VMGR-152
Encyclopedia
Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 (VMGR-152) provides aerial refueling service to support Fleet Marine Force
(FMF) air operations; and provides assault air transport of personnel, equipment, and supplies. The squadron, known as the "Sumos", flies the fixed-wing KC-130J
aircraft. VMGR-152 is stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
, Okinawa, Japan and is part of Marine Aircraft Group 36
(MAG-36) and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
(1st MAW).
Air Operations and provide assault air transport of personnel, equipment, and supplies.
. VMJ-253 also became the parent squadron for the joint air transport organization dubbed the South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command
(SCAT). Lieutenant Colonel Perry K. Smith, USMC, became the first Commanding Officer of SCAT. By November 1942, VMJ-253 had supported operations on Guadalcanal and surrounding islands, logging thousands of flight hours.
While on Guadalcanal
, VMJ-253 was the first combat transport squadron to land at Henderson Field
, bringing Brigadier General Roy S. Geiger and his staff to take command of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
. Following the Japanese counter attack that forced the Navy to withdraw, VMJ-253 continued to re-supply fuel, ammunition, food, and medical supplies in support of their besieged brethren. The Marines in their R4D
s never wavered in their mission despite being fired upon by Japanese troops lurking near Henderson Field and marauding Zeros
in the skies. Until the end of 1942, it was the Marines of VMJ-253 and other SCAT units that solved the logistical problems of Marines and soldiers on Guadalcanal.
Through 1943, VMJ-253 supported operations on Bougainville
, New Georgia
, Vella Lavella, and numerous islands throughout the Solomon
chain. As the island-hopping campaign moved into the Central Pacific in 1944, so did VMJ-253. Detached from SCAT, VMJ-253 officially became a transport squadron and was redesignated VMR-253. VMR-253 was assigned to the Transport Air Group, popularly called TAG, which was the Central Pacific version of SCAT. Continuing the heavy schedule of lifts from Tarawa
, VMR-253 sortied to Kwajalein
, Roi-Namur, and Eniwetok. In October 1943, VMR-253 moved to Guam
. Working out of Guam, VMR-253 supported actions on Tinian
, Saipan
, and Peleliu
. VMR-253 remained on Guam until the close of the war, and in May 1946, returned to MCAS Miramar.
s. VMR-253 continued its primary mission of moving men and supplies wherever the Marine Corps needed them. After a four-year squadron stand down from 1947 to 1951, VMR-253 reactivated with only six R5C
aircraft, 5 officers, and 18 enlisted Marines. By the end of the year it had grown to 58 officers, 184 enlisted, had received 16 new R4Q
s, and was ready to go to war once again. From January 1952 through June 1953, the squadron logged over 11,000 flight hours, carried 30,170 passengers, and moved 5,213,383 pounds of cargo.
, Japan
. From Japan, VMR-253 conducted the bulk of Marine air transport in the Pacific for nearly ten years. On February 1, 1962, the famous Lockheed KC-130F Hercules
joined Marine aviation in the Pacific. With its ability to refuel fighter and attack aircraft, VMR-253 was redesignated Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 (VMGR-152), and the squadron’s primary mission became aerial refueling.
Less than a year after receiving the Hercules aircraft, the pilots and Marines of VMGR-152 were called upon to support U.S. Army
advisors in the latest hot spot, Indo-China. This deployment gave the squadron valuable experience in the employment of the Battle Herc that would soon pay off. On August 24, 1965, a KC-130F (BuNo 149802), c.n. 3693, from the squadron veered off runway on take-off from Kai Tak Airport
, Hong Kong
hit the seawall and crashed into the sea. This was the first Hercules hull loss in Marine Corps service. It was carrying Marine personnel returning to Vietnam after R & R in Hong Kong - of six crew and 65 passengers, 59 were killed while flying.
, detachments from VMGR-152 were deployed in country with Marine Amphibious Forces (MAF) to support F-4
s and A-4
s used by Marine tactical squadrons. To better support the detachments in Vietnam, the squadron relocated to Okinawa, Japan.
From 1967 to 1975, the bulk of VMGR-152’s missions were directly in support of action in Southeast Asia
. Detachments typically lasted five days, and operated out of Da Nang. In addition to aerial refueling and Marine Logistic (MarLog)cargo missions, VMGR 152 'GVs' dropped flares in support of ground troop operations at night. At its peak, the squadron was flying 900 missions a month and continued this high tempo of operations well into 1967. On 10 February 1968 a VMGR-152 KC-130F was hit by groundfire during landing at Khe Sanh, Quang Tri province. The fuel bladders aboard were set alight and the airframe burned out on the runway, with a loss of six on board.
