[1] Originally known as "Black Mac's Killers", after their first commanding officer Major Marion M. Magruder, they were one of three night fighter squadrons to be activated in the Marine Corps and were outfitted with the Grumman F6F-5N Hellcat, equipped with the APS-6 radar.

In May 1944, the squadron conducted their final training on the F6F aboard Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii and then headed for Eniwetok.

[2] On 7 May 1945, with only two days notice, the squadron of 15 F6F Hellcat planes took off from Engebi with R5C escorts and flew to Saipan, a total of 1,004 nautical miles (1,859 km).

In October 1945, the squadron moved to Nanyuan Airfield near Peiping, China for occupation duty and completed their transition to the new Tigercat.

Soon after transitioning to the A-6, VMA(AW)533 deployed to Chu Lai Air Base, Republic of Vietnam on April 1, 1967, to support combat operations.

All told, VMA(AW)-533 accumulated over 10,000 combat sorties in these busy years, garnering them the Commandant’s Aviation Efficiency Trophy.

In one noted incident, on 25 October 1967, three A-6A Intruders from VMA(AW)-533 attacked the Phúc Yên Air Base outside of Hanoi and the action was so intense all three pilots were awarded the Navy Cross.

Following participation in those hostilities, VMA(AW)-533 returned home after an "around the world" deployment that lasted eleven and a half months.

In 1999, the squadron supported Operation Allied Force in Yugoslavia from Taszar Air Base Hungary and flew 111 combat sorties during the conflict.

After the cease-fire of 11 June 1999, the Hawks flew an additional 82 combat sorties to ensure Serb compliance with the withdrawal from Kosovo.