On 23 April 2020, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 251 "Thunderbolts" was temporary deactivated at homebase MCAS Beaufort (SC).
The squadron was activated as Marine Observation Squadron (VMO) 251 on 1 December 1941 at NAS North Island (CA) and started to fly the Grumman F4F Wildcat. The squadron transitioned to the F4U Corsair in 1944 and was redesignated Marine Fighter Squadron 251 (VMF-251). On 1 June 1945, VMF-251 was deactivated at Samar, Philippines Island and re-...activated a year later at Grosse Ile (MI) as a ready-reserve squadron. In 1950, the reserve status was switched to active service, transitioned to the AD-4 Skyraider at MCAS El Toro (CA) and was redesignated to Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF) 251.
In the fifties, the squadron moved to MCAS Iwakuni (Japan) and subsequently to MCAS Miami (FL). The Skyraider was swapped for the FJ-4 Fury in 1957. And with their start of the jet-age, the squadron was again redesignated to Marine Attack Squadron 251 (VMA-251) on 25 April 1951. In 1958, the squadron moved again, and again El Toro its homebase and they started to fly the F8U Crusader.
During the sixties, the Thunderbolts played an important role in the Cuban missile crisis when they were deployed to Guantanamo Bay (Cuba) and Jamaica. In 1962, VMF-251 was the first Marine F-8 squadron to deploy on board an aircraft carrier as part of Carrier Air Group Ten on the USS Shangri-La (CVA-38).
On 31 October 1964, the Thunderbolts became the first Marine squadron to transition to the F-4B Phantom II, this went go hand-in-hand with with a redesignation to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 251. Their last F-4S mission was flown in November 1985 after which the squadron transitioned to the F/A-18 Hornet.
Through the years, the Thunderbolts saw combat in Pacific campaigns including Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands, Santa Cruz, Luzon, and the Southern Philippines, this followed by the Korean War, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Inherent Resolve.
For 34 years, the Thunderbolts flew proudly the F/A-18A and later the C/D Hornet, the squadron colours will be temporarily cased and the unit will become an F-35C squadron at MCAS Cherry Point (NC). VMFA-251 ('DW-xxx') will become the first East Coast squadron to employ the F-35C from a carrier air wing.
Photo credit: Instagram Stephan_debruijn (VMFA-251 when deployed on board the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) in the Persian Gulf in 2007)
