USMC / MAG 70 Deployment VMFA 531 / VMFA 323

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Home / USMC / MAG 70 Deployment VMFA 531 / VMFA 323 33

VMFA 531 / VMFA 323 USS Coral Sea Marine Air Group 70 deployment to the Indian Ocean. Iranian crisis, hostage rescue.

Marine Corps fighter squadrons, VMFA-323 and VMFA-531 (F-4N "Phantom II"), joined the CVW-14 team, marking the first time since World War II that two Marine fighter squadrons comprised the fighter arm of a Navy Air Wing. CVW-14 embarked on USS Coral Sea in November 1979 en route to the Western Pacific and a continuous 102-day at-sea period on "Gonzo" Station in the North Arabian Sea.

This proved to be the first time in history that an entire Carrier Battle Group's maritime superiority was provided exclusively by Marine Corps fighters units, namely VMFA-531 and VMFA-323. It was also during the build-up phase that the 'Grey Ghosts' fired the first AIM-7F Sparrow missile from an F-4N. Upon completion of its tour of duty, VMFA-531 and VMFA-323 returned to El Toro in June 1980.