1st Marine Aircraft Wing

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1st Marine Aircraft Wing
Roy S. Geiger
LtGen John F. Goodman
LtGen Albert D. Cooley

The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the

Okinawa, Japan. Activated in 1940, the wing has seen heavy combat operations during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War
.

Mission

Conduct air operations in support of the

Naval Aviation
in the execution of such other Navy functions as the Fleet Commander may direct.

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 organization March 2024 (click to enlarge)

History

World War II

Marine F4U

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

Battle of Guadalcanal.[4]

Korean War

At the beginning of the

Medevac
for Marine ground forces.

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

MAG-12, and the 1st Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion served during the course of the war. The wing flew 127,496 sorties of which over 40,000 were close air support and Marine helicopters evacuated more than 9,800 wounded personnel[7][8]

Taiwan

From 6 March – 30 April 1963. The

ROC Air Force participated in "BLUE EAGLE" exercise. While on Taiwan these units were under the control of United States Taiwan Defense Command
.

Vietnam

From April 1962, when

US Embassy, Saigon. While early missions involved Marine helicopters providing logistical support for South Vietnam, this role quickly expanded when 1st MAW pilots and crewmen were called upon to perform their traditional role of providing close air support for Marine
combat units as American involvement in the war escalated.

Helicopters played an extensive role in air operations in Vietnam, as Marine pilots flew

AH-1 Cobras
. Many of these choppers provided reconnaissance and armed air cover for combat air operations.

The buildup of American troops resulted in the deployment of the Marine Corps' attack and fighter aircraft including the

McDonnell F4B
, as well as the maintenance, ordnance, and other support personnel necessary.

Global War on Terror

HMH 463 has deployed to support the Operation Enduring Freedom Mission in Afghanistan in 2009.

Current aircraft

Fixed-wing aircraft

Rotary-wing aircraft

  • AH-1W SuperCobra
  • AH-1Z Viper
  • UH-1Y Venom
  • CH-53E Super Stallion

Tiltrotor Aircraft

UAVs

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
A streamer with red, gold, and blue horizontal stripes with a bronze star in the center 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
A green streamer with red, gold, and blue horizontal stripes along the top and bottom with one silver star in the center Navy Unit Commendation Streamer 1952-1953 Korea
A green streamer with red, gold, and blue horizontal stripes and four stars in the center 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
A red streamer with a horizontal gold stripe and three bronze stars in the center National Defense Service Streamer with three Bronze Stars 1951–1954, 1961–1974, 1990–1995, 2001–present
War on Terrorism
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamer

A yellow streamer with two green horizontal stripes on the outside and three horizontal red stripes and two silver stars and one bronze star in the center Vietnam Service Streamer with two Silver Stars and three Bronze Star

A blue streamer with yellow, red, and white horizontal stripes Global War on Terrorism Service Streamer 2001–present
Philippine Liberation Streamer 1945
Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Streamer 1945
Korean Presidential Unit Citation Streamer
1950
A gold streamer with red horizontal stripes on the outer portions and a green palm in the center
Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Streamer
1965–1971
A green streamer with red horizontal stripes Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Civil Actions Streamer 1965–1971

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "1st Marine Aircraft Wing". 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. Retrieved 8 March 2024.
  2. ^ DeChant
  3. ^ Rottman USMC WWII OOB, p. 430.
  4. ^ Sherrod History of Marine Corps Aviation, p. 438.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ New York Times: "Officers to Study 'Brainwash' Issue," 23 August 1954, accessed 16 February 2012
  7. ^ Mersky USMC Aviation, p. 191.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ "Lineage and Honors of 1st MAW" (PDF). Retrieved 28 June 2020.

Bibliography

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
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