VMF-223 | "Rainbow" and "Bulldogs" | Disney design

[walika]

VMF-223 | "Rainbow" and "Bulldogs"

Established at Ewa on May 1, 1942

Nickname of Unit: Rainbow Squadron
Artist: Walt Disney Studios
Date of Insignia: 12 April 1943
Authorization: HQMC
Aircraft: F2A-3, SNJ-3, SNJ-4, F4F-3, F4F-4, FM-1, F4U-1, F4U-4

DEPLOYMENTS
Guadalcanal -August to October 1942 (F4F-4)
Solomons - November 1943 to January 1945 (F4U-1)
Philippines - January to May 1945 (F4U-1/1C)
Okinawa-June to September 1945 (F4U-4)

AERIAL COMBAT RECORD
147.5 victories, 9 aces

Australian embroidery on wool. Design by Walt Disney Studios

 

 

In May 1942 Capt John L. Smith was a tough, no-nonsense officer who had never held a command. Nevertheless, he built one of the finest US Marine Corps squadrons of the Guadalcanal campaign. Upon forming at Ewa his exec was Capt Rivers Morrell, an Annapolis football star, and the engineering officer was Capt Marion Carl, who had scored a victory at Midway. Six pilots from other squadrons were attached to Smith before arrival at "Cactus", and seven more reported aboard during the Guadalcanal tour. Quickly carrier qualified, the squadron boarded Long Island for delivery to Guadalcanal on August 20. Now-Maj Smith took 19 Wildcats ashore with Lt Col Dick Mangrum's 12 SBD-3s. At Guadalcanal Smith and Carl would become the first major American aces of the war.

The Wildcats were badly needed, and went to work immediately. On the 21st Smith downed a Zero and 2Lt 1Gene Trowbridge claimed two in a fight between Lunga Point and Savo Island. Combat continued daily, peaking on the 24th - the day of the carrier clash known as the battle of the Eastern Solomons. The light carrier Ryujo launched B5N "Kates" against Hendersori Field, and during the day the Marines reported splashing 12 torpedo-bombers and four Zeroes. Marion Carl's four victories made him the first Marine ace, including his Midway Zero. 2Lt Z. A. Pond was credited with two single-engine bombers and a fighter. Trowbridge, proving highly consistent, contributed a bomber and fighter while 2Lts Ken Frazier and Fred Gutt also got doubles. Smith's pilots scored on each of their first six days ashore, totaling 28 victories through August 29. Smith became an ace that day with two "Bettys".

During late August and mid September Smith's unit was augmented by Maj Bob Galer's VMF-224 and the US Navy's VF-5. Meanwhile, "loaner" pilots joined Smith from VMF-212. Fighting 223 lost three planes on September 19, with Carl and lLt Clayton Canfield turning up safe but Pond remained missing. On September 28, in Marion Carl's words, "We really cleaned them out," claiming 23 of 27 raiders. The numbers were widely optimistic (the Japanese lost eight), but the "Cactus Air Force" was holding its own. Smith was shot down again on October 2, the CO coming down close enough to the airfield to be able to walk in. In the first three weeks ashore VMF-223 lost 18 Wildcats, including 14 to enemy action- seven in aerial combat, four damaged beyond repair and three bombed on the field. Four more were written off in operational accidents.

The squadron's final "Cactus" combat occurred on October 10 when Smith and four others splashed six floatplanes. That evening the squadron found time to celebrate Fred Gutt's 23rd birthday, dress varying between khaki, striped shirts and pajamas. Upon leaving Guadalcanal on October 12, VMF-223 had claimed 110 kills, including 23 by 11 pilots from VMF-212 and VMF-121. The latter included five by Marine Gunner Henry Hamilton and four by Joe Bauer, with contributions by "Fritz" Payne, "Doc" Everton, Jack Conger and Frank Drury. The squadron lost six pilots killed in action or accidents, with four more evacuated with injuries.

Smith was relieved immediately and returned Stateside for an eventual Medal of Honor. Upon reforming in January 1943, now-Maj Marion Carl took over and prepared to return to combat in Corsairs. The squadron was back in the Solomons that November, with Carl scoring one of four victories in F4Us near Rabaul on December 23. Sweeps and escorts to New Britain provided most ofVMF-223's activity through March, with now-Capt Fred Gutt adding to his Guadalcanal tally. Maj Bob Keller relieved Catl in early February, succeeded by two other COs through January 1945. At that time Maj Bob Flaherty took the squadron to the Philippines where, under MAG-14, it supported the US Army on Samar until called to Okinawa that spring.

Maj Howard King led the squadron's new F4U-4s to Kadena, Okinawa, in June, but it missed most of the air-to-air opportunities. The "Rainbow" Squadron claimed four "Tojos" over Amami 0 Shima on June 21, which proved to be the last victories in VMF-223's long war. Under Maj Julius "Buck" Ireland, a VMF-211 ace, the squadron finished the conflict at Awase.

VMF-223 was recognized with Presidential Unit Citations almost three years apart, for Guadalcanal and the Ryukyu campaign.

 

Sources

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

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

 

 

[The Iron Brigade]

Another great thread. Thanks Rick for sharing more of your collection with us.