Corps' oldest and most decorated fighter squadron leads the way during OIF
Submitted by: 3d Marine Aircraft Wing
Story Identification Number: 20035782120
Story by Sgt. W. A. Napper Jr.



KUWAIT(April 29, 2003) -- For the Marine Corps' oldest and most decorated fighter squadron, deploying to an air base here to serve in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom was one more chapter in an already illustrious history.

Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 were on the ground for only a few days before pilots began flying missions in support of Operation Southern Watch. Once President George W. Bush declared war on Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's regime March 19, ground crews and pilots alike quickly shifted gears for the new missions at hand.

"The biggest difference between the two operations was the sortie rates," said Lt. Col. Michael H. Burt, VMFA-232 commanding officer, 39, Springfield, Va. native. "The sorties went way up - almost tripled. Of course we were not dropping bombs on every sortie during OSW, so once everything started, the sortie rates, flight hours and the amount of ordnance produced and dropped almost tripled."

Burt said even though most aircrew saw OSW as a great tool to prepare for OIF, the Red Devils' senior Marine acknowledged the many differences between the two operations.

"It made us smarter on how to run our systems and got us familiar on flying into Iraq," he said.

Pilots used approximately 200 sorties in OSW to familiarize themselves with the terrain of Iraq, and to learn the procedures of flying in the area - including the regulations of taxiing on the flight line.

"For us (working with the other services) was fairly transparent," he said. "It was a seamless meshing of forces. There were no hiccups along the way, but there were some growing pains when we first got started. There were a lot of airplanes on the ground and in the airspace. Patience was definitely needed for taxiing here, but it wasn't a big deal."

For OIF, Red Devil pilots flew nearly 1,150 hours in more than 540 sorties to drop nearly 650,000 pounds of ordnance on targets in Iraq. Collectively, the squadron stands at 96,000 mishap-free flight hours. The pilots kept their Hornets at high altitude for most of their missions, and only dropped down to fire ordnance.

"None of the F-18s received damage from enemy fire," said Burt. "Generally we flew in a sanctuary where most of the small arms fire and 'Triple A' (anti-aircraft artillery) couldn't hit anything."

This was the first deployment in Capt. Dustin Byrum's, VMFA-232 schedules writer, 27, Vienna, Va. native, career as a Marine pilot. He joined the Red Devils' crew at the end of November 2002, and had only a few months to get to know his squadron brothers before deploying here. Although he flew into harm's way on a daily basis, he said he often felt like he was back in high school playing sports.

"It's awesome," he said. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. (When flying over Iraq) you're real excited like when you were playing sports as a kid. The only time I felt threatened, I engaged and the threat went away. The times I dropped low, I could see the 'Triple A' off in the distance. That didn't bother me much."

In addition to the outstanding work of his pilots during OIF, Burt said the Red Devils' success couldn't have happened without the enlisted Marines on the ground doing whatever it took to keep the fighter-attack aircraft in the sky.

"On the average, our aircraft were 88 percent up," said Burt. "It didn't come easy. That was on the backs of the Marines. Back home we fly only 400 hours in a month. Here we flew nearly triple that in less than a month, and we did it with better readiness than we ever had."

Red Devil maintenance Marines had to adapt and overcome many obstacles here. Due to weather conditions computers continually malfunctioned and drastic measures were needed to keep VMFA-232 Hornets in the air. Master Sgt. Michael Byrum said the squadron's Gulf War veterans taught the young Leathernecks how to keep track of information the old way - on paper.

"We went back to old-school paperwork once the computers started to crash," he said. "Some of the younger Marines had never seen it done this way. This was where the Gulf War vets came into play. We also filled them in on how things would operate once the war started so they'd be prepared."

Gunnery Sgt. Frank Meehan, VMFA-232 quality assurance chief, 37, Niagara Falls, N.Y. native, said he was impressed at how the Marines quickly adapted to the battle rhythm.

"All the Marines matured out here because there's a real-world contingency," he said. "Once everyone got here things fell into place - their training paid off and it snapped right back. We knew what we were supposed to do and we did it in true Marine Corps fashion. The Marines really stepped up to the plate."

During hostilities, mechanics turned their wrenches to keep the jets up, and ordnance Marines kept racking and stacking armaments day and night. Meehan said the crews worked with a purpose because they knew if they made the slightest mistake it could cost someone their life.

"They did what they were told to do without questioning it," he said. "They did it because someone up north could get hurt. As a result, the aircraft were able to move a lot faster up north. It worked out really well."

Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Cole, VMFA-232 maintenance control chief, 37, Marion, Ind. native, agreed with Meehan about the Marines' work ethics during OIF.

"They had no choice out here but to adapt," he said. "When the game was on they had to turn it up a notch, and it paid off."

Burt said he felt there was no single mission that was significant for the squadron. Instead he believes every mission was equally important because Marine lives were on the line.

"I don't think there was one mission more important the next," said Burt. "We targeted (enemy divisions) and we'd pummel them for days before the Marines on the ground got there. Hopefully we saved some lives."

Capt. Byrum remembered one mission as a testament he did everything right in his cockpit.

"In Al Kut, the Baghdad Republican Guard was there," he said. "We bombed them for five or six days, and the Marines on the ground were still expecting heavy fighting. We put so much death and destruction there (the enemy) was either killed or ran off. It made me feel good when the Marines just rolled in."

Even though Burt served in the area during Operation Desert Storm and again for OSW in 1998, he said flying over Baghdad for the first time was eerie.

"The first time I flew over Baghdad was at night," he said. "It was kind of a surreal feeling to see it up close. The first time I saw it in the day I saw people below going about their day-to-day business and driving in the street like there was nothing going on. Again, very surreal."

Just like Leathernecks of old, the Red Devils adapted and overcame every obstacle and challenge in their way, whether it was on the ground or in the air.

"We owe it all to the squadron's Marines and Sailors who worked hard every day," said Burt. "I'm extremely proud of their hard work."



Sempers,

Roger