VMSB-236 | Vederimus Et Distructimus

Black Panthers

 

 

The squadron was formed on 1 January 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station Mojave, California as Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 236 (VMSB-236) flying the SBD Dauntless. In April 1943 they moved to Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii for follow on training and eventually joined the war landing at Guadalcanal on 4 September 1943. From there the squadron took part in the first dive bombing strikes against Bougainville in preparation for the allied landing there on 1 November 1943. During the next year and a half the squadron would move frequently with its ground and air echelons being based in such places as Munda in the Solomon Islands, Torokina on Bougainville, Green Island in Papua New Guinea and Efate in what was then New Hebrides.

In January 1945 the squadron moved to Luzon in the Philippines and became part of Marine Aircraft Group 24 (MAG-24) at an airfield in Mangaldan near the Lingayen Gulf.[2] Later on they moved to Moret Field on Mindanao. The squadron stayed in the Philippines for the remainder of the war flying close air support missions in support of the Sixth United States Army and Eighth United States Army. VMSB-236 was deactivated on 1 August 1945 at Mindanao, Philippines two weeks before the surrender of Japan. The squadron conducted the first dive bombing attack against Bougainville and was credited with downing 4 Japanese aircraft during the course of the war.

 

 

Commissioned: 1 Jan 1943

Deactivated: 1 Aug 1945

Nickname: Black Panthers

Artist: Capt. Walter Jordin

Date of Insignia: 1943

 

Aircraft: SBD-3, SBD-4, SBD-5, SBD-6

 

 

 

Type-1

 

Australian embroidery on wool.

 

 

 

 

As is seen with other squadrons, the patch was reissued with the unit designation deleted for security reasons. The EGA, Marine Corps insignia, was placed in the upper left quadrant and a scroll with the motto "Vederimus Et Distructimus" placed at the bottom of the shield.

 

Type-2

 

American embroidery on twill.

 

 

 

 

 

MCAS Mohave | Marine Corps Air Station Mohave (Barstow, CA)

 

 

Pyrography on leather

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MCAS Mohave

 

Pyrography on leather | Design by Walt Disney Productions.

 

Read more about the base, here.