Squadron 251 (VMA-251) on April 25, 1951. VMA-251 embarked to Korea in June 1953. Although the squadron only saw action the last two weeks of the war, it flew 310 combat sorties totaling more than 550 hours and had the distinction of having the last Marine aircraft engaged in combat during the Korean War on 27 July 1953. VMA-251 remained in Korea for two and a half years providing air defense along the Korean Demilitarized Zone. In January 1956, the Black Patches relocated to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan and remained in the Far East for fifteen months. In 1957, VMA-251 was again relocated to Marine Corps Air Station Miami, Florida flying the FJ-3 Fury. With the transition to the FJ-3 came the re-designation to VMF-251 on April 20, 1957. The squadron changed their nickname from Black Patches to Thunderbolts and a new insignia was created by Captain (LtGen, Ret.) Richard E. Carey. The insignia consisted of a white cross (symbolizing purity), a red diamond (depicting courage), and a blue field (loyalty). Their motto became, Custos Caelorum, or Guardians of the Sky. The squadron also adopted the "DW" tail code. In April 1958 VMF-251 was moved to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California to receive its first supersonic fighter, the F8U Crusader. The Thunderbolts departed MCAS El Toro for NAS Atugi, Japan, in October of 1959, with LtCol. Albert L. Clark leading the way. The squadron practiced Carrier Qualifications aboard the USS Oriskany and the USS Ranger. They also participated in operations in Formosa, the Philippines, and Okinawa. Captain Joseph F. Mayfield, Jr. was lost on May 27, 1959 and Captain Robert L. Leathers was lost at sea on November 18, 1960. Cold War In 1961, VMF-251 was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 31 (MAG-31) at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina. In August and September 1961 the squadron was deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and to Jamaica during the time between the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. From February through August 1962, VMF-251 was the first Marine F-8 squadron to deploy on board an aircraft carrier as part of Carrier Air Group Ten on the . During the cruise, VMF-251 set the record for the most flight time in one month for a Sixth Fleet based F-8 squadron by flying over 500 hours. In July 1963 the Thunderbolts were the recipients of