Carrier-Based VMFA 251 Thunderbolts Trace Heritage To World War II

The Marine Corps has reactivated the legendary Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 as the unit becomes the first F-35C Lightning II stealth fighter squadron in the Corps’ primary East Coast air unit, the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.

The squadron will be based at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point near Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

The reactivation of VMFA 251 is a turning point in the Corps’ effort to modernize its fleet as it prepares to face adversaries with capabilities similar to the U.S. according to officials. The unit was previously based at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, where it was inactivated in 2020 after participating in actions in Afghanistan and Iraq, flying the F/A-18 Hornet since 1986.

The reputation of the Thunderbolts or T-Bolts, as they were nicknamed, grew out of its exploits during World War II flying the carrier-based Grumman F4F Wildcat in Pacific campaigns including Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands, Santa Cruz, and Luzon.

The squadron earned two Presidential Unit Citations for “extraordinary heroism” for those efforts. They also fought in the Korean War and in support of NATO in the 1990s.

Lt. Col. Evan Shockley, squadron commander said, “The T-Bolts are humbled and honored for the privilege of carrying that proud legacy forward. Our immediate focus is working toward initial operational capability, which means that VMFA 251 has enough operational F-35C Lightning II aircraft, trained pilots, maintainers and support equipment to self-sustain its mission essential tasks. Following that, we will turn our attention toward reaching full operational capability to ensure that, when called upon, the T-Bolts will stand ready to serve our great nation.”

The squadron expects to reach initial operational capability in 2026 and be fully operational in 2026.

FMI:  www.marines.com/