The Marine Wing Support Squadron 373 (MWSS 373) is an aviation ground support 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, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

. They are based out of

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force. It is located in Miramar, a commu ...

, California. The squadron is part of

Marine Air Control Group 38 Marine Air Control Group 38 (MACG-38) is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of four squadrons and one battalion that provide the 3rd Marine Aircraf ...

and 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, ...

Mission

Provide all essential aviation ground requirements to a designated fixed-wing component of a Marine Aviation Combat Element or to supplement air base facilities and services provided by a Marine Corps Air Station, when based thereon. This includes motor vehicle support, mobile electric power, heavy equipment, tactical aviation refueling, essential runway services, and second echelon maintenance. They are tasked to conduct airfield operations, less air traffic control, for supporting Aviation Combat Element units to include: internal airfield communications, weather, services expeditionary airfield services, crash/fire/rescue and structural fire fighting services, aircraft and rapid ground refueling, motor transport for operations internal to air base messing facilities, routine and emergency sick call and aviation medical functions, individual and unit training of organic personnel and personnel of selected support units, organic nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) defense, security and law enforcement services

History

Early years

Marine Wing Support Squadron 373 (MWSS-373) can trace its lineage back to Wing Equipment and Repair Squadron 37 (WERS-37) activated on 1 April 1967 at

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 ...

, Santa Ana, California. On 31 January 1977, WERS-37 was restructured and re-designated as Wing Transportation Squadron 37 (WTS-37) as a result of the Marine Corps wide Combat Service Support reorganization concept, effected 5 June 1986. On 21 August 1998, MWSS-373 relocated from MCAS El Toro to

The Gulf War and the 1990s

During August 1990 through April 1991 MWSS-373 participated in

Operation Desert Shield , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

and

Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...

in Saudi Arabia and

Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...

; while in Southwest Asia, the Marines and Sailors of MWSS-373 pumped over of fuel to tactical aircraft, provided over 2 million meals, transported 46 million pounds of ordnance, produced of potable water, treated 18,000 patients, administered 3,200 immunizations, provided water electricity and sanitation for 8 dispersed billeting areas and drove over 1 million accident free miles. In July 1992, MWSS-373 became the first support squadron in 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 ...

to obtain 100% readiness. In September 1992, MWSS-373 welcomed aboard the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit from

Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11 Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11 (MALS-11) is an aviation logistics support unit of the United States Marine Corps, part of Marine Aircraft Group 11 (MAG-11), currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and also part of the 3rd Marin ...

, adding a new dimension to the squadron. During December 1992 to May 1993, MWSS-373 provided 24-hour airfield embarkation support at MCAS El Toro for units deploying to

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

in support of

Operation Restore Hope The Unified Task Force (UNITAF), also known as Operation Restore Hope, was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational military force deployed to Somalia from 5 December 1992 to 4 May 1993. It was established to replace United ...

. In providing this support, the Marines of MWSS-373 loaded over 100 aircraft with eight million pounds of cargo and equipment. Between January and March 1995, MWSS-373 deployed a detachment to Somalia in support of

Operation United Shield Operation United Shield was the codename of a military operation, conducted 9 January to 3 March 1995, bringing a conclusion to the United Nations Operation in Somalia II (UNOSOM II). Commanded by the United States, two ships of the Pakistan Na ...

to assist with the UN' withdrawal from that country. From 19 August 1995 to 19 October 1995, MWSS-373 also deployed an Offload Preparation Party detachment of 11 Marines to the 15th MEU(Marine Expeditionary Unit) as part of

Operation Vigilant Sentinel Operation Vigilant Sentinel was a response to Saddam Hussein advance of its military forces on the border with Kuwait. The United States deployed the 74th Air Control Squadron to Kuwait on August 24, 1995. The specific battle management functions ...

a larger U.S. effort to deter Iraqi interference with United Nations' arms inspections and in response to claims by high-ranking military defectors of the Iraqi armed forces that Saddam Hussein was massing forces near the Kuwaiti border. During August 1998, MWSS-373 relocated to MCAS Miramar, San Diego, California as part of a base realignment and closure (BRAC) directed move.

Global War on Terror

From September 2001 through present MWSS-373 deployed personnel and equipment in support of

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...

and

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 ...

in support of four separate

Marine Expeditionary Unit A Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU, pronounced as one syllable "" IPA: ) is the smallest Marine air-ground task force, air-ground task force (MAGTF) in the United States Fleet Marine Force.VMFA Squadrons. From September 2002 through present MWSS-373 deployed personnel and equipment to

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 ...

in support of VMA-513 during Operation Enduring Freedom. From January to June 2003 MWSS-373 deployed to Kuwait and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. MWSS 373 constructed a 4,000 Marine base camp, and installed a Harrier parking ramp, at Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait for elements of the

. During March 2003 MWSS-373 conducted FARP operations (

Forward Arming and Refueling Point A forward arming and refuelling point (FARP) or forward area refuelling pointUSAF is a NATO term for an area where aircraft (typically helicopters) can be refuelled and re-armed at a distance closer to their area of operations than their main ...

