USMC VMF/VMA-312 Fighter Squadron

[Greg Robinson]

I've had an email conversation with a Marine who served from 1949 until 1972. He's a Korean War vet. He mentioned a Marine who was a friend of his, a Major Dan Gillon who flew F4U Corsairs in Korea with fighter attack squadron VMA 312....the "checkerboarders". He also flew in that squadron in WW2 and I'm being told that "Pappy" Boyington had something to do with that squadron. I've never heard of this before and have only heard of that one squadron Boyington formed in the Pacific. Is this true?

 

Greg

[teufelhunde.ret]

Greg, when he got "in theater" in 42' he was first assigned to MAG-11, before becoming XO of 121... its entirely possible while with the Group he may have flown missions w/ 321. In the History & Museums publication of 1991 on the squadrons official history, there is no record of his assignment to 312, other than to mention a flyover by the squadron at his burial in Arlington. s/f Darrell

[Greg Robinson]

Darrell

 

Thanks. It may just be a cause of the fella having a "senior moment". I'm "just" 58 and have them all the time.

 

Major Gillon was a close friend of the man I've been corrosponding with but he passed away in 2001. And memory fades over time. I did a google search and Gillon did fly F4U's in both WW2 and Korea. His friend, "Top" Swank says he got shot down in Korea.

[Greg Robinson]

OK...maybe it's ME having a "senior moment". Here's what Maj Gillon's friend wrote in his email:

 

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Major Dan Gillon, USMC(Ret.), that flew with "Pappy Boynton's Checkerboard Squadron, in WWII.

 

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No mention was made of a squadron number. While Gillon did fly with VMA 312 in Korea it might have been another squadron in WW2. But 312 was called the "checkerboarders" in Korea which is what made me assume it was the same squadron.

 

Greg

[JFB]

I've had an email conversation with a Marine who served from 1949 until 1972. He's a Korean War vet. He mentioned a Marine who was a friend of his, a Major Dan Gillon who flew F4U Corsairs in Korea with fighter attack squadron VMA 312....the "checkerboarders". He also flew in that squadron in WW2 and I'm being told that "Pappy" Boyington had something to do with that squadron. I've never heard of this before and have only heard of that one squadron Boyington formed in the Pacific. Is this true?

 

Greg

 

Greg,

The title of your post caught my eye. My dad was a USN hydraulic specialist on the USS Bataan during the Korean War. He serviced the F4U Corsairs from VMF-312. I took him to an air show some time back which had a Corsair parked with its wings folded. After 50 years, he was still able to point out minute details of the plane!

 

Question: I am looking for a picture of a pilot wearing his flight jacket during this time period. I am having an exact repro made for my dad, however, it will have patches I have collected for the carriers he served on - USS Essex (CV-9) and USS Bataan (CVL-29). What I am interested in is how the pilots back then positioned the patches on their jackets. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

John