VMA-214 Black Sheep - Squadron Page Preview

December 1, 1942: VMA-214 was commissioned as a fighter squadron (VMF) at Cherry Point, North Carolina, one year after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

The squadron, utilizing twelve SNJ Texan trainers, was charged with readying pilots for combat and emphasized fighter tactics, gunnery and night flying.

This vital Replacement Training function deterred VMF-311 from entering World War II until 1943.

April 3, 1943: VMF-311 was relocated to Parris Island, South Carolina, and received the F4U-1 Vought Corsair as replacement aircraft.

The Hells Belles then deployed to Miramar, California, prior to entering the Pacific Theater.

October 8, 1943: VMF-311 arrived at the Wallis Island area in the Pacific via the carrier USS Nassau; and catapulted from the Nassau to their base ashore at Samoa Naval Air Station.

March 23, 1944: The squadron moved to Kwajalein Island and flew its first combat missions on the arrival day.

That day, VMF-311 aircraft attacked the islands of Wotje, Emidj and others within the Marshall Island area.

Thus the Hells Belles became the first Marine squadron to utilize fighter aircraft for dive bombing missions and logged over 4,000 hours against Japanese forces in the Pacific.

VMF-311's 1943 mission during the campaign across the Pacific, was to isolate Japanese forces on bypassed islands, deny their escape and prevent their use of airstrips.

From 1943 to March 1945: Following a short sea deployment aboard the carriers USS BRENTON and USS SITKOH BAY, the squadron moved to Yantan Airfield, Okinawa.

While there, VMF-311 led its parent organization, Marine Aircraft Group 31, in enemy aircraft kills with seventy-one.

Majors Perry L.

SHUMAN and Michael R.

YUNCK became aces with six and five enemy aircraft destroyed respectively.

April 7, 1945: VMF-311 defending the fleet against Kamikaze attack with combat air patrols (CAP), downed its first aircraft.

The CAP was the predominant mission until World War II ended.

1945: Following World War II, VMF-311 was assigned to the Far East Air Force Command and flew reconnaissance missions in the Tokyo Bay area.

It was then moved to Tsingtow, China.

June 1946: VMF-311 returned to the United States and after another short stay at Miramar, settled down at Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, California.

The squadron was deactivated during July 1946 but quickly reactivated in November 1946.

April, 1948: The "Black Sheep" received the first jet aircraft to be introduced to Marine Aviation.

These came in the form of sixteen TO-1's, better known as the P-80 "Shooting-Star".

September 1949: The TO-1 "Shooting-Star" was followed by the F9F-2 Grumman Panther.

April, 1949: VMF-311 deployed overseas again to combat in the Korean conflict.

December 12, 1950: VMF-311 flew the first Marine jet combat mission from K-9 Airfield at Pusan.

The squadron later moved to more permanent airfield facilities at K-3, an old Japanese airstrip at Pohang, and compiled a total of 18,851 combat missions by the end of hostilities.

The "Willie Lovers" provided close air support for the Army at the Chosin Reservoir.

Captains Ted Williams and John Glenn flew with VMA-214 while in Korea.

June 1951: During June VMF-311 flew 2,300 combat missions, a record unequalled by any other fighter squadron since that time. "Tomcat" pilots during this period included such famous Americans as Captains Ted WILLIAMS of baseball fame and John GLENN, later to become one of our nations first astronauts.

June 1954: The squadron took first place in the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing gunnery meet held in Korea.

April 27, 1955: The "Black Sheep" left Korea for El Toro, California.

In their initial year at El Toro, the squadron took first place in 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing flight time with 10,266 hours.

They later took first place in the rocket phase of the 3rd MAW gunnery meet, and also won the Pacific Flight Safety Award.

1957: VMF-311 won the "Attack Trophy" in 1957.

It also received the first F9F-8 Grumman Cougar jets in Marine aviation during February of that year.

1958: VMF-311 was redesignated as a Marine attack squadron (VMA) and became the first West Coast Marine squadron to receive the A4D2 (A-4B) Douglas Skyhawk.

During the same year, the squadron again took the 3rd MAW Rocket trophy, was the first squadron to qualify all pilots in air-to-air refueling, and won the coveted Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award.

May 3, 1960: 1st Lt.

Neal C.

Dadurka, 25, died at the March AFB hospital Thursday from injuries suffered when his A4D-2 Skyhawk crashed Wednesday.

