VMFA ( AW ) - 332 VMFA ( AW ) - 332 Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 is a United States Marine Corps F / A - 18 Hornet squadron . Also known as the " Moonlighters " , the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort , South Carolina and is attached to Marine Aircraft Group 31 ( MAG - 31 ) , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing ( 2nd MAW ) . The squadron flew its last flight in the F / A - 18 Hornet on March 30 , 2007 . They are now in cadre status but are expected to be reactivated when the Marine Corps fields the new F - 35 Lightning II . At the time of their transition they held the longest streak of mishap - free flight hours for a tactical jet squadron at 109 , 000 hours . Mission . Attack and destroy surface targets , day or night , under the weather ; conduct multi - sensor imagery reconnaissance ; provide supporting arms coordination ; and intercept and destroy enemy aircraft under all weather conditions . History . World War II . Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 was commissioned in June 1943 at the newly constructed Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point , North Carolina . Originally designated as Marine Scout Bomber Squadron 332 ( VMSB - 332 ) the squadron flew SBD Dauntless dive bombers out of Cherry Point and Bogue Field , North Carolina and Mojave , California before departing for the Pacific Theatre during World War II . After a brief stay in Ewa , Hawaii , the squadron located to Midway Island . Its mission was to escort and provide air cover for all incoming and outgoing surface craft and submarines . In July 1944 , the squadron relocated back to Ewa , where it would remain until after the war . On March 1 , 1945 , the squadron would make the first of four changes in squadron designations . Re - designated Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 332 ( VMTB - 332 ) , the squadron transitioned to the TBM Avenger . After the war , 332 relocated to San Diego in November 1945 for deactivation . 1950s . Marine Attack Squadron 332 ( VMA - 332 ) was re - commissioned on April 23 , 1952 as part of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Miami , Florida flying the F6F Hellcat and later F4U Corsair s . During the Korean War , 332 was assigned a combat role operating from the USS Bairoko . It was at this time the famous polka - dots , hat , and cane originated . Replacing the VMF - 312 " Checkerboards " , who had a black and white checkerboard painted around the engine cowlings , VMA - 332 , somewhat mockingly , adopted the red polka - dots on white background . The design was reminiscent of Captain Eddie Rickenbacker ' s hat in the Ring Squadron of World War I . The addition of the hat and cane was derived from the squadron tail letters of " MR " . Being the abbreviation of mister , and feeling they were gentlemen in every regard , the hat and cane was adopted as accouterments every gentleman has . It was then that the squadron picked up the nickname VMA - 332 " Polka - dots " . The squadrons last cruise of the war would be on board the USS Point Cruz ( CVE - 119 ) from April to December 1953 . Upon return from the war in 1953 , VMA - 332 transitioned to the AD - 1 Skyraider . From 1953 to 1957 , VMA - 332 rotated annually between the East Coast and the Far East . In 1958 , the squadron relocated back to MCAS Cherry Point , North Carolina , and entered the jet age transitioning to the venerable A4D Skyhawk . 1960s - 1980s . VMA - 332 continued its yearly rotation to Japan until 1962 . In 1962 , VMA - 332 was deployed to Thailand to support a Marine Expeditionary Force quelling unrest in that country . Later in 1962 , the squadron would redeploy back home . It was during this time that the squadron ' s nickname was mysteriously changed to the " Moonlighters " and the tail letters were changed to " EA " . Although there are speculations , no written explanation exists for the change . On August 20 , 1968 , the " Moonlighters " transitioned to the A - 6 Intruder and was designated Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 332 ( VMA ( AW ) - 332 ) . On March 1 , 1975 , the squadron received its first A - 6E Intruder and in July 1982 , they again upgraded to the A - 6E TRAM ( Target Recognition and Attack Multi - Sensor ) . 1990s . On June 16 , 1993 the " Moonlighters " were redesignated Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 ( VMFA ( AW ) - 332 ) , moved to MCAS Beaufort , South Carolina , and transitioned to the F / A - 18D Hornet . Having to ramp up rapidly as a " new " squadron , the " Moonlighters " were called on to support NATO ' s Operation Deny Flight and Operation Provide Promise in the former Yugoslavian republic of Bosnia , deploying to Aviano Air Base , Italy from October 1994 to March 1995 . During the deployment , the squadron led what was the largest NATO air strike to date against the Udbina Airfield as well as participating in several other strikes . The squadron deployed a second time to Aviano Air Base , Italy , in March 1996 in support of Operation Decisive Edge and Operation Joint Endeavor and returned home August of that year . In May 1999 , the squadron deployed to Taszar Air Base , Hungary in support of Operation Allied Force and Operation Joint