1st Marine Aircraft Wing
1st Marine Aircraft Wing | |
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The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the
Mission
Conduct air operations in support of the
Organization 2024
As of March 2024 the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing consists of four subordinate groups, a headquarters squadron and a liaison unit:[1]
- 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, at Camp Foster (Japan)[1]
- Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 1 (MWHS-1), at Camp Foster
- Marine Wing Liaison Kadena (MWLK), at Kadena Air Base (Japan)
- Marine Aircraft Group 12 (MAG-12), at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni (Japan)
- Marine Corps Air Facility Kaneohe Bay(Hawaii)
- Marine Aircraft Group 36 (MAG-36), at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma (Japan)
- Marine Air Control Group 18 (MACG-18), at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma (Japan)
History
World War II
In late 1940, Congress authorized a naval air fleet of fifteen thousand aircraft. The Marine Corps was allotted a percentage of these planes to be formed into 2 air wings with 32 operational squadrons. On the advice of Navy and Marine advisors returning from observing the war in Europe these numbers were doubled very soon after. It was under this expansion program that the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing was activated at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, on 7 July 1941. The First Marine Aircraft Group which was the largest east coast aviation unit in the Marines at the time, became its first component.[2] Although a new wing, it is considered an unofficial descendant of the Northern Bombing Group of World War I.[3]
Following the
Korean War
At the beginning of the
In late-June 1952, 75 aircraft from 1st MAW participated in the attack on the Sui-ho Dam which were strikes aimed at the hydroelectric plants in North Korea.[5] The Wing's Chief of Staff Frank Schwable was shot down in July 1952 and while a prisoner of war confessed to having participated in germ warfare. He was eventually cleared of all charges, but his case prompted a review of training and expectations of prisoners-of-war.[6]
Two 1st MAW aircraft groups, MAG-33 and
Taiwan
From 6 March – 30 April 1963. The
Vietnam
From April 1962, when
Helicopters played an extensive role in air operations in Vietnam, as Marine pilots flew
The buildup of American troops resulted in the deployment of the Marine Corps' attack and fighter aircraft including the
Global War on Terror
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2007) |
HMH 463 has deployed to support the Operation Enduring Freedom Mission in Afghanistan in 2009.
Current aircraft
- F/A-18D Hornet
- F-35B Lightning II
- KC-130J Super Hercules
- AH-1W SuperCobra
- AH-1Z Viper
- UH-1Y Venom
- CH-53E Super Stallion
Unit awards
A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing has been presented with the following awards:[9]
Streamer | Award | Year(s) | Additional Info |
---|---|---|---|
Presidential Unit Citation Streamer (Navy) with three Bronze Stars | 1942, 1950, 1951, 1965-1967 | Guadalcanal, Korea, Vietnam | |
Presidential Unit Citation Streamer (Army) Streamer | 1950 | Korea | |
Navy Unit Commendation Streamer | 1952-1953 | Korea | |
Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer | 2000-2002 | ||
American Defense Service Streamer | 1941-1945 | World War II | |
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Streamer with one Silver Star
|
|||
World War II Victory Streamer
|
1941–1945 | Pacific War | |
China Service Streamer | |||
Korean Service Streamer with two Silver Stars | 1950-1953 | Korea | |
National Defense Service Streamer with three Bronze Stars | 1951–1954, 1961–1974, 1990–1995, 2001–present | War on Terrorism
| |
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamer | |||
Vietnam Service Streamer with two Silver Stars and three Bronze Star | |||
Global War on Terrorism Service Streamer | 2001–present | ||
Philippine Liberation Streamer | 1945 | ||
Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Streamer | 1945 | ||
Korean Presidential Unit Citation Streamer
|
1950 | ||
Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Streamer
|
1965–1971 | ||
Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Civil Actions Streamer | 1965–1971 |
See also
- List of United States Marine Corps aircraft wings
- United States Marine Corps Aviation
- List of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing Commanders
References
- ^ a b "1st Marine Aircraft Wing". 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
- ^ DeChant
- ^ Rottman USMC WWII OOB, p. 430.
- ^ Sherrod History of Marine Corps Aviation, p. 438.
- ^ Field Jr., James A. (21 June 2000). "Part 2. March 1952—February 1953: Stalemate". History of United States Naval Operations: Korea. Department of the Navy - Naval Historical Center. Retrieved 19 December 2007.
- ^ New York Times: "Officers to Study 'Brainwash' Issue," 23 August 1954, accessed 16 February 2012
- ^ Mersky USMC Aviation, p. 191.
- ^ "Brief History of the Marine Corps in the Korean War". United States of America - Korean War Commemoration. Marine Corps History and Museums Division. Archived from the original on 16 July 2007. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
- ^ "Lineage and Honors of 1st MAW" (PDF). Retrieved 28 June 2020.
Bibliography
- This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
- De Chant, John A. (1947). Devilbirds. New York: Harper and Brothers Publishers.
- Mersky, Peter B. (1983). U.S. Marine Corps Aviation - 1912 to the Present. Nautical and Aviation Publishing Company of America. ISBN 0-933852-39-8.
- Rottman, Gordon L. (2002). U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle - Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939 - 1945.. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31906-5.
- Sherrod, Robert (1952). History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Combat Forces Press.
- Simmons, Edwin H. (2003). The United States Marines: A History, Fourth Edition. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-790-5.
- Web
- 1MAW official history Archived 2019-10-30 at the Wayback Machine
- First Marine Aircraft Wing Association - Vietnam Service, association of 1st MAW veterans who served in Vietnam
- "United States Marine Forces", in Korean War Order of Battle, Brown Mouse Publishing. URL accessed 27 December 2005.