Known as "Hell’s Angels", the squadron participated in action during World War II and was then transferred to the Marine Forces Reserve.

Captain J. R. Norman, assisted by wingman Lieutenant Philip B. Talbott, once downed four planes in a single day.

Early in 1946 a group of Marine aviators in the Washington, D.C. area began organizing a reserve fighting squadron from the ranks of pilots, officers, and enlisted members who had served together in the war as VMF-321.

The 164-man unit began an intensive training program under the command of Major George Robertshaw, in preparation for deployment to the Far East.

Instead it was declared an augmentation squadron and its members were assigned to regular Marine units to fill empty billets.

In 1962, NAS Anacostia ceased fixed-wing flying operations and both it and adjacent Bolling AFB's runways closed due to airspace and traffic pattern conflicts with Washington National Airport.

At this point, all assigned USN and USMC flying units, to include VMA-321, relocated to nearby Andrews AFB, Maryland and the newly established Naval Air Facility Washington.

However, the squadron shortly returned to the "Hell's Angels" adding a pitchfork running through the " MG" on the vertical stabilizer.

Aircrew and maintenance personnel began preparing for the new aircraft long before its arrival, and on 15 January 1974, VMFA-321 made its first Phantom flight.