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VMJ/VMR-153

VMJ-153 formed at San Diego on 1 March 1942.  Its flight echelon began deploying to New Caledonia in March 1943, and its rear echelon arrived in May. It was the last Marine aircraft squadron assigned to SCAT.  On 20 July 1944, along with other Marine utility squadrons, the squadron was redesignated a transport squadron, becoming VMR-153.  The squadron was the first VMR squadron to arrive at Tientsin.  It remained at Tsingtao under the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing when MAG-25 returned to the United States, separating from the group on 1 June 1946.

Commanding Officers:

Maj. Ben Z. Redfield, 1 March - 5 August 1942

Maj. Warren E. Sweetser, Jr., 6 August 1942 - 16 March 1943

Maj. Harry R. Van Liew, 17 March - 4 April 1943

Maj. William K. Lanman, Jr., 5 April - 31 May 1943

Maj. Elmore W. Seeds, 1 June - 4 July 1943

Maj. Robert B. Bell, 5 July - 4 November 1943

Maj. Freeman W. Williams, 4 November 1943 - 22 May 1944

Maj. Theodore W. Sanford, Jr., 23 May - 29 July 1944

Lt.Col. Harold F. Brown, 30 July 1944 - 7 July 1945

Maj. Frank M. Richards, 8 July - 20 August 1945

Maj. Charles J. Prall, 21 August - 18 September 1945

Lt.Col. Louis L. Frank, 19 September 1945 - 14 April 1946

Lt.Col. Neil R. MacIntyre, 15 April 1946 (last squadron CO under MAG-25)

Based in part on information contained in History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II by Robert Sherrod (Washington, DC: Combat Forces Press, 1951).

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