VMA-131Diamondbacks


Randy Toskin

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The Squadron Duty Officer is the squadron contact point, who communicates with former squadron members about squadron information, sea stories, squadron pictures, scuttlebutt, and gathers information about squadron buddies.
Please contact the Squadron SDO as listed here.

The Table Of Content:
Patch:
Handle:
Aircraft:
Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft:
Heritage:
  • VMA-131 Diamondbacks, were based at Naval Air Station Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, New York during the 1960's.
  • VMA-131 Diamondbacks, also known as MARTD Willow Grove were based at Willow Grove, Pennsylvania in 1972. When in a reserve status the Squadron was known as VMA-131 and as an active duty squadron MAG-49. The Diamondbacks deployed to MCAS Yuma, Arizona for training.
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Commanders:
  • Date Assumed Command - - - - - - - Commanding Officer
  • 1964 - 1967 - - - - - - Col. Dougherty*
  • 1971 - 1973 - - - - - - Lt.Col. Pete Ganzler
  • 1973 - 1975 - - - - - - LtCol. John R. Powers
  • 1975 - 1977 - - - - - - LtCol. Richard (Dick) Omrod
  • 19?? - 19?? - - - - - - (rank unknown) Marv Garrison
  • AUG 1981 - AUG 1983 - - - - - - Lt.Col. Dave Muir
  • AUG 1983 - AUG 1985 - - - - - - Lt.Col. Bob "Beak" McVey
  • AUG 1985 - AUG 1987 - - - - - - Lt.Col. Ed Bishop
  • AUG 1987 - AUG 1989 - - - - - - Lt.Col. Jim "Snake" Kuzmick
  • AUG 1989 - AUG 1991 - - - - - - Lt.Col. F. A. "Ax" Feltenberger
  • AUG 1991 - AUG 1993 - - - - - - Lt.Col. George "Eagle" Lake
  • AUG 1993 - AUG 1995 - - - - - - Lt.Col. John "Baja" Rufo
  • AUG 1995 - Dec 1998 - - - - - - Lt.Col. Mike "Struts" Volland
  • * Died in a landing crash at Cherry Point, North Carolina during a two week deployment.
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Home Ports:
  • Date - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Location:
  • 1960 - Naval Air Station Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, New York.
  • 1972 - Naval Air Station Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.


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Air Wings:
Date - - - - - - - - - - - - Tail code - - - - - - - Air Wing
  • CF tail code
  • Modex "OG" while at Willow Grove, PA
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Deployments:
Departure & Return - - - - - - - - Air Wing - Carrier - Aircraft - - Area of Operations:
  • No info yet
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Photograph Albums:
Squadron Photograph Album
Squadron Off-Duty Album

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Events:
  • June 22, 1994: Naval Air Station Willow Grove just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was on this day that members of VMA-131 witnessed the retirement of the last USMC A-4s, which were at the time being flown by the Diamondbacks, members of Marine Aircraft Group 49, Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing. Visitors included many Skyhawk pilots and support crews, aviation greats like Mr. Bob Rahn and friends of the Skyhawk.
    Four aircraft took part in the ceremonies, three in standard grey paint schemes applied to USMC A-4s and one painted up in VMA-131 Squadron colors. This aircraft also displayed the time of service of the A4 in the USMC as well as the name of the Group Commander. This small flight took off, returned in the missing man formation and rejoined as a flight of four. Following an overhead with tailhooks down, the A4s roared into the break and one by one landed. The last A4, flown by a very good friend of mine taxied in with it's break chute deployed.
    Taking part in the flight were four senior Marine Scooter pilots, the last Marine Skyhawk pilots to serve:
    Col. George "Eagle" Lake
    LtCol. John "Baja" Rufo
    Maj. Dave "Yoda" Hurston
    Maj. Mike "Struts" Volland
    Both Baja and Struts later commanded VMA-131 and it's Marines is operations after the retirement of their A4s. Struts was the final C.O. of the Diamondbacks and retired the squadron in December of 1998. Again, I was honored to receive his personal invitation and traveled from college to attend. A sad day for the fans of the A4 both civilian and military, the Nation it protected and served, and the United States Marine Corps.
    From "BladeTwoOne", dated 9/14/2003.



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Awards:
Sources of information:
  • SGT Mike Cohen, USMC
  • SSGT Randy Toskin, USMC
  • Lt.Col. John Powers USMC (Ret)
  • Lt.Col F. A. "Ax" Feltenberger
  • Harry S. Gann
  • John Binford
  • Frank J. Mirande
  • Dan Teker
  • Wynn "Captain Hook" Foster

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