You can take a look at the various historical description of the Tomcats by clicking on each of the wars that the squadron has been involved in. We have slowly been compiling pictures from the past that have submitted by other Marines that were at one time (and always will be) a Tomcat.

You can also view some photos between 1999 - 2001. If you have any additional information on the Tomcat background, patches or pictures, please let us know or simply send them using our email address at webmaster@vma311.org

World War II

Marine Attack Squadron (VMA)-311 was initially commissioned a fighter squadron on Dec. 1, 1942, at Cherry Point, N.C., flying the SNJ Texan trainers. In April 1943, they received the new Vought F4U-1 Corsairand entered the Pacific Theater where they served with distinction until the end of World War II.

On Oct. 6, 1943, the squadron catapulted from the deck of the USS Nassau to Samoa Naval Air Station, in one of the earliest catapult operations of the F4U. Two days later, VMF-311 flew to Wallis Island and remained there until January 1944.

During America's "Island Hopping" campaign across the Pacific, the squadron's mission was to isolate Japanese forces on the bypassed islands, deny their escape and prevent their use of airstrips. The squadron continued strafing and bombing missions until moving to Okinawa in March 1945, and was the first Marine squadron to use fighter aircraft for dive bombing missions. The squadron, now flying the F4U-1C (a modification which include four 20mm cannons and pylons for 5-inch rockets), downed its first aircraft on April 7, 1945. Combat air patrols were the predominant mission until the war ended.

After the war, VMF-311 moved to Yokosuka, Japan, as part of the occupational forces. The nickname "Hell's Belles" was adopted by the squadron during World War II but was seldom used.

In April 1948, '311 received the first jet aircraft to be introduced to Marine aviation, the F-80A Shooting Star, followed in September by the F9F2 Panther. It was during this time that the squadron acquired the letters "WL" as its tail designator, leading to the nickname Willy Lovers. The evidence suggests that it was this nickname which inspired the heart on the squadron insignia.

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Korea

With the outbreak of war in Korea, the squadron moved to Pusan, where it flew the first Marine jet combat mission on Dec. 10, 1950, providing close air support for 8th Army units near the Chosin Reservoir. Similar missions were flown despite inclement weather, maintenance problems, and enemy antiaircraft fire. In two and a half years, the squadron amassed 18,851 combat sorties.

Even after the armistice was signed, VMF-311 continued to fly training missions to maintain readiness. It was early in 1957 that VMF-311 began to be referred to as the "Tomcats." This period also brought the new Grumman F9F-8 Cougar, thus upgrading the squadron's capabilities.

On June 1, 1957, the unit was redesignated Marine Attack Squadron-311. This didn't create any organizational problems as the emphasis was simply placed on a mission the squadron had so aptly performed during World War II and Korea. In the summer of 1958, VMA-311 began receiving the Douglas A4D2 Skyhawks, later redesignated the A-4B. The Tomcats began receiving the new A-4Es in mid-1963 and in March 1965 deployed to Japan with 20 A-4Es.

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Vietnam

During April 1965, VMA-311 was alerted to prepare to deploy to the Republic of Vietnam. In Vietnam the tempo of operations was intense. Operating from the air base at Chu Lai, the squadron flew 240 sorties flown from May 5-8, 1968, and by September the Tomcats had logged 25,000 combat sorties and were the undisputed pacesetter in what was believed to be a record number of combat sorties for any fixed wing squadron in a single conflict of war.

The squadron relocated to Da Nang air base in the summer of 1970. For VMA-311 the war ended on Jan. 29, 1973, with a total of 54,625 combat sorties flown and 105,000 tons of ordnance dropped in support of troops throughout Southeast Asia.

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The squadron flew the A-4aircraft until its return from Iwakuni, Japan, in June of 1988, and was moved to MCAS Yuma along with other MAG-13 squadrons. Prior to its transition into the new AV-8B aircraft, VMA-311 was the proud recipient of the coveted Lawson H.M. Sanderson Award, qualifying the squadron for the 1988 Marine Attack Squadron of the Year by the Marine Corps Aviation Association.

On Aug. 11, 1990, the Tomcats were ordered to Saudi Arabia in support of I Marine Expeditionary Force units deployed for Operation Desert Shield. Operating from the King Abdul Aziz naval air base, VMA-311 was the forward-most fixed wing aircraft unit in theater.

On Jan. 17, the Tomcats became the first Marine squadron to employ the V-8B Harrier in combat, striking Iraqi positions in southern Kuwait in preparation for the coalition ground offensive. During the Persian Gulf War, the squadron flew 1,017 combat sorties and dropping 840 tons of ordnance on enemy targets.

Returning to Yuma in April 1991, the squadron was awarded the Marine Corps Aviator Association's Attack Squadron of the Year for 1991. On April 9, 1992, the Tomcats received their first Night Attack AV-8B and was formally assigned as a night attack squadron.
For more information on VMA-311 including pictures and history, check out this site.

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Lately

In May of 1996, Marine Attack Squadron 311 became the sole provider of Harrier support to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. The Tomcats continued their proud history and met the challenge by providing six back-to-back detachments, with the last returning in August of 1999. This commitment is unmatched by any Marine Attack Squadron.

A for Attack
Anytime you see an A in a military aircraft designation, it means the aircraft is designed to attack ground forces. That means it fires air-to-ground weapons and drops bombs. It doesn't primarily engage in air-to-air dogfights against other aircraft. The Harrier mission is to attack and destroy surface targets, providing close-air support for U.S. Marine Corps ground forces.

Movie Hero
Harrier aircraft were the heroes in the 1996 movie, True Lies, which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis and Tom Arnold. After taking out a bridge to stop nuclear terrorists, the Harrier hovers over downtown Miami to rescue a damsel in distress. According to Internet Movie Database, the filmmakers paid the U.S. government $100,736 (or about $2,400 an hour) for the use of three Marine Harriers and their pilots. Not all of the aircraft details are authentic in the film. For example, the bullet holes left in the villains' trucks are too small; and the aircraft canopy isn't really shattered in the battle, it was broken to avoid reflections in the glass.

War Hero
In the 42 days of Operation Desert Storm, 86 Harrier II aircraft flew 3,380 combat missions for a total of 4,083 combat hours. They delivered more than 6 million pounds of ordnance in the 1991 conflict. The Harrier was recognized by Secretary of Defense Cohen as one of the three most significant weapon systems in Desert Storm.

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