Military

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron(All Weather)-533 [VMFA(AW)-533]

Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533 was activated on 1 October 1943 at Cherry Point, NC, as Marine Night Fighter Squadron 533 and assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 53, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force. It was deployed during March to May 1944 to Eniwetok and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 22, 4th Marine Base Defense Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force. It was reassigned during May 1945 to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force and participated in the Okinawa World War II Campaign.

The squadron was reassigned during September 1945 to Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force and redeployed during October 1945 to Peiping, China. It participated in the occupation of North China, from October 1945 to January 1947. Following this it relocated during January 1947 to Ewa, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, and was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 15, Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.

It was then redesignated 9 November 1948 as Marine All Weather Fighter Squadron 533 and relocated during March-April 1949 to Edenton, North Carolina, and reassigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic. Detached during July 1949 from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, the squadron relocated during March 1950 to Cherry Point, North Carolina, and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 24, Marine Aircraft Wing, Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic.

Redesignated 1 June 1957 as Marine Attack Squadron 533, it relocated during October-November 1962 to Key West, Florida, during Cuban Missile Crisis.

The squadron was subsequently redesignated 1 July 1965 as Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 533 and reassigned during February 1966 to Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic. VMA(AW)-533 was then deployed during March 1967 to Chu Lai, Republic of Vietnam, and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. The squadron's participation in the war in Vietnam lasted from April 1967 to October 1969, operating from Chu Lai.

Redeployed during October 1969 to Iwakuni, Japan, VMA(AW)-533 was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 15, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade, Fleet Marine Force. It was again reassigned during November 1969 to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and again during April 1970 to Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Pacific.

In June 1972, the squadron was redeployed to Nam Phong, Thailand, and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 15, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. VMA(AW)-533 was again redeployed during August 1973 to Iwakuni, Japan, and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. Following this, it relocated during November-December 1975 to Cherry Point, North Carolina and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic.

During the 1980', the squadron was deployed at various times to the Western Pacific, Caribbean, and Mediterranean areas. It was reassigned during May 1990 to Marine Aircraft Group 12, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.

The squadron participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm from December 1990 to February 1991, at which time it was reassigned during February 1991 to Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic. It was then redesignated on 1 October 1992 as Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533. VMFA(AW)-533 then relocated during November 1992 to Beaufort, South Carolina, and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic.

More than 100 Marines from the unit departed on July 13, 2004 for a six-month deployment to MCAS Iwakuni in the western Pacific. There the unit was to take part in training exercises with Pacific Rim countries including Australia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Marines and Sailors from Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533 and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31 returned to the Air Station, Jan. 19, 2005 after a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific. The Hawks and Stingers deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, July 9, 2004 for the six-month tour in support of the Unit Deployment Program. Marines from the unit deployed to Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia. to participate in Southern Frontier, an air-to-ground training exercise. Southern Frontier combined assets from many different aviation units that were in the area.

In September and October 2004, part of the squadron traveled to Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, for the Hawaii Combined Arms Exercise. The Hawks joined the Gators from VMFA-142, two KC-130 squadrons, infantry and ground support units for the annual event. From Hawaii, the squadron moved on to Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, Japan, for more training.