Lt Dadurka, from MCAS El Toro, was pulled from his blazing aircraft after crashing short of a civilian air strip 5 miles south of Lake Elsinore after an apparent flame out and attempted dead-stick landing on the 3,000-foot strip.

Redlands Daily Facts, Friday, May 6, 1960.

1st Lt.

Neal C.

Dadurka of VMA-214 suffered fatal injuries in the crash of his Skyhawk near March AFB.

He was returning to El Paso, Texas after a cross-country flight.

Dadurka was attempting to make an emergency landing after the loss of hydraulic power.

A History of Marine Attack Squadron 311 page 35.

May 3, 1961: 1st Lt.

Joseph S.

Andre was killed when his Skyhawk flew into the water about a mile off the bow of the USS Midway after launching for a routine flight as they steamed through the South China Sea.

1945 A4D BuNo 142839 of VMA-214, Pilot 1st Lt., Joseph Smith Andre, USMC, crashed into the sea approximately two miles off the starboard bow at latitude 18-04.2N, longitude 144-31.5E and sank in 2000 fathoms of water.

USS Rupertus (DD-851) and USS MacKenzie (DD-836) were detached to commence search for pilot.

USS Midway deck log, 03 May 1961.

June 3, 1961: 1st Lt.

Harold L.

Frohiep ejected from his A-4 from an altitude of about 2,000 feet when, about 25 miles from the Midway, he noticed that his aircraft was on fire.

He was rescued less than an hour later by the USS Chevalier DD-805.

1714 A4D BuNo 142938 of VMA-214, Pilot 1/LT Frohiep, USMC, crashed into the sea.

USS MacKenzie (DD-386) and USS Chevalier (DDR-805) proceeded to last known position of pilot to recover him.

Helicopter dispatched to pilot's position.

A4D's report pilot in sight.

1857 USS Chevalier (DDR-805) commenced approach alongside.

1905 First line over.

1915 Commenced transfer of light freight and personnel.

The pilot 1/LT Frohiep, USMC, was received on board.

The Medical Officer reports the pilot in excellent condition.

USS Midway deck log, 03 June 1961.

June 25, 1964: Capt.

Phillip C.

Light, safely bailed out of his flaming A-4E Skyhawk (BuNo 150099) near Twenty Nine Palms and was picked up within minutes by a Marine Corps helicopter.

He was flying a practice bombing mission with another A4E.

Independent, Long Beach, CA, Friday, June 26, 1964.

November 3, 1964: Capt.

Philip C.

Light (USMC Reserve) ejected successfully from his VMA-214 A-4E Skyhawk (BuNo 150108) when it crashed and burned at 9:55 p.m. last night approximately 73 miles east of Yuma within the confines of the range complex.

Capt.

Light is a member of VMA-214 based at MCAS El Toro and is at MCAS Yuma for annual training and the accident is attributed to a power failure.

The Sun, Wednesday, November 4, 1964.

March 1965: In March of 1965, VMA-214 was the first squadron to flight ferry the newer A-4E Douglas Skyhawks across the Pacific to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan.

May 11, 1965: VMA-214 received orders to deploy 8 A-4Es to the advanced Marine expeditionary airfield at Chu Lai, Republic of Vietnam.

The "Black Sheep" arrived at Chu Lai on 1 June 1965 and commenced combat missions against Communist forces that same afternoon utilizing jet assisted takeoffs (JATO) and M-2 arresting gear for landings.

This Marine Corps short airfield for tactical support (SATS) consisted of 3,600 feet of aluminum matting and two sets of arresting gear.

It was the first such installation ever utilized by any U.S. military forces in combat.

October 7, 1965: 1st Lt.

Monty Doyel (Doyle?) ejected safely from A-4E BuNo 151192 after he went off the Chu Lai runway, plowed through the dirt hitting the Morest engine and shearing both mains off and rupturing the wing fuel cell, clipped off parts of the crash truck and ripped a drop tank to pieces before becoming airborne because of mismatched JATO bottles (one A-4 15 degree and one KC-130 30 degree.) He ejected over the bay when the helo arrived on station after which his Skyhawk flew about aimlessly for 12-15 minutes putting on a dangerous airshow over the beach before crashing into the South China Sea despite Maj.

Speed Shea’s attempt to shoot it down.

From Col.

J.T. “Birdie” Birdwell and Col. "Speed" Shea.

