VMFA-232 "Red Devils" Return to MCAS Miramar After Year-Long Deployment

After over a year, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 (VMFA-232), the “Red Devils,” returned home to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on September 11th, closing out one of the most significant unit deployment program (UDP) rotations in recent F/A-18C/D Hornet history. 

Going into the day, I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know what type of emotions I would walk into, or where we (the photographers) would even be positioned to capture it. Only two of us were civilian photographers, and the pressure was real. This was a day that demanded to be documented right. There would be no second take, no other homecoming like this one. Families have not been together for a long period of time. Many families have gone over a year without their Marines home, and a UDP deployment like this doesn’t cost time, it costs connection. First day of school missed, birthdays, doctors appointments, and sports games. That loss is important to reflect on.

Waiting for the Arrival

VMFA-232 deployed on this UDP not long after we’d wrapped up our earlier work with the squadron covering the squadron’s centennial, and at the time, no one could say for certain how long the UDP would last. No one knew, but what followed became one of the most historically significant deployments in the F/A-18’s service life. Over one year spent across the ocean away from home. From September 2025 to September 2026 VMFA-232 conducted many operations including live ordnance operations, continued flight operations throughout the deployment, and most recently a Maritime strike exercise using the AGM-84D Harpoon missile as part of a maritime strike package training. Through all of that, I think something on everyone’s mind was just getting home.

For aviation lovers, there’s a particular tone to an F/A-18C/D hornet not heard on the Super Hornet or Growler. You could hear a building growl as the jets arrived. This was an arrival in true F/A-18 fashion. 

On the flightline families were lined up at the hangar, homemade signs in hand, waiting for that first glimpse of their loved ones they’ve missed for so long. On the camera side, we were positioned just off a taxiway near the runway they were landing on. This was coordinated through 3rd MAW COMMSTRAT and I would personally like to thank them for their hospitality. 

After all 10 jets landed for the homecoming we speedwalked over to the hangar to catch the jets pulling into the parking spots in a unique fashion not often seen. During this moment I wanted to give the families space so they could view their loved ones without having me in the way. I went to the side with another commstrat marine and we waited for the jets to turn in. Then, without warning, the VMFA-232 firetruck came storming in, lights and sirens, leading the pack. This touch was a stark reminder that the Red Devils are first to fight, last to leave. 

These are the moments that families will hold onto for many years to come. It’s now part of squadron history and it's important to look back on this so that history doesn't go extinct. That’s the goal I set out to do that day.

Following the firetruck came the CAG bird. Inside the CAG bird and leading the Red Devils was Lieutenant Colonel Gavin T. Robillard, callsign “Toto,” commanding officer for VMFA-232. He was the one in front, bringing his squadron home. That moment in itself is a testament to the leadership that the squadron has had over the past few months. I also think that detail alone is a reminder to how squadrons operate.

What surprised me the most looking through the lens of my camera was the different emotions from each pilot as they turned to head towards parking. Every pilot had a different facial expression, emotion, and point of view. I couldn’t imagine the relief that they must be feeling, the rush knowing that their loved one is ready to welcome them back home. But most of all it's the feeling of being back in a place where they call home.

One Last Flight

Among the pilots taxiing in that day was Major Dalton Nickel, callsign “Chi Chi” and for him, this homecoming carried an extra layer of significance. This was his final flight in the F/A-18. I’d actually met his wife before, at an event in Long Beach when she flew in for the HSC-49 Scorpions event with anthelion helicopters. This added an extra feeling to the day I wasn’t really ready to expect. Once I saw the classic fini spray down after some photos, I knew that it was his last flight in the jet. It’s easy to think of homecoming as all the jets and pilots and crew coming back but it’s more than that. Every pilot, every crew, ordnance, avionics, and other roles have their own story and mission. Every pilot was closing a different part of their story, career, and life.

Arrived and Parked

Once aircraft shut down families went to greet their loved ones stepping off their aircraft. The Red Devils are home, and for every family standing with their loved one that's the only headline that mattered. These moments are deeply personal and out of respect for the families they will remain private.

None of this would have been possible to capture without VMFA-232 and 3rd MAW COMMSTRAT opening the door for us to be there. As a magazine, we’re very grateful for the trust it takes to let civilian photographers into a moment this personal, and we don’t take that access for granted. To VMFA-232,  we welcome you home. Thank you for the sacrifices you have made over the past year. I would also like to thank 3rd MAW COMMSTRAT for the hospitality and for making it possible for us to bring this day to the public. We look forward to sharing our bigger feature on this homecoming which will be coming out soon.