VMF-313
Encyclopedia
Marine Fighting Squadron 313 (VMF-313) was a reserve fighter squadron in the United States Marine Corps
. They were a part of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing
and stationed at Naval Air Station New York. Also known as the “Lily Packin' Hellbirds”, they fought in World War II
mainly during the Philippines Campaign, 1944-45. The squadron was decommissioned in the 1950s.
in the Pacific Ocean
. There they continued to train including training with Charles Lindbergh
in April 1944. In July 1944, the squadron flew to Emirau in the Solomon Islands
and began to attack Japan
ese shipping in the area around Kavieng
.
They arrived at Tacloban Airfield on Leyte
on December 3, 1944 as part of Marine Aircraft Group 12
. During the Philippines Campaign, 1944-45 the squadron lost 16 of its F4U-Corsairs. In one notable incident while in the Philippines, the then commanding officer, Major Theodore Olsen, took off in a plane that had over 300 patched from earlier missions. The plane failed while airborne and Olsen was killed after he hit the tail while bailing out.
During the War, VMF-313 was credited with destroying nine enemy aircraft in aerial combat.
becoming part of the Marine Forces Reserve and were based out of New York state. They were decommissioned during the 1950s.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. They were a part of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing
4th Marine Aircraft Wing
The 4th Marine Aircraft Wing is the reserve airwing of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana but its subordinate units are scattered throughout the United States...
and stationed at Naval Air Station New York. Also known as the “Lily Packin' Hellbirds”, they fought in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
mainly during the Philippines Campaign, 1944-45. The squadron was decommissioned in the 1950s.
World War II
VMF-313 was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station El Centro on October 1, 1943. They trained there until May 1944 when they moved to Midway IslandMidway Atoll
Midway Atoll is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, near the northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago, about one-third of the way between Honolulu, Hawaii, and Tokyo, Japan. Unique among the Hawaiian islands, Midway observes UTC-11 , eleven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time and one hour...
in the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. There they continued to train including training with Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
in April 1944. In July 1944, the squadron flew to Emirau in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
and began to attack Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese shipping in the area around Kavieng
Kavieng
Kavieng is the capital of the Papua New Guinean province of New Ireland and the largest town on the island of the same name. The town is located at Balgai Bay, on the northern tip of the island. As of 2000, it had a population of 10,600....
.
They arrived at Tacloban Airfield on Leyte
Leyte Island
Leyte is an island in the Visayas group of the Philippines.The island measures about 180 km north-south and about 65 km at its widest point. In the north it nearly joins Samar, separated by the San Juanico Strait, which becomes as narrow as 2 km in some places...
on December 3, 1944 as part of Marine Aircraft Group 12
Marine Aircraft Group 12
Marine Aircraft Group 12 is an active air group of the United States Marine Corps, tasked with providing assault support aircraft. It is currently part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing , itself an integral part of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, and based at MCAS Iwakuni in Japan.-Mission:The...
. During the Philippines Campaign, 1944-45 the squadron lost 16 of its F4U-Corsairs. In one notable incident while in the Philippines, the then commanding officer, Major Theodore Olsen, took off in a plane that had over 300 patched from earlier missions. The plane failed while airborne and Olsen was killed after he hit the tail while bailing out.
During the War, VMF-313 was credited with destroying nine enemy aircraft in aerial combat.
1950
The squadron was reactivated following World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
becoming part of the Marine Forces Reserve and were based out of New York state. They were decommissioned during the 1950s.
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-313 was presented with the following awards:| Ribbon | Unit Award |
 |
Presidential Unit Citation Presidential Unit Citation (US) The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941... |
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Navy Unit Commendation Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944... |
 |
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was... |
 |
World War II Victory Medal World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of... |
 |
National Defense Service Medal National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower... with one Bronze Star |
See also
- United States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....
- List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
- List of inactive United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons