EL TORO : Fighter Jet Squadron to Be Deactivated
Reacting to across-the-board budget cuts ordered by the Pentagon, officials at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station announced Thursday the deactivation of a fighter squadron with a dozen planes and 160 Marines.
Attack Squadron 531, known as the Grey Ghosts, is one of six F/A-18 fighter and training squadrons based at the air station. Officials pointed out, however, that the number of squadrons at El Toro will remain the same because another squadron using the new, two-seater F/A-18D is being added.
The Grey Ghosts, the first Marine night fighter squadron to be assigned to the Pacific theater during World War II, flew F-4 Phantoms during the Vietnam War.
In 1980, the squadron spent 102 days aboard the carrier Coral Sea during the Iranian hostage crisis. The squadron was not sent to the Persian Gulf during last year’s war.
Marine spokeswoman Capt. Betsy Sweatt said that the manpower reduction will be accomplished through normal attrition and that the 531st is one of two Marine squadrons targeted for deactivation; the other is VMFA 333 in the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Cherry Point, N.C.
El Toro has 10,000 Marines and is the headquarters for the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
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