page_title: VMA-231
section_title: Early years
hierarchical_section_title: VMA-231 / History / Early years
caption_attribution_description: English: A Vought VE-7F (BuNo A5692) from U.S. Marine Corps observation squadron VO-1M in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, circa 1922.
context_page_description: Marine Attack Squadron 231 is a United States Marine Corps fixed wing attack squadron that consists of AV-8B Harrier jets. The squadron, known as the "Ace of Spades", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina and fall under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 14 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
context_section_description: VMA-231 began as the 1st Division, Squadron 1 on February 8, 1919 — a unit that emerged from the Northern Bombing Group of Northern France in 1918. By the end of February, the newly activated squadron arrived in Santo Domingo for duty with the 2nd Brigade where it served until July 1924.  During its deployment to Santo Domingo, the squadron was designated Marine Observation Squadron One (VO-1M) on 1 July 1922.
  From Santo Domingo the squadron traveled to San Diego, California and became the first Marine squadron on the West Coast and was designated as the aviation asset to accompany Marine Expeditionary Forces. During the West Coast interlude, the late Major General Ross E. Rowell, then a Major and Commanding Officer concentrated on training in dive-bombing tactics. Such tactics were to prove invaluable to the squadron in Nicaragua, during July 1927, where the squadron had been ordered the previous February. Shortly after its redesignation on July 1, 1927 to VO-8M, the squadron participated in the Battle of Ocotal on 16 July when ten personnel of the squadron came to the rescue of the beleaguered Marine garrison at Ocotal and executed the first recorded dive bombing attack against an organized enemy, dispersing the insurgents and saving the garrison. Among the first Marine aviators ever to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross were Major Rowell and Lieutenant Hayne Boyden, to whom it was awarded for their participation in the Battle of Ocotal.
  Returning to San Diego in 1928, the squadron traded in its World War I-era O2B-1s for new Curtiss F8C-1s and F8C-3s, which were soon redesignated OC-1s and OC-2s.  Shortly after receiving the F8C/OCs, the squadron, along with VO-10M took part in the filming of the 1929 movie Flight. As Marine aviation reorganized and consolidated in the early 1930s, several long established squadrons ceased to exist, and on July 1, 1933, VO-8M was deactivated.  Unlike the fate that befell her sister squadrons, VO-8M was reactivated on November 15, 1934 when it was decided to deactivate VS-14M and VS-15M and use the aircraft and personnel from these two carrier squadrons to reorganize VO-8M.  Equipped with Vought O3U-6 "Corsairs" the squadron continued to operate from San Diego and participated in the annual Fleet Problems, operating from the aircraft carriers USS Langley (CV-1), USS Ranger (CV-4), and USS Saratoga (CV-3) at different times, and participated in the filming of the 1935 movie Devil Dogs of the Air. In 1936, the squadron was selected to represent Marine aviation at the National Air Races was still flying the O3U-6 when it was redesignated Marine Scouting Squadron Two (VMS-2) on 1 July 1937.  Later that year, the squadron traded in its "Corsairs" for Curtiss SOC-3 Seagulls a type it would operate for the next four years.
  With the rest of Marine Air Group Two, the squadron deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii in January 1941, and was the second squadron to receive the new Vought SB2U-3 Vindicator eventually receiving 27 of the type in 1941.  Along with the new aircraft came a new designation, and on July 1, 1941, the squadron was redesignated Marine Scout-Bombing Squadron 231 (VMSB-231.)  With the prospect of war growing, the squadron, under the command of Major C.J. Chappell, was embarked upon the aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2) during the first week of December 1941 and was on its way to Midway Atoll when word of the attack on Pearl Harbor reached the carrier.
caption: A Vought VE-7F from VO-1M in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic c. 1922.
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