Marine Fighter-Attack Squadron 531 (VMFA-531) was activated at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, on 16 November 1942 as Marine Night Fighter Squadron 531 (VMF[N]-531), the Marine Corps’ first night-fighter squadron. A cadre of the squadron’s personnel had studied British night-fighting tactics against the Luftwaffe and adapted those tactics for Marine Corps use.
The squadron deployed in September 1943 to the Solomon Islands with radar-equipped PV-1 Ventura aircraft. During the pioneering deployment, the squadron was credited with shooting down 12 Japanese aircraft without combat loss to themselves. VMF(N)-531 returned to Cherry Point in August 1944 and was deactivated the following month.
Reactivated in October 1944, VMF(N)-531 moved to Eagle Mountain Lake, Texas, where the squadron trained Marine night-fighter crews using F7F-1N/2N/3N, SBD-5/6, and SB2C-4E aircraft. The squadron moved back to Cherry Point in 1946, and in 1947 became an operational squadron equipped with F7F-3N Tigercats and F6F-5N Hellcats. In 1948, the Grey Ghosts were redesignated Marine All-Weather Fighter Squadron 531 (VMF[AW]-531). During the Korean War, the squadron trained crews for other night-fighter squadrons.
The Grey Ghosts upgraded to the F4D-1 Skyray in 1958 and deployed twice to Japan before switching to the F-4B Phantom II and participating in the response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. The squadron was redesignated VMFA-531 in August 1963.
Deploying to South Vietnam in April 1965, VMFA-531 became the first Marine jet squadron to see combat since the Korean War. During 1972-1973, the Grey Ghosts deployed to the Mediterranean on board the USS Forrestal (CVA-59).
The Grey Ghosts were deactivated in June 1975 but reactivated two months later, equipped with F-4Ns. The squadron deployed in 1979-1980 to the Indian Ocean on board the USS Coral Sea (CV-43) during the Iranian hostage crisis.
In January 1983, VMFA-531 became the Marine Corps’ third F/A-18A Hornet squadron. The Grey Ghosts were deactivated on 31 March 1992 as part of the post-Cold War drawdown.
U.S. Navy (Retired)