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In 1965, VMFA-314 headed off on board USS Valley Forge for combat operations in South Vietnam. From 1965 to 1970, the squadron flew more than 25,000 combat hours out of Chu Lai Air Base and Da Nang Air Base, and employed more than 100 million pounds of ordnance in support of the Marine rifleman and other allied ground units. In 1968, they received the Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award. In 1969, VMFA–314 was awarded the Hanson Trophy as the best Fighter Attack Squadron in the Marine Corps while under the command of Frank E. Petersen. The Commandant's Efficiency Trophy was awarded to the squadron in 1969 and again in 1970. In September 1970, VMFA-314 ended forty-nine months of deployed combat operations and received the Meritorious Unit Commendation for its outstanding performance.