighter Squadron 542 (VMF(AW)-542) on 18 Oct 1948; Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 (VMFA-542) on 2 Nov 1963. Deactivated on 30 Jun 1970. Reactivated as Marine Attack Squadron 542 (VMA-542) on 12 Jan 1972; Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 (VMFA-542) on 1 Dec 2022-.
Stations. MCAS Cherry Point, NC, 6 Mar 1944; NAS Miramar, CA, 1944; MCAS El Toro, CA, 1945 -30 Jun 1970. MCAS Beaufort, SC, 12 Jan 1972; MCAS Cherry Point, NC, August 1974-. (Operated from: Ulithi, Caroline Islands, Oct 1944; Yontan Airfield, Okinawa, Japan, Apr 1945; Yokosuka, Japan, 1945. Kimpo Airfield, South Korea, Sep 1950-Mar 1951. Da Nang AB, Vietnam, 10 Jul 1965: MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, Dec 1965)
Aircraft. F6F-5N, 1944-1947; F7F-3N, 1947-1951; F3D-1/2, 1951-1958; F4D-1, 1958-1963; F-4B, 1963-1970; AV-8A/B/C, 1972-2022; F-35B, 2023-.
Operations. Flew Combat Air Patrols in the Caroline Islands. Flew Night Operations during Battle of Okinawa. Training oriented towards night and all-weather fighter tactics, 1945-1948. Flew close air support, air interdiction, and reconnaissance flights against the enemy in Korea, 1950-1951. Air operations to provide air support to Marine ground forces, arriving in Vietnam on 10 Jul 1965. Supported the 7th Marine Regiment in Operation Starlite, the first major American operation of the war in Aug 1965. Returned to Vietnam for two more tours, 1966-1967, 1968-1970. Operated the AV-8A/B/C Harrier in V/STOL operations. Deployed to Bahrain in support of Operation Desert Shield, Aug-Nov 1990, then moved to King Abdul Aziz Naval Base, Jubail, Saudi Arabia as part of the most forward deployed fixed wing group in theater. Stood 24-hour combat alerts until the commencement of Operation Desert Storm on 17 Jan-27 Feb 1991. Operated in support of NATO forces with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit detachment during combat operations in Kosovo, 1999. Deployed to Al Asad AB, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom during 2004-2005 and 2007-2008. Attached to the 24th MEU, deployed to Afghanistan as part of the surge to counter Taliban actions providing Close Air Support to Special Operations Forces in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Det A as part of VMM-266 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit launched air strikes from the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) against Libya as part of Operation Odyssey Dawn, 20 Mar 2011. Assigned to the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit, USS Wasp, participated in Operation Odyssey Lighting, Aug 2016. Assigned to the 26th MEU, conducted combat operations out of Shiek Isa AB, Bahrain in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, 2018. Became the USMC first east coast F-35B fleet squadron in 2023.
Engagements. World War II, Battle of Okinawa; Korean War; Vietnam War, Operation Starlite; Operation Desert Storm; Operation Iraqi Freedom; Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Medusa.
Decorations. Presidential Unit Citation, Battle Okinawa.