Marine Aircraft Group 12

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Marine Aircraft Group 12
MAG-12 Insignia
Active	March 1, 1942
Country	United States
Branch	USMC
Type	Fixed Wing Aircraft Group
Role	Close air support Assault support Casevac Electronic warfare
Part of	1st Marine Aircraft Wing III Marine Expeditionary Force
Garrison/HQ	Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
Nickname	The Ready Group
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War Vietnam War Operation Enduring Freedom

Marine Aircraft Group 12 (MAG-12) is an active air group of the United States Marine Corps, tasked with providing assault support aircraft. It is currently part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW), itself an integral part of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, and based at MCAS Iwakuni in Japan.

1 Mission
2 Subordinate units
3 History
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Mission

The mission of the Marine Aircraft Group 12 is to conduct anti-air warfare and offensive air support operations in support of Fleet Marine Forces from advanced base, expeditionary airfields or aircraft carriers and conduct such air operations as may be directed.

[edit] Subordinate units

[edit] History

[edit] WW II

Marine Aircraft Group 12 was activated at Camp Kearney, California, on March 1, 1942. Shortly thereafter, deployed to the Pacific Theater. From December 1942 until cessation of hostilities in late 1945, the Group participated in numerous operations in the Solomon and Philippine Islands supporting the Army, Navy and Marine Corps as well as Philippine guerrilla forces. For such service, the Group earned the Army Distinguished Unit Award and the Navy Unit Citation.

[edit] Korean War

Through the end of the Korean War, the Group participated successfully in numerous operations and accumulated over 80,000 effective combat sorties against enemy troops, installations, vehicles and countless other vital targets. A second Navy Unit citation was awarded for its Korean War service.

[edit] Post Korea and Vietnam War

During 1956, after nearly 6 years in Korea, MAG-12 was withdrawn to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, and remained there conducting close air support for Fleet Marine Forces in the Western Pacific until 1965. In May 1965, MAG-12 deployed to Chu Lai, Vietnam, to support Marine infantry and other allied forces in their engagements against the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army units. The Group participated in many large operations, including the recapture of Hue City and the relief of besieged units at Khe Sanh. Two more Navy Unit Citations were received as a result of the Group’s contribution to the Vietnam War effort. After almost 5 years of combat, MAG-12 was withdrawn from the Republic of Vietnam in February 1970, and reestablished at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. MAG-12’s stay in Japan, though, was short. Again, in May 1972, MAG-12 deployed to Vietnam and conducted combat operations from Bien Hoa Air Base until finally withdrawing from war in January 1973. MAG-12 then returned to MCAS Iwakuni, where it remains today.

[edit] Post Vietnam

From this base, MAG-12 has conducted numerous operations throughout the WESTPAC area and participated in hundreds of joint service training exercises, continually honing its combat skills. Today MAG-12 consists of one Marine Aircraft Logistics Squadron and six operational flying squadrons - VMFA-212, east and west coast Unit Deployment Program (UDP) F/A-18 squadrons, a deployed EA-6B Prowler squadron, a UDP CH-53D Sea Stallion squadron, and a UDP AV-8B Harrier detachment.