USMC Wings MAGS, MALS, MWSS, MABS, HM&S Aviation Logistics

[Salvage Sailor]

Aloha Everyone,

 

This is another catch all topic for USMC Aviation Logistics units.

 

A Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) consists of several squadrons that are composed of airplanes, pilots, and mechanics. Each MAG contains one Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) which were established in 1988. A MALS is a squadron within a MAG that does not have pilots or aircraft assigned, but provides aviation support consisting of maintenance, aircraft parts supply, avionics parts and technicians, ordnance, and ground support equipment to the flying squadrons within the MAG. Prior to 1988, Maintenance and Supply Officers were assigned to the MAG staff as special staff officers to the MAG commander, but were also administratively assigned to the Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron (H&MS), which was the organization that preceded the MALS.

 

Each MALS is outfitted and equipped to support only the types of aircraft assigned to the MAG to which the MALS belongs. However, when an Aviation Combat Element (ACE) is formed to support a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) it may be made up of any number of aircraft of various types. These task organized ACEs are known as "composite" squadrons or MAGs. In order to support these various aircraft, a MALS must also be task organized and outfitted with the correct parts, equipment, and technicians to support the unique mix of aircraft assembled to form an ACE.

 

Other elements of the USMC Wings were/are Marine Air Base Squadrons (MABS) and Marine Wing Support Squadrons (MWSS)

 

Feel free to post any examples you may have of Wings, MAGs, MALS, MWSS, MABS, H&MS and ACEs or related aviation logistics patches in your collections.

 

 

MAG-29 Marine Aircraft Group 29, established in 1972

 

[Salvage Sailor]

MALS-13 BLACK WIDOWS

[Salvage Sailor]

H&MS-41 (now MALS-41) USMCR

[Salvage Sailor]

Special Purpose MAG Task Force (SPMAGTF) ACE RIMPAC 2012

[itshistory]

Some different ones. Tabs speak for themselves.

 

IH

[Salvage Sailor]

Nice ones IH,

 

MAG 32 - Marine Air Group 32

 

 

and H&MS-32

 

[firefighter]

H&MS-11

Thai made

 

MAG-11

I think Japanese made

[doyler]

On a jacket I own

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

On 8/2/2017 at 2:09 PM, Salvage Sailor said:

MALS-13 BLACK WIDOWS

 

H&MS-13 BLACK WIDOWS

Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 13 Vietnam Era

 

 

H&MS-13 BLACK WIDOWS

Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 13 1980's

 

[Salvage Sailor]

MWFS-3 Marine Wing Facilities Squadron Three, El Toro, California

 

[Salvage Sailor]

H&MS-33

Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 33, Vietnam Era A-4 SKYHAWKS

 

[Looper5920]

A few more for this thread. First is SOES-2, fully embroidered from the 1950s. 2nd was purchased in 2016 and is the new logo for H&HS Camp Pendleton. Last one is a Korean made patch for the H&HS Futenma UC-12 Det.

[Salvage Sailor]

H&MS-14

On 15 February 1954 H&HS-14 was re-designated Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 14

 

[Salvage Sailor]

1st MAW - H&MS 11

FIRST MARINE AIR WING SQUADRON 11 DA NANG, VIETNAM

 

March 1971 https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/1201/1201076102.pdf

April 01-15 1971 https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/1201/1201076103.pdf

April 15-30 1971 https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/1201/1201076104.pdf

May 1971 https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/1201/1201076105.pdf

June 01-14 1971 https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/1201/1201076106.pdf

June 15-30 1971 https://www.vietnam.ttu.edu/reports/images.php?img=/images/1201/1201076107.pdf

 

[Salvage Sailor]

H&MS 20

Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron Twenty, Cherry Point, NC Supporting the training squadrons 1970

Historical Order of Battle (as at 1.7.1970)

MCCRGT-20 Cherry Point

H&MS-20 Cherry Point

VMFAT-201 Hawks F-4B(21), F-4J(15) Cherry Point

VMAT(AW)-202 A-6A(15), TC-4C(3) Cherry Point

VMT-203 Hawks TA-4F(12) Cherry Point

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron MCAS Cherry Point, NC

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

MAG-11

MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP ELEVEN

 

 

MAG-11 AVIONICS

 

[firefighter]

MAG-39 SECURITY

 

I have had this one for at least the last 30 years. Always on the fence if original or not.

