page_title: VMFA-211
section_title: World War II
hierarchical_section_title: VMFA-211 / History / World War II
caption_attribution_description: Vought F4U-4 Corsair fighters of fighter squadron VF-43 (F-3xx) and Marine fighter squadron VMF-211 (AF-144) Wake Island Avengers, and a Douglas AD-4 Skyraider (SS-807) of composite squadron VC-33 Avengers about to take off from the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea (CVB-43) in 1952. The carrier was on a regular deployment to the Mediterranean Sea with Carrier Air Group Four (CVG-4) from 19 Apr 1952 to 12 Oct 1952. VMF-211 was redesignated VMA-211 during that cruise.
context_page_description: Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 is a United States Marine Corps fighter attack squadron, currently consisting of F-35B Lightning II stealth STOVL strike fighter jets. Known as the "Wake Island Avengers" and the "Bastion Defenders", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 13 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
context_section_description: In November 1941, VMF-211 embarked 12 of its 24 F4F-3 Wildcats and 13 of its 29 pilots aboard USS Enterprise for movement to Wake Island, the scene of the squadron's heroic battle. On December 8, 1941 the Japanese attacked Wake, destroying seven of the aircraft on the ground. Over the next two weeks, the remaining five planes repelled numerous attacks and inflicted great losses on the enemy.
  During the course of this defense, the Marine ground forces and VMF-211 caused the loss of at least four enemy warships, including the first major Japanese naval vessels sunk during the Pacific war.  The squadron was also credited with 8 aircraft destroyed. After the loss of its last aircraft, the squadron became a ground unit and fought until the surrender of the atoll. The first Marine airman to be awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II was VMF-211's Henry T. Elrod. A planned operation to reinforce Wake Island was deemed too dangerous by the fleet command, and on December 23 Wake Island was finally overrun by a numerically superior enemy.
  The squadron's rear echelon at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa lost all but one of its twelve F4F-3s during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and even this lone survivor was lost when it was transferred to the Navy.  In February 1942, the squadron was commanded by future Medal of Honor recipient Harold W. Bauer. Slowly rebuilding as personnel and aircraft became available, the squadron, now under the command of Major Luther S. Moore was deployed in May 1942 to Palmyra Atoll in the South Pacific and adopted the name "Avengers" in memory of those squadron members who were killed or captured on Wake Island. When first deployed, VMF-211 was equipped with the Brewster F2A-3 and it was not until July that sufficient numbers of Grumman F4F-4 Wildcats became available to re-equip the squadron.  As the Pacific Campaign continued the squadron transitioned to the F4U Corsair for the remainder of the war.  VMF-211 participated in the Treasury-Bougainville Campaign, Battle of the Bismarck Sea, Northern Solomon, Battle of Leyte Gulf and Southern Philippine campaigns.
caption: VMF-211 F4U-4s on USS Coral Sea in 1952
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