VMR-153

Marine Transport Squadron 153
Marine Transport Squadron 153
	VMR-153 insignia
Active	Mar 1, 1942 - May 20, 1959
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Type	Utility/Transport
Role	Assault support
Part of	Marine Aircraft Group 25 ; South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command
Engagements	World War II ; * New Georgia Campaign ; * Battle of Vella Lavella ; * Bougainville Campaign ; * Philippines Campaign (1944-1945) ; * Operation Beleaguer

Last updated January 01, 2023

Marine Transport Squadron 153 (VMR-153) was a United States Marine Corps transport squadron that provided logistical support, including cargo and personnel transport and aeromedical evacuation, to forward units during World War II. The squadron was under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 25 and the South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command (SCAT).^[4] During World War II, VMR-153 delivered approximately 15,000,000 pounds of supplies and equipment, evacuated more than 20,000 casualties, and moved an additional 8,000 personnel throughout the Pacific Theater.^[5]

History

World War II

Marine Utility Squadron 153 (VMJ-153) was commissioned on March 1, 1942 at Marine Corps Air Depot Miramar, San Diego, California.^[1]

VMJ-153 arrived overseas at Tontouta, New Caledonia on March 20, 1943, joining SCAT prior to the invasion of New Georgia. SCAT provided rapid transport of personnel and cargo, including munitions, food, replacement parts, and medical supplies, to and from forward areas. On rearward flights SCAT frequently provided aeromedical evacuation of wounded or sick personnel. These missions continued under MAG-25 and, until February 1945, Solomons Combat Air Transport Command, after the dissolution of SOPAC Combat Air Transport Command in July 1944. Like other Marine Corps utility squadrons in-theater, VMJ-153 was redesignated as a Marine Transport Squadron (VMR) on July 20, 1944. As a component of SCAT, VMR-153 received a Navy Unit Commendation for its operations in the South Pacific from December 1942 to July 1944.^[4]

Post War operations

In October 1945, MAG-25 moved to Tsingtao, China, where VMR-153 participated in the evacuation of liberated prisoners from the Weixian Internment Camp.^[4] VMR-153 regularly flew personnel and equipment through Singapore, Manchuria, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Peiping.^[5] From 2–6 February 1948, VMR-153 flew 26 flights to evacuate 49 personnel from the United States Consulate in Changchun, Manchuria. During this time the squadron moved 42, 330 pounds of cargo. This was followed by the evacuation of another U.S. consulate in Mukden from 9–12 February 1948 during which the squadron moved 28 personnel and 52,891 pounds of cargo. The ^[6] squadron departed Tsingtao in January 1949 with the last elements of Marine Corps aviation to depart China.^[7] They initially flew to Guam where the unit stayed for two weeks before flying on to California. On February 17, 1949 the last of the squadron's aircraft arrived at Moffett Airfield. VMR-153 arrived at MCAS Cherry Pointon February 22, 1949 joining the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. At the outbreak of the Korean War, the squadron was kept busy flying newly activated reservists to the West Coast prior to their shipping out.^[5]

During October 1959, VMR-153 and VMR-252 flew disaster relief missions to Tampico, Mexico in the wake of Hurricane Hilda ^[8] The squadron was decommissioned on May 20, 1959.^[2]^[3]

Accidents

December 27, 1943 - A squadron plane flying from Tontouta Airfield to Espiritu Santo carrying 5 crew members and 19 passengers never arrived. The planes was never found however small pieces of wreckage were discovered near Uvea Atoll.
May 18, 1944 - An R4D-5 (BuNo 39073), piloted by Capt Richard O. Haralson and carrying 22 other passengers and 1300 pounds of mail, went missing while flying from Torokina Airfield to Guadalcanal. No traces of the plane were ever found.^[9]
July 12, 1944 - A Douglas R4D-5 (BuNo 17180) piloted by Maj Edward W. Megson and carrying 15 personnel crashed into Maru Peak on the southeastern tip of Guadalcanal killing everyone onboard. All of the remains were recovered after the war.^[10]^[11]
October 7, 1944 - An R4D-5 carrying 7 crew members and 12 passengers crashed near Vella Lavella during heavy rains killing all onboard.^[12]

Notable former members

John Otis Carney - navigator, who authored numerous screenplays and books.^[13]
William K. Lanman, executive officer, who became a millionaire benefactor of Yale University.

Citations

1 2 Rottman 2002, pp. 441.
1 2 "VMR-252 High in Safety". Naval Aviation News. Washington D.C.: United States Navy. October 1960. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
1 2 "Index for 1959 United States Marine Corps Bound Diaries". National Archives Catalog. United States Marine Corps. p. 22. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
1 2 3 Armstrong 2017, pp. 1–128.
1 2 3 Second Marine Air Wing Cruise Book - 1951 - Pg. 78
↑ "Orient Roll-Up". Naval Aviation News. Washington D.C.: United States Navy. March 1948. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
↑ Sherrod 1952, pp. 421.
↑ Evans & Grossnick 2015, pp. 287.
↑ "R4D-5 Bureau Number 39073". Pacificwrecks.com. Pacific Wrecks Inc. 28 June 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
↑ "US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (10317 to 21191)". joebaugher.com. Joseph F. Baugher. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
↑ "R4D-5 Bureau Number 17180". Pacificwrecks.com. Pacific Wrecks Inc. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
↑ "R4D-5 Bureau Number 39086". Pacificwrecks.com. Pacific Wrecks Inc. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
↑ "Otis Carney". IMDb .

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References

Bibliography

Armstrong, William (2017). Marine Air Group 25 and SCAT (Images of Aviation). Arcadia. ISBN 978-1467127431.
Evans, Mark L.; Grossnick, Roy A. (2015). United States Naval Aviation (1910-2010) (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Naval History and Heritage Command.
Rottman, Gordon L. (2002). U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle – Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313319065.
Sherrod, Robert (1952). History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Combat Forces Press. ISBN 0-89201-048-7.