Concurrent with the direct support of action in Viet Nam, the squadron established itself as a mainstay in the Western Pacific. VMGR-152 conducted numerous trans-Pacific (TRANSPAC
) missions, which involved the refueling of entire squadrons of fighter and attack aircraft as they crossed the Pacific on deployment. VMGR-152 also participated in a myriad of exercises and the movement of tons of cargo and thousands of troops, securing VMGR-152’s tenure in WESTPAC.
tankers specifically designated for the strategic movement and refueling of aircraft relieved VMGR-152 of its TRANSPAC mission. This allowed the squadron to explore a more tactical employment of the KC-130 in intra-theater refueling and transport operations, and employ a more effective use of the aircraft and its personnel in a tactical environment. In 1987, VMGR-152 became the first PCS (permanent change of station) aircraft squadron on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
.
Since the early 1990s, VMGR-152 has experienced a steady increase in the number of missions flown.
In June 1993, the squadron acquired five KC-130Rs, which provided the squadron with a significant increase in aircraft range and added to its effectiveness in refueling and transport operations.
In January 1995, VMGR-152 joined Special Purpose MAGTF in support of Operation United Shield
, the final withdrawal of all UNOSOM
forces from Somalia
.
In May 2009, VMGR-152 joined Operation Enduring Freedom with the new KC-130J.
. In the wake of the December 26, 2004 earthquake off the coast of Indonesia
, and subsequent widespread tsunami
in the Indian Ocean
region, VMGR-152 deployed aircraft and personnel to Thailand
, Sri Lanka
, and Indonesia in support of Operation Unified Assistance
.
In September 2006, VMGR-152 was awarded the Henry Wildfang Aerial Refueler/Transport Squadron of the Year award from the Marine Corps Aviation Association, which recognizes its impact on the community, as well as how well the squadron performs its mission and the types of missions it is involved in. Community work cited include not only the humanitarian missions throughout the Pacific, but also the work in the Okinawan community.
In march 2011, VMGR-152 transported supplies in support of Operation tomodachi.
On July 16, 2001, the Sumos of VMGR-152 exceeded 230,000 mishap free flight hours. In July 2005, the Sumos exceeded 250,000 mishap-free flight hours.
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...
(FMF) air operations; and provides assault air transport of personnel, equipment, and supplies. The squadron, known as the "Sumos", flies the fixed-wing KC-130J
Lockheed Martin KC-130
The Lockheed Martin KC-130 is the basic designation for a family of the extended-range tanker version of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft modified for aerial refuelling. The KC-130J is the latest variant operated by the United States Marine Corps, with 38 delivered out of 47 ordered...
aircraft. VMGR-152 is stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma or MCAS Futenma is a United States Marine Corps base located in Ginowan, northeast of Naha, on the island of Okinawa. It is home to approximately 4,000 Marines of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and has been a U.S. military airbase since the island was occupied...
, Okinawa, Japan and is part of Marine Aircraft Group 36
Marine Aircraft Group 36
Marine Aircraft Group 36 is an active air group of the United States Marine Corps, tasked with providing assault support aircraft. It is currently part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing , itself an integral part of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, and based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in...
(MAG-36) and 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).
Mission
Provide aerial refueling service in support of Fleet Marine ForceFleet 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...
Air Operations and provide assault air transport of personnel, equipment, and supplies.
Aerial refueling
VMGR-152 is capable of refueling both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft in support of tactical missions, training operations, or ferry flights. This is accomplished through the use of the two refueling pods mounted under the wings of their KC-130 aircraft, outboard of the engines. These pods trail a 93-foot hose attached to a stabilized paradrogue into which receiver aircraft plug.Assault air transport
Assault air transport is the squadron's secondary mission. VMGR-152 can deliver supplies and troops by airdrop, or through assault landings on unimproved airstrips both during the day as well as at night, using night-vision devices.World War II
Activated in the Western Pacific on March 11, 1942, VMJ-253 pioneered Trans-oceanic transport in the Marine Corps during World War IIWorld 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...
. VMJ-253 also became the parent squadron for the joint air transport organization dubbed the South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command
South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command
South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command was a joint command of US military logistics units in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II. It contributed notably to the success of U.S...
(SCAT). Lieutenant Colonel Perry K. Smith, USMC, became the first Commanding Officer of SCAT. By November 1942, VMJ-253 had supported operations on Guadalcanal and surrounding islands, logging thousands of flight hours.
While on 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...
, VMJ-253 was the first combat transport squadron to land at Henderson Field
Henderson Field (Guadalcanal)
Henderson Field is a former military airfield on Guadacanal, Solomon Islands during World War II. Today it is Honiara International Airport.-Japanese construction:...
, bringing Brigadier General Roy S. Geiger and his staff to take command 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...
