Marine Aviation Training Support Group 23
Encyclopedia
Marine Aviation and Training Support Group 23 (MATSG-23) is a United States Marine Corps
aviation
training group
that was originally established during World War II
as Marine Aircraft Group 23 (MAG-23). Squadrons from MAG-23, augmented by Navy
and Army
flying units formed the Cactus Air Force
during the Battle of Guadalcanal. The group was deactivated at the end of the war and was not reactivated until January 15, 1982 when Marine Aviation and Training Support Group NAS Lemoore was renamed MATSG-23.
s and special detail advisors.
, Hawaii
, as part of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
on March 1, 1942. The group became the first Marine aviation group to meet the Japanese
in the South Pacific
. They formed the forward echelon of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
(1st MAW) during the Battle of Guadalcanal and landed its first units at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal
on August 20, 1942 when VMF-223 and VMSB-231 were flown off the USS Long Island (CVE-1)
. Ten days later the group's rear echelon, composed of VMF-224 and VMSB-232, joined the forward echelon at Henderson Field.
MAG-23, augmented by Army and Navy land based air under the operational control of 1st MAW, furnished air support
to the 1st Marine Division and Army ground forces in the struggle for Guadalcanal. Although the Group itself comprised only four Marine squadrons, personnel and aircraft of six Navy carrier
squadrons, (VS-5, VB-6, VF-5
, VS-71, VT-8
and VS-3) the 67th Army Pursuit Squadron, and detachments of Marine squadrons stationed at various South Pacific bases operated with MAG-23. This heterogeneous group shot down 244 enemy planes in four weeks. Navy pilots accounted 44, Army flyers, using P-400s shot down eight. The remaining 192 were credited to Marines. The price of that score was 22 Marine pilots killed in action, three by enemy naval gunfire.
From Guadalcanal MAG-23 was transferred to the Naval Air Station San Diego where it served from November 18, 1942 until January 9, 1943. The group was then transferred to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro
until September 1943. On September 19, 1943, the group again landed at MCAS Ewa and remained there as part of Marine Air Hawaiian Area until May 1944. On May 8, 1944, the group transferred to Midway Atoll
where it remained until the war ended. MAG-23 later returned to the West Coast
and was decommissioned on November 1, 1945.
in support of F/A-18 Hornet
maintenance, operations and training.
On July 2, 1982, VMFA-314
arrived at NAS Lemoore as the first squadron to transition to the F/A-18 Hornet. By the end of June 1983, the first three Marine F/A-18 squadrons had completed their transition at VFA-125
. Over the years, F/A-18 training switched from whole units to individual Marines destined to replace Marines in the Fleet Marine Force
.
In May 2000, the Commandant of the Marine Corps
directed the re-designation of MATSG NAS Lemoore as Marine Aviation Trainings Support Group 23. All Marine Aviation Training Support Groups were redesignated to promote a sense of Marine Corps identity and tradition and allows them and their history to live on.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
training group
Group (air force unit)
A group is a military aviation unit, a component of military organization and a military formation. Usage of the terms group and wing differ from one country to another, as well as different branches of a defence force, in some cases...
that was originally established during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as Marine Aircraft Group 23 (MAG-23). Squadrons from MAG-23, augmented by Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
flying units formed the Cactus Air Force
Cactus Air Force
Cactus Air Force refers to the ensemble of Allied air power assigned to the island of Guadalcanal from August 1942 until December 1942 during the early stages of the Guadalcanal Campaign, particularly those operating from Henderson Field...
during the Battle of Guadalcanal. The group was deactivated at the end of the war and was not reactivated until January 15, 1982 when Marine Aviation and Training Support Group NAS Lemoore was renamed MATSG-23.
Mission
Provide administration and training support to all Marines aboard NAS Lemoore. They also provide ceremonial support for base and local events in the form of color guardColor guard
In the military of the United States and other militaries, the color guard carries the National Color and other flags appropriate to its position in the chain of command. Typically these include a unit flag and a departmental flag...
s and special detail advisors.
