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The source of the moniker, “Flying Deuces,” is usually attributed to its squadron number. Of note, RKO Pictures released a feature length film titled, “The Flying Deuces,” in 1939 starring Stanley Laurel and Oliver Hardy. The plot has the hapless pair (the “Deuces” of the title) joining the French Foreign Legion and in its dénouement has the pair trying to fly a plane in order to desert the Legion. The result is classic Laurel & Hardy slapstick. This webmaster asked his inspiration and primary resource for this project, Lt. Col W.O. “Pappy” Reid, if he thought the film was the origin or an influence on the VMF-222 nick-name but he claimed ignorance of the film or that it had any correlation to it. Said webmaster respectfully disagrees with the late and presumed last of the "Flying Deuces."

Hell, We can’t use these Corsairs we ordered, allegedly said the admirals. Give them to the Marines!
Stationed at Ewa, VMF-222 missed the pivotal naval battle at Midway and in September the squadron rotated “states side” to the new MCAS Santa Barbara, California. While there, the squadron filled its billet of pilots and ground support crew and also nicknamed themselves “The Flying Deuces” and acquired its iconic logo. The squadron’s intelligence officer, Warrant Officer George C. Schaefer, Jr,. designed the first "Flying Deuces" insignia and the "V" for Victory patch was a variation oftern sewn onto baseball caps, a flag, etc. “Gunner” Schaefer also used his talent as a former Warner Brothers studio photographer to document much of the squadron’s activities that appear in this website.
   
   
   
“I arrived at San Diego, Cal, from my leave Sept. 10, 1942. Stayed there until Oct. 10, 1942 was transferred to Santa Barbara, Calif, where I was assigned to “The Flying Deuces” Squadron. (VMF-222).”
-excerpt from diary of 2nd Lt. W. O. Reid, USMC-R
2nd Lt. Reid at 21 years old. He just received his wings and commission on August 16, 1942 at NAS Miami.
Williams, Reid, Wilson, ?, Newlands,
Hobbs, & Turner (Volcansek?)

“Pappy” encounters another “Pappy”

During the month in San Diego awaiting assignment, 2nd Lt. Reid was billeted at North Island Naval Base, across the bay from the city and home of the fleet. He often went by navy launch over to “main side” for after hours entertainment. The caveat was that he and his fellow junior officers had to be back at the town’s wharf opposite the navy base before midnight to catch the last launch back. There was an early roll call every morning and not to be there would be a black mark on your record. What to do?

Just before midnight “Pappy” Reid and a group of other pilots arrived at the designated embarkation point only to see the last launch heading back to base full of other men.
After many minutes of cussing and complaining, one of the group stated that he couldn’t wait any longer. He stripped down to his “skivvies,” handed his clothes to his buddies and then dove into the black and frigid bay, swimming towards the base about one half mile away. Marveling at the man’s audacity, the others stood there trying to figure a more conventional way back to the base. In about fifteen or twenty minutes the opposite side of the bay where the fleet was anchored there arose a wall of search lights and howling sirens. Minutes later San Diego police showed up at the pier and inquired of the group of marines and sailors if anyone saw some “Jap[anese] frogmen in the bay?”

'No,' the stranded servicemen amswered, 'we haven't seen any 'Japanese' frogmen.' Satisfied, the cops got back into their patrol car and left to search elsewares. Soon after the police departed the 'not-a-Japanese-frogman' pops up near them and the men help him up to the pier. The swimmer stated that he was swimming up to a battleship when a sentery must have spotted him so he turned around. A dividend of all the excitement was that a navy launch arrived soon after and took them back to the base. On the way back “Pappy” Reid asked one of the swimmer’s buddies he was. ‘Oh he’s Greg Boyington, “Pappy” Boyington, back from China flying with the Flying Tigers.'
- conversation with Lt. Col. W. O. "Pappy" Reid, USMC-Ret
 
While at MCAS Santa Barbara, the pilots trained in fighter tactics, and navigation in SNJ-4 “Texans” and occasionally F4F “Wildcats” until it acquired two of the earliest F4U-1A “Corsair” fighter planes in the Marine Corps.
Note the left shoe of the front right pilot (Reid). He's wearing Jodhpur strap boots, a fashion statement among marine fighter pilots. Anther way that marine fighter pilots distinguished themselves from other aviators was to leave the topmost button unbouutoned when wearing their tunic. The fad was scotched when a general officer discovered the esoteric dress code.
VMF-222 pilots: Max Volcansek (CO), H. "Bud" Turner, J. "Benjoe" Williams, ?, W.O. "Pappy" Reid, Don Sapp. Note the Sam Browne belts.
 
 
"Pappy" Reid & F4U-1
2nd Lt. W. O. Reid with the Corsair he ferried up from NAS North Island to MCAS Santa Barbara. For comparison the plane was 16' 1" high, the props 13' 3" in diameter, and Lt. Reid is 6' tall.

‘The CO [Commanding Officer] and I hopped a ferry flight down to San Diego [1/18/1943] to bring back the first two of our F4Us. My jaw dropped when I saw my plane- it was so BIG! The largest fighter in the world I think. It had 13’ props [propellers]! We read the F4U’s pilot’s manual on the plane down to San Diego but we had so many questions about its performance. Luckily there were some Navy pilots there who had flown the Corsair already and they gave us some hard-earned advice- when landing, the left wing will suddenly drop at about stalling speed so you have to come in “hot.” Be careful of hitting your brakes too soon or hard too; the “Hog” [nicknamed so by the Navy pilots because of its long-14’ fuselage forward of the cockpit and obstructive-takes away 12 degrees of view from the pilot’s forward visibility] has a tendency to rise off of its tail wheel and then dig those long props into the deck. Oh yeah, that’s why we rejected it for carriers-along with its high bounce too. We’ve lost some good pilots so far trying to correct for those problems. When it’s in the air, though, you’ll love it. Good luck!’
- conversation with Lt. Col. W.O. Reid

 
This F4U-1, BUAir #02277, was one of the first of two Corsairs issued to VMF-222. Capt. Don Sapp is the man above on right.
 
 

"We were 'the cat's meow.'"

When the marines landed at the old Santa Barbara county airport in 1942 to make it theirs, the small, epomninous California county seat would never be the same. Founded by Spanish Francsicans in 1782, it had become one of the Golden State's famous retreats of the rich and the famous from Los Angeles and beyond. The marine aviators soon had the situation "well in hand" with the femle residents.

An apartment was shared by four of the "Flying Deuces" in this Santa Barbara complex; address unknown. 2nd Lt. W.O "Pappy" Reid posing with his 1942 Pontiac Streamliner Coupe. This was the last year of production until 1946. He bought it new and stored it when he was shipped overseas.

 
But now, after only one month getting to know thier new F4Us, VMF-222 was ordered to pack up and fly their 13 Corsairs to North Island Naval Air Satation, San Diego to sail for "parts unknown."