) in the vicinity of Jalibah Airfield, Iraq in support of the attack on

An Nasiriyah Nasiriyah ( , ; , BGN: , ), also spelled Nassiriya or Nasiriya, is a city in Iraq, the capital of the Dhi Qar Governorate. It lies on the lower Euphrates, about south-southeast of Baghdad, near the ruins of the ancient city of Ur. Its po ...

. Rapid runway repair of a

KC-130 The Lockheed Martin (previously Lockheed) KC-130 is a family of the extended-range tanker version of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. The KC-130J is the latest variant operated by the United States Marine Corps (USMC), with 48 delivered ...

operating strip at Jalibah Airfield was completed on the third night of the ground war. MWSS-373 went on and constructed a 3,000 Marine forward operating base (FOB) at Jalibah Airfield, Iraq in support of elements of 3rd MAW. During the month of April 2003, MWSS-373 continued to conduct FARP operations at

Tikrit Tikrit ( ) is a city in Iraq, located northwest of Baghdad and southeast of Mosul on the Tigris River. It is the administrative center of the Saladin Governorate. In 2012, it had a population of approximately 160,000. Originally created as a f ...

Airfield, Iraq (northernmost USMC FARP in Iraq) and Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq. In August 2004 MWSS-373 deployed to

Al Taqaddum Al Taqaddum Airbase () or Al Taqaddum AB , called TQ in military shorthand slang, is an air base that is located in central Iraq, approximately 74 kilometers (46 miles) west of Baghdad, at Habbaniyah. The airfield is served by two runways 13,000 a ...

to support 3rd MAW in providing aviation ground support 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 ...

. They also provided aviation ground support and limited combat service support from Camp Korean Village, Camp Mudaysis, FOB Duke, and

Camp Fallujah Camp Fallujah (formerly known as the MEK (''Mujahedin-E Khalq'') Compound) is a large compound in Fallujah, Iraq formerly used by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marines from 2004 to 2009 and now used by the Iraqi Ground Forces. History Before the Mar ...

. In support of

Operation Al Fajr The Second Battle of Fallujah, initially codenamed Operation Phantom Fury, Operation al-Fajr (, ) was an American-led offensive of the Iraq War that began on 7 November 2004 and lasted about six weeks. A joint military effort of the United ...

Fallujah Fallujah ( ) is a city in Al Anbar Governorate, Iraq. Situated on the Euphrates, Euphrates River, it is located roughly to the west of the capital city of Baghdad and from the neighboring city of Ramadi. The city is located in the region ...

, MWSS-373 provided fire fighting to respond to life-threatening off-base U.S. and Coalition force structural and vehicle fires, and

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bomb disposal is an explosives engineering profession using the process by which hazardous explosive devices are disabled or otherwise rendered safe. ''Bomb disposal'' is an all-encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated fu ...

support to clear main supply routes between Al Taqaddum and Al Fallujah. At the conclusion of this deployment, MWSS-373 closed Camp Mudaysis. In September 2006, MWSS-373 again deployed again to Al Taqaddum, Iraq in support of 3rd MAW. During this period MWSS-373 provided functions of aviation ground support and limited combat service support at Al Taqaddum, Camp Ramadi, Camp Fallujah, and Camp Korean Village. MWSS-373 provided response teams for IED activity in the vicinity of Al Taqaddum and Camp Korean Village. Additionally, MWSS-373 numerous road improvement projects, helicopter landing zone installations, and facility electrical renovations at sites throughout the

Euphrates River The Euphrates ( ; see below) is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of West Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia (). Originating in Turkey, the Euphrates flows through S ...

corridor between

Ar Ramadi Ramadi ( ''Ar-Ramādī''; also formerly rendered as ''Rumadiyah'' or ''Rumadiya'') is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad and west of Fallujah. It is the capital and largest city of Al Anbar Governorate which shares borders with Syri ...

and Al Fallujah. In September 2010, MWSS-373 deployed to Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While deployed MWSS-373 supplied all ground aviation support for Camp Leatherneck, FOB Dwyer, FOB Delaram and FOB Edinburgh. They also completed numerous Helicopter Landing Zone improvement projects across the Helmand province and finalized the construction of a C-130 air strip in Forward Operating Base Delaram. By April 2011, all Marines who deployed with MWSS-373 returned to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar safely.

References

External links

* {{3rdMAW MWSS373