Who Are We?
The VMFA-333 Association was incorporated as a 501(c)19 not for profit veteran service organization. The Association was incorporated as a not for profit so that it would not be required to pay taxes on the donations that are recieved. Additionally, those that donate, their donations are tax exempt. The Associations wish is to keep the memories of VMFA-333 alive. We accomplished this by organizing reunions held every other year where we make new memories and relive old ones from the days of glory.
VMFA-333 Shamrocks
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 333 (VMFA-333) was a United States Marine Corps fighter squadron. Known as the "World Famous Fighting Shamrocks" and “Trip Trey”, the squadron participated in action during World War II, the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm The squadron’s aircraft were easily recognizable by the row of three shamrocks painted on the vertical stabilizers of their aircraft. They were decommissioned on 31 March 1992.
World War IIVietnam WarOperation Desert Storm
World War II
Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 333 (VMSB-333) was activated 1 August 1943 as at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. In April 1944, a portion of the squadron was sent to NAS Key West, Florida for anti-submarine training and upon their return departed for San Diego, and three weeks after that, Hawaii. The squadron was transferred to Midway Island in July 1944 and began flying anti-submarine patrols in their SBD Dauntless bombers. They were redesignated Marine Fighter Bomber Squadron 333 (VMBF-333) on 14 October 1944 and transitioned to the F4U Corsair.
Vietnam
On 1 February 1966, The squadron was again redesignated as Marine All Weather Fighter Squadron 333 (VMF(AW)-333) when they received new all-weather versions of the F-8 Crusader. The squadrons last name change came on June 20, 1966 when they became Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 333 (VMFA-333) as they transitioned to the F-4 Phantom II. On June 5, 1972, VMFA-333 departed Naval Air Station Oceana for a six month deployment on board the USS America (CVA-66). The America arrived at Yankee Station off the coast of South Vietnam on July 13, 1972 and VMFA-333 began flying combat sorties the next day.[1] It was during this deployment
Desert Storm
In 1980 VMFA-333 became the first Fighter Squadron to deploy West Pac with Women Marines. Sgt. Connie Gause and Col. John Sease were responsible for this change in Marine Corps policy. VMFA-333 was the last regular Marine squadron to operate the F-4 Phantom but finally transferred to the F/A-18 Hornet in October 1987. During their final deployment to the Persian Gulf in 1990-1991 as part of Operation Desert Storm, the Shamrocks flew more than seven hundred combat missions without loss and delivered more than two million pounds of ordnance against Iraqi forces. VMFA-333 was deactivated effective 31 March 1992.
