While other nations have Marines who are aviators, only the United States Marine Corps has its own dedicated aviation arm. Most squadrons have changed names and designations many times over the years so they are listed by their final designation.

Squadron designations

The basic tactical and administrative unit of United States Marine Corps Aviation is the squadron. Fixed-wing aircraft squadrons (heavier than air) are denoted by the letter "V," which comes from the French verb "Voler" (to fly). Rotary wing (helicopter) squadrons use "H." Marine squadrons are always noted by the second letter "M." Squadron numbering is not linear as some were numbered in ascending order and others took numbers from the wing or the ship to which they were assigned. From 1920 to 1941, Marine flying squadrons were identified by one digit numbers. This changed on 1 July 1941 when all existing squadrons were redesignated to a three-digit system. The first two numbers were supposed to identify the squadrons parent group but with the rapid expansion during the war and frequent transfer of squadrons this system fell apart.

Decommissioned squadrons Squadrons are listed by their designation at the time they were decommissioned.

Pre–World War II squadrons Following World War I, Marine aviation was significantly reduced from 8 to 3 squadrons. Many of the squadrons were renamed and re-designated numerous times and many still exist today with other designations. The squadrons listed below reflect those squadrons that were decommissioned prior to World War II and were never reconstituted in any form.

Squadron Name Insignia Nickname Date Decommissioned SourcesVP-3MMarine Patrol Squadron 31931VO-6MMarine Observation Squadron 6Hell Divers1932VO-10MMarine Observation Squadron 101 April 1931VS-14MMarine Scouting Squadron 141 July 1933VS-15MMarine Scouting Squadron 151 July 1933ZK-1M 1st Marine Barrage Balloon Squadron31 December 1929

Marine Reserve Scouting Squadrons The Marine Aviation Reserve was inactive from 1918 through 1928. When it was reconstituted, the names and aircraft used by these squadrons changed frequently but their home duty stations remained constant. The aircraft for these squadrons were assigned to the reserve bases themselves and were shared with co-located Navy Reserve squadrons. The squadrons were absorbed into the 1st and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wings and their identities lost when they were mobilized in December 1940.

Squadron Name Insignia Nickname Location Date Decommissioned SourceVMS-1RBoston, MassachusettsDecember 1940VMS-2RBrooklyn, New YorkDecember 1940VMS-3RAnacostia, D.C.December 1940VMS-4RMiami, FloridaDecember 1940VMS-5RBlack KnightsGrosse Ile, MichiganDecember 1940VMS-6RMinneapolis, MinnesotaDecember 1940VMS-7RLong Beach, CaliforniaDecember 1940VMS-8ROakland, CaliforniaDecember 1940VMS-9RSeattle, WashingtonDecember 1940VMS-10RKansas City, KansasDecember 1940VMS-11RBrooklyn, New YorkDecember 1940

Marine Barrage Balloon Squadrons Squadrons flying lighter than air vehicles (balloons), were indicated by the letter Z in naval squadron designation. The first use of balloons by the Marine Corps was during World War I when they were used for artillery spotting. After the outbreak of World War II, the Navy authorized the Marine Corps to create barrage balloon squadrons for the air defense of advanced naval bases. Balloon training was cancelled in the summer of 1943 and the remaining units were decommissioned by the end of the year.

Squadron Name Insignia Nickname Date Decommissioned SourceZMQ-115 December 1943ZMQ-221 August 1943ZMQ-39 December 1943 ZMQ-420 February 1943ZMQ-55 December 1943ZMQ-68 December 1943

Marine Balloon Observation Squadron ZK-1M was formed in 1924 and disbanded in 1929.

Marine Scout Bombing Squadrons Scout bombing squadrons each had eighteen to twenty-four Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers and were tasked with conducting dive-bombing attacks and long range scouting and patrol missions. They also provided close air support, laid smoke screens and sprayed DDT around bases.Rottman USMC WWII OOB, p.405. The majority of these squadrons were quickly decommissioned following the end of World War II although three entered the Marine Air Reserve for a short period.

Squadron Name Insignia Nickname Date Decommissioned SourceVMSB-243Flying Goldbricks25 September 1945VMSB-244Bombing Banshees10 June 1946VMSB-245Red Mousie17 November 1945VMSB-342Bats from Hell10 October 1944VMSB-343Gregory's Gorillas10 June 1946VMSB-34410 October 1944VMSB-47410 September 1945VMSB-48410 September 1945 Squadron Name Insignia Nickname Date DecommissionedVMSB-93131 January 19469th MAW Unit History 1 Sep 1945 – 31 Mar 1946VMSB-932Teufelhund31 January 1946 VMSB-93310 September 1945VMSB-93415 October 1945VMSB-94110 October 1944VMSB-94210 October 1944VMSB-94331 January 1946VMSB-94410 October 1944

Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadrons VMTBs were torpedo bomber squadrons that operated the Grumman TBF Avenger. They were in service with the Marine Corps during World War II and were decommissioned shortly after the war. They were part of the Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal, served on escort carriers during the campaign to retake the Philippines and provided close air support for Australian forces on Borneo and Marines during the Battle of Okinawa.

Squadron Name Insignia Nickname Date Decommissioned SourceVMTB-151Ali Baba20 March 1946 VMTB-341Torrid Turtles13 September 1945VMTB-45320 March 1946VMTB-454Helldivers28 January 1946VMB-47320 March 1946VMTB-62110 March 1946VMTB-62231 January 1946VMTB-62320 March 1946VMTB-62410 March 1946

Marine Fighting Squadrons Marine Fighting Squadrons were multirole squadrons responsible for air-to-air combat, combat air patrols, attacking enemy shipping, escorting bombers and close air support. By far the most numerous of any type of Marine Corps squadron, they first made their mark flying the Grumman F4F Wildcat as part of the Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal and finished World War II flying the venerable Vought F4U Corsair. Many VMF squadrons continued to operate after the war with most in the Marine Air Reserve; however, with the retirement of the Vought F-8 Crusader the VMF squadrons either became VMFAs or were decommissioned.