. Following the Japanese counter attack that forced the Navy to withdraw, VMJ-253 continued to re-supply fuel, ammunition, food, and medical supplies in support of their besieged brethren. The Marines in their R4D
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
s never wavered in their mission despite being fired upon by Japanese troops lurking near Henderson Field and marauding Zeros
A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the...
in the skies. Until the end of 1942, it was the Marines of VMJ-253 and other SCAT units that solved the logistical problems of Marines and soldiers on Guadalcanal.
Through 1943, VMJ-253 supported operations on Bougainville
Bougainville Island
Bougainville Island is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea. This region is also known as Bougainville Province or the North Solomons. The population of the province is 175,160 , which includes the adjacent island of Buka and assorted outlying islands...
, New Georgia
New Georgia
New Georgia is the largest island of the Western Province of the Solomon Islands.-Geography:This island is located in the New Georgia Group, an archipelago including most of the other larger islands in the province...
, Vella Lavella, and numerous islands throughout the Solomon
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
chain. As the island-hopping campaign moved into the Central Pacific in 1944, so did VMJ-253. Detached from SCAT, VMJ-253 officially became a transport squadron and was redesignated VMR-253. VMR-253 was assigned to the Transport Air Group, popularly called TAG, which was the Central Pacific version of SCAT. Continuing the heavy schedule of lifts from Tarawa
Tarawa Atoll
Tarawa is an atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, previously the capital of the former British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. It is the location of the capital of the Republic of Kiribati, South Tarawa...
, VMR-253 sortied to Kwajalein
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
, Roi-Namur, and Eniwetok. In October 1943, VMR-253 moved to Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. Working out of Guam, VMR-253 supported actions on Tinian
Tinian
Tinian is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.-Geography:Tinian is about 5 miles southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. It has a land area of 39 sq.mi....
, Saipan
Battle of Saipan
The Battle of Saipan was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands from 15 June-9 July 1944. The Allied invasion fleet embarking the expeditionary forces left Pearl Harbor on 5 June 1944, the day before Operation Overlord in Europe was...
, and Peleliu
Battle of Peleliu
The Battle of Peleliu, codenamed Operation Stalemate II, was fought between the United States and the Empire of Japan in the Pacific Theater of World War II, from September–November 1944 on the island of Peleliu, present-day Palau. U.S...
. VMR-253 remained on Guam until the close of the war, and in May 1946, returned to MCAS Miramar.
Post WW II / Korean War
From Miramar, VMR-253 moved to MCAS El Toro under Marine Aircraft Group 25 where the aging fleet of R4Ds was replaced with R5DC-54 Skymaster
The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
s. VMR-253 continued its primary mission of moving men and supplies wherever the Marine Corps needed them. After a four-year squadron stand down from 1947 to 1951, VMR-253 reactivated with only six R5C
C-46 Commando
The Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando was a transport aircraft originally derived from a commercial high-altitude airliner design. It was instead used as a military transport during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces as well as the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps under the designation R5C...
aircraft, 5 officers, and 18 enlisted Marines. By the end of the year it had grown to 58 officers, 184 enlisted, had received 16 new R4Q
C-119 Flying Boxcar
The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute...
s, and was ready to go to war once again. From January 1952 through June 1953, the squadron logged over 11,000 flight hours, carried 30,170 passengers, and moved 5,213,383 pounds of cargo.
1954 – 1965
In 1954, the squadron relocated to Itami Air Force Base, Japan and then to Marine Corps Air Station IwakuniMarine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni or MCAS Iwakuni is a United States Marine Corps air station located in the Nishiki river delta, southeast of the Iwakuni Station in the city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi in Japan.-Tenant commands:...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. From Japan, VMR-253 conducted the bulk of Marine air transport in the Pacific for nearly ten years. On February 1, 1962, the famous Lockheed KC-130F Hercules
Lockheed Martin KC-130
The Lockheed Martin KC-130 is the basic designation for a family of the extended-range tanker version of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft modified for aerial refuelling. The KC-130J is the latest variant operated by the United States Marine Corps, with 38 delivered out of 47 ordered...
joined Marine aviation in the Pacific. With its ability to refuel fighter and attack aircraft, VMR-253 was redesignated Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 (VMGR-152), and the squadron’s primary mission became aerial refueling.
Less than a year after receiving the Hercules aircraft, the pilots and Marines of VMGR-152 were called upon to support U.S. 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...
advisors in the latest hot spot, Indo-China. This deployment gave the squadron valuable experience in the employment of the Battle Herc that would soon pay off. On August 24, 1965, a KC-130F (BuNo 149802), c.n. 3693, from the squadron veered off runway on take-off from Kai Tak Airport
Kai Tak Airport
Kai Tak Airport was the international airport of Hong Kong from 1925 until 1998. It was officially known as the Hong Kong International Airport from 1954 to 6 July 1998, when it was closed and replaced by the new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok, 30 km to the west...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
hit the seawall and crashed into the sea. This was the first Hercules hull loss in Marine Corps service. It was carrying Marine personnel returning to Vietnam after R & R in Hong Kong - of six crew and 65 passengers, 59 were killed while flying.
