VMFA(AW)-224
[5] VMF-224 aircraft catapulted from the Long Island on 30 August 1942 arriving at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal in the middle of a Japanese air raid.Throughout the struggle for Okinawa, the Bengals flew infantry support and counter air missions accounting for an additional fifty-five enemy aircraft being destroyed.In October 1966, VMA-224 was disbanded at Chu Lai and the squadron flag was sent to MCAS Cherry Point as it prepared for new personnel and equipment during its transition to a new airframe.From 16 January, to 28 February 1991, the Bengals participated in Operation Desert Storm, expending more than 2.3 million pounds of ordnance during 422 combat sorties.Less than a year later on 5 March 1993, the squadron was re-designated VMFA(AW)-224 and moved to MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina where the Bengals received the multi-mission F/A-18D Hornet.On 7 May 2021, VMFA(AW)-224 deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia for Dynamic Force Employment (DFE) in support of withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Operation Inherent Resolve.[12] On 12 March 2010 an F/A-18D Hornet from the squadron crashed 35 miles (56 km) off the coast of Saint Helena Sound north of Beaufort due to an engine fire.
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