As their unit crest the squadron members choose a satan-like bulldog wearing a flying helmet and carrying -at that time- six .50 caliber machineguns (the armament of the Corsair) drawn by Technical Sergeant James R.

On 16 December 1943 the squadron received orders to prepare to move to the west coast of the United States beginning the first week of January 1944.

The squadron departed MCAS Miramar on 28 February 1944 bound for Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii.

[7] Assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11 on 25 June 1944, the squadron was transported to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, where they received 24 new F4U-1D Corsairs.

[10] The squadron transferred to Marine Aircraft Group 12, MCAS El Toro in July 1950 and was alerted for deployment and service in the Korean War.

Flying out of Wonson Air Base, the Checkerboards flew missions in support of the 1st Marine Division during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

After a short period of ground-based close air support operations, the squadron returned to sea, first with Bairoko, then with Bataan, and later with Sicily.

[15] On June 8, 1953, the Checkerboards were relieved by VMF-332, and returned to the United States in anticipation of transitioning to F9F Panthers at Marine Corps Air Station Miami, Florida.

Concurrent with the reassignment in February 1966 to MCAS Beaufort was the transition to yet another aircraft, the F-4B Phantom II, and redesignation as Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA-312).

During the Vietnam War, the "Checkerboards" performed the vital mission of training combat aircrews prior to their deployment to Southeast Asia.

Upon completion of the first six-month UDP rotation, the Checkerboards became the first squadron to receive the F-4S variant of the Phantom, which incorporated leading edge slats as well as advanced radar.

In late August and September 1995, the "Checkerboards" conducted their first direct combat sorties since Vietnam in support of the United Nations resolutions in Operation Deliberate Force.

Carrier Air Wing Three entered the North Persian Gulf and began Operation Southern Watch missions on 3 January 2001.