Marine Aircraft Group 24
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Marine Aircraft Group 24 | |
|---|---|
 MAG-24 Insignia |
|
| Active | March 1, 1942 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | USMC |
| Type | Rotary wing |
| Role | Assault support |
| Part of | 1st Marine Aircraft Wing III Marine Expeditionary Force |
| Garrison/HQ | Marine Corps Base Hawaii |
| Battles/wars | World War II Operation Desert Storm Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Colonel Edward Yarnell |
Marine Aircraft Group 24 (MAG-24) is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii that is currently composed of three CH-53D Sea Stallion squadrons, a personnel support detachment and a maintenance and logistics squadron.
Contents |
[edit] Mission
Provide combat-ready, expeditionary aviation forces capable of short-notice, worldwide employment to a Marine Air Ground Task Force.
[edit] Subordinate units
[edit] Active |
[edit] Inactive
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[edit] History
[edit] World War II
Activated on March 1, 1942 at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Oahu, Hawaii. During World War II, MAG-24 saw extensive action throughout the Pacific theater, and in particular in the campaigns to liberate the Philippines. Following the War, MAG-24 was deployed first to Northern China and then to Guam. In 1949, MAG-24 moved to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina and remained there for the next twenty years.
[edit] 1960s through today
In April 1968, MAG-24 moved back to the Pacific and Kaneohe, Hawaii where it became the Marine Corps’ largest and only permanent composite Marine Aircraft Group. Starting in 1978, the MAG provided both fixed and rotary wing squadrons for six-month unit deployments to the Western Pacific. From October 1, 1986 to September 30, 1994, MAG-24 served as the Aviation Combat Element for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade. From August to December 1990, squadrons and personnel from MAG-24 deployed to Southwest Asia to support Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. The last MAG-24 squadrons to return participated in Operation Sea Angel, the Bangladesh relief operation. During recent years all three tactical squadrons have deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan as part of the Unit Deployment Program (UDP) program and have provided aircraft to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. The three squadrons have traveled the Pacific participating in exercises in Japan, Korea, and Thailand. In September 2004 a small detachment of CH-53Ds from HMH-463 joined HMM-265 as the Heavy lift portion of the 31st MEU Aviation Combat Element. This MEU detachment became the first CH-53Ds to participate in combat operations since Desert Storm, operating out of Al Asad Airbase, Al Anbar Province, Iraq. In early 2006, HMH-362 supported a Presidential visit to India by providing 5 aircraft to support the mission. Currently HMH-463 is operating out of Al Asad airbase in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; they will be relieved by HMH-363.
[edit] See also
- List of United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
- List of United States Marine Corps aircraft groups
[edit] References
- Crowder, Michael J. (2000). United States Marine Corps Aviation Squadron Lineage, Insignia & History - Volume One - The Fighter Squadrons. Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 1-56311-926-9.
