F4U-5 Corsair aboard the USS Coral Sea

MCARA Units > 2nd MAW HEDRON-2 Det USS Coral Sea (CV-43) (1950-1951)

After VMP-354 was decommissioned in late 1949 the remaining photo reconnaissance assets were transferred to the wing’s HEDRON. Sometime early in 1950 the Navy requested 2nd MAW to provide a photo det to cover the upcoming deployment of the USS Coral Sea to the Mediterranean. An F4U-5P det was assigned and deployed with the ship during its cruise from 9 September, 1950 until 1 February, 1951. The tail code was LL 4 XX. This was during the start up of the Korean War and its likely that no follow on det was provided due to the demands in Korea. The HEDRON-2 photo section was eventually taken over by VMJ-2 when it was stood up in 1952.

(Write up by Col. H. Wayne Whitten USMC (ret) in July 2008)