VMF(N)-544

Marine Night Fighter Squadron 544 (VMF(N)-544) was a night fighter squadron of the United States Marine Corps that was commissioned during World War II. The squadron flew the F6F-5N Hellcat and although it trained for over a year it never made it into combat. The squadron was deactivated April 20, 1946. To date, no other Marine Corps squadron has carried the lineage and honors of VMF(N)-544.

Marine Night Fighter Squadron 544
VMF(N)-544 Insignia
ActiveMay 1, 1944 – April 20, 1946
CountryUnited States
AllegianceUnited States of America
BranchUnited States Marine Corps
TypeNight fighter squadron
RoleAir interdiction
Garrison/HQInactive
Nickname(s)N/A
EngagementsNone

History

Marine Night Fighter Squadron 544 (VMF(N)-544) was activated on May 1, 1944 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.[1] They squadron immediately began training for aerial combat at night and in poor weather and low visibility. The squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station El Centro, California in early November 1944, where it continued training for two more months.[2]

In February 1945, VMF(N)-544 again moved, this time to Marine Corps Air Station Eagle Mountain Lake near Fort Worth, Texas. While there, they trained with the veteran night aviators from VMF(N)-531 and VMF(N)-534 who had just returned from combat in the South Pacific. VMF(N)-544 never saw combat action as the war with Japan ended before they were due to rotate.

The squadron was deactivated on April 20, 1946, and has remained inactive since.[1]

See also

Citations
  1. Rottman 2002, pp. 446.
  2. Crowder 2000, pp. 175.

References
Bibliography
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Sherrod, Robert (1952). History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Combat Forces Press.
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