Photo Recon Became Fighter Duty: Marine Observation Squadron 251 in World War II

Trained as a photo reconnaissance unit, Marine Observation Squadron 251 ended up serving as a fighter squadron for the duration of World War II, shooting down 32 Japanese aircraft. The squadron earned several awards for outstanding performance, including the Presidential Unit Citation. This book is the first to cover the World War II history of VMFA-251, one of the Marine Corps’ longest-serving squadrons. The author traces their operations from the unit’s activation on December 1, 1941, through Guadalcanal, the reduction of Rabaul and their missions over the Philippines in 1945.