Location: MCAS Ewa, HI. Date: 1943 Photo credit: USMC Contact: Roberta Lowe Description: VMA-214 Personnel 1943 Twenty-three VMA-214 pilots are shown seated behind the men in the numerals. BB (Before Boyington and Black Sheep) VMA-214 Officers and Men are pictured at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Territory of Hawaii in February 1943, near completing combat training requirements. VMA-214 had been established July 1, 1942 under Commanding Officer Captain C. W. Sommers, USMC at Ewa. On July 21, 1942 Captain George F. Britt, USMC took command - Britt was promoted to Major before deploying. Other VMA-214 Commanding officers, Before Boyington, were: June 9, 1943 - Major H. A. Ellis Jr., USMC ; July 12, 1943 - Major W. A. Pace, USMC; and August 7, 1943 - Captain J. R. Burnett, USMC.