Marine Wing Support Squadron 373
Encyclopedia
The Marine Wing Support Squadron 373 (MWSS 373) is an aviation ground support unit of the United States Marine Corps
. They are based out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
, California. The squadron is part of Marine Wing Support Group 37
and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
.
, 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 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
.
; while in Southwest Asia, the Marines and Sailors of MWSS-373 pumped over 29 million USgals (109,776.9 m³) of fuel to tactical aircraft, provided over 2 million meals, transported 46 million pounds of ordnance, produced 2 million USgals (7,570.8 m³) 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 to obtain 100% readiness. In September 1992, MWSS-373 welcomed aboard the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit from Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11
, 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
in support of Operation Restore Hope. 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
to assist with the UN' withdrawal from that country. From December 1997 to June 1998, MWSS-373 also deployed an Offload Preparation Party detachment to Maritime Propositioning Force shipping as part of a larger U.S. effort to deter Iraqi interference with United Nations' arms inspections. During August 1998, MWSS-373 relocated to MCAS Miramar, San Diego, California as part of a base realignment and closure (BRAC) directed move.
From September 2001 through present MWSS-373 deployed personnel and equipment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom in support of four separate Marine Expeditionary Unit
s. In addition personnel were deployed on aircraft carriers in support of three separate VMFA Squadrons. From September 2002 through present MWSS-373 deployed personnel and equipment to Afghanistan
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 431000 square feet (40,041.2 m²) Harrier parking ramp, at Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait for elements of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
. During March 2003 MWSS-373 conducted FARP operations (Forward Arming and Refueling Point) in the vicinity of Jalibah Airfield, Iraq in support of the attack on An Nasiriyah. Rapid runway repair of a 5000 feet (1,524 m) KC-130 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
Airfield, Iraq (northern most USMC FARP in Iraq) and Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq.
In August 2004 MWSS-373 deployed to Al Taqaddum to support 3rd MAW in providing aviation ground support in Al Anbar Province. They also provided aviation ground support and limited combat service support from Camp Korean Village, Camp Mudaysis, FOB Duke, and Camp Fallujah. In support of Operation Al Fajr in Fallujah
, MWSS-373 provided fire fighting to respond to life-threatening off-base U.S. and Coalition force structural and vehicle fires, and Explosive Ordinance Disposal 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 corridor between Ar Ramadi 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 back to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar safely.
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 Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , formerly Naval Air Station Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force...
, California. 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 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 servicesEarly 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 ToroMarine 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...
, Santa Ana
Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
, 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 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , formerly Naval Air Station Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force...
.
The Gulf War & the 1990s
During August 1990 through April 1991 MWSS-373 participated in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia and KuwaitKuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
; while in Southwest Asia, the Marines and Sailors of MWSS-373 pumped over 29 million USgals (109,776.9 m³) of fuel to tactical aircraft, provided over 2 million meals, transported 46 million pounds of ordnance, produced 2 million USgals (7,570.8 m³) 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 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
Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11 is an aviation logistics support unit of the United States Marine Corps, part of Marine Aircraft Group 11 , currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and also part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.-Early years:The unit was activated on December 1921,...
, 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
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
in support of Operation Restore Hope. 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
Operation United Shield was the name given to a multinational military operation that was conducted from 9 January 1992 to 3 March 1995. The purpose of Operation United Shield was the safe evacuation of all United Nations peacekeeping troops from Somalia...
to assist with the UN' withdrawal from that country. From December 1997 to June 1998, MWSS-373 also deployed an Offload Preparation Party detachment to Maritime Propositioning Force shipping as part of a larger U.S. effort to deter Iraqi interference with United Nations' arms inspections. 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
Marine Expeditionary Unit
A Marine expeditionary unit , formerly called Marine amphibious unit , is the smallest Marine air-ground task force in the United States Fleet Marine Force...
s. In addition personnel were deployed on aircraft carriers in support of three separate VMFA Squadrons. From September 2002 through present MWSS-373 deployed personnel and equipment to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
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 431000 square feet (40,041.2 m²) Harrier parking ramp, at Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait for elements of 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...
. During March 2003 MWSS-373 conducted FARP operations (Forward Arming and Refueling Point) in the vicinity of Jalibah Airfield, Iraq in support of the attack on An Nasiriyah. Rapid runway repair of a 5000 feet (1,524 m) KC-130 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
Tikrit is a town in Iraq, located 140 km northwest of Baghdad on the Tigris river . The town, with an estimated population in 2002 of about 260,000 is the administrative center of the Salah ad Din Governorate.-Ancient times:...
Airfield, Iraq (northern most USMC FARP in Iraq) and Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq.
In August 2004 MWSS-373 deployed to Al Taqaddum to support 3rd MAW in providing aviation ground support in Al Anbar Province. They also provided aviation ground support and limited combat service support from Camp Korean Village, Camp Mudaysis, FOB Duke, and Camp Fallujah. In support of Operation Al Fajr in Fallujah
Fallujah
Fallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jewish academies for many centuries....
, MWSS-373 provided fire fighting to respond to life-threatening off-base U.S. and Coalition force structural and vehicle fires, and Explosive Ordinance Disposal 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
Improvised explosive device
An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
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 corridor between Ar Ramadi 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 back to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar safely.
See also
- United States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps AviationUnited 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 CorpsOrganization of the United States Marine CorpsThe 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