The Fighting Shamrocks - VMFA 333 - Air Attack
Marine All Weather Attack Squadron 333
Vietnam War Patch - MiG Killers
Measures - 3.8 x 3.8 inches (9.5 x 9.5 cms)
VMFA 333 – Marine All Weather Attack 333 – Fighting Shamrocks
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 333 (VMFA-333) was a United States Marine Corps fighter squadron consisting of F/A-18 Hornets.
Known as the "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.
On 1 February 1966, The squadron was 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.
In June 1972, VMFA-333 deployed on board the USS America (CVA-66) and conducted missions over Vietnam.
It was during this deployment that the squadron got its only air-to-air kill when Major Lee T Lasseter, USMC along with his RIO, Capt. John D. Cummings shot down a MiG-21 over North Vietnam, near Hanoi. After the shoot down both aircraft were damaged by flak and an SA-2 SAM, which hit 5526 in the tail section.
Close to running out of fuel and with 5526 on fire from the SAM hit, the pilots ejected just south of Haiphong Harbor.
The incident was also the first and only all-Marine kill during the Vietnam War.
Two other Marines shot down MiGs but they were on exchange with the Air Force.
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