VMA-332 Korea Unit History One result of the expansion of the Marine Corps during the Korean War was the commissioning of VMA-332. On 23 April 1952, it was officially formed and commissioned at MCAS Miami, Florida as Marine Attack Squadron 332. On 24 June the squadron received its first aircraft, four F6F-5 Hellcats. The squadron began its change over to F4U-4 aircraft on 15 October. On 1 December 1952, Lt. Col. John B. Berteling, took command and continued in command throughout the Korean era. The squadron patch with straw hat and cane, along with the polka dots, was designed from the fact that the tail code was "MR" and so the name "gentlemen" squadron and "Polka Dot" aircraft cowlings was adopted. The squadron was eventually assigned a combat role in the war. During April 1953 the squadron went on a ten day carrier "shakedown" cruise out of Mayport, FL aboard the USS Salerno Bay (CVE-110). Toward the end of May, VMA-332 began movement to the Far East. The squadron was initially based at Itami, Japan. It was then deployed on board the USS Bairoko (CVE-115) replacing VMA-312 the "Checkerboards". The newer "Polka Dot" squadron lost no time in repainting their veteran Corsair's checkered cowlings with red dots on a white background. Its primary mission was to help enforce the blockade of the west coast of Korea and to conduct air strikes against Communist coastal and inland targets. Col. Berteling's logbook indicates that the first operational flight from the Bairoko was on 18 June. In July, the number of missions against enemy installations increased. The squadron continued to operate from the USS Bairoko in the Yellow Sea until the armistice went into effect on 27 July. It remained deployed on board the Bairoko until after the fighting ended. VMA-332 was the last US squadron to fly F4U Corsairs from a CVE aircraft carrier into combat. The squadron was then transferred to the USS Point Cruz (CVE-119) in August. The aircraft carrier remained deployed in the waters off Korea and Japan through the fall of 1953. Marine Attack Squadron 332 was later transferred ashore on 22 November and stationed at Itami, Japan. During this time most of the squadron personnel were reassigned to duty stations in Korea and Japan. In December, the squadron received orders to return to the United States and to proceed to its old home base at MCAS Miami. It arrived at its destination two days before Christmas.