Stories

This identity design was created in adobe illustrator to represent the official unit insignia for 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, Feb. 12, 2025. The flying diamond insignia was first recognized during World War II as a shoulder patch. The patch was later mandated by the Commandant of the Marine Corps to represent all Marine Aircraft Wings.

2nd Marine Aircaft Wing

II Marine Expeditionary Force

Archive: June, 2005

AL ASAD, Iraq - Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Hall, a corpsman with the Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 explosive ordnance disposal team one of two corpsmen permantly attached to the disposal team. Hall is serving for his second deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His first tour was with 2nd Tank Battalion in 2003. - AL ASAD, Iraq - Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Hall, a corpsman with the Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 explosive ordnance disposal team one of two corpsmen permantly attached to the disposal team. Hall is serving for his second deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His first tour was with 2nd Tank Battalion in 2003.

EOD corpsman lends experience to the fight

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Hall is a corpsman with the Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 explosive ordnance disposal team which is on call 24 hours a day and ready for anything at a moment’s notice. It is essential to have corpsmen on the EOD team. They need to be around in case something doesn’t go as planned and someone needs emergency medical

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? John deGaynor, a CH-46E avionics technician with Boeing?s Iraq Reconstitution Team, organizes a bundle of wires in a helicopter June 24. A Marine veteran from Wilmington, N.C., deGaynor is in Iraq assisting with extending the service life of the CH-46E helicopters. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? John deGaynor, a CH-46E avionics technician with Boeing?s Iraq Reconstitution Team, organizes a bundle of wires in a helicopter June 24. A Marine veteran from Wilmington, N.C., deGaynor is in Iraq assisting with extending the service life of the CH-46E helicopters.

Boeing ‘recon’ team assists Marines in Iraq

A team of CH-46E Sea Knight mechanics, technicians and metalsmiths packed their bags, donned their uniforms and deployed here earlier this year to assist in extending the service life of Marine Corps helicopters in Iraq. But this team isn’t wearing the same uniforms as the other Marines and sailors here. They sport blue T-shirts and trousers and

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. James Connolly, a runway crewman with Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 and Westchester, N.Y., native tightens a bolt on the arresting gear here. Connolly has been with the Work Horses since June 2004 and was excited to join them because of their scheduled deployment here this year. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. James Connolly, a runway crewman with Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 and Westchester, N.Y., native tightens a bolt on the arresting gear here. Connolly has been with the Work Horses since June 2004 and was excited to join them because of their scheduled deployment here this year.

Empire State native deploys to help make a brighter Iraq

On Sept. 11, 2001, Lance Cpl. James Connolly was a senior at Walter Panas High School in Westchester, N.Y. While the horrible events of that day took place only 40 minutes away he felt helpless as he watched the news on television. His father, a member of the New York City Police Department, was at ground zero as the terror unfolded and his

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Col. William S. Aitken, the commanding officer of Combat Logistics Battalion 2, congratulates of the Iraq's newest border patrolmen during a class graduation. Aitken was the guest of honor at the June 27 border patrol graduation and presented the awards and certificates of completion to the men. - Col. William S. Aitken, the commanding officer of Combat Logistics Battalion 2, congratulates of the Iraq's newest border patrolmen during a class graduation. Aitken was the guest of honor at the June 27 border patrol graduation and presented the awards and certificates of completion to the men.

Iraqi Border Patrol Academy graduates another class

A border patrol class marched proudly into a large tent in a remote and dusty spot in western Iraq earlier this week. The class of more than 50 men graduated June 27 from a three-week course of instruction to prepare them for the challenges they will face on the country’s borders. The guest of honor at the graduation was Col. William S. Aitken,

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Col. Kent W. Bradford, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing's division liaison officer delivers a short speech following a "pass-in-review" by a police academy class graduation. Bradford, a former police officer shared words of encouragement telling the men, "It is written 'God will raise up strong men in difficult times', I believe you are the strong men God is raising up for Iraq in these difficult times. - Col. Kent W. Bradford, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing's division liaison officer delivers a short speech following a "pass-in-review" by a police academy class graduation. Bradford, a former police officer shared words of encouragement telling the men, "It is written 'God will raise up strong men in difficult times', I believe you are the strong men God is raising up for Iraq in these difficult times.

