Michael D Birg

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 513 (VMFA-513), known as the "Flying Nightmares," was originally commissioned in 1944 as VMF-513. The squadron saw combat in World War II, the Korean War—where it became the first Marine squadron to fly jet aircraft in combat—and the Vietnam War, providing close air support and night-fighting capabilities. In the 1980s, VMFA-513 transitioned to flying the AV-8B Harrier II, becoming one of the Marine Corps’ premier vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) attack squadrons. The squadron participated in Operations Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom before being deactivated in 2013.