A portion of the article written by Birdie follows: ...

When the bottles were fired during the takeoff roll, a sideways moment was created, sending 1st Lt.

Dick Jarrell’s aircraft almost completely off the runway before getting airborne.

The pilot radioed the tower and told them that something was terribly wrong, but the word never got passed to the squadrons.

Later that evening when it was completely dark, 1st Lt.

Monty Doyel had the same thing happen; but that time, the aircraft did go off the runway, plowed through the dirt, hit the landing mirror, clipped off parts of the crash truck and ripped a drop tank to pieces, miraculously becoming airborne while dripping fuel all over the area.

The difference in the two takeoffs was literally night and day – the pilot during the day could see and “caught” the relative motion.

The pilot at night couldn’t see, and therefore could not react fast enough.

After flying around for 15 minutes and almost running out of JP, Lt Doyel was told he had to eject.

His words were a discouraged, almost tearful, “Oh no!” He ejected in the dark at sea and was picked up by a helicopter. (The aircraft engine was left running at idle, because there had been a case in which an ejection seat had not fired and a power-on controlled crash landing is a better alternative than an uncontrolled one without an engine.) After his ejection, the Skyhawk continued to fly around aimlessly, and it was quite a dangerous air show for those watching from the beach at Chu Lai.

The airplane had everyone looking up and ducking.

Maj.

Speed Shea was airborne at the time and attempted to no avail to shoot the meandering plane down.

The A-4 flew for 12-15 minutes after the ejection, eventually running out of fuel (or stalling) before it crashed in the South China Sea.

Needless to say, flight operations ceased that evening until the problem with JATO bottles was figured out.

October 28, 1965: A-4C BuNo 148595 was destroyed in a Viet Cong raid on Chu Lai.

Four A-4Cs assigned to VMA-224 and one A-4C assigned to VMA-214 were damaged.

A-4C BuNo 148550 assigned to VMA-225 was heavily damaged and initially listed as destroyed, but was shipped to NAS Atsugi, Japan in 1967 and was rebuilt.

Morgantown, WV, The Morgantown Post, Saturday, October 30, 1965 US Armed Forces, Stars and Stripes, Saturday, October 30, 1965.

A-4C Skyhawks BuNo 148550 and 148595, VMA-214, MAG-12, USMC, Chu Lai.

During the night of 27/28 October VC sappers attacked the Marine bases at Chu Lai and Marble Mountain.

About 20 Vietnamese infiltrated the flight line at Chu Lai and threw satchel charges into the tail pipes of the parked Skyhawks destroying two and damaging six more of VMA-214’s aircraft.

Fortunately, several charges failed to detonate.

Aviation fuel was leaking from aircraft that had been riddled with machine gun fire and armorers braved bullets and flames to unload ordnance from the aircraft to reduce the danger of further damage.

1965 - 1968: VMA-214 deployed twice to Iwakuni during the ensuing two years for short reforming and training cycles.

While in Japan, VMA-214 retained its combat capability to support Marine contingency commitments outside of Vietnam.

March 9, 1966: 1st Lt.

Augusto Maria "Gussie" Xavier was killed when he crashed (BuNo 148518) into the side of a mountain as he was leaving the target area after a strafing run about 80 miles west of Da Nang in support of beleaguered U.S.

Special Forces (Green Berets) and ARVN troops in the A Shau valley.

Lt.

Xavier was leading a flight of four A-4 Skyhawks on a pre-dawn close air support mission under parachute flares dropped by a C-123.

Lt.

Xavier was awarded a posthumous Silver Star for his determination in pressing home his attack in foul weather in an attempt to support the defenders on the ground.

May 5, 1966: BuNo 147808 was being extracted back to Chu Lai for repairs by an Army helo, probably a CH-54 Flying Crane.

The external load became unstable and the aircraft had to be jettisoned.

May 11, 1966: 1st Lt.

James Henderson Villeponteaux, Jr. was killed in mid-air collision with VMA-214 A-4E BuNo 151994 during a nighttime Steel Tiger strike 7 miles E of Saravan in southern Laos.

Although badly damaged 151994 returned safely to Chu Lai.

While circling the target area, 1st Lt Villeponteaux's aircraft collided with the other aircraft for unknown reasons.

The other aircraft's pilot regained control and immediately attempted to make radio contact with 1st Lt Villeponteaux but was unsuccessful, and soon after saw a brilliant flash on the ground.

