Lineage
  01Jul1943  established  VMTB-242 (Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron)
  23Nov1945  deactivated
  01Oct1960  reactivated  VMA-242 (Marine Attack Squadron)
  01Oct1964  redesignated VMA(AW)-242 (Marine All-Weather Attack Squadron)
  14Dec1990  redesignated VMFA(AW)-242 (Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron)
  16Oct2020  redesignated VMFA-242 (Marine Fighter Attack Squadron)

Nickname
  01Jul1943 - 01Oct1964  unknown
  01Oct1964 - Present    Bats

Aircraft Carrier Deployments
  not deployed

Shore Based Deployments
  VMA-242         Sep1963 -   Sep1964  A-4C           MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMA(AW)-242   19Oct1966 - 08Sep1970  A-6A           MAG-11/Da Nang, South Vietnam
  VMA(AW)-242     Oct1980 -   Apr1981  A-6E           MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMA(AW)-242     Apr1982 -   Oct1982  A-6E           MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMA(AW)-242     Aug1983 -   Aug1983  A-6E           Berbera, Somalia
  VMA(AW)-242     Apr1984 -   Oct1984  A-6E           MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMA(AW)-242     Oct1985 -   Apr1986  A-6E           MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMA(AW)-242     Apr1987 -   Oct1987  A-6E           MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMA(AW)-242     Oct1988 -   Apr1989  A-6E           MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMFA(AW)-242  15Sep1992 -   Mar1993  FA-18D         MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMFA(AW)-242    Mar1994 -   Sep1994  FA-18D         MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMFA(AW)-242    Sep1995 -   Mar1996  FA-18D         MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMFA(AW)-242    Mar1997 -   Sep1997  FA-18D         MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMFA(AW)-242    Mar1999 -   Sep1999  FA-18D         MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMFA(AW)-242    Mar2001 -   Sep2001  FA-18D         MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMFA(AW)-242    Sep2002 -   Sep2003  FA-18D(ATARS)  MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMFA(AW)-242  04Aug2004 - 18Mar2005  FA-18D(ATARS)  Al Asad, Iraq
  VMFA(AW)-242  05Aug2006 - 10Feb2007  FA-18D(ATARS)  Al Asad, Iraq

Amphibious Deployments
  VMFA-242DET.  12Jan2023 - 11Mar2023  F-35B  VMM-262  31MEU  LHA-6  WestPac
  VMFA-242DET.  26May2023 - 31Aug2023  F-35B  VMM-265  31MEU  LHA-6  WestPac
  VMFA-242DET.  17Jan2025 - 20Feb2025  F-35B  VMM-262  31MEU  LHA-6  WestPac