Some boys from Yuma Arizona.

This was at the begining of the war. They left again yesterday to return to Iraq.

did someone say 'sheep'????

Jeez... gotta give those boys a hand. From Iraq to Yuma? I live in Tucson AZ and I know what Yuma can be like. That's a rough life they have.

God Bless Our Troops.

I love those guys and gals...

Is that a rocket in your pocket?

I just love a squadron in uniforms....um-um-um...

America the Beautiful!

Marla

These Sheep will gather lots of wool...
God Bless you boys

Remember the '70s TV show "Baa Baa Black Sheep"? This is the squadron that show was based on.

VMA-214 was originally commissioned as Marine Fighter Squadron (VMF)-214 early in 1942 at Ewa on the island of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands. In August of 1943, 27 young men under the leadership of Maj. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington (who was later awarded the Medal of Honor) formed the original "Blacksheep" of VMF-214.

In the early part of World War II, from island to island in the South Pacific, there occasionally cropped up flyers who were unattached and who were separated from their squadrons by reason of illness or breakup of their organizations. They had been left out of it somehow in the shuffle and had no way to get back into the fight. Some were veteran combat pilots with several kills to their credit; others were pilots newly arrived from the United States as replacements. All were eager to join a squadron and see action against the Japanese, but their efforts were met with refusals and orders to sit and wait. This was the situation at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, when finally the persistent campaigning of Maj. Boyington and Maj. Stan Bailey (who was later named executive officer) was rewarded when wing headquarters gave them permission to form the stragglers into a squadron, with the understanding that they would have less than four weeks to mold themselves into a fully trained, completely coordinated Marine squadron. This was accomplished by flying every day and night with their eight Corsairs.

The "Blacksheep" fought their way to fame in just 84 days, piling up a record 197 planes destroyed or damaged, troop transports and supply ships sunk, and ground installations destroyed in addition to numerous other victories. Boyington was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1945.

Jump jets, big fun.