MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Every squadron and unit within the Marine Corps has its own proud legacy filled with the heroic acts accomplished by its Marines in and out of battle.
In order to make their own Marines aware of their squadron’s heritage, the Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 command held a professional military education class for all its Marines at the Eagles Nest here June 17.
“When the Marines check in, they see a symbol, they see a patch, and they see Marines who have been in for a while but they don‘t know what those Marines have been through,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Valdez, VMFA (AW )-242 ordnance officer-incharge.
“They don’t know what the Marines who’ve worn that patch have been through, and it’s important for them to understand that because there is a legacy there, and there is a tradition.”
The VMFA (AW )-242 Bats spent the latter part of the afternoon at the Eagles Nest learning about their squadron’s part in the Vietnam War and about their predecessors’ accomplishments. They learned about the sacrifices made by Marines like Lt. Patrick Curran, a Marine All- Weather Attack Squadron- 242 pilot and Lt. Col. Albert Luther Lono, VMA(AW )-242 executive officer; both were declared missing in action during a reconnaissance bombing mission over Laos during the Vietnam War.
The Bats sat in silence as they listened to the sad words written by Cpl. Dean Glorso, VMA(AW )-242 mail clerk, which he wrote in a poem when he received a letter addressed to his recently declared MIA executive officer. The letter was written by Lono’s wife, she being unaware Lono was MIA.
After discussing the accomplishments and losses the Bats endured during the Vietnam War, several of the senior ranking Marines spoke of their own personal experiences in battle, stressing that every Marine in the squadron needs to be aware of their history and ready for battle.
“This (PME) is much needed for the new guys that come (into the squadron) to get a foundation. Its not just the every day grind of just turning the wrench,” said Pfc. Reynaldo Torres, a VMFA (AW )-242 aviation technician. “It’s good to have the history, the background of where we came from. This way we know where we’re going.”
Torres said the history he learned during the PME assured him of his squadron’s capabilities in war, and he is sure his squadron would do well if called to war again.
VMFA (AW )-242 was born on July 1, 1943 in Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif., when it was activated as Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 242 during World War II. Armed and flying with TBF-1 and TBM-1 Avengers, the squadron started writing their long history with torpedoes and explosions during successful bombing missions in the Northern Solomon’s and the Battles of Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima.
Following the Battle of Iwo Jima, the squadron flew anti-submarine patrols in the Pacific Theater until the end of WWII and was deactivated on Nov. 23, 1945. The squadron was reactivated on Oct. 1, 1960 as Marine Attack Squadron 242. Equipped with Douglas A4D Skyhawks, VMA-242 was thoroughly trained in the use of high explosive ordnance, rockets, napalm and atomic weapons.
When the threat of war loomed over the United States in the form of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, VMA-242 responded to the call and within a matter of hours was deployed to Key West, Fla., ready for war until the withdrawal of the Russian built offensive weapons from Cuba.
In September 1963, VMA-242 spent a year with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing operating out of Iwakuni, Japan, until September 1964. After being designated as Marine All-Weather Attack Squadron 242 and being equipped with A-6A Intruders, VMA(AW )-242 was deployed to Da Nang, Vietnam, where they launched combat operations against the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong. VMA(AW )-242 departed Vietnam in September 1970 after having logged 16,783 combat sorties and delivering 85,990 tons of ordnance.
VMA(AW )-242 was designated with their present name of VMFA (AW )-242 in 1990 and began using F/A-18D Night Attack Hornets, which they’ve used during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Phantom Fury.
he Bats delivered more than 300,000 pounds of ordnance during the battle for Al Fallujah and employed more than 400,000 pounds during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
It wasn’t until March 2008 that the VMFA (AW )-242 Bats relocated from MCAS Miramar, Calif., to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan to become part of Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Editor’s Note: References used for this article include Web sites http://www.vmaaw-242.com and http://www.1maw.usmc.mil/p?unit=’VMFA(AW)-242’.