VMF - 218 Marine Fighting Squadron 218 ( VMF - 218 ) was a reserve fighter squadron of the United States Marine Corps that was originally activated during World War II . Known as the “ Hellions ” , they flew throughout the South Pacific but saw the majority of their fighting during the Philippines Campaign ( 1944 – 45 ) . The squadron was credited with downing 18 enemy aircraft during the course of the war History . World War II . VMF - 218 was organized at Marine Corps Air Station Mojave , California on July 1 , 1943 and officially commissioned September 15 , 1943 . They departed the United States in December 1943 on board the USS Barnes ( CVE - 20 ) and arrived at Espiritu Santo on January 5 , 1944 . Their first combat action took place on February 15 when they covered the allied landing on Green Island . On April 27 the squadron moved to Green Island where they remained until November . During their time on Green Island the squadron was one of a number of Marine squadrons that let a then civilian contractor Charles Lindbergh fly strikes against the Japanese garrison at Rabaul . In November they moved to Leyte to take part in the campaign to retake the Philippines . December 1944 would see the squadron as part of Task Force 38 in the Philippine Sea conducting strikes against Southern Luzon . During December they also patrolled the air over shipping in Leyte Gulf and Ormoc Bay flew cover over American convoys in various Philippine waters , escorted South Pacific Combat Air Transport ( SCAT ) planes over Ormoc where they had dropped supplies to ground troops , flew cover for Army ground forces on Mindoro and Cebu Islands ; had covered the landing by Army troops at Zamboanga , chalked up a number of close support missions on Mindanao , escorted rescue planes and transport planes to Mindanao , provided air cover for SBD Dauntless strikes and had regularly took part in combat air patrol s . From Tacloban the squadron took part in escorting naval convoys , close air support ( CAS ) and attacks on Iliolo . On March 10 , 1945 , VMF - 218 covered the allied landings at Zamboanga where they would then be based . From the airstrip at Zamboanga the squadron flew CAS at Capisan and conducted strikes against Bongao and Jolo . April would see more strikes against Cotabato , Parang and Malabang and there would be continued strikes against Mindanao until the surrender of Japan . Following the war VMF - 218 spent a year in China flying in support of the 1st Marine Division during their occupation to surrender of Japanese forces and provide security for the coastal cities against Communist Forces . On April 27 , 1946 the squadrons pilots and 20 Vought F4U Corsairs left Guam aboard the escort carrier USS Bairoko ( CVE - 115 ) . The pilots were embarked to fly the planes to Tsingtao , China for delivery to VMF - 211 . They made it to the southeast of Shanghai on May 8 and flew off the embarked aircraft the next day . During their time in China the squadron flew out of Nan Yuan Field outside the Chinese capital of Peiping . Following their year in China the squadron returned to Guam where they would de deactivated as part of the post - war drawdown of forces on December 31 , 1949 . Reserve years . The squadron was reactivated in the Marine Corps Reserve in the 1950s and were based out of Naval Air Station Willow Grove near Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . Unit awards . A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited . Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation . VMF - 218 was presented with the following awards :