page_title: VMO-1
section_title: 1946–1980s
hierarchical_section_title: VMO-1 / History / 1946–1980s
context_page_description: Marine Observation Squadron 1 was an observation squadron of the United States Marine Corps which saw extensive action during World War II and supported numerous contingencies during the Cold War. They were based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina and saw their final deployment in support of Operation Desert Storm in 1991. They were deactivated on July 31, 1993.
context_section_description: In January 1946, the squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.  During the Korean War, they trained replacement pilots for the war and supported operation of the 2nd Marine Division.  In 1952, they moved to Marine Corps Air Station New River and received their first helicopters.  In 1958, the squadron was part of the U.S. 6th Fleet task force that intervened in Lebanon and in 1965 they participated in the U.S. intervention into the Dominican Republic.
  In July 1968, VMO-1 became conversion to the OV-10 Bronco and by 1971 they were an all fixed-wing squadron.  During the 1970s and 1980s, the squadron rotated through deployments to Japan and supported exercises throughout Asia, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and Northern Europe.
  In 1974 VMO-1 set a Navy/Marine Corps Maintenance record with 21 of 21 OV-10A aircraft up with all systems go for 21 days in a row. Commanding Officer was Lt.Col. Art Dittmeier. Maintenance Officer was Major John H. Pierson Jr.
  On July 5, 1974 VMO-1 Pilot John H. Pierson Jr. and Co-pilot Major David R. Shore set a world straight line non-stop distance record for Class C 1 f Group II (Turboprop) aircraft. The flight covered 2,769.84 miles from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, in Washington State to Homestead Air Force Base, in Florida. The aircraft was equipped with an internal auxillery fuel tank in the cargo bay and an Aero 3C external fuel tank which provided total fuel for over 12.5 hours flight time. The original reason for the flight was to demonstrate the OV-10A trans-Atlantic capability which Marine Corps Headquarters staff planners did not recognize at the time. <Certificates: Federation Aeronautique Internationale; National Aeronautic Association> <Janes 1974> <Aviators Flight Log Book Log 2, 26 Aug 1968 to 31 Dec 1974; 5 July 1974 log entry OV-10A, Serial Number 155448, Flight Code 1A2, Total Flight Time 12.4, First Pilot 6.2, Co-pilot 6.2, Instrument Time 3.0/Simulated 3.2, Night Time 7.7., Landings 1>
caption: Early squadron insignia.
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