VMF-451 | "Blue Devils"

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VMF-451 | "Blue Devils"

Established | MCAS Mojave, CA on February 15, 1944
Deployment | USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) January to May 1945 (F4U-1D)
Deactivated | 10 Sep 1945
Aircraft| F4U-1D Corsair; F6F-5 Hellcat

AERIAL COMBAT RECORD | 34 victories, 1 ace

 

Artist | Dorothy Ramsey Johnstone

Date of Insignia | 1944

Authorization | HQMC

 

American embroidery on wool.

 

 

 

VMF-451 was fortunate enough to have Maj Hank Ellis as its first CO. An old hand in US Marine Corps aviation, he had previously led VMF-214 for a month in the summer of 1943 and therefore brought operational experience to his new command. His exec, Herbert "Trigger" Long, was already an ace after service with VMF-121 and VMF-122 flying F4Fs and F4Us.

Alerted for carrier duty in December 1944, the "Blue Devils'" air echelon joined Bunker Hill at Alameda, California, in January while the ground echelon remained at Mojave. Ellis' VMF-451 teamed up with Maj Ed Roberts' VMF-221 in augmenting CVG-84, whose fighter squadron also flew Corsairs. Upon arrival at Ulithi Atoll in early February the Marines received refresher navigation training, as recent experience revealed a weakness in that vital skill. The initial operation was a major evolution - the Fast Carrier Force's first strikes against Tokyo. Almost one year to the day after establishment, Ellis led his pilots into leaden skies over the enemy homeland on February 16. Two pilots shared the squadron's first kill, an Aichi E13A "Jake" floatplane, and added a Zero the next day while losing three F4Us. The skipper returned with claims for three fighters damaged,
which proved to be his only scores of the war.

From home waters the task force sailed south, supporting the Iwo Jima landings on the 19th. It was a landmark event - carrier-based leathernecks working with Marine riflemen. The second line period began on March 14, and it saw carrier aircraft mainly operating against the enemy home islands. Airborne bandits and flak were plentiful, with eight planes and four pilots missing. On April 3 the squadron claimed 12 kills over Wan airfield on Kikai Island, three victories being credited to 1Lt Bill Peek. Four days later carrier-based Marine aviators got a look at an enemy fleet unit as TF 38 carrier air groups sank the 64,000-ton battleship "Yamato, a light cruiser and four destroyers en route to Okinawa.

In April the "Blue Devils" lost seven F4Us and two pilots, but conversely the squadron's best day came on the 12th of that same month when it downed 16 planes west of Okinawa. Maj Archie Donahue claimed three "Vals" and two "Zekes" to become the US Marine Corps' only carrier-based ace in a day. Meanwhile, 1 Lts George Petersen, Ray Swalley and fohn Webb each scored doubles. "Trigger" Long achieved double ace status with a "Val" on April 16. 1Lt John Norris ended the squadron's scoring string with a "Zeke" on May 11. That date also ended Bunker Hill's combat career after kamikazes knocked her out of the war with 389 dead or missing and 246 wounded. The US Marine Corps units lost 30 men combined. While aboard ship VMF-451 wrote off 30 Corsairs to all causes.

Upon returning to California the squadron set up shop at El Centro, where Archie Donahue assumed command in mid July. The "Blue Devils" ended their war there on VJ Day.

MCAS Mohave, 1944. Honorary VMF-451 squadron member Veronica Lake wearing her flight jacket at the party for the introduction of the official squadron insigne. Ms. Lake is showing the effects of the squadron punch.

Blue Devils, The Story of Marine Aviation Squadron VMF-451
http://youtu.be/FBvYfNi51wE

 

 

Sources

Millstein, Jeff. U. S. Marine Corps Aviation Unit Insignia 1941-1946.

Tillman, Barrett. U. S. Marine Corps Fighter Squadrons of World War II.