# VMF-441

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/VMF-441
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/VMF-441.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMF-441
> Source revision: 1340380253
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**Marine Fighting Squadron 441** (VMF-441) was a fighter squadron of the [Marine Forces Reserve](/source/Marine_Forces_Reserve) during the [Cold War](/source/Cold_War). Originally commissioned during [World War II](/source/World_War_II), the squadron fought during the [Battle of Okinawa](/source/Battle_of_Okinawa). Nicknamed "The Blackjacks", VMF-441 was credited with 49 planes shot during the course of the war.[1] Following the [surrender of Japan](/source/Surrender_of_Japan), the squadron was decommissioned on 11 July 1946. They were reactivated in the Marine Air Reserve and were based out of [Naval Air Station Niagara Falls](/source/Niagara_Falls_International_Airport), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)).

## History

### World War II

Marine Fighting Squadron 441 (VMF-441) was activated on 1 October 1942, at [Tutuila](/source/Tutuila) on [American Samoa](/source/American_Samoa) from elements of [VMF-111](/source/VMF-111) and flew the [F4F Wildcat](/source/F4F_Wildcat).[2][3] By the end of May 1943 the entire squadron had moved to [Funafuti](/source/Funafuti_International_Airport) in the [Ellice Islands](/source/Ellice_Islands) and this was followed on 28 September 1943, by another move to [Nanumea](/source/Nanumea_Airfield).[4] The squadron moved back to Tutuila in December 1943 where they transitioned to the [F4U-1 Corsair](/source/F4U_Corsair).[3]

On 1 January 1944, VMF-441 joined [Marine Aircraft Group 31](/source/Marine_Aircraft_Group_31) (MAG-31) on [Roi-Namur](/source/Roi-Namur). By March 1944 the squadron was again on the offensive conducting raids against [Mili](/source/Mili_Atoll) and [Jaluit](/source/Jaluit_Atoll).[4]

During the [Battle of Okinawa](/source/Battle_of_Okinawa), VMF-441 landed at Yontan Airfield on 7 April 1945.[5] On 16 April 1945, four divisions of VMF-441 planes came to the rescue of the destroyer [USS *Laffey* (DD-724)](/source/USS_Laffey_(DD-724)) which had already been hit by five [kamikazes](/source/Kamikaze). Their Corsairs attacked a flight of 25 Japanese planes and were credited with shooting down 15½ enemy planes, losing one of their own because he was flying so low that both he and the Japanese plane he was chasing clipped *Laffey'*s [superstructure](/source/Superstructure).[6][7] The squadron was still on [Okinawa](/source/Okinawa_Island) when the Japanese [surrendered](/source/Surrender_of_Japan) in August 1945. Shortly thereafter, the squadron was alerted for [occupation](/source/Occupation_of_Japan) duty in mainland Japan as part of [Marine Aircraft Group 31](/source/Marine_Aircraft_Group_31) (MAG-31). Maj Paul T. Johnston, then commanding officer of the squadron, piloted the first Marine plane to land in mainland Japan when his F4U Corsair touched down at [Yokosuka](/source/United_States_Fleet_Activities_Yokosuka). He was quickly followed by the other 21 planes in his squadron. The squadron remained in Japan until March 1946. During their time on Occupation Duty the squadron logged over 3000 flight hours. They returned to the United States in April 1946 and were deactivated at [Marine Corps Air Station Miramar](/source/Marine_Corps_Air_Station_Miramar), [California](/source/California) on 11 July 1946.[2]

### Reserve years

VMF-441 was reactivated on 1 July 1949 at [Naval Air Station Niagara Falls](/source/Naval_Air_Station_Niagara_Falls), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)). During the [Korean War](/source/Korean_War) VMF-441 was mobilized for active duty beginning on 22 October 1951. The squadron remained at NAS Niagara Falls and continued to train until it was decommissioned in June 1959.[8]

## Unit awards

A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. VMF-441 was presented with the following awards:[9]

Ribbon Unit Award Presidential Unit Citation Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal National Defense Service Medal with one Bronze Star

## See also

- [United States Marine Corps Aviation](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps_Aviation)
- [Organization of the United States Marine Corps](/source/Organization_of_the_United_States_Marine_Corps)
- [List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons](/source/List_of_active_United_States_Marine_Corps_aircraft_squadrons)
- [List of decommissioned United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons](/source/List_of_decommissioned_United_States_Marine_Corps_aircraft_squadrons)

## Notes

1. Sherrod 1952, pp. 430.

1. Rottman 2002, pp. 444.

1. Crowder 2000, pp. 148.

1. Sherrod 1952, pp. 470.

1. DeChant 1947, pp. 225.

1. Alexander 1996, pp. 30.

1. DeChant 1947, pp. 226.

1. Crowder 2000, pp. 149.

1. Sherrod 1952, pp. 427.

## References

- Alexander, Joseph (1996). [*The Final Campaign: Marines in the Victory on Okinawa*](https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Publications/The%20Final%20Campaign%20Marines%20in%20the%20Victory%20of%20Okinawa%20%20PCN%2019000313500_1.pdf). Washington D.C.: U.S. Marine Corps Historical Center.
- Crowder, Michael J. (2000). *United States Marine Corps Aviation Squadron Lineage, Insignia & History – Volume One – The Fighter Squadrons*. Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 1-56311-926-9.
- DeChant, John A. (1947). *Devilbirds – The Story of United States Marine Aviation in World War II*. New York: Harper & Brothers.
- Rottman, Gordon L. (2002). *U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle – Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939–1945*. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31906-5.
- Sherrod, Robert (1952). [*History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II*](https://archive.org/details/historyofmarinec00sher). Washington, D.C.: Combat Forces Press. [OCLC 1261876](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1261876)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [VMF-441](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMF-441) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMF-441?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.