Michael Hayes

1ST MARINE AIR WING

U.S. Marine Corps

The 1st Marine Air Wing is a unit of the United States Marine Corps responsible for conducting aviation operations in support of Marine Corps ground forces. It is the largest and oldest aircraft wing in the Marine Corps, with a history dating back to World War II. The 1st Marine Air Wing is based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa, Japan. Its mission includes providing close air support, transportation of troops and supplies, and aerial reconnaissance.

The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) was commissioned on July 10, 1941, at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. During World War II, the unit played a crucial role in the Pacific Theater, providing air support in key campaigns such as the Battle of Okinawa and the capture of Iwo Jima. In subsequent decades, 2nd MAW participated in the Korean War, Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, and the Global War on Terror, supporting Marine operations with fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. Today, the 2nd MAW remains a vital component of the United States Marine Corps, delivering air support, assault support, and reconnaissance capabilities to Marine Air-Ground Task Forces worldwide.

Marine Attack Squadron 331 (VMA-331), known as the "Bumblebees," was originally commissioned during World War II in 1943 as Marine Fighter Squadron 331 (VMF-331). The squadron saw action in the Pacific Theater, including operations in the Marshall Islands. After the war, the unit was deactivated and later reactivated multiple times, transitioning through various aircraft, including the A-4 Skyhawk and later the AV-8B Harrier II. VMA-331 participated in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, becoming the first Harrier squadron to fly combat missions from an amphibious assault ship, before being deactivated in 1992.

Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 15 (H&MS-15) was a United States Marine Corps aviation support unit established to provide logistical and maintenance support for Marine aircraft. Activated during the Vietnam War era, H&MS-15 played a critical role in ensuring the operational readiness of aviation units by handling aircraft maintenance, supply, and administrative functions. The squadron was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, serving as a key support element for Marine aviation operations in the Western Pacific. H&MS-15 was eventually redesignated as Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 15 (MALS-15) as part of a broader reorganization of Marine aviation support units in the 1980s.