VMA-331 Bumblebees


Courtesy of Elizabeth Johnston
Courtesy of Maxie Jarrell


Courtesy of Bob Herrman
Courtesy of Lnn Savage


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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:
  • VMA-331 has always used a patch displaying a Bumblebee riding a bomb and guiding itself with a bombing telescope sight. The bomb's shape and color change over the years but the basic patch remains the same.
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Handle:
  • 1943 to present - - - Bumblebees. During WW-II Squadron personnel used the name "Doodlebug" for the squadron.
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Aircraft:
Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft:
Heritage:
  • January 1943, Marine Bomber Squadron 331 (VMSB-331) was commissioned at MCAS Cherry Point.
  • In 1983, VMA-331 was ordered to Stand-down.
  • In 1986, VMA-331 was ordered to Stand-up. The squadron is presently operational.
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Commanders:
  • Date Assumed Command - - - - - - - Commanding Officer
  • 1943 - - - - - - - Captain R D Cox
  • 1943 - - - - - - - Major J L Beam
  • 1943 - - - - - - - Captain J A Feeley
  • 1944 - - - - - - - Major J C Otis
  • 1944 - - - - - - - Major P R Byrum
  • 1945 - - - - - - - Major J H Mceniry
  • 1945 - - - - - - - Captain P J Ebsen
  • 1945 - - - - - - - Major J H Stock
  • 1945 - - - - - - - Major W E Jewson
  • 1952 - - - - - - - Captain G W Curtis
  • 1952 - - - - - - - Captain C H Jones
  • 1952 - - - - - - - Ltcol J A Golchrist
  • 1953 - - - - - - - Major W T Porter
  • 1953 - - - - - - - Ltcol W L Gaffney
  • 1955 - - - - - - - Ltcol G F Vaughan
  • 1956 - - - - - - - Major E P Carey
  • 1956 - - - - - - - Ltcol C C Lee
  • 1957 - - - - - - - Ltcol E P Carey
  • 1959 - - - - - - - Ltcol J E Barnett
  • 1961 - - - - - - - Ltcol J C Prestridge
  • 1961 - - - - - - - Ltcol D Conroy
  • 1963 - - - - - - - Ltcol S H Carpenter
  • 1965 - - - - - - - Ltcol R F Warren
  • 1966 - - - - - - - Ltcol G V Hodde
  • 1966 - - - - - - - Ltcol E K Jacks
  • 1967 - - - - - - - Major R L Critz
  • 1967 - - - - - - - Ltcol P E Maginnis
  • 1968 - - - - - - - Major T M D'andrea
  • 1969 - - - - - - - Major F T Sullivan
  • 1970 - - - - - - - Ltcol J J Caldas
  • 1971 - - - - - - - Ltcol P E Brookshire
  • 1972 - - - - - - - Ltcol T D Brooks
  • 1973 - - - - - - - Ltcol S P Brutcher
  • 1974 - - - - - - - Ltcol D E Baker
  • 1975 - - - - - - - Major R L Wood
  • 1976 - - - - - - - Ltcol R B Savage
  • 1977 - - - - - - - Ltcol R H Ulm
  • 1978 - - - - - - - Ltcol S M Horton
  • 1979 - - - - - - - Ltcol M R Snedeker
  • 1981 - - - - - - - Ltcol M W Wehrung
  • 1981 - - - - - - - Ltcol J L Adkinson
  • 1983 - - - - - - - Standown
  • 1986 - - - - - - - Standup
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Home Ports:
  • Date - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Location:
  • 1943 - - - - - - Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Rhode Island.
  • 195? - - - - - - Marine Corps Air Station Opa Loca, (Miami) Florida.
  • 1960 - - - - - - Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina.
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Air Wings:
Date - - - - - - - - - - - - Tail code - - - - - - - Air Wing
  • 1964 - - - - - - - - - - AJ - - - - - - - - - - CVW8
  • Jun 1965 - Mar 1966 - - - WL/WT - - - - - - - - - MAG 12 MCAS Chulai
  • 1966 - Apr 1967 - - - - - WL/WT - - - - - - - - - MAG 12 MCAS Chulai
  • 1967 - Jul 1970 - - - - WL/WT - - - - - - - - - MAG 12 MCAS Chulai
  • Jul 1970 - May 1971 - - - WL - - - - - - - - - - MAG 11 DaNang AB
  • Jul 1970 - May 1971 - - - WL - - - - - - -- - - - MAG 12 BeinHoa AB
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Deployments:
Departure & Return - - - - - - - - Air Wing - Carrier - Aircraft - - Area of Operations:
  • 1959: 14 month deployment WestPac with AD-6.
  • Jun 1965 - Mar 1966: WL/WT - MAG 12 - MCAS Chulai
  • 1966 - Apr 1967: WL/WT - - MAG 12 - MCAS Chulai
  • 1967 - Jul 1970: WL/WT - MAG 12 - MCAS Chulai
  • Jul 1970 - May 1971: WL - MAG 11 - DaNang AB
  • Jul 1970 - May 1971: WL - MAG 12 - BeinHoa AB
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Photograph Albums:
Squadron Photograph Album
Squadron Off-Duty Album (empty)
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Events:
  • January 1943:
    Marine Bomber Squadron 331 (VMSB-331) was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Rhode Island. The Bumblebees were assigned the Douglas SBD Dauntless - Slow But Deadly - which the Squadron dubbed the Speed-D-Bee.

