Marine Air Control Group 28 (MACG-28) is a

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

aviation command and control unit based at

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point (*) is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, United States, in the eastern part of the state. It was built in 1941, and was commissioned in 1942 an ...

that is currently composed of four command and control squadrons and a low altitude air defense battalion that provide the

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) is the major East Coast of the United States, east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The Wing provides the ...

with airspace coordination, air control, immediate air support, fires integration,

air traffic control Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled air ...

(ATC), radar surveillance,

aviation combat element In the United States Marine Corps, the aviation combat element or air combat element (ACE) is the aviation component of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). The ACE is task organized to perform the six functions of Marine Corps aviation in ...

(ACE) communications support, and an integrated ACE command post in support of the

II Marine Expeditionary Force The II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force consisting of ground, air and logistics forces capable of projecting offensive combat power ashore while sustaining itself in combat without external assistance for a ...

Mission

The mission of the MACG is to provide, operate, and maintain the MACCS (Marine Air Command and Control System). The MACG contains subordinate units that provide the major facilities of the MACCS. It normally consists of a Marine tactical air command squadron (MTACS), a Marine air support squadron (MASS), one Marine air control squadron (MACS), a low-altitude air defense (LAAD) battalion, and a Marine wing communication squadron (MWCS).

Subordinate units

2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion The 2d Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion (2d LAAD) is an air defense unit of the United States Marine Corps. The battalion is subordinate to Marine Air Control Group 28 (MACG-28) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) and is currently ba ...

* Marine Air Control Squadron 2 *

Marine Air Support Squadron 1 Marine Air Support Squadron 1 (MASS-1) is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control unit that provides the Direct Air Support Center to coordinate close air support for the II Marine Expeditionary Force. Callsign "Chieftain," t ...

Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28 Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28 (MWCS-28) is a United States Marine Corps communications squadron. The squadron provides expeditionary communications for the aviation combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force. They are based at ...

Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 (MWSS 271) is an aviation ground support unit of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The squadron falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Gro ...

* Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 * Marine Wing Support Squadron 273

History

Background

In February 1943 the

Commandant of the Marine Corps Commandant of the Marine Corps may refer to: * Commandant of the Marine Corps (Indonesia) * Commandant of the Netherlands Marine Corps * Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps * Commandant of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps * Commandant of th ...

convened a "Radar Policy Board" headed by LtCol Walter L. J. Bayler. The board was tasked to make recommendations regarding the establishment of a program for radar early warning, radar fire control and radar fighter direction for Marine Corps units during amphibious operations. Board recommendations included the organization of air warning squadrons and groups, placing organic fighter direction with night fighter squadrons and the creation of an Air Defense Section within the Division of Aviation at

Headquarters Marine Corps The Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The funct ...

. The findings of the report were endorsed by the Commandant of the Marine Corps in May 1943

World War II

The ''1st Marine Air Warning Group'' was commissioned at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina as part of the

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (abbreviated as 3rd MAW) is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, ...

on 1 July 1943. The aforementioned and newly promoted Colonel Walter Bayler was the group's first commanding officer. 1st MAWG's mission was to form and train Air Warning Squadrons capable of providing expeditionary air defense during

amphibious operations Amphibious warfare is a type of Offensive (military), offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the opera ...

. On 1 April 1944, the group was reassigned to the

9th Marine Aircraft Wing The 9th Marine Aircraft Wing was an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The wing was commissioned during World War II as a training unit for Marine Aviation personnel h ...

which took over at MCAS Cherry Point after the departure of 3d MAW. Once units were formed and had conducted initial training together as a unit on the east coast they were then shipped to the west coast for follow on training before departing for the

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is bounded by the cont ...

. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, 1st MAWG oversaw the formation and training of 18 air warning squadrons. On 1 August 1946 the group was again re-designated as ''Marine Air Control Group-1'' (MACG-1). MACG-1 was decommissioned on 1 August 1955.

Reactivation through the 1980s

''Marine Wing Headquarters Group 2'' (MWHG-2) of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing was reactivated on 2 January 1956 at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. Its composition at that time included Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron 2 and

Marine Air Control Squadron 7 Marine Air Control Squadron 7 (MACS-7) was a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control squadron. The squadron provided aerial surveillance and ground-controlled interception and saw action most notably during the Battle of Okinawa i ...

(MACS-7). The fledgling organization began to grow when, in 1963, it was administratively assigned the 3d Light Antiaircraft Missile Battalion (3rd LAAM). Its growth was short lived however, for in 1965 MACS-7 was directed to deploy to

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

and subsequently saw duty in the

Republic of Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the French Union, with it ...

. Upon completing its service in Vietnam, MACS-7 was reassigned for duty with the

Marine Corps Air Station El Toro Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was a United States Marine Corps Air Station located next to the community of El Toro and was then adjacent to the city of Irvine. Before it was decommissioned in 1999, it was the home of Marine Corps Av ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. In May 1966, the Group was again re-designated; it would now be known as Marine Air Control Group 2. It was this year that 3d LAAM Battalion became administratively and operationally under the control of the Group. Re-designation occurred once more in 1967 when the Group was assigned its present-day moniker Marine Air Control Group 28. With its new designation came additional support and control organizations in the form of

and Marine Air Control Squadron 5. MACS-5 was activated and assigned to support

Fleet Marine Force The United States Fleet Marine Forces (FMF) are combined general and special forces within the United States Department of the Navy that perform offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment. The Fleet Marine ...

Aviation operations at

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort or MCAS Beaufort is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) air base located northwest of the central business district of Beaufort, South Carolina, Beaufort, a city in Beaufort County, South Carolina, Beaufort C ...

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

. The Group's expanding support and control responsibilities were reexamined and in 1971 it was determined that the critical function of Wing communications needed to be added to the Group's communications capabilities. This consolidation joined the organizational colors of

with those of H&HS-28, 3d LAAM Battalion, MASS-1, MACS-5, and MACS-6 under the senior banner of MACG-28. In 1973, the capability of a shoulder-launched missile was introduced into the Group. A Forward Area Air Defense (FAAD) platoon was activated and placed under the administrative and operational control of 3d LAAM Battalion. The activation of the FAAD platoon enhanced air defense of aviation vital areas and introduce a close-in air defense capability for maneuver units or security missions. April 1976 introduced the consolidation of air traffic control assets within the Marine Air Wing and a new squadron. Marine Air Traffic Control Squadron 28 (MATCS-28), joined ranks as the newest member of the Marine Air Command and Control System. The tactical advantages, increased capabilities and innovative employment offered by shoulder-launched missiles led to the creation of a FAAD Battery. This enhanced capability was formally introduced in October 1983 as the 2d Forward Area Air Defense Battery stood-up and took its place in the organizational structure of MACG-28.

Global War on Terror

Following the

September 11, 2001 attacks The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...

, MACG-28 Marines were sent almost immediately to augment the

Combined Air Operations Center An Air Operations Center (AOC) is a type of command center used by the United States Air Force (USAF). It is the senior agency of the Air Force component commander to provide command and control of air operations.Prince Sultan Air Base Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB, , ) is a military air base located in the closed city of Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. History There was a large United States presence there during Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The U ...

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...

and were manning tactical positions on the CAOC floor when the first bombs fell in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

. Notably, MACS-2 deployed an Early Warning and Control site to

Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...

to assist with data collection on

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

in the months building to

Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...

(OIF). During OIF all subordinate units of MACG-28 deployed Marines with the

I Marine Expeditionary Force The I Marine Expeditionary Force ("I" pronounced "One") is a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) of the United States Marine Corps primarily composed of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and 1st Marine Logistics Group. It i ...

. MASS-1, MWCS-28,

VMU-2 Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Training Squadron 2 (VMUT-2) is an unmanned aerial vehicle training squadron in the United States Marine Corps that is transitioning from operating the Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack, RQ-21A Blackjack to the Genera ...

sent their entire squadrons, while 2nd LAAD deployed a battery, MACS-2 an EW/C detachment, and MTACS-28 critical augments for the

(3rd MAW) Tactical Air Command Center (TACC) At the conclusion of major offensive operations, most elements of MACG-28 redeployed home. In early 2004, MACG-28 deployed VMU-2 and an Air Traffic Control Detachment from MACS-2, and B CO, MWCS-28 to Al Taqqadum Airfield in

Al Anbar Province Al Anbar Governorate (; ''muḥāfaẓat al-’Anbār''), or Anbar Province, is the largest governorate in Iraq by area. Encompassing much of the country's western territory, it shares borders with Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The population ...

, Iraq. At the start of 2005, MACG-28 deployed its Headquarters, MTACS-28, MACS-2, 2nd LAAD, MASS-1, MWCS-28 back to Iraq. The units of MACG-28 maintained air command and control, wing communications, and ISR of the MEF battlespace for the duration of 2005, then the majority redeployed back to the states. In January 2007, MACG-28 again deployed all its units and tactical agencies once again to Iraq. In January 2009, MACG-28 deployed all units (with the exception of 2nd LAAD) to Operation Iraqi Freedom. They were the last Marine units to control the airspace in western Iraq. During this time several detachments of the group deployed to

as part of

Marine Aircraft Group 40 Marine Aircraft Group 40 is a composite United States Marine Corps aviation unit that is based in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009. They served as the aviation combat element for 2nd Marine Expeditio ...

as Marine Corps forces began to build-up in

Helmand Province Helmand (Pashto language, Pashto/Dari language, Dari: ; ), also known as Hillmand, in ancient times, as Hermand and Hethumand, is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, in the south of the country. It is the largest province by area, covering ...

. In January 2013, MACG-28 (Forward) again deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The group was the last Marine air command and control unit to control the airspace over southern Afghanistan.

Unit awards

A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. Marine Air Control Group 28 has been presented with the following awards:

Citations

References

* *

External links

MACG-28's official website
{{2ndMAW United States Marine Corps air control groups Military units and formations in North Carolina