VMGR-153

Marine Utility Squadron 153 (VMJ-153) was commissioned on March 1, 1942 at Camp Kearney, San Diego, California.[1]

VMJ-153 arrived overseas at Tontouta, New Caledonia on March 20, 1943, joining Sthe South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command (SCAT) prior to the invasion of New Georgia. SCAT provided rapid transport of personnel and cargo, including munitions, food, replacement parts, and medical supplies, to and from forward areas. On rearward flights SCAT frequently provided aeromedical evacuation of wounded or sick personnel. These missions continued under MAG-25 and, until February 1945, Solomons Combat Air Transport Command, after the dissolution of SOPAC Combat Air Transport Command in July 1944. Like other Marine Corps utility squadrons in-theater, VMJ-153 was redesignated as a Marine Transport Squadron (VMR) on July 20, 1944. As a component of SCAT, VMR-153 received a Navy Unit Commendation for its operations in the South Pacific from December 1942 to July 1944.[4]

In October 1945, MAG-25 moved to Qingdao, China, where VMR-153 participated in the evacuation of liberated prisoners from the Weixian Internment Camp.[4] VMR-153 regularly flew personnel and equipment through Singapore, Manchuria, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beiping.[5] From 2–6 February 1948, VMR-153 flew 26 flights to evacuate 49 personnel from the United States Consulate in Changchun, Manchuria. During this time the squadron moved 42, 330 pounds of cargo. This was followed by the evacuation of another U.S. consulate in Mukden from 9–12 February 1948 during which the squadron moved 28 personnel and 52,891 pounds of cargo. The [6] squadron departed Qingdao in January 1949 with the last elements of Marine Corps aviation to depart China.[7] They initially flew to Guam where the unit stayed for two weeks before flying on to California. On February 17, 1949 the last of the squadron's aircraft arrived at Moffett Airfield. VMR-153 arrived at MCAS Cherry Pointon February 22, 1949 joining the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. At the outbreak of the Korean War, the squadron was kept busy flying newly activated reservists to the West Coast prior to their shipping out.[5]

During October 1959, VMR-153 and VMR-252 flew disaster relief missions to Tampico, Mexico in the wake of Hurricane Hilda[8] The squadron was decommissioned on May 20, 1959.[2][3]

VMGR-153 was reactivated on January 13, 2023 at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Over the course of the next two years the squadron is planned to receive its full complement of 17 aircraft.[9]