VMF-511

Marine Fighting Squadron 511 (VMF-511) was commissioned on January 1, 1944, at Marine Corps Auxiliary Air Field Oak Grove, North Carolina.[3] The squadron was a part of Marine Aircraft Group 51 (MAG-51) and its original mission was to take part in Operation Crossbow (Project Danny), an ill-conceived plan to have Marine squadrons aboard escort carriers hunt down V-1 flying bomb launch sites in eastern France.[4] After that operation was canceled, the new mission for MAG-51 and VMF-511 was to train for deployment aboard Navy carriers in the Pacific.[5] The squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station Mojave, California, on September 10, 1944, and began carrier qualification training. It was equipped with a mixed bag of eight F6F-5N Hellcat night fighters, two F6F-5P photo reconnaissance Hellcats and eight F4U-1D Corsairs. This mix of aircraft gave the squadron both a night fighting capability and photo reconnaissance capability on top of its ability to provide close air support.[6] On October 28, 1944, the squadron was re-designated VMF(CVS)-511 to reflect its special training and participation in the escort carrier program.[7][8] Upon completion of this training it was assigned to Marine Carrier Air Group 1 (MCVG-1) where it was partnered with VMTB-233 on USS Block Island (CVE-106). The squadron left the West Coast on March 20, 1945.[2]

An F4U-1D of VMF-511 aboard USS Block Island (CVE-106), 1945.

On May 10, 1945, the squadron saw its first combat during the Battle of Okinawa[9] when it attacked Japanese mortar positions.[10] For the next month it provided close air support for Marines and soldiers on the ground during the battle. The squadron was also a part of the effort to reduce Shuri Castle and interdict small water craft.[11] During this time the squadron lost its commanding officer, Major Robert Maze, when his F4U Corsair was hit by flak from Ishigaki Island and crashed into the East China Sea.[12][13] In mid-June, the USS Block Island was relieved from duty off the coast of Okinawa and ordered to Leyte in the Philippines. From there, it supported the early stages of the Australian 7th Division's invasion of Balikpapan. 511 returned to Leyte on July 4, 1945, and did not see combat for the rest of the war.[2] Still aboard the USS Block Island when WWII ended, VMF(CVS)-511's final missions were flown in support of the Japanese surrender of Formosa.[14]

Following the surrender of Japan, the squadron returned to Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara, California[2] and was eventually decommissioned at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California on March 10, 1946.[3]

On April 15, 1958, the Marine Corps reactivated the squadron as the Marine Air Reserve Training Detachment Willow Grove at Naval Air Station Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.[2] At first, the squadron shared its F-8 Crusader aircraft with Naval Air Reserve squadrons VF-931 and VF-932. In 1970, the reserves were reorganized and VMF-511 became an independent squadron with its own aircraft.[1] The squadron was finally deactivated on August 31, 1972, as part of the post-Vietnam draw down of forces.[2]