  • 1944:
    VMSB-331 flew the SBD in combat through the central Pacific islands, places such as Majuro Atoll or Nukufetau in the Marshall Islands.

  • 1961:
    I was in VMA 331 from Jul 57 until the spring of 62 just before I got orders to go to Fighters Weapons School at Nellis. We flew AD-5's at Opa Locka until the summer of 59 and then deployed to West Pac for 14 months where we flew the AD-6. We were the last AD Squadron in the Marine Corps. The Sqdrn. Flag was transferred back to MCAS Beaufort, SC. I was lucky enough to be one of two pilots who got to stay in the Sqdrn. We transitioned into the A4D-2. and spent about five months in 30 to 60 day increments in Gitmo and Rosie Rds. getting ready for the Bay of Pigs. I took a camera with me on most every flight.
    Ray Powell

  • 1962:
    VMA-331 deployed to Guantanamo (Leeward Point), Cuba during the Bay of Pigs and Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico during the blockade of Cuba.
    10 aircraft deployed to Gitmo and 10 to Roosevelt Roads during each incident.
    Two Skyhawks were lost during a two plane section take-off the day the Bumblebees left Beaufort for the Caribbean. A very gusty cross-wind blew the lead aircraft into the wingman.
    At Leeward Point a Skyhawk making a low level practice gunnery run hit the base perimeter fence. Another Skyhawk flew into the ocean off Viegas, Puerto Rico. No one was killed when a Squadron liberty run plane went in off the end of the runway and into the drink at St. Thomas.
    After these Caribbean escapades the Bumblebees became known as the "Suicide Squadron."

  • 1964:
    Deployed aboard the U.S.S.Forrestal in Air Wing 8.

  • 1972:

    From Lee Jackson


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Awards:
    Award - - - - - - - - - Inclusive Dates:
  • In 1990, the Bumblebees were selected by the Marine Corps Association as the "Attack Squadron of the Year."
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Sources of information:
  • Harry S. Gann
  • Bob Herrman
  • Takafumi Hiroe
  • Major Maxie Jarrell USMCR-R
  • Elizabeth Johnston
  • Carl Markle
  • Sam Melville
  • Major Fred Miclon USMC
  • Naval Aviation News
  • Lynn E. Savage
  • Lee Jackson
  • Elizabeth Johnston
  • Joe Turpen
  • Tony Redman
  • Captain Frank E. Sturges USMCR.
  • Ray Powell

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