History 

History 

Marine Fighting Squadron 441 (VMF-441) was activated on 1. October 1942, at Tutuila on American Samoa from elements of VMF-111 and flew the F4F Wildcat. By the end of May 1943 the entire squadron had moved to Funafuti in the Ellice Islands and this was followed on September 28, 1943, by another move to Nanumea. The squadron moved back to Tutuila in December 1943 where they transitioned to the F4U-1 Corsair.

On 1. January 1944, VMF-441 joined MAG-31 on Roi-Namur. By March 1944 the squadron was again on the offensive conducting raids against Mili and Jaluit.

During the Battle of Okinawa, VMF-441 landed at Yontan Airfield on 7. April 7, 1945. On 16. April 16, 1945, four divisions of VMF-441 planes came to the rescue of the destroyer DD-724USS Laffey which had already been hit by five kamikazes. Their Corsairs attacked a flight of 25 Japanese planes and were credited with shooting down 15½ enemy planes, losing one of their own because he was flying so low that both he and the Japanese plane he was chasing clipped Laffey's superstructure. The squadron was still on Okinawa when the Japanese surrendered in August 1945. Shortly thereafter, the squadron was alerted for occupation duty in mainland Japan as part of MAG-31. Maj. Paul T. Johnston, then commanding officer of the squadron, piloted the first Marine plane to land in mainland Japan when his F4U Corsair touched down at Yokosuka. He was quickly followed by the other 21 planes in his squadron. The squadron remained in Japan until March 1946. During their time on Occupation Duty the squadron logged over 3000 flight hours. They returned to the United States in April 1946 and were deactivated at MCAS Miramar, California on 11. July 1946.