Black knights continue the fiight

Beskrivning:

THE BLACK KNIGHTS

History. From 1961 through 1964, the Squadron deployed eight times—three time aboard carriers, an
aerial refueling mission from El Toro to Atsugi, Japan, tours in Taiwan and the Philippines, and training
deployments in the _United States. VMFA-314 set an F4B record of 1,314 flight hours in one month, took
part in elevenR esearch, Development and Evaluation projects and formulated tactics for air-to-air combat
in the F4B.
In August of 1965, after intense training in all types of ordnance delivery, VMFA-314 was again on its
way to the Far East, first to Iwakuni, Japan then a final brush-up, of skills on Okinawa and then the
Squadron entered the growing conflict in Vietnam.
Joining the III Marine Amphibious Forces in December 1965 the Black Knights again set new standards,
this time for combat operations. In the five month period to mid-April 1966, VMFA-3i4 set records for
the most combat sorties in one day and the most combat hours and sorties in one month. The Black
Knights returned to Iwakuni, after this period, to train replacement aircrews and enjoyed a welcome rest
from combat.
In August 1966, the Black Knights voyaged again to Da Nang and then became part of a new Marine Corps
concept operating from a Short Airfield for Tactical Support established at Chu Lai. The Squadron saw a
constant change of personnel and aircrews during
this time but proved up to the task. Before
returning to Iwakuni in August of 1967, VMFA-
3 14 flew over 7,000 combat missions, over 9,000
combat hours and dropped over 14,000 tons
of ordnance in support of combat operations.
Iwakuni was again a time for rest and training.
On November is, 1967 the Black Knights were
back in action in Vietnam and have brought
the already staggering totals to over is,15,000
combat missions, 18,000 combat hours and over
30,000 tons of ordnance delivered. This book Skyray ", h Marines first supersonic fighter.
is the story of the latest chapter VMFA-314's
history—a story of men Phantoms, and a conflict
that continues to the present day.