VMF-232 Red Devils Patch Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 (VMFA-232) — "Red Devils" — WWII Throwback Heritage Design The Red Devils of VMFA-232 are the oldest and most decorated fighter squadron in the United States Marine Corps, tracing their lineage to VF-3M, commissioned on 1 September 1925 at Naval Air Station San Diego, California. Originally equipped with Vought VE-7 biplanes, the squadron deployed to China in 1926-1927 during civil unrest, operating Boeing FB-1 fighters from the Marine landing strip at Tientsin — marking one of the earliest forward deployments in Marine aviation history. Redesignated VMSB-232 by 1941, the squadron was stationed at MCAS Ewa, Hawaii, where 19 of its 20 aircraft were destroyed or severely damaged during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. A Red Devil detachment on Wake Island suffered 25 Marines killed or captured. In August 1942, the Red Devils became the first Marine dive bomber squadron to strike Japanese forces, flying SBD-3 Dauntless aircraft from Henderson Field's 3,000-foot dirt runway on Guadalcanal as founding members of the legendary Cactus Air Force. When the squadron departed Guadalcanal on 13 October 1942, the Commanding Officer was the only pilot of the original fifteen able to walk away. During Vietnam, VMF(AW)-232 flew 5,785 sorties encompassing 7,273 flight hours and delivered 6,221 tons of ordnance over 290 consecutive combat days from Da Nang. The Red Devils became the last Marine squadron to leave Southeast Asia in September 1973. Today, VMFA-232 flies the F/A-18 Hornet from MCAS Miramar under MAG-11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. Perfect For: VMFA-232 veterans and active duty personnel, Red Devils alumni from any era, Guadalcanal campaign historians, Cactus Air Force enthusiasts, WWII Marine aviation collectors, and 3rd MAW personnel. This WWII throwback patch honors nearly a century of unbroken service — from open-cockpit biplanes in 1920s China to supersonic fighters over Iraq and Afghanistan, the Red Devils have defined Marine fighter aviation.