Squadron Name Insignia Nickname Date Decommissioned SourcesVMF-111Devil Dogs31 October 1965VMF-113Whistling Devils31 October 1965VMF(AW)-114Death Dealers1 July 1963VMF-132Crying Red Asses9 November 1945VMF-155Ready Teddys15 October 1945VMF-213Hell Hawksmid-1970 VMF-215Fighting Corsairs30 January 1970VMF-218Hellions30 September 1962VMF-221 Fighting Falcons31 October 1965VMF-313Lily Packin’ Hellbirds31 December 1962VMF-413ShamrocksJanuary 1963VMF-422Flying Buccaneers30 June 1947VMF-441Blackjacks31 October 1965VMF-452Sky Raiders31 December 1949VMF-47110 September 1945 Squadron Name Insignia Nickname Date DecommissionedVMF-472Flying Seahorses24 December 1945VMF-48110 September 1945VMF-48210 October 1944VMF-51131 August 1972VMF-51210 March 1946VMF-514The Whistling Death9 December 1945VMF-52110 September 1945VMF-52210 September 1945VMF-52315 October 1945VMF-52415 October 1945VMF-541The Bat Eyesearly 1960sVMF-911Devilcats15 March 1946VMF-91215 March 1946VMF-91331 January 1946VMF-91431 January 1946VMF-914, January 1946 Muster Rolls - Squadron was decommissioned per authority of 9th Marine Aircraft Wing General Order 3-1946 dated 28 January 1946.VMF-92110 October 1944VMF-921, October 1944 Muster Rolls - Squadron was decommissioned per authority of 9th Marine Aircraft Wing General Order 56-1944 dated 9 October 1944.VMF-92210 October 1944VMF-922, October 1944 Muster Rolls - Squadron was decommissioned per authority of 9th Marine Aircraft Wing General Order 56-1944 dated 9 October 1944.VMF-92310 October 1944VMF-923, October 1944 Muster Rolls - Squadron was decommissioned per authority of 9th Marine Aircraft Wing General Order 56-1944 dated 9 October 1944.VMF-92410 October 1944VMF-924, October 1944 Muster Rolls - Squadron was decommissioned per authority of 9th Marine Aircraft Wing General Order 56-1944 dated 9 October 1944.

Marine Night Fighter Squadrons After witnessing the Royal Air Force's success using radar directed fighters at night in 1941, the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics authorized eight Marine night fighter squadrons to be formed by 1945. This timeline was brought forward considerably after the attack on Pearl Harbor and their need proven by the frustration of the Cactus Air Force's pilots not being able to engage Japanese bombers at night during the Battle of Guadalcanal. This led to the formation of VMF(N)-531 in November 1942. After much deliberation the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura was picked as the first choice of aircraft for these squadrons. The night fighting squadrons featured radar equipped aircraft, ground-based radar and personnel that provided Ground-controlled interception (GCI). The VMF(N) designated squadrons were decommissioned after the war, those that weren't were re-designated VMF(AW).

Squadron Name Insignia Nickname Date Decommissioned SourceVMF(N)-532Night Fighters31 May 1947VMF(N)-53431 May 1947VMF(N)-54420 April 1946

Marine Bombing Squadrons The Marine Bombing Squadrons were formed during World War II to fill the need for a long range, land based bomber that could be used against enemy shipping and submarines. In the Pacific Theater, the squadrons served ashore as a garrison air force to attack bypassed Japanese bases and other installations. The VMBs flew the North American PBJ-1 Mitchell, which was the naval version of the U.S. Army Air Forces' B-25 Mitchell. Sixteen of these squadrons were commissioned with seven serving in combat, four never able to leave the U.S. due to the war ending and four others converted to VMTB squadrons. The seven PBJ squadrons that saw combat in the Pacific suffered the loss of 45 aircraft, 26 in combat and 19 in non-combat operations, and 173 crew: 62 officers and 111 enlisted men.

Squadron Name Insignia Nickname Date Decommissioned SourceVMB-423Seahorses30 November 1945VMB-433Fork-Tailed Devils30 November 1945VMB-443Wildcats30 November 1945VMB-48315 March 1945VMB-612Cram's Rams14 March 1946VMB-61321 November 1945VMB-614Ruptured Ducks28 December 1945

Marine Operational Training Squadrons All of these squadrons were activated as Marine Training Squadrons (MTS) at Marine Corps Air Station Edenton, North Carolina in January 1944 and were redesignated as Marine Operational Training Squadrons (MOTS) and transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina in February 1945 as medium bomber pilot training units. They instructed Marines learning to fly the North American PBJ-1 Mitchell. Following the end of the war they were quickly decommissioned.

Squadron Name Insignia Nickname Date Decommissioned SourceMOTS-81110 September 1945MOTS-81210 September 1945MOTS-81323 November 1945MOTS-81430 November 1945

Marine Photographic Squadrons Marine photographic squadrons were first formed in 1942 and went through numerous name changes while they were active. VMDs/VMPs flew photographic modified versions of the Douglas SBD Dauntless, Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator, Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer and Grumman F7F Tigercat. The main mission of these squadrons was to conduct long range, very high-altitude photographic reconnaissance.

Squadron Name Insignia Nickname Date Decommissioned SourceVMD-154Pathfinders10 September 1945VMP-25430 November 1949VMP-3548 December 1949VMD-95431 January 1946

Marine Glider Squadron