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Cruise Book - U.S. Marines VMFA(AW)-242 \"Bats\" WESTPAC 92/93 Deployment For Sale
![Cruise Book - U.S. Marines VMFA(AW)-242 \](img-large/g/PKwAAOSwdQNkDNHc/s-l1600/Cruise-Book-U-S-Marines-VMFA-AW-242-Bats-WESTPAC-9.jpg "Cruise Book - U.S. Marines VMFA(AW)-242 \")
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Cruise Book - U.S. Marines VMFA(AW)-242 \"Bats\" WESTPAC 92/93 Deployment:
$134.95
VMFA(AW)-242 WestPac 92-93 Deployment Cruise Book ~ ~ ~ ~ ~This is an original Cruise Book from the 1992-93 WestPac cruise deployment of
USMC Fighter Squadron VMFA(AW)-242 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~Hard cover, medium size school yearbook-style format, 100 pages of photos covering the pilots, their F/A-18D fighter aircraft, all of the various squadron support personnel, and their activities during their 1992-1993 WestPac Cruise. Stops on this cruise included Hawaii, Wake Island, Guam, Australia, Thailand, Japan and Alaska.
No wear to covers and no missing or damaged pages, this is a nice addition to any cruise book collection or great memory trip for any former members of the squadron and is in excellent condition. This book was found recently at an estate sale in the Pacific Northwest, and was apparently gifted to the parents of one of the squadron pilots by the Squadron Commander at that time. There is a short inscription to the recipients and the signature of the Squadron Commander on the inside of the front cover and a mark from a paperclip on the first page. Otherwise there appear to be no marks or writing of any sort on any of the pages within.~ ~ ~ ~ ~ While researching these listings I sometimes end up learning something new. So I thought I\'d pass along some of those \'new things\' here. (However, if you already have interest in this book, you probably already know most of this...) From Wikipedia: Currently, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242 (VMFA-242) is a United States Marine Corps squadron flying F-35B Lightning II STOVL Stealth Fighters. The squadron, known as the \"Bats\", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 12 (MAG-12) and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW). The radio call-sign is \"Profane\".
Now back to the beginning... This Squadron as originally commissioned in 1943 as Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 242 (VMTB-242), was flying the TBM Avenger aircraft and had a lengthy combat history in the Northern Solomon Islands, the Battle of Saipan, the Battle of Tinian, and finally the Battle of Iwo Jima. After which they flew anti-submarine patrols for the remainder of the War. The squadron was deactivated late in 1945 and then reactivated in October of 1960, this time flying the A4D Skyhawk, when they were deployed to NAS Key West in October of 1962, where they maintained a ready posture during the Cuban Missile Crisis until the Soviet withdrawal of offensive weapons from Cuba. Cuban Missile Crisis averted, in September of 1963, VMA-242 embarked for duty with the 1st MAW. The squadron operated from MCAS Iwakuni, Japan until its return to MCAS Cherry Point in September 1964, at which time it transitioned to the A-6A Intruder and was re-designated as VMA(AW)-242 In late 1966, VMA(AW)-242 joined the 1st MAW at Da Nang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam and by November of that year, was participating in combat operations against the Viet Cong and the People\'s Army of Vietnam. The squadron, utilizing the unique capabilities of the A-6, flew patrols over North Vietnam until the bombing halt late in 1968. During the squadron\'s tour in the Republic of Vietnam, VMA(AW)-242 logged 16,783 combat sorties and delivered 85,990 tons of ordnance. During the war, the squadron was known as the Batmen. At some date after the war this was modified to the Bats.
VMA(AW)-242 arrived at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California in early May 1971. In September 1977, the squadron transitioned to the A-6E Intruder aircraft. After ten years at MCAS El Toro, they again deployed overseas to MCAS Iwakuni as part of the six-month Unit Deployment Program (UDP). During August 1983, VMA(AW)-242 was the first Marine squadron to deploy to the African continent as part of Operation Eastern Wind In Berbera, Somalia. While in country, they conducted joint operations with the Somali Army Air Defense Force and the US Navy and US Air Force. There were a couple more deployments to WestPac in the mid \'80s, returning to MCAS El Toro in May of 1986. October 1988 saw VMA(AW)-242 redeploy to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan for the sixth and final WestPac UDP with the A-6E Intruder.
On December 1990, VMA(AW)-242 was re-designated as Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, and began conversion to the F/A-18D Hornet and it was at this time that the squadron adopted its motto, \"Mors ex Tenebris.\" [\"Death from Above\"] This catches us up to the WestPac Cruise of 1992-1993 where this book (which hopefully you are about to purchase) comes in to play, so there you go... I\'m not usually so verbose in my listings, but this stuff interests me, and I hope you also.
One other tidbit I found kinda neat... after converting from the F/A-18D Hornet to the F-35B Lightning II, in 2021, two aircraft from the squadron operated from the flight deck of the Japanese carrier JS Izumo. The aircraft were testing newly completed modifications to the Izumo that allow it to operate F-35s, and it marked the first time since WWII that fixed-wing aircraft have operated off a Japanese warship. How cool is that?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Medial Mail shipping is provided for books or other qualified media in order to lower your overall cost. I typically ship within one or two days of receiving your payment; however, total transit time may vary greatly with Medial Mail. Most of the time Media Mail with the USPS is reasonably fast, sometimes amazingly so. That said, at times it can mysteriously take 10 to 12 days after I deliver the package to the Post Office.
If this happens, please understand that it is out of my control. In many cases (and depending on the size of the book) I will include a Priority Mail link in the shipping options to which you may wish to upgrade if you would like to receive your purchase quicker than Media Mail. Got a problem? I try to make my listing descriptions accurate and use detailed photos, but if you believe I have made a mistake in my description, or there are any other issues, just contact me. I will do my best to make it right.
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