Marine Fighting Squadron 213 (VMF-213) was a reserve fighter squadron in the United States Marine Corps. Nicknamed the "Hell Hawks", the squadron fought during World War II in the Philippines and at the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. With its assignment to the USS Essex (CV-9) and Air Group 4, VMF-213 along with VMF-124 was one of the first two Marine squadrons to augment carrier air groups during World War II.[2] The squadron was credited with downing 117 enemy aircraft during the war.
History
World War II
VMF-213 was formed 1 July 1942 at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii.[3][1] The squadron left MCAS Ewa on 21 February 1943 and arrived at Espiritu Santo on 1 March 1943. They received their first F4U Corsairs while at Espiritu on 11 March 1943 and after a brief stint training they moved to Guadalcanal in April 1943. On 17 June 1943, VMF-213 relieved VMF-124 in the Russell Islands. While in the Solomons, VMF-213 participated in actions against New Georgia and Kahali and flew throughout the Solomon Islands until December 1943. In mid-1943, VMF-213 harmonised the six .50 inch wing guns of their Mk I Vought F4U Corsairs to converge to a point 300 ft (90 m) ahead. The squadron's usual tactic was to dive upon an enemy from the front and slightly to one side (a high-side attack using full deflection) and fire when at the convergence distance.[4]
An F4U-1 Corsair from VMF-213, warming up on the flight deck of the escort carrier USS Copahee (CVE-12), on 29 March 1943.
The squadron returned to the United States for reorganization and training at Marine Corps Air Station Mojave, California. Their training was rigorous which can be seen by the daily record they set for Marine West Coast fighter squadrons in June 1944, when they flew 272.2 hours with the squadron's 21 aircraft averaging 13 hours each. With VMF-124, they departed the United States on 18 September 1944 on board the USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) and USS Hancock (CV-19). After training at MCAS Ewa they met up with the USS Essex at Ulithi on 9 December 1944 and sailed west. While on board the Essex, as part of Task Force 58, VMF-213 along with VMF-124 participated in actions against Lingayen, Luzon, Formosa, Tokyo, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. During this time they became one of the first US military units ever involved in Vietnam when they struck at Japanese Tojos that had stopped at Tan Son Nhut Air Base to refuel on 12 January 1945.
Following the war the squadron was reactivated in the Marine Corps Reserve and based out of Naval Air Station Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota. On 9 June 1956 a Grumman F9F-4 Panther from VMF-213 crashed into a row of houses near Wold-Chamberlain Field, striking the home at 5820 46th Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota. In addition to killing the pilot the crash killed five and injured twelve on the ground, most of whom were young children.[7]
^Gamble, Bruce (2012). Swashbucklers and Black Sheep a pictorial history of Marine Fighting Squadron 214 in World War II. Minneapolis, MN: MBI Pub. Co. and Zenith Press. p. 12. ISBN9781610586900.
^Hammell, Eric (2010). Aces Against Japan. Pacifica Military History. p. 132. ISBN978-1890988050.
Crowder, Michael J. (2000). United States Marine Corps Aviation Squadron Lineage, Insignia & History - Volume One - The Fighter Squadrons. Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing Company. ISBN1-56311-926-9.
De Chant, John A. (1947). Devilbirds. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers.
Rottman, Gordon L. (2002). U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle – Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN0313319065.
Sherrod, Robert. History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Combat Forces Press, 1952. ISBN0-933852-58-4.
Tillman, Barrett. Corsair - The F4U in World War II and Korea. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1979. ISBN9780870211317.
