VMA-611

[3] The squadron moved to Marine Corps Air Station Parris Island, South Carolina, in January 1944 to conduct initial flight training.

[5] The squadron's flight echelon departed from San Diego on 24 August 1944, on board the USS Manila Bay (CVE-61) headed for Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii.

The squadron's rear echelon departed Marine Corps Air Station Miramar at the end of September arriving at Pearl Harbor on 2 October 1944.

The aircraft flew through Palmyra Atoll, Canton Island, Funafuti, Espiritu Santo, and Munda en route to their final destination of Emirau.

For the remainder of November, the squadron flew three additional night harassment missions against Kavieng and one air strike against a rubber plantation on New Ireland.

[9] Ground echelon personnel from the squadron departed Port Hueneme on board the cargo ship Zoella Lykes (MC-83) originally tasked with taking part in the invasion of Yap.

En route to Yap, orders were changed, and the men spent the next six months at sea convoying between different anchorages in the Pacific awaiting follow on tasking.

[10] Along the way they spent time at or off the coast of Eniwetok, Ulithi, Kossol Roads, Tacloban, Samar, and Lingayen Gulf before disembarking at Mindoro on 15 March 1945.

[11] Two days later the men boarded LSTs for the trip to Moret Field where they began to set up squadron facilities while awaiting the arrival of aircraft and flight crew.

[16] On 17 April, actor and comedian Joe E. Brown, who was in the Philippines with the USO, accompanied LtCol Sarles on a reconnaissance flight over Parang to observe the 24th Infantry Division conduct an amphibious landing.

[19][20] LtCol George A. Sarles, the squadron's long-standing and much loved commanding officer, was killed when his aircraft was struck by enemy anti-aircraft fire on 30 May 1945.