Item:
ON11925

Original U.S. Vietnam Era Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 Patch and Sticker Lot of 6 - “Wake Island Defenders”

Item Description

Original Items: Only One Lot of 6 Available. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 (VMFA-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 (MAG-13) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW).

The patches and stickers are all unused and do not appear to have ever been attached to an article of clothing. The stickers still retain their adhesiveness and retain their original waxed backing.

Comes more than ready for display.

VMFA-211 was commissioned on January 1, 1937 when Marine Fighting Squadron 4 (VF-4M) at Naval Air Station San Diego, California. Although it was the second time a VF-4M had existed, the previous one was decommissioned in 1931 and it was not considered the same squadron. The squadron was decommissioned in 1933 but was recommissioned as "VF-8M" in 1935. On 1 July 1937, VF-8M was re-designated Marine Fighting Squadron 2 (VMF-2) and by the end of the year, had completely reequipped with Grumman F3F-2s which replaced their F3F-1s and a few even older F2F-1s. The squadron participated in annual Fleet Problems while at San Diego and even played a part in the making of the movie Dive Bomber. Several future Medal of Honor recipients served with the squadron during this period, including Henry Elrod, Robert Galer, and Gregory Boyington. In January 1941, the squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii and was re-designated VMF-211 on July 1, 1941.

With the escalation of the Vietnam War, VMA-211 moved to Iwakuni Japan in 1965 and commenced the first of four deployments to Chu Lai Air Base, South Vietnam. LtCol. F.H. Thurston became the CO of the Squadron on August 25, 1967.

VMA-211 was deployed in the spring of 1972 to Naha Air Force Base and on May 16, 1972 redeployed to Bien Hoa Air Base in South Vietnam. It reinforced the USAF 8th Special Operations Squadron flying the A-37B Dragonfly, as well as F-4s tasked from Shaw AFB in support of operations against the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) Easter Offensive.

The other unit at Bien Hoa was an AH-1 Cobra gunship squadron. The four different squadrons representing three branches of service were significant contributors to blunting, then rolling back the PAVN's siege of An Lộc, destroying significant numbers of PAVN armor being used for the first time in the war. VMA 211's A-4E were invaluable in close air support of the beleaguered ground troops in An Loc and surrounding areas. In August 1976, the squadron returned to MCAS El Toro.

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