Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31
Encyclopedia
Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31 (MALS-31) is an aviation logistics
support unit of the United States Marine Corps
. Known as the "Stingers", they fall under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 31
(MAG-31) and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
(2nd MAW) and are currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
.
, North Carolina
, as an element of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
, Fleet Marine Force
. Six month later, Headquarters Squadron 31 as part of MAG-31, was en route to Miramar, California, finally departing the United States from San Diego, California, embarked on board the USS Nassau
and USAT Puebla.
On 10 November 1944, the 4th Marine Bases Defense Air Wing, was redesignated to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing
. On 11 March 1945, MAG-31, became part of the 2nd MAW. Headquarters Squadron 31 and other MAG-31 elements began moving from Roi-Namur Island, sailing for the most active front at that time-the Battle of Okinawa
. Ground personnel of MAG-31 went ashore on Okinawa on 3 April 1945 to prepare to support MAG-31, which landed from the USS Sitkoh Bay and began operations four days later. En route from the carrier to shore, two MAG-31 pilots shot down a Japanese bomber making a suicide run on their CVE, and gave MAG-31 the distinction of having the first land based aircraft to make a kill in the Okinawa campaign.
, MAG-31 was reactivated on 17 March 1952, with its subordinate elements, at Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, NC, but its location was shortly changed when it moved to Marine Corps Air Station Miami, Florida.
A major redesignation occurred on 15 February 1954, as the squadron became Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 31 (H&MS-31). Marine Aircraft Maintenance Squadron 31 was disbanded and its personnel transferred to Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 31.
Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 31 was redesignated on 22 August 1958 to become part of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron along with the group was reduced to a paper organization
as it moved to Cherry Point with a small complement of personnel. On 31 January 1959, MAG-31 and its squadron were deactivated at Cherry Point.
aircraft to Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona
. MALS-31 successfully completed the transformation of its aviation logistics support mission from F-4 Phantom II
s to the F/A-18 Hornet
in 1990. Since then, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31 has participated in numerous unit deployments, carrier detachments, as well as: Operation Desert Storm, Operation Deny Flight
, Operation Noble Anvil. MALS-31 is currently in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
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...
. Known as the "Stingers", they fall under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 31
Marine Aircraft Group 31
Marine Aircraft Group 31 is a United States Marine Corps aviation group based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina that is currently composed of four F/A-18C squadrons, one F/A-18A+ squadron, two F/A-18D squadrons and a maintenance and logistics squadron...
(MAG-31) and 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...
(2nd MAW) and are currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort or MCAS Beaufort is a United States Marine Corps air base located three miles northwest of the central business district of Beaufort, a city in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States...
.
Mission
Provide aviation logistics support, guidance, planning and direction to Marine Aircraft Group squadrons on behalf of the commanding officer, as well as logistics support for Navy funded equipment in the supporting Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS), Marine Air Control Group (MACG), and Marine Aircraft Wing/Mobile Calibration Complex (MAW/MCC).World War II
Headquarters Squadron 31 (HQSQ-31) was activated on 1 February 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry PointMarine 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, USA, in the eastern part of the state...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, as an element 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...
, 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...
. Six month later, Headquarters Squadron 31 as part of MAG-31, was en route to Miramar, California, finally departing the United States from San Diego, California, embarked on board the USS Nassau
USS Nassau (LHA-4)
USS Nassau was a Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship. She was capable of transporting more than 3,000 US United States Navy and United States Marine Corps personnel. Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, laid the ship's keel on August 13, 1973, she was commissioned on July 28, 1979...
and USAT Puebla.
On 10 November 1944, the 4th Marine Bases Defense Air Wing, was redesignated to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing
4th Marine Aircraft Wing
The 4th Marine Aircraft Wing is the reserve airwing of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana but its subordinate units are scattered throughout the United States...
. On 11 March 1945, MAG-31, became part of the 2nd MAW. Headquarters Squadron 31 and other MAG-31 elements began moving from Roi-Namur Island, sailing for the most active front at that time-the Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
. Ground personnel of MAG-31 went ashore on Okinawa on 3 April 1945 to prepare to support MAG-31, which landed from the USS Sitkoh Bay and began operations four days later. En route from the carrier to shore, two MAG-31 pilots shot down a Japanese bomber making a suicide run on their CVE, and gave MAG-31 the distinction of having the first land based aircraft to make a kill in the Okinawa campaign.
1950s
In the midst of the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, MAG-31 was reactivated on 17 March 1952, with its subordinate elements, at Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, NC, but its location was shortly changed when it moved to Marine Corps Air Station Miami, Florida.
A major redesignation occurred on 15 February 1954, as the squadron became Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 31 (H&MS-31). Marine Aircraft Maintenance Squadron 31 was disbanded and its personnel transferred to Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 31.
Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 31 was redesignated on 22 August 1958 to become part of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron along with the group was reduced to a paper organization
Paper organization
A paper organization is any group which exists more in theory than reality. The term "paper organization" is used in two different contexts, that of the military and that of the labor movement.-Military:...
as it moved to Cherry Point with a small complement of personnel. On 31 January 1959, MAG-31 and its squadron were deactivated at Cherry Point.
1960s – present
In October 1988, Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 31 was redesignated Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31 (MALS-31) and transferred it's A-4 SkyhawkA-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
aircraft to Davis Monthan Air Force Base, 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...
. MALS-31 successfully completed the transformation of its aviation logistics support mission from F-4 Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
s to the 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...
in 1990. Since then, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31 has participated in numerous unit deployments, carrier detachments, as well as: Operation Desert Storm, Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation that began on April 12, 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, Operation Noble Anvil. MALS-31 is currently in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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