VMF-217 | "Max's Wild Hares"

[walika]

VMF-217 | "Max's Wild Hares"

 

Established at El Centro, CA on July 1, 1943
Deactivated at San diego Mar 19, 1946

DEPLOYMENTS
Solomons - January to June 1944 (F4U-1)
Marianas -August to November 1944 (F4U-l)
USS Wasp (CV-18) - February-March 1945 (FG-ID)

 

 

American fully embroidered. Leon Schlesinger Studio after a design by Maj. Howard Mayer.

 

 

 

In a letter dated July 22, 1985, Maj. Howard Mayer writes:

 

"While Marine Fighting Squadron 217 was forming at El Centro, California (in 1943) it was my drawing that was selected as the squadron logo. This drawing was then taken by Lt. J. E. P. Mogan to the Disney Studios. Since it depicted a rabbit as it's main character, the Disney Studio wouldn't do anything with it. Instead, they drew up a beautiful insignia showing a Marine Corps Bulldog in the ring. The sketch was then taken to Leon Schlesinger Studio and it was Leon Schlesinger who did the accepted rendition using Bugs Bunny. Thus the official insignia (in black and white) bears the inscription "copyright on Schlesinger". It was sometime later that the squadron picked up the nickname Max's Wild Hares - Max being Major Max Read- Skipper." Excerpt from a letter by Maj. Howard Mayer, USMC (ret.)

 

Source: Millstein, Jeff. U. S. Marine Corps Aviation Unit Insignia 1941-1946. p 49.

 

Maj Max Read led VMF-217 through its first 17 months, affording unusual continuity of leadership. The squadron did the majority of its training on the F4F Wildcat as there was a shortage of F4U Corsairs. After organization and training at El Centro, California, exchanging Wildcats for Corsairs in September, the "Wild Hares" proceeded to NAS North Island (San Diego) on December 12, 1943 and embarked on the USS Barnes (CVE-20) a week later for transit to the Pacific Theater. They arrived at Espiritu Santo on January 12, 1944, continuing to Bougainville on January 28, 1944. Two days later the squadron began striking the bypassed Japanese garrison at Rabaul. The first victory went to 1Lt L. E. Russell on the 31st, with an active February producing 16 more claims during the hard-fought Rabaul campaign and covering the Green Island landing.

From February through April the "Hares" lost nine Corsairs, with four pilots dead or missing, to all causes. The flight echelon returned to Espiritu Santo on March 19, 1944 and remained until June 1, 1944 when they embarked on the USS Santee (CVE-29), USS Cetus (AK-77) and a few other ships for a voyage to Guam. On August 4 VMF-217 was one of four MAG-21 squadrons flown ashore from the escort carrier USS Santee (CVE-29). Maj Jack Amende succeeded Read at year end, his Corsairs flying patrols and strikes in the Marianas until a new mission arose. After extra training at Ulithi, stressing navigation, the "Wild Hares" joined VMF-216 aboard Wasp (CV-18) in February 1945. Amende's pilots resumed scoring during the Tokyo strikes of February 16, 1945 - exactly one year after the previous combats at Rabaul. Five kills were credited in the Tokyo operation that cost skipper Jack Amende on the 17th. He was succeeded by Maj George Buck for the duration of the cruise.

On February 21 VMF-216 and VMF-217 provided direct air support to Marine infantry on Iwo Jima, strafing just ahead of the 4th Marine Division, repeating the process the next day. February operations cost five planes and two pilots besides Amende. In March VMF-217 lost one plane, with the pilot recovered. Late that month the flight echelon returned to Ewa, leaving some maintenance personnel aboard ship. In May 1945 the squadron returned to the United States, Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara, California, for reorganization and training for escort carrier duty. It was here that the squadron began training on the F6F Hellcat because all of the available F4U Corsairs were needed for anti-Kamikaze duty. Two junior officers took over Stateside in April and May before Maj Herb Peters arrived. He still had the squadron at El Toro in August 1945. At the time of the surrender of Japan they were attached to Marine Carrier Group 7 (MCVG-7) aboard the USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) and were preparing for another deployment. The squadron was deactivated at Naval Air Station San Diego on March 10, 1946.

 

 

VMF-217 insignia on a jeep - Bougainville, 1944.

 

 

 

 

 

VMF-217 F4U-1A Corsair on the ground at the Mariannas, 1944.

 

 

 

 

F41U-1A Corsair

 

 

 

[bobgee]

Here's the original Rejected Disney artwork for VMF-217. Personally I like it better! Semper Fi.......Bob