Really well painted pin ups on the Hellcats of VMF(N)-541 lined up at Falalop Airstrip, Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands, May 1945. The only squadron with 2 enlisted pilots, and the only squadron to get the Army Distinguished Unit Citation

according to the internet, the Marines rarely had nose art on their aircraft.  They must have had a terrific artist in their squadron

The closest plane is names 1 O'Clock Jump

The Hellcat had the best kill ration of any Navy fighter plane, 19-1, a record that still stands, and was out of reach of all the other Navy planes.

US Marine Corps Fighter Squadrons of World War II By Barrett Tillman


And if you've never heard of the Ulithi Atoll, it's not a surprise, they used it for a short time to ready for the attack on Okinawa Japan, then deserted it. Ulithi is 1300 miles south of Tokyo, 850 miles east of the Philippines, and 360 miles southwest of Guam.

It is a classic Pacific atoll with coral reef, palm trees, and white sand. It had depths ranging 80 to 100 feet; suitable depths for anchoring the huge naval ships. It was the only fitting haven for 800 miles where the US Navy could anchor its ships.

For a short time, in the spring of '45, it was the largest, and most strategic, US military base in the world, with the largest convoy of US Navy ships and personnel

Six thousand ship fitters, carpenters, electricians, and welders arrived at Ulithi aboard repair ships, destroyer support ships, and floating dry docks within a month of the occupation; afloat in the Pacific, an entire naval base was in operation.

USS Iowa in drydock... it had to off load 700,000 gallons of fuel to meet max weight the floating drydock could lift

This monumental force comprised of 106 destroyers, 29 aircraft carriers, 15 battleships, and 23 cruisers, 105 landing craft-vehicle-personnel (LCVPs) and the 45 landing craft mechanized (LCMs), and you can just imagine how many support personnel was required.

The troop landings at Okinawa required 1,500 freight cars of ammunition and 600,000 gallons of fuel oil, and it was all staged at Ulithi.

When the Leyte Gulf was secured by the Allies, the floating base from Ulithi moved on.

https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Hellcat/VMFN541/pages/Grumman-F6F-5N-Hellcat-VMFN-541-White-FN59-center-at-Peleliu-1944-01.html
https://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=22793
http://wings-aviation.ch/29-Marines/5/541/541.htm
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/didnt-know-this-its-existence-kept-secret-throughout-the-war-the-us-naval-base-at-ulithi-was-for-a-time-the-worlds-largest-naval-facility.html/3
https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/12-photos-island-city-navy-built-invade-japan
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/military-vehicle-news/the-massive-floating-dry-docks-of-the-pacific-fleet-that-could-carry-battleships-and-aircraft-carriers-you-never-heard-about.html
https://forum.worldofwarships.com/topic/176259-americas-industry-vs-japan/