page_title: VMFA-312
section_title: World War II
hierarchical_section_title: VMFA-312 / History / World War II
caption_attribution_description: English: U.S. Marine Corps Vought F4U-1D Corsairs of Marine Fighter Squadron 312 (VMF-312) are about to be launched from the U.S. Navy escort carrier USS Hollandia (CVE-97) off Okinawa, Japan, in April 1945.
context_page_description: Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18C Hornet squadron. Also known as the "Checkerboards", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 31 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. The Radio Callsign is "Check."
context_section_description: Marine Fighter Squadron 312 (VMF-312) was commissioned on June 1, 1943, at Page Field, Parris Island, South Carolina. Originally it was part of Marine Aircraft Group 31, (MAG-31) 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. The first aircraft the squadron received were ten SNJ-4 Texans and one F4U-1A Corsair. As their unit crest the squadron members choose a satan-like bulldog wearing a flying helmet and carrying -at that time- six .50 caliber machineguns (the armament of the Corsair) drawn by Technical Sergeant James R. Wroble. In honor of their commanding officer, Major Richard M. Day, the men nicknamed their squadron "Day's Knights". Also at this time, the Checkerboards emblem began to appear on both the cowling and rudder of the aircraft.
  In August 1943 the squadron was transferred to Marine Aircraft Group 32, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at the newly constructed Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. On December 16, 1943 the squadron received orders to prepare to move to the west coast of the United States beginning the first week of January 1944. VMF-312 began movment to San Diego, California on January 2, 1944, eventually arriving at Miramar. The squadron departed MCAS Miramar on February 28, 1944 bound for Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii. VMF-312 trained at MCAS Ewa for three months and then headed out for Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides to become part of Marine Aircraft Group 11 (MAG-11), 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW).
  Assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11 on June 25, 1944, the squadron was transported to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, where they received 24 new F4U-1D Corsairs. VMF-312's first combat action came on April 12, 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa as part of Marine Aircraft Group 33 (MAG-33), when four squadron aircraft intercepted 20 Japanese Zeros and scored eight kills without a loss. VMF-312 continued to operate from Kadena Air Base on Okinawa until the cessation of hostilities. By war's end, the squadron had accounted for 59.5 air combat kills in the Pacific Theater.
  Between September 1945 and February 1946 VMF-312 participated in the occupation force stationed on Okinawa, Japan.
caption: VMF-312 launches from USS Hollandia off Okinawa, in April 1945.
exif: {}