First, VMF-251 would like to congratulate 1st Lt. Trol for claiming his fifth aerial victory in FSO, and achieving the status of Ace. As such, he has been awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal in recognition of reaching this auspicious status.
Squadron AAR
Date of Action: July 11, 2008
Base of Operations: A70
Division Assignment: Sector Delta
VMF-251 took off at 2305 from A70 with 13 Fw-190D-9s. Division assignments as follows:
Red FlightMaj. Saxman
1st Lt. aJoust
2nd Lt. HAMMERR
2nd Lt. SPANKY38
Blue FlightCapt. MEF4UD
2nd Lt. Herder
Capt. CpMorgan
2nd Lt. trumpman/p>
White Flight1st Lt. Drazz
1st Lt. Trol
2nd Lt. 1Duke1
2nd Lt. Viper65
1st Lt. DeVice
Squadron circled field once, then proceeded northwest to Sector Delta. Blue Flight leading patrolled Sectors 14.19 and 14.18, Red in 15.9 and 15.8, and White in 16.9 and 16.8.
Blue Flight made initial contact with enemy P-47s in 14.8. Red and White turned to form up and engage, but encountered small numbers of P-51s. Skirmish with P-51s inconclusive.Herder downed by P-47s at 2342, before full squadron concentrated.
Squadron engaged Allied P-47s and P-51s in sporadic, running engagement. aJoust downed P-51 at 2356 and a P-47 at 2357, before crashing at 0000. CpMorgan claimed P-51s at 2356 and 0002. DeVice awarded victories at 2350 and 2353. Drazz claimed two P-47s, one at 2352 and a second at 2354. HAMMERR claimed a P-51 and P-47, both at 2353. MEF4UD shot down P-51 at 0001. Trol claimed P-51 at 0004.
Surviving squadron began return to base once clear of enemy contact. 1Duke1 disappeared enroute home at 0019. MEF4UD vanished at 0028, followed by Viper65 at 0042. Trol ran out of fuel and forced to ditch at 0032. SPANKY38 crashed on landing approach at 0033.
Lane wrecked in rough landing, but remainder of squadron landed successfully and recovered in tower by 0038.
