Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242
VMFA-242 Logo
1st Marine Aircraft Wing
Iwakuni, Japan

Who We Are

Locate, attack and destroy surface targets, intercept and destroy enemy aircraft, and provide electronic warfare support.

 

VMFA-242 Leaders

Commanding Officer
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242

Lieutenant Colonel Alexander M. Mellman currently serves as the Commanding Officer of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242.

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Executive Officer
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242

Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin M. Boera currently serves as the Executive Officer of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242.

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Senior Enlisted Leader
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242

Sergeant Major Mark P. Mangio currently serves as the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242 Command Senior Enlisted Leader.

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Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242
Marine Aircraft Group 12
1st Marine Aircraft Wing, FMF
UNIT 37300
FPO AP 96630-7300

Our mission is to support the MAGTF Commander by providing supporting arms coordination, conducting reconnaissance, and destroying surface targets and enemy aircraft day or night under all weather conditions during expeditionary, joint, or combined operations.   

1943 – 1945 

  • ACTIVATED 1 JULY 1943 AT EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA, AS MARINE TORPEDO BOMBING SQUADRON 242 AND ASSIGNED TO MARINE BASE DEFENSE AIRCRAFT GROUP 43, MARINE FLEET AIR, WEST COAST 
  • DEPLOYED DURING FEBRUARY 1944 TO ESPIRITU SANTO, NEW HEBRIDES, AND REASSIGNED TO MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 11, MARINE AIR, SOUTH PACIFIC
  • REASSIGNED DURING JUNE 1944 TO MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 21, 4TH MARINE BASE DEFENSE AIRCRAFT WING 
  • REASSIGNED DURING NOVEMBER 1944 TO 4TH MARINE AIRCRAFT WING 
  • PARTICIPATED IN THE FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II CAMPAIGNS: BISMARK ARCHPELAGO, IWO JIMA
  • RELOCATED DURING NOVEMBER 1945 TO SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
  • DEACTIVATED 23 NOVEMBER 1945

1960 – 1965 

  • REACTIVATED 1 OCTOBER 1960 AT CHERRY POINT, NORTH CAROLINA, AS MARINE ATTACK SQUADRON 242 AND ASSIGNED TO MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 14, 2D MARINE AIRCRAFT WING 
  • DEPLOYED DURING OCTOBER 1962 TO KEY WEST, FLORIDA 
  • RETURNED DURING NOVEMBER 1962 TO CHERRY POINT, NORTH CAROLINA 
  • DEPLOYED DURING OCTOBER 1963 TO IWAKUNI, JAPAN, AND REASSIGNED TO MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 12, 1ST MARINE AIRCRAFT WING
  • RELOCATED DURING OCTOBER 1964 TO CHERRY POINT, NORTH CAROLINA 
  • REDESIGNATED 1 OCTOBER 1964 AS MARINE ALL WEATHER ATTACK SQUADRON 242 AND REASSIGNED TO MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 14, 2D MARINE AIRCRAFT WING

1966 – 1989 

  • DEPLOYED DURING OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1966 TO DA NANG, REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM, AND REASSIGNED TO MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 11, 1ST MARINE AIRCRAFT WING 
  • PARTICIPATED IN THE WAR IN VIETNAM, NOVEMBER 1966 – SEPTEMBER 1970 OPERATING FROM DA NANG 
  • RELOCATED DURING SEPTEMBER 1970 TO EL TORO, CALIFORNIA, AND REASSIGNED TO MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 33, 3D MARINE AIRCRAFT WING 
  • REASSIGNED DURING DECEMBER 1970 TO MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 13, 3D MARINE AIRCRAFT WING
  • PARTICIPATED IN NUMEROUS TRAINING EXERCISES DURING THE 1970’S AND 1980’S
  • PARTICIPATED IN THE SYSTEM OF UNIT DEPLOYMENT BETWEEN MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 12, 1ST MARINE AIRCRAFT WING, AND MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 11 AND 13, 3D MARINE AIRCRAFT WING DURING THE 1980’S 
  • REASSIGNED DURING OCTOBER 1987 TO MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP 11, 3D MARINE AIRCRAFT WING

