Marine Fighter Squadron 312 was commissioned in June 1943 at Page Field, Parris Island, South Carolina. The squadron began operations with 10 North American SNJ-4 Texans and one F4U-1D Corsair. Within one year, the squadron transitioned to 11 F4U-1Ds and one SNJ-4 and began combat training.
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Departing Parris Island in January 1944, the squadron prepared to begin combat operations in the Pacific. Embarked on the USS Hornet, the squadron was initially assigned to defend the Hawaiian Islands under the operational control of the Hawaiian Sea Frontier Command. Transported to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, the squadron prepared for its first combat action from the recently captured Kadena airstrip. By the war's end, the squadron had accounted for 59 air combat kills in the Pacific Theater.
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During the Vietnam conflict, the Checkerboards performed the vital mission of training combat air crews prior to their deployment in Southeast Asia. In 1973, the squadron received the F-4J aircraft with its much improved radar and avionics as well as improved aerodynamic design.
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In July 1987, VMFA-312 retired its F-4 aircraft and transitioned to the F/A-18 Hornet.
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In late August and September 1995, the Checkerboards conducted their first direct combat sorties since Vietnam in support of United Nations resolutions in Operation Deliberate Force. NATO's decision to conduct immediate air strikes against Bosnian-Serb ammunition bunkers, communication and control facilities and logistical storage bunkers heavily tasked both the airwing and the squadron. At the conclusion of this short, but intense campaign, the Checkerboards proved again that they could deliver swift and lethal attacks on ground targets in combat and emerge without losses.
