Marine Air Group II: ready when called

0 Comments | Naval Aviation News, July-August, 2004 | by Rick Llinares

Since WW II, Marine fighter units have operated effectively with Navy air wings. MAG-11 Executive Officer Lieutenant Colonel Morrison discussed the current integration between the Marine Corps and the Navy, "The TACAIR Integration Plan includes an increase in the amount of Marine fighter attack squadrons participating in carrier air wing deployments. MAG-11 has integrated F/A-18 squadrons into CVWs since 1993. In the near future, the air group will join Marine Fighter Attack Squadron [VMFA] 232 with CVW-2, VMFA-323 with CVW-9 and VMFA-314 with CVW-11. All three squadrons will commence training with their respective Navy air wings in the next few months."

MAG-11 traces its roots to 1941, when it stood up at Quantico, Va. During WW II, MAG-11 saw extensive combat throughout the South Pacific and by war's end was stationed at Peleliu. In subsequent years, elements of the MAG saw combat in Korea and Vietnam.

By the late 1960s, the MAG operated a variety of aircraft, including the F-8 Crusader, F-4 Phantom II, A-6 Intruder and A-4 Skyhawk. In 1971 the unit took up residence at MCAS El Toro, Calif., where it remained until it moved to MCAS Miramar. MAG-11 traded in its F-4s and A-6s for the multimission F/A-18 Hornet in the early 1980s.

Flying nearly 43,000 hours annually, MAG-11 continues to support Marine air-ground task forces as needed, wherever and whenever called upon.

RELATED ARTICLE: Recent MAG-11 unit Deployments

VMFA(AW)-121

Exercise Bright Star: Egypt, Oct 01

Operation Enduring Freedom: Manas,

Kyrgyzstan, Apr-Oct 02; 900 combat sorties, 4,200 combat hours

Operation Southern Watch: Al Jaber, Kuwait, Jan-Mar 03

Operation Iraqi Freedom: Al Jaber, Kuwait, Mar-May 03; 796, 763 lbs. ordnance delivered

VMFA(AW)-225

WESTPAC Deployment: Iwakuni, Japan, Mar-Sep 02

Operation Southern Watch: Al Jaber, Kuwait, Jan-Mar 03

Operation Iraqi Freedom: Al Jaber, Kuwait, Mar-May 03; 755,246 lbs. ordnance delivered

VMFA-232

WESTPAC Deployment: Iwakuni, Japan, Sep-Mar 02

Operation Southern Watch: Al Jaber, Kuwait, Jan-Mar 03

Operation Iraqi Freedom: Al Jaber, Kuwait, Mar-May 03; 689,364 lbs. ordnance delivered

VMFA(AW)-242

WESTPAC Deployment: Iwakuni, Japan, Sep 02-Sep 03

VMFA-314

Operation Enduring Freedom: Stennis (CVN 74), Nov 01-May 02

VMFA-323

Operation Southern Watch: Constellation (CV 64), Nov 02-Mar 03

Operation Iraqi Freedom: Constellation (CV 64), Mar-May 03

VMGR-352

Operation Enduring Freedom: Jan-Dec 02; Jan-Dec 03

Operation Iraqi Freedom: 2003-2004

VMFA-251 (temporarily attached to MAG-11)

Operation Southern Watch: Al Jaber, Kuwait, Feb-Mar 03

Operation Iraqi Freedom: Al Jaber, Kuwait, Mar-May 03; 785,417 lbs. ordnance delivered

VMFA(AW)-533 (temporarily attached to MAG-11)

Operation Southern Watch-Al Jaber, Kuwait, Feb-Mar 03

Operation Iraqi Freedom-Al Jaber, Kuwait, Mar-May 03; 790,003 lbs. ordnance delivered

An F/A-18 Hornet of VMFA-232 continues its mission after refueling from an Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photo by USAF SSgt. Cherie A. Thurlby