USMC VMA-322 Fighting Gamecocks Patch — USMC Embroidered Patch Fighting Gamecocks — Marine Attack Squadron 322 From the skies over Okinawa to the cockpits of A-4 Skyhawks over New England, VMA-322 "Fighting Gamecocks" carried the Marine Corps' attack mission for nearly five decades. This patch represents a squadron that earned its combat reputation flying Corsairs against Japanese kamikazes and continued to stand ready through the Cold War as one of the Marine Corps Reserve's premier attack squadrons. Marine Fighting Squadron 322 (VMF-322) was established on July 1, 1943, at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, flying the F4U Corsair. Deployed to the Pacific, the squadron became part of Marine Aircraft Group 33 and participated in the Battle of Okinawa, where tragedy struck on April 3, 1945, when over 150 of its members were killed when a kamikaze struck its lead support element. After deactivation, the squadron was reactivated during the Korean War in 1951, transitioning through F9F Cougars and FJ-3 Furies before receiving the A-4 Skyhawk in 1962. Based at Naval Air Station South Weymouth, Massachusetts, VMA-322 served as a Marine Reserve attack squadron until deactivation on June 27, 1992. Perfect For: VMA-322 veterans, A-4 Skyhawk pilots, NAS South Weymouth community, Marine Reserve aviation personnel, and Okinawa campaign historians. Attack from the reserves — VMA-322 Fighting Gamecocks.
