Taps for Famed Grey Ghosts : Cutback: Storied Marine fighter squadron officially disbands, a victim of Pentagon economies, after four wars’ worth of valor and glory.

EL TORO —  The Grey Ghosts, a Marine Corps fighter squadron with a history that spanned five decades and four wars, officially disbanded Friday, another victim in a long list of Pentagon budget cuts.

As flags snapped in the wind and fighter jets taxied by the squadron’s hanger, affectionately called Ghost Town, a former Grey Ghosts commander addressed more than 300 people at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

“I am experiencing the whole range of emotions, from absolute joy to utter sadness,” Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Keith A. Smith said. “The (emotions) that you remember the most are the ones of happiness. There were a lot of those.”

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 531 had a dozen F/A-18 Hornet fighter planes and 160 men. All the Marines have been shifted to other jobs, and the planes have been sent to other squadrons.

But in its heyday, the Grey Ghosts squadron had been the first to use night-attack planes in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

“That was pretty bold stuff then, kind of like a space shot today,” said Lt. Col. Keith J. Stalder, 40, the last squadron commander.

Ground controllers using radar would guide the Marine planes, which would open fire on the enemy at 15,000 feet or less.

“Many times they would return to their bases with parts of the enemy’s plane sticking in their wings or fuselage,” Stalder said.

The squadron was first based on the Solomon Islands in the western Pacific east of New Guinea and shot down a dozen enemy planes, all at night.

When the Korean War erupted, the Grey Ghosts again made the first nighttime attacks on enemy planes.

During Vietnam, the squadron operated the first F-4 Phantom jet fighters to be based and operated in Vietnam.

In 1980, the squadron spent 102 days aboard the carrier Coral Sea during the Iranian hostage crisis.

During the Gulf War, the squadron remained at El Toro, but some of its planes and pilots fought with other Marine squadrons stationed in Saudi Arabia and surrounding countries.

“It was all very impressive,” said Stalder, adding that the squadron is a big part of Marine aviation.

Earlier this year, the Corps, reacting to cuts by the Pentagon, announced plans to deactivate the Grey Ghosts and a fighter squadron at Cherry Point, N.C.

Then on Thursday, the Pentagon announced plans to reduce the nation’s military reserves and National Guard forces by 234,000 in the next five years. More than 3,000 military reservists based in Orange County could lose those part-time jobs if Congress approves the plan by Defense Secretary Dick Cheney.

But Smith predicted that the Grey Ghosts, at least, will be back.

“In my heart, I know 531 will see action again,” Smith told the crowd. “Only time will tell, but I know our reputation will bring us to the forefront again.”

He thanked the members of the squadron: “My hat is off to all of you for the tremendous contribution that you and all those before you have made to this squadron and to this nation.”