VMFAT-101
Encyclopedia
Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 (VMFAT-101) is a United States Marine Corps
F/A-18 Hornet
training squadron. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
, California
and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 11
(MAG-11) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
(3rd MAW).
, California on January 3, 1969, as part of Marine Combat Crew Readiness Training Group 10, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron trained naval aviator
s and naval flight officers in the employment of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
. VMFAT-101 flew its first training sortie February 20, 1969, and completed its first class of fighter aircrew by August of that year. During the summer of 1970, VMFAT-101 moved to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma
, Arizona
In 1972 the Sharpshooters earned their first Chief of Naval Operations
CNO Aviation Safety Award for Excellence in aviation safety after compiling over 18,300 mishap free flight hours.
In July 1974, VMFAT-101 absorbed the assets of VMFAT-201 from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
, North Carolina
and became the largest fixed wing tactical jet squadron and the sole remaining F-4 training squadron in the Marine Corps. The Sharpshooters earned the 1976 CNO Aviation Safety Award, as well as the Commanding General Fleet Marine Force
s Pacific Aviation Safety Award in 1978 and 1979 while it amassed over 30,000 mishap-free flight hours. The Sharpshooters continued to train aircrews in the venerable Phantom II and in 1983 earned the coveted Marine Corps Aviation Association Robert M. Hanson Award as the finest fighter squadron in Marine aviation. May 20, 1987, VMFAT-101 trained its last F-4 replacement aircrew; during July the squadron flew its remaining 10 F-4 aircraft to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
, Ariz., for permanent storage. During the 18 years VMFAT-101 flew the Phantom, the Sharpshooters amassed over 125,000 flight hours training Marine and Navy aircrews for the fleet.
On September 29, 1987, VMFAT-101 returned to MCAS El Toro to prepare for duty as the third F/A-18 Fleet Replacement Squadron
(FRS). March 31, 1988, MCCRTG-10 deactivated and VMFAT-101 joined Marine Aircraft Group 11. By October of that year, the Sharpshooters owned 21 F/A-18s, had trained 25 qualified instructor pilots and were ready to begin training new Hornet pilots. By May 1989 VMFAT-101 graduated 23 new F/A-18 pilots and accumulated over 11,000 mishap free Hornet flight hours. In December 1989 the squadron entered its sixth year mishap/injury free.
On January 10, 1990, VMFAT-101 accepted its first two seat F/A-18D Hornet and began training aircrew for the transition into the Hornet. In June 1990 the Sharpshooters had graduated over 150 Hornet aircrew, amassed over 28,000 F/A-18 A, B, C and D flight hours
On November 30, 2006, a Hornet from VMFAT-101 crashed just east of MCAS Miramar. The pilot ejected safely to the ground three miles east of the airfield.
On December 8, 2008, an F/A-18D Hornet from VMFAT-101 crashed in the University City neighborhood of San Diego, approximately two miles to the west of MCAS Miramar, destroying two houses and killing four people on the ground. The pilot safely ejected and landed with minor injuries. The aircraft suffered a mechanical failure due to negligent maintenance shortly after taking off from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln
en route to MCAS Miramar from a training exercise. The investigation, released on March 3, 2009, concluded that a failure to maintain the fuel system led to the crash, as well as questionable decision making on the parts of the pilot and squadron officials on the ground, leading to the relieving of the squadron commander, maintenance officer, and two others.
On March 30, 2011 a VMFAT-101 F/A-18C Hornet suffered a catastrophic engine failure, explosion and fire just before launch from the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis
about 100 miles off the coast of San Diego during launch and recovery training operations. The aircraft was at full power, under tension on the catapult when the accident occurred. Eleven flight deck crewman were injured and the pilot was unhurt. There was no major damage to the carrier but the aircraft was a total loss. The investigation is pending and this is the second major mishap related to engine failure and maintenance in 3 years at this command.
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...
F/A-18 Hornet
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
training squadron. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , formerly Naval Air Station Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 11
Marine Aircraft Group 11
Marine Aircraft Group 11 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of three F/A-18C squadrons, three F/A-18D squadrons, one fleet readiness squadron, one KC-130 tactical aerial refueling squadron and a maintenance and...
(MAG-11) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 3d Marine Aircraft Wing is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and provides the aviation combat element for I Marine Expeditionary Force...
(3rd MAW).
