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Pacific Action

Seven of the eight operating squadrons plus HEADQUARTERS, service Squadron saw action in the Pacific Theatre between the time VMB 413 embarked for Espiritu Santos, New Hebrides by way of Hawaii, on Jan. 3. 1943, until the war ended. The other “400” squadrons followed the same basic route. They all received about 6 weeks of additional training at Espiritu before heading north for real action.

These squadrons operated first from Sterling Island and later from Green and Emirau. The main assignment of these squadrons were daily bombing and strafing missions against bypassed, but heavily fortified Japanese bases such as Kaveing on New Ireland and Rabaul on New Britain. They also operated against Japanese shipping with low level bombing and carried out nightly heckling missions against these and other installations.

Squadron VMB 611 also participated in the heckling missions with the “400” squadrons. They were also the first MAG 61 squadron to operate in the Philippines. Serving under Marine Aircraft Groups Zamboanga (MAGSZAM), They provided close air support of ground troops and flew long range patrols over Borneo and Mindoro.

Meanwhile, VMB612 joined the action, operating against Japanese shipping in the area around the Bonin Islands from their base on Saipan.
The last squadron to see action in the Pacific Theatre was VMB 613. They landed on Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands and operated against bypassed enemy islands, also located in the Marshall group. They also carried out missions in search of enemy shipping.

VMB 614 did arrive in the Pacific, but too late to see action. They landed on Sand Island of the Midway Group on August 14, 1945, one day before President Truman announced the end of the war with Japan.