MARINE OBSERVATION SQUADRON VMO-6 "Tomcats" "Cherry Six” LINEAGE:
1920 - 1937
Activated 1 December 1920 at Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia, as Flight E, 3d Air Squadron.
Redesignated 24 August 1924 as Division 1, Fighting Squadron 1, First Aviation Group, Quantico, Virginia.
Redesignated 1 September 1925 as Division 1, Observation Squadron 3.
Redesignated 1 July 1927 as Division 1, Observation Squadron 6 (VO-6M), East Coast Expeditionary Force, Quantico, Va.
Departed 27 January 1928 for expeditionary duty in Nicaragua.
Assigned to Air Squadrons, 2d Brigade for counter-insurgency operations against the Sandinista rebels, 16 February - 1 September 1928.
Administratively transferred from Air Squadrons, 2d Brigade to East Coast Expeditionary Force, Quantico, Virginia.
In 1932 a reserve augmentation unit (VO6MR) was established at Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, New York.
VO6M deactivated 30 June 1933.
1 July 1935 VO6MR was transferred to Naval Reserve Aviation Base, Wold-Chamberlain Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In 1937 all Observation Squadrons were re-designated and ceased to exist.
1944-1949
Reactivated 20 November 1944 at Quantico, Virginia, as Marine Observation Squadron 6.
Relocated 1 January 1945 to Marine Corps Air Depot, Miramar, San Diego, California, and
reassigned to Marine Fleet Air, West Coast.
Deployed during January - February 1945 to Guadalcanal and reassigned to Aircraft,
Fleet Marine Force.
Reassigned 1 March 1945 to 2d Marine Aircraft Wing.
Participated in the Okinawa campaign, March - July 1945.
Reassigned 25 July 1945 to Marine Aircraft Group 21, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.
Deployed during October 1945 to Tsingtao, China, and reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 32, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Reassigned during May 1946 to Marine Aircraft Group 25, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Reassigned 1 July 1946 to Headquarters, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Reassigned 20 July 1946 to the 7th Marines (Reinforced), 1st Marine Division (Reinforced).
Relocated during January 1947 to Camp Pendleton, California, and reassigned to Marine Air, West Coast.
Reassigned 1 October 1947 to 1st Matine Aircraft Wing.
1950 - 1962
Deployed during July - August 1950 to Pusan, Korea.
Participated in the Korean conflict, August 1950 - March 1955, operating from
Pusan
Chinhae
Inchon
Yonpo
Pohang-dong
Relocated during March - April 1955 to Camp Pendleton, California.
Reassigned 22 April 1955 to Air, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.
Reassigned 15 September 1955 to 3d Marine Aircraft Wing.
Reassigned 5 February 1956 to Marine Wing Headquarters Group, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing.
Reassigned 1 July 1956 to Marine Aircraft Group 36, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing.
Detachment participated in operations relating to the Cuban Missile Crisis, November 1962.
1962 - 1977
Deployed during August 1965 to Republic of Vietnam and reassigned
to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Participated in the war in Vietnam, September 1965 - October 1969,
operating from
Da Nang
Ky Ha
Chu Lai
Phu Bai
Quang Tri
Relocated during October 1969 to Marine Corps Air Facility, Futenma, Okinawa and reassigned to
Marine Aircraft Group 15, 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade.
Reassigned during November 1969 to Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Deactivated 1 January 1977.
HONORS*
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION STREAMER with four bronze stars
- World War II
- Okinawa
- 1 April - 21 June 1945
- Korea
- 2 August 1950 - 27 July 1953
- 7 August - 7 September 1950
- 15 September - 11 October 1950
- Vietnam
- 1 September 1965 - 24 April 1967
- 6 June - 15 September 1967
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (Army) STREAMER
- Korea
- 22 November - 14 December 1950
NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER with two bronze stars
- Korea
- 1 August 1952 - 27 July 1953
- Vietnam
- 4 September 1965 - 24 August 1966
- 16 April - 16 October 1968
MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER
- Vietnam
- 1968 - 1969
SECOND NICARAGUAN CAMPAIGN STREAMER
ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN STREAMER with one bronze star
- World War II
- Okinawa Gunto Operation
- 1 April - 30 June 1945
WORLD WAR II VICTORY STREAMER
CHINA SERVICE STREAMER
KOREAN SERVICE STREAMER with two silver stars
NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE STREAMER with one bronze star
ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY STREAMER
- Cuba 7 November - 29 November 1962
VIETNAM SERVICE STREAMER with two silver stars
KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION STREAMER
VIETNAM CROSS of GALLANTRY with PALM STREAMER
VIETNAM MERITORIOUS UNIT CITATION CIVIL ACTIONS STREAMER
* VMO-6 was considered to be the lineal descendant of Marine Observation Squadron 6 (VO-6M) which deactivated in 1933. It was granted the Lineage and Honors of that squadron.
* Nicknames: "Hell-Divers" (VO-6M); "Tomcats"; "Cherry Six"
* ID Code: WB 1950-1977
* Aircraft: OY-1; OE-1; OE-2/O1-C; HTL; HO3S; HO5S; HOK-1/OH-43D; T-28C; UH-1E; OV-10A
Click on the Cherry 6 to see a VMO-6 video.