Iraqi Police Academy graduates advanced class

More than 200 Iraqi police officers completed a two-week police academy class with a ‘pass-in-review’ June 27 in a secluded spot in the Al Anbar Province of western Iraq. The class, designed for current Iraqi police officers, provides instruction in, among other things, tactics, techniques and procedures that can be employed in overcoming some of

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? Sergeant Josh Bryant, a mechanic with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 and Port St. Lucie, Fla., native is in charge of 11 Marines? training and familiarization of the KC-130J Hercules? engines. The engine and propellers are different from any previous model of the KC-130. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Sergeant Josh Bryant, a mechanic with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 and Port St. Lucie, Fla., native is in charge of 11 Marines? training and familiarization of the KC-130J Hercules? engines. The engine and propellers are different from any previous model of the KC-130.

KC-130 mechanic becomes part of history with Iraq deployment

For Sgt. Josh Bryant, the noncommissioned officer in charge of his division for Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252, being connected with significant events related to the squadron’s KC-130Js is nothing new. When Marines from the transport squadron had the opportunity to deploy their KC-130J to combat for the first time this year, they

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? Staff Sgt. Andrew C. Rondon, tower supervisor and crew chief with Marine Air Control Squadron 1, Detachment Alpha scans the runway before authorizing a cargo plane to land June 22. Rondon, a native of Bristol, Conn., is in charge of one of the three crews of air traffic controllers in the detachment. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Staff Sgt. Andrew C. Rondon, tower supervisor and crew chief with Marine Air Control Squadron 1, Detachment Alpha scans the runway before authorizing a cargo plane to land June 22. Rondon, a native of Bristol, Conn., is in charge of one of the three crews of air traffic controllers in the detachment.

Tower crews regulate air traffic on Al Asad

The Marines from the air traffic control facility here are like police officers who enforce rules and regulations for all ground traffic on the airfield and all air traffic in a five nautical mile radius from the center of the airfield up to 3,000 feet. In the busiest military airfield in Iraq, they control what could be total confusion. “If it

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AL ASAD, Iraq-A pilot with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 conducts final checks before launching in support of Operation Spear June 20. The squadron flew 24 sorties in direct combat support as Marines and soldiers battled insurgents near the Syrian border. - AL ASAD, Iraq-A pilot with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 conducts final checks before launching in support of Operation Spear June 20. The squadron flew 24 sorties in direct combat support as Marines and soldiers battled insurgents near the Syrian border.

Hornets sting in Operation Spear

Operation Spear, an offensive in the western part of the Al Anbar province, came to a conclusion last week. Over the course of the operation Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224, flying the F/A-18 Hornet, took to the skies to provide support to the troops on the ground. The ‘Bengals’ of VMFA(AW)-224 flew 24 sorties in direct combat

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AL QAIM, Iraq - An AH-1W Super Cobra from Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, Detachment Al Qaim flies off to escort a UH-60A Blackhawk during a medical evacuation mission June 17. The 'Gunrunners' recently supported Operation Spear, an offensive aimed at eliminating insurgents and foreign fighters from the northwestern Al Anbar province. - AL QAIM, Iraq - An AH-1W Super Cobra from Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, Detachment Al Qaim flies off to escort a UH-60A Blackhawk during a medical evacuation mission June 17. The 'Gunrunners' recently supported Operation Spear, an offensive aimed at eliminating insurgents and foreign fighters from the northwestern Al Anbar province.

Gunrunners shine in northwestern Iraq during Operation Spear

The ‘Gunrunners’ of Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 269 participated recently in Operation Spear, an offensive aimed at rooting out insurgents and foreign fighters and disrupting insurgent support systems in and around Karabilah. During the four-day offensive the ‘Gunrunners’ provided fire support to troops on the ground and destroyed

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AL TAQADDUM, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. Ryan Merckberger, a welder with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 and native of Olive, Okla., cuts a metal rod during construction of the pre-engineered steel buildings, called K-Span?s, the Sand Sharks are building for the unmanned aerial vehicle squadron here. Merckberger is the only welder on the construction site and is responsible for all cutting and welding that may be needed for the project. - AL TAQADDUM, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. Ryan Merckberger, a welder with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 and native of Olive, Okla., cuts a metal rod during construction of the pre-engineered steel buildings, called K-Span?s, the Sand Sharks are building for the unmanned aerial vehicle squadron here. Merckberger is the only welder on the construction site and is responsible for all cutting and welding that may be needed for the project.