Marine Fighting Squadron 236

VMA-236 is the Wikipedia designation for a former United States Marine Corps aviation squadron whose World War II lineage included the designations Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 236 (VMSB-236), Marine Attack Squadron 236 (VMA-236), and Marine Fighting Squadron 236 (VMF-236). The unit was nicknamed the Black Panthers. It was formed on 1 January 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station Mojave, California, during the rapid expansion of Marine aviation for the Pacific War, and initially operated Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers. After its formation, the squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii, in April 1943 for additional training. It deployed to the Pacific and reached Guadalcanal on 4 September 1943. The squadron subsequently participated in operations associated with the Bougainville Campaign. Its activities included what is described as the first Marine dive-bombing attack against Bougainville in preparation for the Allied landing on 1 November 1943. During the following year and a half, the squadron operated from a succession of forward bases and staging areas, including Munda in the Solomon Islands, Torokina on Bougainville, Green Island in Papua New Guinea, and Efate in the then-New Hebrides. In January 1945, the squadron moved to Luzon in the Philippines and became part of Marine Aircraft Group 24. It was based initially at an airfield near Mangaldan and Lingayen Gulf, and later moved to Moret Field on Mindanao. In the Philippines, its principal wartime role was close air support for formations of the United States Sixth Army and Eighth Army. The unit is credited with shooting down four Japanese aircraft during the war. It was decommissioned at Mindanao on 1 August 1945, shortly before Japan's surrender. The squadron was reactivated in the Marine Corps Reserve on 28 February 1947 at Naval Air Station Denver. It remained associated with the reserve establishment for a later period before being deactivated again in the late 1960s. No other Marine Corps squadron is identified as having continued VMA-236's lineage and honors after that deactivation. Because the subject is a military unit rather than a commercial brand, it has no consumer product portfolio, public-company structure, commercial headquarters, or publicly traded securities. Its significance rests on its unit identity, wartime service, aircraft operations, campaign participation, and Marine Corps institutional lineage.

Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 236 was established on 1 January 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station Mojave in California. The squadron was created during World War II as part of the Marine Corps' expansion of aviation forces for operations in the Pacific. Its initial aircraft was the Douglas SBD Dauntless, a carrier-derived dive bomber adapted for Marine scout-bombing and close-support missions. In April 1943, the squadron transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii, where it undertook follow-on training before entering the Pacific combat zone. It arrived at Guadalcanal on 4 September 1943. From there, it participated in operations connected with the Allied campaign against Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands and the South Pacific. The squadron took part in the first dive-bombing strikes against Bougainville in preparation for the Allied landing of 1 November 1943. Its wartime operating pattern involved repeated movement of air and ground elements between austere forward bases. Locations associated with its deployment included Munda in the Solomon Islands, Torokina on Bougainville, Green Island in Papua New Guinea, and Efate in the New Hebrides. The unit's combat role combined scouting, bombing, and support for amphibious and ground operations. It was credited with downing four Japanese aircraft during the war. The squadron's operations later shifted to the Philippines. In January 1945, it moved to Luzon and joined Marine Aircraft Group 24 at an airfield near Mangaldan and Lingayen Gulf. It subsequently relocated to Moret Field on Mindanao. From Philippine bases, it flew close-air-support missions for the United States Sixth Army and Eighth Army during the campaign to liberate the Philippines. The wartime squadron was decommissioned at Mindanao on 1 August 1945, approximately two weeks before Japan's surrender. Its wartime identity is associated with several Marine Corps designations, including VMSB-236 and the later attack or fighting squadron references represented by VMA-236 and VMF-236. The unit returned in reserve form on 28 February 1947, when VMF-236 was reactivated at Naval Air Station Denver under the Marine Air Reserve Training Command. This postwar reserve phase gave the designation a continued institutional presence after the World War II squadron had been disbanded. The reserve unit was eventually deactivated again in the late 1960s. Since that time, no other Marine Corps squadron has carried the same lineage and honors. The subject is therefore best understood as a historical military aviation unit, not as a current commercial entity or active consumer-facing brand.

• 1947

  Reserve reactivation

  [1]VMA-236en.wikipedia.org

  VMF-236 was reactivated on 28 February at Naval Air Station Denver as part of the Marine Air Reserve Training Command.

• 1945

  Transfer to the Philippines

  [1]VMA-236en.wikipedia.org

  In January, the squadron moved to Luzon, joined Marine Aircraft Group 24, and later operated from Moret Field on Mindanao in close air support of U.S. Army formations.

• 1945

  World War II unit decommissioned

  [1]VMA-236en.wikipedia.org

  The squadron was decommissioned at Mindanao on 1 August 1945.

• 1943

  Squadron established at MCAS Mojave

  [1]VMA-236en.wikipedia.org

  The unit was formed on 1 January 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station Mojave, California, as Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 236 and equipped with SBD Dauntless aircraft.

• 1943

  Training and Pacific deployment

  [1]VMA-236en.wikipedia.org

  The squadron moved to MCAS Ewa in April for additional training and reached Guadalcanal on 4 September.

• 1943

  Bougainville operations

  [1]VMA-236en.wikipedia.org

  The squadron participated in the first dive-bombing strikes against Bougainville in preparation for the Allied landing on 1 November.

• Later reserve deactivation

  [1]VMA-236en.wikipedia.org

  The reserve incarnation was deactivated again in the late 1960s; the precise date is not specified in the supplied reference.

A Marine Corps combat aviation unit organized for scout-bombing, attack, and close-air-support operations rather than a commercial brand or product business.

• Dive bomber and scout aircraft

  Douglas SBD Dauntless

  The SBD Dauntless was the squadron's identified World War II aircraft at formation. It supported scouting and dive-bombing missions during the unit's Pacific deployment, including operations connected with Bougainville and the Solomon Islands.

• 1945Philippines campaign

  Luzon and Mindanao · Philippines

  After moving to the Philippines, the squadron operated as part of Marine Aircraft Group 24 and flew close-air-support missions for the United States Sixth and Eighth Armies.

  Outcome. The squadron remained in the Philippines until its decommissioning at Mindanao in August 1945.

  Source
• 1944South Pacific forward-base operations

  Solomon Islands · Bougainville · Papua New Guinea · and the New Hebrides

  The squadron repeatedly shifted its air and ground elements among Munda, Torokina, Green Island, and Efate while supporting ongoing Pacific operations.

  Outcome. The deployments sustained Marine aviation coverage across a changing network of forward operating locations.

  Source
• 1943Bougainville Campaign

  Bougainville and the Solomon Islands

  The squadron conducted dive-bombing operations in preparation for the Allied landing on Bougainville and operated from forward positions including Torokina.

  Outcome. The unit contributed aviation support to the Allied advance and is associated with the first dive-bombing strikes against Bougainville.

  Source

1. 1VMA-236en.wikipedia.org