Marine Fighter Squadron 123 (VMF-123) "Flying Eight Balls"
United States Marine Corps (USMC)

Background
On September 7, 1942 activated at NAS San Diego with a cadre of experienced pilots from Marine Fighter Squadron 121 (VMF-121) operating the F4F Wildcat. Nicknamed “Flying Eight Balls”. VMF-123 was the last U.S. Marine Corps squadron to arrive in the Solomons Islands and the last to transition from the F4F Wildcat to the F4U Corsair.

Wartime History
On January 8, 1943 sent overseas to the South Pacific (SoPAC). On February 4, 1943 begins their first tour of duty operating from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal.

On August 14, 1943 moves to Munda Airfield on New Georgia.

On August 30, 1943 twelve Corsairs from the squadron took off from Munda Airfield to escort twenty-six B-24 Liberators on a bombing mission against Kahili Airfield (Buin) on southern Bougainville. The Allied fighter escort also included thirty-two other fighters. Over the target during the bomb run, the formation was intercepted by approximately twenty-five to thirty-five to A6M Zeros and anti-aircraft fire was heavy and accurate. Lost is F4U Corsair 02351 pilot 1st Lt Walter T. Mayberry (POW, executed May 5, 1944).

During September 1943 the squadron divided in half, with half of each flight operating from the Russell Islands.

On November 28, 1943 departs the combat zone to rotate back to the United States. On December 14, 1943 arrives on the west coast and during 1944 reorganized at Santa Barbara and Mojave.

Third Tour of Duty
On December 31, 1944 embarked aboard USS Bennington (CV-20) with VMF-112 and departed on their third combat tour of duty flying missions from over Iwo Jima, Japan and the entire Okinawa campaign until June 16, 1945, suffering seven KIA and five MIA pilots.

During July 1945 arrived at Marine Corps Air Station El Centro and pared with VMTB-623 for training for the expected invasion of Japan. Both squadrons were scheduled to embark aboard USS Saidor (CVE-117) when the Pacific War ended. On September 10, 1945 the squadron was deactivated.

Postwar
During the late 1940s, the squadron was reactivated as part of the Marine Forces Reserve at Naval Air Station Los Alamitos. During the Korean War, VMF-123 was placed on active duty on July 23, 1950, and served as a training squadron for replacement Corsair pilots. Following the war, they transitioned to jet aircraft and were deactivated in the late 1950s.

References
History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II (1952) pages 457 (VMF-123 squadron summary)

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