VMF-314 | "Bob's Cats" | Disney design

[walika]

VMF-314 "Bob's Cats"

Established at Cherry Point on October l, 1943

 

Nickname of Unit: Bob's Cats
Artist: Walt Disney Studios
Date of Insignia: 1944
Authorization: HQMC
Aircraft Employed: F4U-1, SNJ-4, F4U-IC, FG-1D

Deployments: Okinawa - May to September 1945 (F4U-1 C)


Type 1 | American embroidery on wool.

 

 

Type 2 | Silkscreened

 

Capt Ted Olsen established VMF-314 at Cherry Point, North Carolina, on October 1, 1943. He remained in charge for just a month, followed by three interim COs until Maj Bob Cameron arrived at the end of November. His presence established the squadron nickname, "Bob's Cats".

VMF-314 departed the West Coast in June 1944, bound for Ewa, Hawaii, joining MAG-23. Like many squadrons, it rotated through Midway, returning to Hawaii in December. "Bob's Cats" remained in the islands until April 1945, when they transited to Engebi and on to le Shima, off Okinawa, in May, assigned to MAG-22.

1Lt Jerome Konzen scored the "Cats'" first victory when he downed a "Val" just north of the base on May 27. Only five more combats ensued, most notably with four kills on June 3 and the last five on the 22nd. In the latter, 1Lt John Leaper became the squadron's top shooter by scoring a triple.

In five months at Okinawa VMF-314 lost five aviators and 12 aircraft. All five of the killed or missing were lost in May. The squadron flew from Chimu from mid July to VJ Day, with Cameron ending 21 months at the helm of VMF-314 in early August. Postwar, Maj Chris Lee led the "Cats" to Kyushu on occupation duty, returning to El Toro in November, thence to Cherry Point.

 

 

Sources

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

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

 

[Bill Scott]

Rick as always just to look at your collection is an honor thank you.

[walika]

Rick as always just to look at your collection is an honor thank you.

 

Thanks for stopping by, Bill!

 

 

[The Iron Brigade]