4 Members
Page Maintained By
Charles Aresta
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Constituted 333d Fighter Squadron 18 August 1942. Activated 23 August 1942 at Bellows Field, Territory of Hawaii and assigned to the 18 Fighter Group. Relocated to Canton Island 11 September 1942 where conducted patrols over the Pacific. Transferred to the 318th Fighter Group, 11 January 1943. Returned to Hilo, Hawaii, TH 6 April 1943 then Bellows Field, TH, 28 July 1943. Engaged in replacement training. Moved to Saipan on 6 July 1944. Committed to combat in the Western Pacific 20 July 1944. Relocated to Ie Shima (Ryukyus Isnands) 30 April 1945 where the unit was stationed at the end of World War-II (15 August 1945 location). Moved to Okinawa proper in November 1945 then returned to the United States, Fort Lewis Washington, 11-12 January 1946. Inactivated there on 12 January 1946. Redesignated 131st Fighter Squadron and allotted to the Air National Guard, 24 May 1946. Transferred to the Department of the Air Force per the National Security Act of 26 July 1947.
CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDITS:
Air Offensive, Japan;
Eastern Mandates;
Western Pacific;
Ryukyus;
China Offensive;
Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theater;
Antisubmarine, Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
DECORATIONS: None.
DISTINCTIVE UNIT INSIGNIA:
The unit had two insignia during WW-II. The first design a caricatured flying cobra with label "Coral Cobras" was designed by Bob Rieser of Orinda, California. He was a pilot with the unit in the South Pacific. According to Mr. Rieser, the original design was based on the fact that the unit was flying P-39 Bell Air Cobra aircraft at the time. The design was submitted to the OQMG, through channels, and what returned was the second design as seen on the masthead. In the meantime the unit changed from P-39 to P-47 type aircraft and the design was no longer considered appropriate.
On a yellow disc with a wide red border a light blue triange with the face of disc showing three dots each at each end of the triangle, overall, on a white cloud formation, a caricatured air cobra (green body, yellow neck, white face with red tongue) with gunfire showing from left wing flying to dexter.
Both insignia for sale at $4.75 each (postage paid); available from: 1SGT Charles W. Aresta; The Hawaiian Military Insignia Collectors and Study Group; 1813 Sereno Street; Honolulu, Hawaii 96817-2318 (Ph or fax: [808] 537-2753) or e-mail: ra1sgt@aol.com
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