[3] Originally equipped with Vought VE-7s, the squadron received three of the new Boeing FB-1s in the first part of 1926, allowing them to operate one division of modern aircraft while retaining the older VE-7s for training purposes.

With the civil war in China threatening American interests, it was decided to deploy U.S. forces and in November and December 1926, seven additional FB-1s were transferred to VF-3M from VF-1M and VF-2M on the east coast, bringing the squadron's complement to 10 FB-1s.

As diplomacy and planning was taking place on the international level, the squadron concentrated on familiarizing itself with their new aircraft and training the influx of new pilots.

After waiting in the Philippines for almost two months, the squadron returned to China and eventually operated from airfields at Tientsin and Hsin-Ho, where they supported the 3rd Brigade.

Shortly after setting up camp and starting flight operations, the squadron was redesignated VF-10M on 1 July 1927, the first of many changes in designation caused by the reorganization of naval aviation assets.

The squadron would operate the F6C-4s for over two years and be awarded the Herbert H. Schiff Cup for aviation safety before they were replaced by factory-fresh Boeing F4B-4s in late 1932, the most advanced biplane fighter in service at that time.

Participation in the Los Angeles National Air Races and annual Fleet Exercises were part of the routine that marked the squadron's activity in the early 1930s.

On the evening of 11-12 September, cruisers and destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy sailed into Ironbottom Sound and began shelling Henderson Field.

VMTB-232 landed at Kadena on 22 April 1945, and began flying close air support missions three days later and for the rest of the Battle of Okinawa.

With the outbreak of hostilities in Korea, the squadron was placed on alert and ordered to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California.

Although the unit itself did not deploy to Korea, by April 1951 nearly all the original aviators and forty percent of the enlisted Marines in the squadron had been detached and sent overseas for combat duty.

In 1954, homebase for 232 was changed from MCAS El Toro, to Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, where they flew the FJ Fury, the "Navalized" version of the F-86 Sabre.

VMF 232 was deployed to Westpac on the USS Bennington during the Quemoy Matsu Crisis in the fall of 1958 and later was stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi.

[11] As a result of intensified operations in Southeast Asia, VMF(AW)-232 departed MCAS Kaneohe Bay, and were flying combat sorties out of Da Nang Air Base, South Vietnam by December 1966.

Staying online for the next 290 consecutive days, the squadron flew 5,785 sorties encompassing 7,273 flight hours and delivering 6,221 tons of ordnance.

[12] In September 1967, the squadron returned to MCAS El Toro and painted the Red Devil insignia on their new McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms.

In March 1969, the squadron deployed to MAG 13 at Chu Lai Air Base, Vietnam, supporting ground operations in I Corps.

In April 1972, the entire squadron redeployed from Japan to Vietnam with minimum notice to counter the spring offensive of that year.

Here they continued to fly air to ground sorties in addition to playing a key fighter role on Operation Linebacker missions over North Vietnam.

In 1974, the Red Devils received the coveted Robert M. Hanson "Marine Fighter Attack Squadron of the Year" award.

In June 1989, with return of aircrew and maintenance personnel to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and receipt of their twelfth Hornet, the Red Devils had completed the transition.

In October 1993, a significant milestone was reached when members of the Hornet Industry Team presented the squadron with a plaque honoring the Red Devils for achieving 50,000 accident free flight hours.

While in Afghanistan the Red Devils flew 4,090 Flight hours encompassing 1190 sorties and dropped 240,000 lbs of ordnance and expended 30,000 rounds of 20mm ammunition.