The flight leader began searching for 1st Lt Villeponteaux's aircraft but was forced to return to base due to the severe damage to his own aircraft.

An extensive search of the flight area was conducted the next day but was unsuccessful in locating the downed Skyhawk.

POW Network.

September 16, 1966: 1st Lt.

Thomas Howard Hawking, 24, safely ejected from his A-4 Skyhawk (BuNo 152020) after it struck a tree during a bombing run in support of a minor offensive by the 101st Airborne Division in Phu Yen Province about 15 miles SW of the central coastal city of Tuy Hoa.

He was spotted by an Army Huey which wasn't equipped for rescue work and was killed during rescue when he fell out of the improvised sling.

The Capital Times, Friday, Sept.

16, 1966.

November 12, 1966: Maj.

John Henry Gallagher, 37, (BuNo 150088) was killed in a take-off accident at Chu Lai.

July 6, 1967: Maj.

Ralph E.

Brubaker, 33, ejected safely from his disabled A4 Skyhawk (BuNo 151032) Thursday night after a SAM missile struck his A4 Skyhawk about 20 miles north of the DMZ.

Maj.

Brubaker suffered a dislocated right hip and was unable to contact other aircraft because of his location.

He climbed 20 feet up a bank and was able to contact an Air Force plane who contacted rescue aircraft.

Maj.

Brubaker huddled in the bomb crater for nine hours before being rescued by a Jolly Green Giant piloted by Maj.

James F.

Hicks.

The Register, Danville, VA, Saturday, July 8, 1967.

Maj.

Ralph Brubaker ejected and was rescued by a SAR helicopter in the DMZ the next day after his Skyhawk was hit by a SA-2 missile on an Iron Hand strike about four miles N of Thon Cam.

September 27, 1967: Maj.

Gerald L.

Ellis ejected and was rescued by a USAF Jolly Green Giant helicopter five miles out to sea after his Skyhawk (BuNo 152056) was hit while attacking a AAA gun sites near the village of Thon Cam Son.

Ellis and Maj.

John W.

Warrender launched early Sept.

27 and once in the target area contacted the USAF FAC who had spotted four artillery positions in a triangular formation of trees.

Unable to spot the first marking rocket the FAC made another mark that they spotted.

As Ellis attacked the target he was hit and Warrender saw his plane pouring smoke.

Although the right side of the instrument panel was destroyed and the engine was badly damaged he continued the attack and dropped his 500 lb. bombs on the target and continued heading out to sea.

Newspaper article by Cpl.

R.R.

Keene from Don Johnson.

January 21, 1968: Capt.

Bobby G.

Downing, 30, ejected and was rescued after his Skyhawk (BuNo 151140) was hit as he was strafing enemy troops six miles north of Khe Sahn.

Capt.

Downing tried to reach Khe Sanh but had to eject about one mile short where he was rescued by a USMC UH-1E helicopter as his wingman made runs against the advancing enemy troops.

January 23, 1968: Maj.

William E.

Loftus ejected directly over Khe Sanh after his Skyhawk received heavy battle damage as he commenced a strafing run at 1,500 feet on an enemy troop concentration.

As the smoking A-4 knifed into the lush jungle growth and erupted in a brilliant orange fireball, Major Loftus floated down and landed in an outer ring of barbed wire just outside of Company B, 1st Battalion, 26th Marines perimeter.

Lieutenant Dillon, the 2d Platoon commander, took several men out and helped extricate the major who had become helplessly entangled in his parachute shroud lines and the barbed wire.

March 22, 1968: Maj.

John A.

Herber ejected from his Skyhawk (BuNo 151077) during a nighttime TPQ-10 beacon bombing mission near Hoi An, south of Da Nang.

March 24, 1968: Capt.

Charles Wilbur Porterfield was on a Hot Pad Launch when his Skyhawk (BuNo 152068) went out of control and he aborted the takeoff.

His A-4E (BuNo 152068) veered off the runway and exploded.

Even though he ejected, he did not survive the accident.

May 5 through 8, 1968: VMA-214 flew 240 sorties from Chu Lai, RVN.

May 6, 1968: Maj.

Norman E.

Pridgen ejected and was rescued (BuNo 151198) after a mid-air collision with VMA-223 Capt.

Manual A.

Guzeman in A-4C BuNo 145096 who was leading a two-plane section into the A Shau Valley.

Maj.

