Marine Scouting Squadron 3
"Devilbirds"
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History |
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| 1919 | VO-9M established at ? |
| 1. July 1937 | VO-9M redesignated VSM-3 |
| May 1944 | VMS-3 disestablished at MCAS St. Thomas, Virgin Islands |
| Planes: |
?
O2U-1
J2F-2A
OS2N-1 (OS2U-3)
SBD-5
| VMS-3 Home Port Assignments | ||
| ? | 1919 | ? |
| Haiiti | ? | 1934 |
| MCAS St. Thomas, Virgin Islands | 1934 | 5. 1944 |
| VMS-3 Commanding Officers | ||
| ? | 1919 |
? |
| ? | ? |
5. 1944 |
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History |
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There were three Marine Scouting Squadrons prior to World War II; however, VMS-3 was the only squadron to retain the designation. The squadron served in Haiti from 1919 through 1934 and then spent its last ten years at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. During World War II they were the only Marine Corps squadron to operate east of the United States. At the start of the Second World War, VMS-3 (nicknamed the Devilbirds) operated the J2F-2A Duck utility aircraft, which was replaced by the OS2N-1 Kingfisher in 1942; the Kingfisher was replaced by the SBD- scout dive-bomber in 1944. In May 1944, the unit was deactivated. The purpose of the squadron was to maintain an anti-submarine patrol between Puerto Rico and Martinique, however the diminishing activity of German U-boats made the base redundant. |