Vietnam era
Beginning in 1965, with increasing U.S. involvement in VietnamVietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, detachments from VMGR-152 were deployed in country with Marine Amphibious Forces (MAF) to support F-4
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 and A-4
A-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...
s used by Marine tactical squadrons. To better support the detachments in Vietnam, the squadron relocated to Okinawa, Japan.
From 1967 to 1975, the bulk of VMGR-152’s missions were directly in support of action in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. Detachments typically lasted five days, and operated out of Da Nang. In addition to aerial refueling and Marine Logistic (MarLog)cargo missions, VMGR 152 'GVs' dropped flares in support of ground troop operations at night. At its peak, the squadron was flying 900 missions a month and continued this high tempo of operations well into 1967. On 10 February 1968 a VMGR-152 KC-130F was hit by groundfire during landing at Khe Sanh, Quang Tri province. The fuel bladders aboard were set alight and the airframe burned out on the runway, with a loss of six on board.
Concurrent with the direct support of action in Viet Nam, the squadron established itself as a mainstay in the Western Pacific. VMGR-152 conducted numerous trans-Pacific (TRANSPAC
Transpac
Transpac may refer to:* Transpacific Yacht Race** Transpac 52, sailing yacht* The original name of Air Caledonie* Transpac , one of a series of Pacific Ocean submarine communications cables...
) missions, which involved the refueling of entire squadrons of fighter and attack aircraft as they crossed the Pacific on deployment. VMGR-152 also participated in a myriad of exercises and the movement of tons of cargo and thousands of troops, securing VMGR-152’s tenure in WESTPAC.
1980s – 1990s
During the 1980s, larger U.S. Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
tankers specifically designated for the strategic movement and refueling of aircraft relieved VMGR-152 of its TRANSPAC mission. This allowed the squadron to explore a more tactical employment of the KC-130 in intra-theater refueling and transport operations, and employ a more effective use of the aircraft and its personnel in a tactical environment. In 1987, VMGR-152 became the first PCS (permanent change of station) aircraft squadron on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma or MCAS Futenma is a United States Marine Corps base located in Ginowan, northeast of Naha, on the island of Okinawa. It is home to approximately 4,000 Marines of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and has been a U.S. military airbase since the island was occupied...
.
Since the early 1990s, VMGR-152 has experienced a steady increase in the number of missions flown.
In June 1993, the squadron acquired five KC-130Rs, which provided the squadron with a significant increase in aircraft range and added to its effectiveness in refueling and transport operations.
In January 1995, VMGR-152 joined Special Purpose MAGTF 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...
, the final withdrawal of all UNOSOM
UNOSOM
UNOSOM may refer to:* UNOSOM I* UNOSOM II* UNITAF* Operation Provide Relief See also Operation Deliverance, the concurrent Canadian operation...
forces from 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 May 2009, VMGR-152 joined Operation Enduring Freedom with the new KC-130J.
Humanitarian activities
In November and December 2004, VMGR-152 participated in Joint Task Force 535, the Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief mission in the Republic of the Philippines after several tropical storms and typhoons struck the island of LuzonLuzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
. In the wake of the December 26, 2004 earthquake off the coast of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and subsequent widespread tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
region, VMGR-152 deployed aircraft and personnel to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, and Indonesia in support of Operation Unified Assistance
Operation Unified Assistance
Operation Unified Assistance is the name of the United States military's response to the tsunami of 2004.-Overview:On 28 December, the first elements of the Combined Support Force were deployed to Utapao, Thailand following that country's approval of the use of that base.More than 12,600...
.
In September 2006, VMGR-152 was awarded the Henry Wildfang Aerial Refueler/Transport Squadron of the Year award from the Marine Corps Aviation Association, which recognizes its impact on the community, as well as how well the squadron performs its mission and the types of missions it is involved in. Community work cited include not only the humanitarian missions throughout the Pacific, but also the work in the Okinawan community.
In march 2011, VMGR-152 transported supplies in support of Operation tomodachi.
Safety
VMGR-152's commitment to safety and maintaining readiness levels have earned the squadron numerous unit citations and awards. These include the CNO Aviation Safety Award for 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2005, the MCAA Commandant’s Aviation Efficiency Trophy for 1992 and 1993, the National Defense Transportation Unit Award for 1993, 1995, and 2000, and the MCAA Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron of the Year Award (Henry Wildfang Award) for 1994, 2001, and 2005.On July 16, 2001, the Sumos of VMGR-152 exceeded 230,000 mishap free flight hours. In July 2005, the Sumos exceeded 250,000 mishap-free flight hours.
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....
- List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
- List of inactive United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons