| Marine Aircraft Group 32 | |
|---|---|
 MAG-32 insignia | |
| Active |
|
| Country | United States |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Role | Fighter/Attack Aircraft Group |
| Motto(s) | Parati Servire |
| Engagements | World War II * Philippines campaign, 1944-45 |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Clayton C. Jerome John Lucian Smith Stanley E. Ridderhof Hugh M. Elwood |
Marine Aircraft Group 32 (MAG-32) was a United States Marine Corps aviation unit established during World War II.
Marine Aircraft Group 32 was commissioned on 1 February 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. [2] The group's squadrons trained there until January 1944 when they were ordered to the West Coast to prepare for follow on movement to the South Pacific. [3] The group next went to Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii where they remained until October 1944. November saw them move to Emirau as they prepared to support the campaign to recapture the Philippines. [4]
MAG-32 arrived on Mangaldan on 27 January 1945 where they became part of Marine Air Groups, Dagupan (MAGSDAGUPAN) along with Marine Aircraft Group 24 (MAG-24). [5] MAGSDAGUPAN fell under neath the 308th Bombardment Wing of the United States Army Air Forces which was supporting the 6th Army on Luzon. Portions of the group went ashore with the assault troops on Zamboanga on 10 March 1945. Two days later they were operating out of an expeditionary airfield. [4] During this time they became part of Marine Air Groups Zamboanga (MAGSZAM) along with Marine Aircraft Group 12 and Air Warning Squadron 4 (AWS-4). The SBD Dauntless aircraft of MAG-32 arrived on 23 March and began providing close air support. The first major operation that they supported was the landing of the 41st Infantry Division on Jolo Island on 9 April. Forty four dive bombers from MAG-32 were directed against Japanese positions by tactical air control parties. [6] The group also went on to cover amphibious landing on the islands of Parang-Cotabato, Sibago, Macajalar and Sarangani. [4]
MAGSZAM was finally dissolved on 30 August 1945. [4] During the recapture of the Philippines beginning in January 1945, MAG-32 and MAG-24 would fly a total of 8,842 combat sorties and drop more than 19,000 bombs as part of the Fifth Air Force in support of the Sixth Army. [7]
Following the end of World War II, MAG-32 participated in the occupation of Northern China. [4] The group returned to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in June 1946 and was deactivated in April 1947 at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. [8]
Group
Marine Aircraft Group 32 (MAG-32) [9] [10]
The last two Marine Corps OA-4M Skyhawks, which were from MAG-32, flew their last flight from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point to NAS Patuxent River on 6 July 1990. In the 1970s Mag 32 was based in MCAS Beaufort SC. Had A-4 Skyhawks, and AV8a Harriers. Then left to MCAS Cherry Point.
Marine Aircraft Group 11 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of two F-35C squadrons, one F-35B squadron, two F/A-18C squadrons, one fleet replacement squadron, one KC-130J tactical aerial refueling squadron, a maintenance and logistics squadron, and a wing support squadron. They fall under the command of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and the I Marine Expeditionary Force.
Marine Attack Squadron 231 (VMA-231) is a United States Marine Corps fixed wing attack squadron that consists of AV-8B Harrier (V/STOL) jets. The squadron, known as the "Ace of Spades", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina and fall under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 14 (MAG-14) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 (VMFA-251) was a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Known as the "Thunderbolts", the squadron was deactivated on 23 April 2020. If current plans hold, the squadron is to be re-activated by 2025 as a F-35C Lightning II and based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.
Marine Aircraft Group 24 (MAG-24) is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay. MAG-24 is subordinate to the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and the III Marine Expeditionary Force.
South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command (SCAT) was a joint command of U.S. military logistics units in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II. It contributed notably to the success of U.S. forces in the campaigns on Guadalcanal (1942–1943), New Georgia (1943), and Bougainville (1943–1945), as well as the Allied air campaign against Rabaul.
Marine Attack Squadron 331 (VMA-331) was an attack squadron in the United States Marine Corps. The squadron, also known as the “Doodlebugs” and “Bumblebees,” was part of Marine Aircraft Group 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and was based out of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina. The squadron fought in World War II and Operation Desert Storm. It was decommissioned as part of the post Cold War drawdown of the US Military on October 1, 1992.
Marine Aviation Training Support Group 22 (MATSG-22) is a United States Marine Corps aviation training group that was originally established during World War II as Marine Aircraft Group 22 (MAG-22). Squadrons from MAG-22, were decimated at the Battle of Midway and after reconstituting fought during the Battle of Okinawa. The group was deactivated following the end of the war and were not reactivated until May 1, 2000, when the Marine Aviation Detachment at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas was renamed MATSG-22.
Marine Aircraft Group 93 (MAG-93) was a United States Marine Corps aviation group established during World War II. MAG-93, a dive bombing training group, was commissioned on 1 April 1944 and was initially headquartered at Marine Corps Auxiliary Airfield Bogue, North Carolina. Their mission was to train pilots to fly the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver. The group was decommissioned in October 1945 as part of the post-war drawdown of forces and has been inactive since.
Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 243 (VMSB-243) was a dive bomber squadron in the United States Marine Corps. The squadron, also known as the “Flying Goldbricks”, fought in World War II during the Battle of Bougainville and later in the Philippines campaign (1944–45). They were deactivated shortly after the end of the war on September 25, 1945.
Marine Scout-Bomber Squadron 341 (VMSB-341) was a dive bomber squadron in the United States Marine Corps. The squadron, also known as the “Torrid Turtles”, fought in World War II with Marine Aircraft Group 24, most notably in the Philippines campaign (1944–45). They were deactivated shortly after the end of the war on September 13, 1945.
Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 244 (VMSB-244) was a dive bomber squadron in the United States Marine Corps. The squadron, also known as the “Bombing Banshees”, fought in World War II in the Pacific Theater as part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. They were deactivated shortly after the end of the war.
Richard C. Mangrum was a United States Marine Corps lieutenant general who served as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1965 to 1967. Mangrum was a Marine Corps aviator who was awarded the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions during the Guadalcanal Campaign in World War II.
Marine Fighting Squadron 236 (VMF-236) was a fighter squadron in the United States Marine Corps. The squadron, also known as the “Black Panthers”, was part of the Marine Forces Reserve for a short time following World War II and were based at Naval Air Station Denver, Colorado until their disestablishment. Originally established during World War II, they fought in the Pacific War most notably during the Bougainville Campaign and the campaign to liberate the Philippines. The squadron conducted the first dive bombing attack against Bougainville and was credited with downing 4 Japanese aircraft during the course of the war. VMSB-236 was disestablished on August 1, 1945 at Mindanao, Philippines two weeks before the surrender of Japan They were reactivated as part of the Reserves but were again deactivated in the late 1960s and remain in an inactive status today.
Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara was a United States Marine Corps air station that was located in Goleta, California 70 miles (113 km) north of Los Angeles during World War II. It was also known as the Goleta Air Station in the 1940s. Commissioned on December 4, 1942, the air station consisted of an airfield that had been built into the Goleta Slough and served as a training base for numerous squadrons before they deployed to support combat operations in the Pacific Theater. Later in the war, the station would serve as home to Marine squadrons that were trained to operate from aircraft carriers providing close air support for their fellow Marines on the ground. Following the surrender of Japan and the subsequent drawdown of forces that ensued, the air station closed its doors in 1946 and today its property is home to the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport and the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Marine Air Group (MAG) 25 was a United States Marine Corps combat air transport group that provided logistical support, including cargo and personnel transport and aeromedical evacuation, to forward units during World War II and the Korean War. During World War II it formed the nucleus of the South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command.
Air Warning Squadron 3 (AWS-3) was a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control squadron during World War II. The squadron's primary mission was to provide aerial surveillance and early warning of approaching enemy aircraft during amphibious assaults. The squadron participated in the Philippines campaign (1944–1945) in support of the Eighth Army on Mindanao. AWS-3 was decommissioned shortly after the war in October 1945 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. To date, no other Marine Corps squadron has carried the lineage and honors of AWS-3 to include the former Marine Air Control Squadron 3 (MACS-3).
The Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army (TAF) was a joint aviation command of the Tenth United States Army that was responsible for commanding all land-based aviation and aviation command and control units during the Battle of Okinawa. The TAF's headquarters was provided by the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and it was the largest joint aviation unit under Marine Corps command during World War II. During the battle, the TAF was commanded by Major General Francis P. Mulcahy until ill-health forced him to be relieved by MajGen Louis E. Woods. According to United States sources, TAF aircraft were responsible for shooting down 637 Japanese aircraft during the battle.
Marine Attack Squadron 241 (VMA-241) was an aircraft squadron of the United States Marine Corps, known as the "Sons of Satan". The squadron was commissioned during World War II and took part in the Battle of Midway, sustaining 75% losses. It was extensively involved in combat while providing close air support during the 1944–1945 Philippines Campaign. The squadron, equipped with A-4 Skyhawk light attack aircraft, became part of the Marine Forces Reserve, based at Naval Air Station Los Alamitos, California, from 1946 until the 1960s.
Air Warning Squadron 4 (AWS-4) was a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control squadron during World War II. The squadron's primary mission was to provide aerial surveillance and early warning of approaching enemy aircraft during amphibious assaults. The squadron participated in the Philippines campaign (1944–1945) in support of the Eighth Army on Mindanao. AWS-4 was decommissioned shortly after the war in October 1945. To date, no other Marine Corps squadron has carried the lineage and honors of AWS-4 to include Marine Air Control Squadron 4 (MACS-4).
Marine Fighting Squadron 514 (VMF-514) was a short-lived fighter squadron of the United States Marine Corps during World War II. Flying the Vought F4U Corsair, the squadron was originally commissioned to be part of the ill-fated Project Danny, a plan for carrier based Marine Corps aircraft to interdict German V-1 flying bomb launch sites. The squadron did not participate in combat action during the war and was decommissioned on December 9, 1945. No other Marine Corps squadron has carried VMF-514's lineage and honors since that time.
| Leadership |
|  | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major commands | |||||
| Auxiliary | |||||
| Structure | |||||
| Personnel and training |
| ||||
| Uniforms and equipment | |||||
| History and traditions |
| ||||