Pridgen was leading a flight of two and in the process of checking in with the FAC.

Capt.

Guzeman checked in and states he is low on fuel.

I tell the FAC that I can wait, as I turn, to move out of the area, my aircraft vibrates and shudders.

I was at about 8,000 ft. so I did not think it could be groundfire.

My wingman called and said a flight of 2 A-4's had let down between the two of us and struck my aircraft in the tail.

I managed to fly it to coast and when it became uncontrollable, I ejected at 10,000 feet.

From Norman E.

Pridgen, LtCol.

USMC ret., 04 April 2016.

May 17, 1968: Maj.

R.W.

Wardlaw, Jr. ejected and was rescued after his Skyhawk (BuNo 149970) was hit by small arms fire while attacking enemy troops seven miles N of Khe San.

September 2, 1968: Maj.

Donald S.

Carr ejected from his Skyhawk (BuNo 150100) near Phuc Loc 30 miles W of Da Nang and was rescued by a helicopter.

Maj.

Carr was damaged by ground fire after bombing a target near Nom Tru'ong Nam Dong 30 miles west of Da Nang.

November 11, 1968: Capt.

Philip Dennis Barger, 26, was killed when his Skyhawk (BuNo 149660) was hit by small arms fire during a close air support mission near Phu Loc, 25 miles NW of Da Nang.

The aircraft crashed close to the target before he could eject.

November 30, 1968: DBR when it jumped its chocks during engine run-up and hit a building.

Comment by Jim Davis as to the real cause of this: I was in check crew when this happened.

I know the whole story.

I was supposed to be in that plane doing a leak check run up before taking the plane to the "burn ramp" for high power settings.

The ordnance shop needed me, so Sgt.

Smith "Smitty", did the run up instead.

Avionics had removed the fuel flow transmitter the night before for trouble shooting another aircraft and disconnected the fuel control linkage to do so.

They failed to tell anyone that they did this.

So, check crew was ready to complete trimming the engine and return the aircraft for service.

You see the result of their actions.

Smitty lived, he dove out of the airplane before it hit the fuel pump house building, but his injuries got him medically discharged.

This accident made front page of Approach Magazine on how something that seemed like a good idea went really wrong.

From Clint Parrish.

From May through September 1968: The Black Sheep had flown 25,000 combat sorties and flown the most combat sorties of any fixed wing squadron in a single conflict of war.

March 21, 1969: A-4E Skyhawks BuNo 150041, BuNo 151043, BuNo 151124 and BuNo 151149 were destroyed in an NVA rocket attack at Chu Lai.

May 23, 1969: 1st Lt.

Peter W.

Otis ejected and was rescued when his Skyhawk (BuNo 150119) was hit by ground fire during a napalm run 16 miles NW of Da Nang.

August 15, 1969: SSGT Boyd L.

Whitted, VMA-214 was killed in ground accident.

October 17, 1969: 1st Lt.

T.W.

Howick ejected safely when he aborted his CAS mission on take-off from Chu Lai with six Mk-82's.

The Skyhawk (BuNo 150107) was destroyed in the ensuing fire, and he was medically evacuated out of country.

December 6, 1969: 1st Lt.

Richard Vogelpohl aborted his takeoff due to a blown tire and his Skyhawk (BuNo 150080) was DBR when it veered off the runway.

February 26, 1970: 1st Lt.

J.E.

Barksdale ejected and was rescued by a USMC helicopter.

His Skyhawk (BuNo 151135) was hit during a dusk flight by small arms fire while attacking a number of trucks on a mountain road about 30 miles SW of Hue.

The port side of the fuselage was hit which started a small fire.

By the time he reached Chu Lai it was dark, and he ejected a few miles off the coast rather than risking an emergency landing.

11 APR 1970: 1st Lt.

Jan Houston Nelson, 25, was killed (BuNo 152099) when he failed to pull out of a dive after bombing an enemy base camp about 12 miles SW of Da Nang.

Originally listed as missing, not recovered, declared KIA 19 May 1970.

May, 1970: In May, the Black Sheep logged its 40,000th combat mission in Vietnam, more than any other Marine jet squadron in country.

As of 1 June 1970, VMA-214 had dropped more than 75,000 tons of ordnance on the enemy in support of Free World forces in Southeast Asia.

The squadron's outstanding safety record was highlighted during October 1969 when it again was awarded the Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award for fiscal year 1969 for flying 10,020 consecutive accident-free combat missions.

