Hobby Master Archive

On June 25, 1950 South Korea was invaded by the North and soon VMF-323 Death Rattlers and their F4U-4 Corsairs’ were flying support of Pusan. The squadron got its name when pilots killed a 6 foot diamond-backed rattlesnake and hung it in their ready room. VMF-323 also flew support of the Inchon landing, the Chosin Reservoir breakout as well as all other major efforts. Flying alternately from Navy carriers and airfields their mission changed to interdiction and armed reconnaissance so in June 1952 they became VMA-323. In July 1953 they left Korea.