Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 (MWSS 371) is an aviation ground support unit of the United States Marine Corps

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...

. They are based out of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma

Marine Corps Air Station Yuma

Marine Corps Air Station Yuma or MCAS Yuma is a United States Marine Corps air station which is the home to multiple squadrons of AV-8B Harrier IIs of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 and Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 , an air combat adversary...

, Arizona

Arizona

Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

. The squadron is part of Marine Wing Support Group 37

Marine Wing Support Group 37

Marine Wing Support Group 37 is a United States Marine Corps aviation combat service support unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of 4 squadrons, that provide the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and I Marine Expeditionary Force with complete airfield operation...

 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

The 3d Marine Aircraft Wing is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and provides the aviation combat element for I Marine Expeditionary Force...

.

Mission

Provide all essential Aviation Ground Support requirements to a designated fixed-wing component of an Aviation Combat Element (ACE) and all supporting or attached elements of the Marine Air Control Group.

The 1980s and 1990s

Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 was activated on 2 June 1986 at 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...

, California. They relocated during April 1987 to MCAS Yuma, Arizona. The squadrons first combat deployment was in support of Operation Desert Storm in Southwest Asia from August 1990 to April 1991. Elements of MWSS-371 have also participated in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia from January to May 1993 and Operation Southern Watch

Operation Southern Watch

Operation Southern Watch was an operation conducted by Joint Task Force Southwest Asia with the mission of monitoring and controlling airspace south of the 32nd Parallel in Iraq, following the 1991 Gulf War until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.-Summary:Operation Southern Watch began on 27 August 1992...

 over Iraq from March to June 2001.

See also

• United States Marine Corps Aviation
  United States Marine Corps Aviation
  United States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....
  
  
• Organization of the United States Marine Corps
  Organization of the United States Marine Corps
  The United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy . The most senior Marine officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recruiting, training, and equipping the Marine Corps so that it is ready for...
  
  
• List of United States Marine Corps aviation support units