June 7, 1970: Capt.

Fredrick Palka ejected and was rescued.

While flying near Dak To, 120 miles southwest of Chu Lai in II Corps, his Skyhawk (BuNo 150062) was hit by ground fire.

Captain Palka stated: I heard a cracking noise, then the plane became uncontrollable.

I remember flying upside down and, by some miracle, the plane straightened out and I bailed out as soon as I saw sky.

I spent nearly 40 minutes on the ground in the middle of a firefight before an Army helicopter picked me up.

History of Marine Attack Squadron 311: A USMC Capt. rolled in on one of his last bomb runs and just prior to the pickle point there was a sudden thump and the plane jerked violently.

He immediately attempted to drop his ordnance and pull out but didn't feel any control response.

The plane continued the run, bounced off the ground and started a roll to the left.

His wingman and the FAC saw the aircraft on fire on pull-off from the target and the FAC called EJECT.

The pilot initiated ejection while the Skyhawk was inverted, and the seat left the aircraft after it completed its roll and was upright.

The plane continued to roll and hit the ground.

Naval Aviation News, Grampaw Pettibone, January 1971.

Sept 1, 1970: 1st Lt.

John David Lawson, 26, was killed when his Skyhawk (BuNo 150028) crashed into a hill without dropping its napalm during a mission supporting the ARVN near Ba Long, 15 miles SW of Quang Tri.

According to Swiss photographer Giancarlo Meyer ... the jet screamed in and there was a deafening explosion.

A huge orange and black fireball shot more than 100 feet into the air and pieces of metal flew in all directions.

The fully loaded A4 Skyhawk on its first run, had smashed into the hillside killing the American pilot instantly.

The Times Standard, Monday, September 7, 1970.

Sept 11, 1970: 1st Lt.

Bernard Herbert Plassmeyer, 25, was killed when his Skyhawk (BuNo 151165) was hit by ground fire and crashed while attacking enemy troops on a ridgeline near the A Shau Valley 25 miles SE of Hue who were fighting elements of the 101st Airborne Division.

November 3, 1971: Ron Skelton (USMC) ejected safely when his VMA-214 Skyhawk (BuNo 151176) crashed in the ocean Wednesday morning 15 miles northwest of Naha AB, Okinawa.

Pacific Stars and Stripes, Thursday, Nov.

4, 1971.

That morning, I was flying my HAC (Helicopter Aircraft Commander) check with the squadron commander of HMM - 164, LtCol.

A.J. (Jerry) Kettering.

About mid-morning, we received a call on guard that an ejection had occurred just off Naha.

We were at Hamby Army Airfield just below MCAS Futenma.

After about a 15-20 minute run South and out to sea we sighted the wingman circling and he directed us to an oil spot and said he ejected very low and he had not seen the pilot since he left the a/c.

We established a circular search pattern based on the oil/fuel spot.

We assumed the on-scene commander role at that time.

Within minutes we were soon joined by an OV-10 and a Cobra.

So we had an A-4 at about 2-3,000 ft., an OV-10 about a 1,000 ft and a Cobra and us at about 100-200 ft all searching from the oil/fuel spot.

After 10-20 minutes we were thinking he never got out of his chute and it wasn’t looking good.

Unexpectedly, our crew chief spotted an orange smoke flare not 50 yards from the spot.

LtCol.

Kettering hovered over the pilot in the water and we lowered the hoist.

As we were moving the hoist to him, an USAF HH-43 came up and said he had a doctor on board and would like to make the pickup.

LtCol.

Kettering, a great CO, said that’s a good idea and we moved off.

I heard years later that the pilot was fine and his name was Rod or Rod Skelton.

From James E. (UGLY) Rogers, LCol, USMC (Ret.) January 29, 1973: VMA-214 left Vietnam having flown a total of 54,625 combat sorties and dropped 105,000 tons of ordnance during the conflict.

May 6, 1973, Masaaki hayakawa.

February 9, 1973: unknown USMC pilot (T.

B.

Donahoe) escaped injury when his (VMA-214) A-4E Skyhawk (BuNo 151999) crashed and overturned while landing at Iwakuni Tuesday.

Pacific Stars and Stripes, Friday, Feb.

9, 1973.

The Skyhawk was SOC March 26, 1973.

March 8, 1974: 1st Lt.

