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| | Marine Fighter Attack Squadron-323 [VMFA-323] |
 | | Marine Fighting Squadron 323 was commissioned Aug. 1, 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. Three hard-charging fighter pilots killed a 6 foot rattlesnake, and hung its diamond-backed skin in the squadron ready room, giving rise to the 50 year-old unit the nickname of "Death Rattlers". |
 | | Reflecting this change in its primary mission, the squadron was re-designated Marine Attack Squadron 323 (VMA-323) in June 1952. |
 | | While deployed to NAS Atsugi, Japan in 1963, the "Snakes" twice supported operations in the Philippines, Okinawa, and Taiwan from the decks of Navy carriers. |
| www.globalsecurity.org /military/agency/usmc/vmfa-323.htm (1276 words) |
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