1990 – 2000

  • REDESIGNATED 14 DECEMBER 1990 AS MARINE ALL WEATHER FIGHTER ATTACK SQUADRON 242
  • PARTICIPATED IN SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM, SOUTHWEST ASIA, AUGUST 1990 – APRIL 1991 
  • RELOCATED DURING MARCH 1996 TO MIRAMAR, CALIFORNIA

2000 – PRESENT 

  • DEPLOYED TO IWAKUNI, JAPAN ON THE UNIT DEPLOYMENT PROGRAM, MARCH 2001 – SEPTEMBER 2001, SEPTEMBER 2002 – SEPTEMBER 2003
  • PARTICIPATED IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM II, SOUTHWEST ASIA, SEPTEMBER 2004 – MARCH 2005 
  • PARTICIPATED IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM 05-07, SOUTHWEST ASIA, SEPTEMBER 2006 – MARCH 2007
  • RELOCATED DURING MARCH 2008 TO MCAS IWAKUNI, JAPAN


 VMFA-242 URC

1stLt Reina A Moreno

DSN: 315-255-2350

Cell Phone: 0827-94-2350

 

Deputy Family Readiness Officer:
DSN: 315-255-3841 CG's Family Readiness Vision Statement
Family Team Building Okinawa
Family Team Building Hawaii
Family Team Building Iwakuni
Military OneSource

Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Page

 

VMFA-242 SAPR VA

Sgt Cristian Saldana

VMFA-242 SAPR VA

SSgt Seth C. Conner

VMFA-242 SAPR VA

CWO2 Adam J. McKinley

 VMFA-242 EO Representative

Capt Katherine F. Montgomery

DSN: 315-255-2331

View PAC Complaint Flow Chart

Unit Voting Assistance Officer
Captain Nicholas A Skorina
DSN: 315-255-2531
Email: nicholas.skorina@usmc.mil 

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242

Commercial: 011-81-827-94-3882 / 3860
DSN: 315-255-3882 / 3860

Squadron Duty Officer
Cell Phone: 090-6861-5736

Wing Duty Officer
Cell Phone: 080-2737-9024
Office Phone: 645-2564

 

 DSN to Japan Dial DSN Prefix: 315-255-XXXX or 315-255-XXXX
 CO  255-2370  XO  255-2368
 SERGEANT MAJOR  255-2367  FRO  255-2366
 SDO/SDC  255-2302  SDO DUTY CELL PHONE  090-6861-5736
 BKS DNCO Bldg. 1438   253-7508  CAREER PLANNER   255-2349
 S-1   255-2530/ 2533/ 2345  S-2  255-2538/ 2537/ 2539
 S-3   255-2360/ 2359  S-4   255-2350 /2351/ 2566
 S-5   255-2362 2531 /2532 ALIMS  255-2555/ 6694
 OPSO   255-2357  AMO   255-2322 
 DOSS   255-2344  FAX  N/A
 MAINT CTRL OIC   255-2327  MAINT CHIEF   255-2328
 MAINT ADMIN   255-2514  AIRFRAMES   255-2333 
 FLIGHT/EQUIP   255-2304  COMNAV/ELEC   255-2321
 ORD   255-2529  POWERLINE   255-2330 
 SEAT SHOP   255-2336  TOOL ROOM   255-2569 
 QA   255-2305  MEDICAL   255-2340
 Commercial number from Japan:
 255-XXXX Dial  0827-94-XXXX
 253-XXXX Dial  0827-79-XXXX
 Commercial number from US:
 255-XXXX Dial  011-81-827-94-XXXX
 253-XXXX Dial  011-81-827-79-XXXX