[Salvage Sailor]

MASS-4 Marine Air Support Squadron 4

 

MASS-4 was commissioned 1 July 1962 at NAS Alamitos with personnel being provided by the recently decommissioned Marine Ground Control Intercept Squadron 18 (MGCIS-18)

 

[firefighter]

I just got this large U.S. made version

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

 

[firefighter]

Not a patch but part of Operation Rose Garden

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

MACS-9 Marine Air Control Squadron 9 - Active 1952 to 1971

 

MACS-9 received orders to prepare for deployment to Vietnam in the spring of 1965. In early July the squadron set sail from Yokosuka Japan aboard USS TERRELL COUNTY (LST-1157). They arrived at Chu Lai on 9 July 1965. Their time in Vietnam was very short and by the latter part of August 1965 they began moving to Okinawa with follow on movement to their new home at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina where they eventually arrived on 1 October 1965. For the next few years MACS-9 maintained a vigorous training program for the detection of hostile aircraft and missiles however they would eventually be deactivated on 1 July 1971.

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Marine Aircraft Group 31 was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, on 1 February 1943. In September 1943, MAG-31 left the United States for Samoa where its squadrons would be stationed at numerous Samoan bases. During much of 1944 the squadron would fly neutralization missions against many of the Japanese garrisons that had been by-passed in the Marshall Islands such as Rabaul.

 

During the Battle of Okinawa, MAG-31 came ashore on 7 April and began operating from Yontan Airfield on Okinawa. They were immediately able to put 80 out of 109 aircraft into the fight and maintained a combat air patrol from 1750 until dark to aid in the fight against the kamikaze attacks that were devastating the American Fleet. During the battle they also provided close air support for the Marines and Soldiers on the ground. While on Okinawa, MAG-31 was commanded by Colonel John C. Munn, who was later promoted to Lieutenant General and served as the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. The squadron stayed at Yontan Airfield until 1 July when they moved to Chimu Airfield further north on the island where they would stay until the end of the war. During their time on Okinawa the squadron also operated over Kyushu, the Chinese Coast, the East China Sea area and many places in between Formosa and Kyushu.

 

On 12 October 1945, Marine Aircraft Group 31 departed Okinawa for Yokosuka, Japan, becoming the first Marine land-based MAG to operate in the Japanese homeland. The MAG was transferred from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing on 12 February 1946, and then to the Fleet Marine Force Pacific 13 March 1946.

 

The group returned to the United States 5 July 1946 as a night fighter group,.and was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San Diego, California until it was decommissioned 31 May 1947.

 

 

MAG-31 was reactivated 17 March 1952, at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, and transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Miami, Florida, operating as a part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing until it was again decommissioned in 1958.

 

On 1 November 1961, the group was again reactivated and stationed at its present home, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, as part of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.

 

[Salvage Sailor]

MACS-5

Marine Air Control Squadron 5, Active 1 June 1944 – 11 June 1993

[Salvage Sailor]

Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron Seventeen (H&MS-17)

Phu Bai, Vietnam, C-117D SKYTRAIN

 

Several other specialized aircraft also operated with the wing and most were assigned to the H&MS of the various groups.....The wing also had seven C-117 twin-engine Douglas Skytrain transports which were attached to each of the groups. one each to H&MS-11. -12, -13, -16 & -36 and two to H&MS-17. These transports made the administrative and logistics flights between the Marine bases and were also employed as flare planes for night operations. (source: Marine Aviation in 1966 pg 267)

 

 

In 1967 it was noted that they had three (3) C-117's assigned to the squadron. (source: U.S. Marines in Vietnam: Fighting the North Vietnamese 1967 pg. 318)