Marine Aircraft Group 36
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| Marine Aircraft Group 36 | |
|---|---|
 MAG-36 Insignia |
|
| Active | June 2, 1952 - present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | USMC |
| Type | Helicopter group |
| Role | Assault support |
| Part of | 1st Marine Aircraft Wing III Marine Expeditionary Force |
| Garrison/HQ | Marine Corps Air Station Futenma |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Col John T. Collins, USMC |
Marine Aircraft Group 36 (MAG-36) 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 Futenma in Okinawa, Japan.
Contents |
[edit] Subordinate units
- HMM-262 - CH-46E squadron
- HMM-265 - CH-46E squadron
- VMGR-152 - KC-130R squadron
- MALS-36 - maintenance squadron
- Also attached are Unit Deployment Program (UDP) squadrons, usually Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadrons flying the UH-1N and AH-1W, and Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadrons flying the CH-53E.
[edit] History
Originally formed at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, in Santa Ana, California, on June 2, 1952 as Marine Air Group (Helicopter Transport) 36, the Group spent several years training for amphibious operations to carry out the role of ship-to-shore assault support. At this time, the Group consisted of squadrons HMR-361, HMR-362, HMR-363, all flying HRS-1 helicopters.
In 1959, it was renamed Marine Air Group 36, and in 1965 attached to the 1st MAW, when it deployed to Vietnam in August of that year. It sailed for Vietnam aboard the USS Princeton, flying ashore at Chu Lai on 1 September. This was both the first full Marine Air Group to arrive in Vietnam, and more generally the first time a full helicopter group had been transported this way.
The Group participated in a wide variety of support missions during the Vietnam War, ranging from assault missions to medical evacuation and logistical flights using UG-1 E gunships, CH-46 Sea Knightss, and UH-34 Seahorses. In 1968, it was closely involved in support of actions in Hue during the Tet Offensive.
On 4 November 1969, MAG-36 withdrew from Vietnam and rebased to MCAS Futenma, Okinawa, Japan. VMGR-152, which had provided combat air refueling for detachments in Vietnam from Futenma since 1965, became a part of MAG-36 at that time. Until 1972, MAG-36 provided support squadrons to Marine Amphibious Unit aboard ship. In 1972, VMGR-152 was deployed to Thailand and Vietnam to provide refuelling services to 1st MAW aircraft, whilst attack squadrons carried out operations against North Vietnamese logistics as part of the 7th Fleet. In early 1973, MAG-36 squadrons participated in clearing Haiphong harbour of mines, after which they returned to Futenma.
On April 11, 1975, the group provided transport for Operation Eagle Pull — the successful emergency evacuation of Americans from Cambodia. Following this, the Group deployed all of its available aircraft aboard 7th Fleet ships and in the famous Operation Frequent Wind, on April 29, 1975 in a 24-hour period, evacuated over 7000 people from Saigon aboard MAG-36 helicopters.
MAG-36 has remained based in Okinawa to date, with units deploying throughout the Pacific and as far afield as Somalia.
[edit] See also
- List of United States Marine Corps aircraft groups
- List of United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