Guardian . From 28 May to 7 June 1999 , the " Moonlighters " flew 120 combat sorties over the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , performing every type of mission required of an F / A - 18D squadron during both day and night , expending 175 , 000 pounds of ordnance . VMFA ( AW ) - 332 was , along with VMFA ( AW ) - 533 , one of the first deployable units flying appropriately configured Hornets for the Joint Direct Attack Munition ( JDAM ) . After the bombing campaign ceased , the " Moonlighters " continued to fly contingency operations in support of NATO peacekeeping forces in Kosovo . During the deployment , the squadron utilized the Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System ( ATARS ) operationally for the first time ever . The squadron returned to MCAS Beaufort in July 1999 . 2000s . In January 2000 , VMFA ( AW ) - 332 deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni , Japan . The deployment would take the squadron to mainland Japan , Okinawa and Khorat , Thailand . On March 1 , 2000 , the " Moonlighters " reached the milestone 81 , 000 mishap free flight hours , a safety record spanning 21 years . Global War on Terror . The Moonlighters arrived at Andersen Air Force Base , Guam , on January 11 , 2002 and took over Operation Noble Eagle , relieving VMFA - 212 and VMFA - 232 . During the squadron ’ s tour in Guam , they flew 262 sorties and amassed 582 . 7 hours of flight time . In January 2002 , VMFA ( AW ) - 332 joined the VMFA - 212 to form two composite squadrons , providing the Lancers the capability of conducting ATARS reconnaissance missions and FAC ( A ) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom ( OEF ) and Operation Southern Watch ( OSW ) . The squadrons exchanged four aircraft as well as aircrew and maintainers for this effort . During this deployment , the squadron deployed to Okinawa , the Philippines , Khorat and MCAS Iwakuni , and surpassed 90 , 000 mishap - free flight hours . On September 11 , 2003 , they again returned to Japan to as part of the Unit Deployment Program . During this deployment , the squadron deployed to Dhaka , Bangladesh in support of Operation Sumo Tiger as well as to Thailand , Guam , and Townsville , Australia . On May 26 , 2005 , the “ Moonlighters ” reached the 100 , 000 mishap - free flight hour mark , recognizing 27 years of professionalism and safety . LtGen James Amos presented the squadron with the 100 , 000 award on July 20 , 2005 . This achievement represents the longest record of mishap - free flight of any tactical aviation squadron in Marine Corps history . On July 26 , 2005 , VMFA ( AW ) - 332 departed MCAS Beaufort for its combat deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom ( OIF ) . 332 regularly flew a twelve - sortie Air Tasking Order cycle with intermittent surge days and ground alerts . Typical missions included close air support ( CAS ) , Armed Reconnaissance ( AR ) , Infrastructure Intelligence , Surveillance and Reconnaissance ( ISR ) , Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System ( ATARS ) and Convoy Escort . These missions were conducted on a daily basis , during both day and night , in support of Marine , Army , and various Joint Special Operations units . The most common tasking from these ground units required use of the LITENING Pod to identify , monitor , and report any activity in the vicinity of historical insurgent mortar and rocket Points of Origin ( POO ) sites . Most of these POO sites were in the vicinity of Forward Operating Bases ( FOBs ) and coalition airfields throughout Al Anbar province . During just 7 months of combat operations , which included both the Iraqi Constitutional Referendum and National elections , the Moonlighters participated in such named Operations as Rivergate , Iron Fist , Steel Curtain , Blue Devil , Trifecta , Tigers , Skinner , Spider Web and Liberty Express . During this deployment , the “ Moonlighters ” flew 2406 sorties for a total of 6031 . 9 hours . The squadron departed the Al Anbar province successfully on February 11 , 2006 with another combat deployment of zero missed sorties . The total ordnance expended for the deployment was : 50 GBU - 38s , 270 GBU - 12s , 23 AGM - 65s , 10 5 ” rockets , 2 GBU - 16s , 6 GBU - 32s , 16 LUU - 19s and 7640 rounds of 20mm for a total of 160 , 966 lbs of ordnance . During the deployment they used the combat callsign of “ Dealers . " In late 2006 the squadron began downsizing in preparation for the decommissioning of the squadron . Flight operations focused on preparing aircrew and Marines for follow on units . The squadron flew its last flight in the F / A - 18 Hornet on March 30 , 2007 . They are now in cadre status but are expected to be reactivated when the Marine Corps fields the new F - 35 Lightning II around 2012 . The Moonlighters were named the 2006 Marine Corps Aviation Association Fighter / Attack Squadron of the Year and held the longest streak of mishap - free flight hours for a tactical jet squadron with a remarkable 109 , 000 hours . Popular Culture . Revell GMBH distributed a 1 : 48 plastic model kit of a Korean era 1953 Corsair F4U - 4 of VMA - 332 " polka dots " , ship No . 14 , ( modelled from the same photo used in this wiki above , the F4U aboard the " USS Point Cruz " )