VMFA-232 Red Devils
VMFA-232, the Marine Corps' oldest active fighter squadron, was activated on 1 September 1925 at NAS San Diego. Flying the Vought VE-7SF with its iconic “Red Devil” insignia, the squadron began its long tradition of excellence. In 1927, it deployed aboard the USS Henderson to support operations in China. Through the 1930s, the squadron flew multiple aircraft before transitioning to the SBD Dauntless ahead of World War II.
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During the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941, the squadron—then based at MCAS Ewa—lost most of its aircraft. It later flew SBD-3s from the USS Long Island in the first Marine dive-bomber missions at Guadalcanal. Re-designated VMTB-232, it flew Avengers throughout the Pacific until 1945, suffering heavy losses but earning two Presidential Unit Citations.
Reactivated in 1948, the squadron transitioned through the F4U Corsair, F9F Panther, and F-8 Crusader during the Korean War and Cold War years. In Vietnam, VMFA-232 flew Phantoms and supported major operations like LINEBACKER. The squadron left Southeast Asia in 1973 and won the Hanson Award in 1974.
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The 1980s saw transition to the F/A-18 Hornet. In 1991, the Red Devils flew over 700 missions in Desert Storm. By 1995, they returned to Miramar, surpassing 50,000 mishap-free flight hours and completing multiple deployments.
After 9/11, they deployed to Guam for homeland defense and later to Kuwait for Operation Iraqi Freedom, flying over 800 sorties and dropping more than 640,000 pounds of ordnance. They joined multiple carrier deployments in the mid-2000s, returning to combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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In 2010, they became the first land-based F/A-18 squadron in Afghanistan, flying 1,700 sorties and earning another Hanson Award. Today, after nearly a century of service, the Red Devils remain a vital force, having received multiple unit citations and safety awards.
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Our version of the VMFA-232 Marine Corps Fighter Attack Squadron artwork, used in the F/A-18c Hornet livery:
ORIGINAL
REVISED
Please note: Featured on this site are many refreshed versions of the squadron's original emblem designs.
We've made subtle tweaks to some, more sweeping changes to others, but our intention is always to preserve the essence of the original ~ to create a slightly updated version that would print clearer on a variety of mediums.
All of our emblem design versions have been created with deep respect for the original design and their respective designers. It is our homage to these squadrons, their personnel, crews, and veterans.