Mike Tenketh ejected safely when his (VMA-214) A4 Skyhawk (BuNo 150070) crashed in the sea four miles west of Naha, Japan Friday while on a routine training flight.

The pilot was picked up unhurt by a Japan Self-Defense Force helicopter in less than 15 minutes.

Pacific Stars and Stripes, Sunday, March 10, 1974.

March 18, 1978: 1st Lt.

Bill Powers, 30, ejected safely and was rescued by a MCAS Yuma SAR helicopter when his A-4 Skyhawk (BuNo 159476) from NAS El Toro crashed SE of Blythe on the Yuma proving ground Saturday.

Powers was on a routine training mission with another A-4 when the crash occurred.

The Yuma Daily Sun, Sunday, 19 March 1978.

July 7, 1980: 1st Lt.

Mark Brown, 27, MCAS El Toro ejected safely from his A-4 Skyhawk (BuNo 158418) near Bakersfield, CA, Monday night during a routine training flight.

The plane crashed about 15 miles NW of Bakersfield, and Brown was picked up by Kern County sheriffs' deputies and was treated at Delano Community Hospital.

The Los Angeles Times, Wednesday, 09 July 1980.

Unknown Navy pilot from NAS Lemoore ejected safely from his A-4 Skyhawk in a remote farming area of Kern County, CA.

The plane, tentatively id'd as a A-4 fighter, was found early today near the town of McFarland.

The pilot ejected late Monday at 25,000 feet and landed near Delano, eight miles S of the crash site.

Indiana Gazette, Tuesday, 08 July 1980.

1st Lt.

Mark Brown, 27, ejected safely from his A-4 Skyhawk after an in-flight fire while he was on a routine training flight.

VMA-214 A-4M BuNo 158418 was destroyed at Lemoore after aircraft crashed following fire/explosion in flight, 07 July 1980.

Pilot ejected.

Naval Safety Center via Jim Winchester.

May 10, 1982: Maj.

Richard Lyle Barton, Jr., 40, broke his leg early Monday when he ejected from his Skyhawk (BuNo 160038) for as yet undetermined reasons.

The Skyhawk crashed in a remote northern section of the USMC Twenty-Nine Palms Air Ground Combat Center (40 miles east of Barstow, CA).

The Register, Orange County, Tuesday, 11 May 1982.

VMA-214 A-4M BuNo 160038 was destroyed at 29 Palms when aircraft experienced engine failure on recovery from strafing run and crashed, 10 May 1982.

Pilot ejected.

Naval Safety Center via Jim Winchester.

AAR page 1, AAR page 2.

June 13, 1984: Capt.

Leon Doerner ejected when his A-4 Skyhawk (BuNo 159782) crashed into the Pacific Ocean 10 to 12 miles south of San Clemente Island Tuesday night while on a routine training mission.

Doerner was picked up by a U.S.

Navy helicopter and was treated for facial lacerations.

Orange County Register, Friday, June 15, 1984.

VMA-214 A-4M BuNo 159782 was destroyed at North Pacific Ocean (above Lat 45 Deg N) when aircraft experienced explosions and loss of control during PMCF.

13 June 1984.

Pilot ejected.

Naval Safety Center via Jim Winchester.

May 30, 1986: Capt.

Lionel J. "Digger" Rotelli Jr., 27, and Capt.

Steven N. "Bix" Bixler, 27, ejected safely when their VMA-214 El Toro based A-4 Skyhawks (160033 & 158158) collided over the Pacific Ocean on Friday and crashed 66 miles south of San Clemente Island during mid-air refueling.

The pilots were dropped off aboard the USS Ranger and returned to El Toro by a USMC helicopter.

The Orange County Register, Saturday, May 31, 1986.

VMA-214 A-4M BuNo 158158 and A-4M BuNo 160033 were destroyed at North Pacific Ocean (above Lat 45 Deg N) after midair collision during formation tanking evolution.

30 May 1986.

0 fatalities.

Naval Safety Center via Jim Winchester.

January 17, 1990: The Black Sheep were the first Marine squadron to employ the AV-8B Harrier in combat, striking Iraqi positions in southern Kuwait in preparation for the coalition ground offensive.

1990; During the Persian Gulf War, VMA-214 flew 1,017 combat sorties and dropping 8,000 tons of ordnance on enemy targets.

April 9, 1992: The Black Sheep received their first Night Attack AV-8B and VMA-214 was formally assigned as a night attack squadron.

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