History
Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 (VMFAT-101), was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station El ToroMarine Corps Air Station El Toro
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was a United States Marine Corps Air Station located near Irvine, California.Before it was decommissioned in 1999, it was the home of Marine Corps aviation on the West Coast. Designated as a Master Jet Station, its four runways could handle the largest aircraft...
, California on January 3, 1969, as part of Marine Combat Crew Readiness Training Group 10, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron trained naval aviator
Naval Aviator
A United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
s and naval flight officers in the employment of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
. VMFAT-101 flew its first training sortie February 20, 1969, and completed its first class of fighter aircrew by August of that year. During the summer of 1970, VMFAT-101 moved to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma or MCAS Yuma is a United States Marine Corps air station which is the home to multiple squadrons of AV-8B Harrier IIs of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 and Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 , an air combat adversary...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
In 1972 the Sharpshooters earned their first Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
CNO Aviation Safety Award for Excellence in aviation safety after compiling over 18,300 mishap free flight hours.
In July 1974, VMFAT-101 absorbed the assets of VMFAT-201 from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and became the largest fixed wing tactical jet squadron and the sole remaining F-4 training squadron in the Marine Corps. The Sharpshooters earned the 1976 CNO Aviation Safety Award, as well as the Commanding General Fleet Marine Force
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces are combined general and special purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that are designed in engaging offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment...
s Pacific Aviation Safety Award in 1978 and 1979 while it amassed over 30,000 mishap-free flight hours. The Sharpshooters continued to train aircrews in the venerable Phantom II and in 1983 earned the coveted Marine Corps Aviation Association Robert M. Hanson Award as the finest fighter squadron in Marine aviation. May 20, 1987, VMFAT-101 trained its last F-4 replacement aircrew; during July the squadron flew its remaining 10 F-4 aircraft to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
Davis–Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, and approximately south-southeast of downtown, Tucson, Arizona....
, Ariz., for permanent storage. During the 18 years VMFAT-101 flew the Phantom, the Sharpshooters amassed over 125,000 flight hours training Marine and Navy aircrews for the fleet.
Fleet Replacement Squadron
A Fleet Replacement Squadron , is a unit of the United States Navy and Marine Corps that trains Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers on the specific front-line aircraft they have been assigned to fly...
(FRS). March 31, 1988, MCCRTG-10 deactivated and VMFAT-101 joined Marine Aircraft Group 11. By October of that year, the Sharpshooters owned 21 F/A-18s, had trained 25 qualified instructor pilots and were ready to begin training new Hornet pilots. By May 1989 VMFAT-101 graduated 23 new F/A-18 pilots and accumulated over 11,000 mishap free Hornet flight hours. In December 1989 the squadron entered its sixth year mishap/injury free.
On January 10, 1990, VMFAT-101 accepted its first two seat F/A-18D Hornet and began training aircrew for the transition into the Hornet. In June 1990 the Sharpshooters had graduated over 150 Hornet aircrew, amassed over 28,000 F/A-18 A, B, C and D flight hours
On November 30, 2006, a Hornet from VMFAT-101 crashed just east of MCAS Miramar. The pilot ejected safely to the ground three miles east of the airfield.
On December 8, 2008, an F/A-18D Hornet from VMFAT-101 crashed in the University City neighborhood of San Diego, approximately two miles to the west of MCAS Miramar, destroying two houses and killing four people on the ground. The pilot safely ejected and landed with minor injuries. The aircraft suffered a mechanical failure due to negligent maintenance shortly after taking off from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
USS Abraham Lincoln , is the fifth Nimitz-class supercarrier in the United States Navy. She is the second Navy ship named after former president Abraham Lincoln. Her home port is Everett, Washington.-Construction:...
en route to MCAS Miramar from a training exercise. The investigation, released on March 3, 2009, concluded that a failure to maintain the fuel system led to the crash, as well as questionable decision making on the parts of the pilot and squadron officials on the ground, leading to the relieving of the squadron commander, maintenance officer, and two others.
On March 30, 2011 a VMFAT-101 F/A-18C Hornet suffered a catastrophic engine failure, explosion and fire just before launch from the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis
USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74)
USS John C. Stennis is the seventh Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier in the United States Navy, named for Senator John C. Stennis of Mississippi. She was commissioned on 9 December 1995...
about 100 miles off the coast of San Diego during launch and recovery training operations. The aircraft was at full power, under tension on the catapult when the accident occurred. Eleven flight deck crewman were injured and the pilot was unhurt. There was no major damage to the carrier but the aircraft was a total loss. The investigation is pending and this is the second major mishap related to engine failure and maintenance in 3 years at this command.
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