VMF-111

Marine Fighting Squadron 111 (VMF-111) was a reserve fighter squadron in the United States Marine Corps. Nicknamed the "Devil Dogs", the squadron was one of the first aviation squadrons in the Marine Corps and gained national attention in the 1930s as the Marine Corps show unit. The squadron fought in World War II and was later transferred to the Reserves where they fell under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 41 (MAG-41) and the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing (4th MAW) while stationed at Naval Air Station Dallas, Texas. They were decommissioned on 22 October 1965. Marine Fighting Squadron 2 (VF-2M) was commissioned on September 1, 1925 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. The directive authorizing the formation of the squadron stated, "The primary mission of this squadron will be the training and perfecting of pursuit pilots and the testing and development of pursuit aircraft." They were redesignated VF-9M on July 1, 1927 which was changed again to VF-5M on July 1, 1928. Because they were located so close to Washington D.C., the squadron became the "show unit" for Marine aviation. The squadron reverted to the previous designation of VF-9M on 1 August 1930. In 1937, after a stint aboard the under the command of then Captain Bull Halsey, VF-9M was again redesignated, becoming VMF-1 on July 1, 1937. In 1938, the squadron turned in its Boeing F4B-4s for brand new Grumman F3F-2s. The squadron finally became VMF-111 on July 1, 1941 during the massive expansion of the Marine Corps that began just prior to World War II. At the time of the Attack on Pearl Harbor, VMF-111 pilots were flying the Grumman F4F Wildcat. On 10 March 1942, the squadron arrived at Tafuna Airfield on Tutuila island, its new base of operations. They were the first Marine squadron to operate in Samoa. and eventually were relocated to Faleolo Airfield on Upolu Island after SeeBees completed Feleolo Airfield in July 1942. They spent the next year as part of the Samoa Defense Garrison Area and finally transitioned to the Vought F4U Corsair in early 1943.