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Again at Yuma, AZ with VMFA-531. Up close and personal. The F4 jockeys loved to show-off.

I had asked my pilot to get a little closer. He got so close I could only get the front half of the plane in the picture.

You see the back half in the here.

Now that's close.

Great fun.

About VMFA-531

This squadron was in Vietnam prior to coming back to Cherry Point in August 1965 with MAG-24. Never-the-less it spent many months at Yuma, AZ, training pilots, RIOs, and plane crews for duty in Vietnam. In April 1968 the sqadron was moved to El Toro, CA. In 1992 the squadron was decommissioned.

For more information on VFMA-531 head over to the web sites dedicated to the Gray Ghosts and VFMA-531 Assoc. At the Gray Ghosts web site check out the photo section. Plently of great pictures of my favorite fighter jet. Best all-time. Period.

note: All three of the air-to-air photos of the F4 were taken with a 50mm normal 35mm camera lens. No zooms in those days. So when you're close you're close!

We need your input

If you were part of VFMA-531 in December 1966 and went to Yuma or know or can identify anyone in the photos let us know. Also if you have any stories from this trip or about VFMA-531 in the 60s, then send them to us and share them.

John Krill

More photos from Yuma

• Section 01
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  • Page 02
  • Page 03
  • Page 04
• Section 02
  • Page 05
  • Page 06
  • Page 07
  • Page 08
• Section 03
  • Page 09
  • Page 10
  • Page 11
  • Page 12
• Section 04
  • Page 13
  • Page 14
  • Page 15
  • Page 16
• Section 05
  • Page 17
  • Page 18
  • Page 19
  • Page 20
• Section 06
  • Page 21
  • Page 22