La squadron/signal Ysera |& e Night Wings USMC Night Fighters, 1942-1953 By Thomas E. Doll Color by Don Greer squadron/signal publicationsCCapt Howard W. Bollman, flying a Vought FAU-2 Corsair (Black 212), shot down a Mitsubishi GaM (Betty) bomber off Engebl Island, Eniwetok Atoll a 0112 hours on 14 April 1944. The Corsair, MIDNITE Cocktail, was assigned to 1Lt Charles Canif of Marine Night Fighter ‘Squadron (VME(N)-532 at Engebl. Acknowledgements ‘Avery special thanks to ny dea fiend Retkley R, “lack” lckspn, cone gi? countess nes ase war wap thi to ly Soh SEF an te peop any ofeanizatons also tok the time and effort to.prone” pronation ‘and photographs for this book. Yo them Y am Richard Abrams American Aviation Historical Scien ECCol Arthur J Ateoneaun, USRIC. Ret ward N, Bente ef Carton C51 Truman Clark, USMC, Ret. Gorden Selim 3 e Night Fighter Association feb Tar Ie ing Ug Re feet, IESE cr Genin, USMC, Ret Rime Sh Sima SOE vie laters, USMC Re en ae HERES rape Mosc: Sac inure ste kage Pnalertase UME Re enc COHEN A MBSE usMc (ea Mile EAU mor Navel Avatn (MNS), ens, ord Rises BrP pox EE Bon haga fiductat ht nit re Rechard Unch WMEIN)-S25 Association Ea Young . Seal hanks to elf Milstein fo the sof bs, engl examples ag ts Cas fa ag hom hs Wok EES he lps 2 COPYRIGHT 2000 SQUADRONISIGNAL PUBLICATIONS, INC. 115 CROWLEY DRIVE CARROLLTON, TEXAS 7501-5010 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may te reproduce, stored in a rereval stem or wansmited in any form by means elecical, mechanical otherwise, without writen permission ofthe publisher, ISHN 0-89747-419.8 If you have any photographs of aircraft, armor, soldiers oF ships of any nation, particularly wartime snapshots, why not share them with ws and help make Squadron/ignal's books al the more interesting and complete in the future. Any photograph sent to us will be copied amd the original returner, The donor wil be fully credited for uny photos used. Please send them to: Publications, ne ‘Crowley Drive Carrolton, TX 73011-01010 cau y sac ocrs gororpatunt cawone700, noopyxoHmNs,conzaT Hi opadaei mjoGon croak, ocoSeaio,cunukie spewe BOR, Sexaapon/Gurnan ewe mirepecace. Not nepecuiocen ota fpororpaguut it kepen opucimtaai Heke paras san Gyayr conposoxauTs nee onySnuxosatze $oTerpeeu Moxanynera, upweannattre povor pain ie ape) ‘Squadron/ignal Publications, ne 1115 Crovley Drive acelin, TX 75011-501010 Loceatrer. MUPeEBS Suan UN 2 WH BAL. ROORARU NALLY, ANA HNAE ARLEN Ole EFRIDD a ‘Squadrow/Signal Publications, Tne LIS Crowley Drive Carrot, TX 75011-01010 Dedication nis often difficult to single out one person from an organization popu: lated by so many distinguished people. One runs the risk of seeming to place one above all the res, of course tis isnot the case hee. ‘The genlleman named below could be described as representing all the Marines of WW TI, He dida't shoot down an enemy plane: he helped {keep the planes inthe ai fr those brave men who did. He came into the (Corps when the campaign hat, now associated withthe DI, was standard issue. He used eigarete papers to adjust and synchronize the magneto points onthe engine ofthe Grumman F3F-2 figher plane. He earned his stripes on Guadalcanal and gave frecly of his expertise tothe younger Marines who toiled to keep the FOF SNs of VMF(N)-542 inthe aie over Okinawa, His devotion o duty, good nature and kind heart epitomizes all that is ‘of the "OLD CORPS." Sooner or later all Marines become part of the ‘OLD CORPS. ‘This modest work is dedicated to former MTSgt Wilbur H. "Bud Swckey, late of VMF-1, VME-121, and VMF(N)-582, (Previous Page) A Grumman FOF-SN Hellcat, F(N}-16, assigned to Marine Night Fighter Squadron (VMF(N)}-533 fli into the sunset. ‘This Squadron was nicknamed ‘Black Mac's Killors" after its ‘Commanding Officer (CO), Major Marion M. Magruder. VMF(N)-533 F6F6 carried standard USMC night fighter fuselage codes in Black rathor than the White codes usually employed by the other VMF(N)s. ‘The Hellcat is painted overall Glossy Sea Blue (FS15042). (USMC via UNA)Introduction ‘The US Marine Corps (USMC) did not pioneer the art of nigh combat hlying, The British Royal Air Force (RAF) and the German Luftwatte claimed that distinction duc o circumstance. The Marine Corps, Navy, and Ammy Air Corps wasted no time in getting into the game and were {quick to learn, Developing the techniques needed to locate a flying target at night, in the air, and destroying that target was not an easy task. The Navy alone formed 25 night fighting squadrons between April of 1943 and June of 1043. The Marine Corps formed eight night fighting units between [November of 1942 and May of 1944. Seven of these squadrons entered combat, where they destroyed 106 enemy aera. After World War IL, most of the USMC night fighting squadrons were