World War II
Marine Air Group 23 was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station EwaMarine Corps Air Station Ewa
Marine Corps Air Station Ewa was a United States Marine Corps air station that was located west of Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. The base was hit during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and later served as the hub for all Marine aviation units heading into combat in the Pacific Theater...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, as part of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina...
on March 1, 1942. The group became the first Marine aviation group to meet the Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
in the South Pacific
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
. They formed the forward echelon of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
1st Marine Aircraft Wing
The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan...
(1st MAW) during the Battle of Guadalcanal and landed its first units at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
on August 20, 1942 when VMF-223 and VMSB-231 were flown off the USS Long Island (CVE-1)
USS Long Island (CVE-1)
USS Long Island was lead ship of her class and the first escort carrier of the United States Navy...
. Ten days later the group's rear echelon, composed of VMF-224 and VMSB-232, joined the forward echelon at Henderson Field.
MAG-23, augmented by Army and Navy land based air under the operational control of 1st MAW, furnished air support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
to the 1st Marine Division and Army ground forces in the struggle for Guadalcanal. Although the Group itself comprised only four Marine squadrons, personnel and aircraft of six Navy carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
squadrons, (VS-5, VB-6, VF-5
VF-51
VF-51, Fighter Squadron 51 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy known as the "Screaming Eagles". The squadron established in 1943 and retired and its personnel reassigned in 1995.- History :...
, VS-71, VT-8
VT-8
Torpedo Squadron 8 was a United States Navy squadron of World War II torpedo bombers assigned initially to the Air Group operating from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet , until after her loss in October 1942 during the Battle of Santa Cruz Island...
and VS-3) the 67th Army Pursuit Squadron, and detachments of Marine squadrons stationed at various South Pacific bases operated with MAG-23. This heterogeneous group shot down 244 enemy planes in four weeks. Navy pilots accounted 44, Army flyers, using P-400s shot down eight. The remaining 192 were credited to Marines. The price of that score was 22 Marine pilots killed in action, three by enemy naval gunfire.
From Guadalcanal MAG-23 was transferred to the Naval Air Station San Diego where it served from November 18, 1942 until January 9, 1943. The group was then transferred to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was a United States Marine Corps Air Station located near Irvine, California.Before it was decommissioned in 1999, it was the home of Marine Corps aviation on the West Coast. Designated as a Master Jet Station, its four runways could handle the largest aircraft...
until September 1943. On September 19, 1943, the group again landed at MCAS Ewa and remained there as part of Marine Air Hawaiian Area until May 1944. On May 8, 1944, the group transferred to Midway Atoll
Midway Atoll
Midway Atoll is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, near the northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago, about one-third of the way between Honolulu, Hawaii, and Tokyo, Japan. Unique among the Hawaiian islands, Midway observes UTC-11 , eleven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time and one hour...
where it remained until the war ended. MAG-23 later returned to the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
and was decommissioned on November 1, 1945.
1980s to present
Marine Aviation Training Support Group NAS Lemoore was formally activated on January 15, 1982 with mission of providing administrative and limited logistics support to Marines permanently and temporarily assigned to Naval Air Station LemooreNaval Air Station Lemoore
Naval Air Station Lemoore or NAS Lemoore is a United States Navy base, located in Kings County and Fresno County, California. Lemoore Station, California, a census-designated place, is located inside the base's borders....
in support of F/A-18 Hornet
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
maintenance, operations and training.
On July 2, 1982, VMFA-314
VMFA-314
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. The squadron, known as the "Black Knights", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 11 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing...
arrived at NAS Lemoore as the first squadron to transition to the F/A-18 Hornet. By the end of June 1983, the first three Marine F/A-18 squadrons had completed their transition at VFA-125
VFA-125
Strike Fighter Squadron 125 , also known as the "Rough Raiders", was a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. The "Rough Raiders" were a Fleet Replacement Squadron flying the F/A-18 Hornet.-History:...
. Over the years, F/A-18 training switched from whole units to individual Marines destined to replace Marines in the Fleet Marine Force
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces are combined general and special purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that are designed in engaging offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment...
.
In May 2000, the Commandant of the Marine Corps
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
directed the re-designation of MATSG NAS Lemoore as Marine Aviation Trainings Support Group 23. All Marine Aviation Training Support Groups were redesignated to promote a sense of Marine Corps identity and tradition and allows them and their history to live on.