VMFA ( AW ) - 225 Marine Fighter Attack Squadron ( All - Weather ) 225 ( VMFA ( AW ) - 225 ) is a United States Marine Corps F / A - 18D Hornet fighter attack squadron . The squadron , known as the " Vikings " , is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 11 ( MAG - 11 ) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing ( 3d MAW ) . History . World War II . Marine Fighting Squadron 225 ( VMF - 225 ) was commissioned January 1 , 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station Mojave , California . From August 1944 to January 1945 , the F4U Corsair s of VMF - 225 participated in numerous combat operations in the New Hebrides Islands . Returning to the United States in February 1945 , VMF - 225 was eventually stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point , North Carolina , with interim basing at MCAAS Mojave , California ; MCAS Santa Ana , California ; and MCAS Edenton , North Carolina . Vietnam War . In the early 1960s the squadron had been trained for " special weapons " delivery . This meant they were certified to deliver nuclear weapons On June 1 , 1965 , skyhawks from VMA - 225 were the first tactical fixed - wing aircraft to land at Chu Lai for participation in combat operations against Viet Cong forces in South Vietnam . Several hours after landing , Lieutenant Colonel Robert W . Baker , VMA - 225 Commanding Officer , lead the first combat mission from the base striking the enemy six miles to the north . VMA - 225 returned to MCAS Cherry Point in October 1965 . In April 1966 the Grumman built A - 6 Intruder replaced the A - 4 Skyhawk as the squadron ' s combat ready aircraft . With the advent of the Intruder and it ' s all weather capability , the squadron was redesignated VMA ( AW ) - 225 . While stationed at MCAS Cherry Point , VMA ( AW ) - 225 provided air support for units of the 2nd Marine Division , Fleet Marine Force , Atlantic . The squadron also deployed several times to MCAS Yuma , Arizona , for live weapons training . In January 1969 , VMA ( AW ) - 225 deployed to Danang Air Base , Vietnam . The primary mission of Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 225 was to provide close air support and direct air support for ground elements for allied forces in the I Corp area of South Vietnam . The squadron attacked and destroyed surface targets day and night , and in all weather conditions . A secondary mission was to utilize the Intruder ' s unique search radar Airborne Moving Target Indicator ( AMTI ) features in the interdiction of trucks on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Southeast Asia . During May 1971 , VMA ( AW ) - 225 returned to MCAS El Toro , California , and the squadron was deactivated on June 15 , 1972 . The Gulf War & the 1990s . The squadron was reactivated on July 1 , 1991 , at MCAS El Toro , California , and redesignated as Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225 ( VMFA ( AW ) - 225 ) . The Global War on Terror . VMFA ( AW ) - 225 was the first Marine Corps fighter squadron deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . The squadron was deployed in January 2003 from its home base at MCAS Miramar in San Diego , CA to Ahmed Al Jabar Air Base in Kuwait . From Kuwait , the " Vikings " took part in Operation Southern Watch , assisting the US Air Force in patrolling the Southern No - Fly - Zone set up by the United Nations in Iraq . In March 2003 , VMFA ( AW ) - 225 began flying combat sorties in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . Joining 225 were other members of Marine Aircraft Group 11 .