Lineage
  16Nov1942  activated    VMF(N)-531 (Marine Night Fighting Squadron)
  03Sep1944  deactivated
  13Oct1944  reactivated  VMF(N)-531 (Marine Night Fighting Squadron)
  14Oct1948  redesignated VMF(AW)-531 (Marine All-Weather Fighter Squadron)
  01Aug1963  redesignated VMFA-531 (Marine Fighter Attack Squadron)
  01Jul1975  reduced to cadre status for transition to F-14A, but later cancelled
  09Aug1975  reactivated  VMFA-531 (Marine Fighter Attack Squadron)
  30Mar1992  deactivated

Nickname
  16Nov1942 - 30Mar1992  Grey Ghosts

Aircraft Carrier Deployments
  VMFA-531  22Sep1972 - 06Jul1973  F-4B  CVA-59  CVW-17  AA-2xx  Med
  VMFA-531  13Nov1979 - 11Jun1980  F-4N  CV-43   CVW-14  NK-2xx  WestPac, Indian Ocean

Shore Based Deployments
  VMFA-531  Jul1964 -   Apr1965  F-4B    MAG-11/NAS Astugi, Japan
  VMFA-531  Apr1988 -   Oct1988  FA-18A  MAG-15/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMFA-531  Oct1989 - 08Apr1990  FA-18A  MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan
  VMFA-531  Feb1991 -   Aug1991  FA-18A  MAG-12/MCAS Iwakuni, Japan