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 QAIM, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. Galen Shelton, a generator mechanic assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, Detachment Al Qaim removes an oil filter from a diesel generator while conducting preventive maintenance June 13. Shelton, from Germantown, Md., spends most of his days covered in oil and dirt as he repairs and maintains generators throughout the base. - AL QAIM, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. Galen Shelton, a generator mechanic assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, Detachment Al Qaim removes an oil filter from a diesel generator while conducting preventive maintenance June 13. Shelton, from Germantown, Md., spends most of his days covered in oil and dirt as he repairs and maintains generators throughout the base.

Utilities Marines keep their cool in Al Qaim’s scorching weather

The Marines in the utilities section of Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, Detachment Al Qaim, have some stories to tell. Lance Cpl. Eric T. Wright, an air conditioner mechanic from Tampa Bay, Fla., recalls the time he spent several hours trying to fix an air conditioner in one of the wooden buildings here and couldn’t make it work. After trying

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AL ASAD, Iraq (June 14, 20005) - Sgt. Evan A. Lavounty, airframes mechanic and native of Davis, Calif., wipes down the windows on a CH-53 Super Stallion during preflight checks. - AL ASAD, Iraq (June 14, 20005) - Sgt. Evan A. Lavounty, airframes mechanic and native of Davis, Calif., wipes down the windows on a CH-53 Super Stallion during preflight checks.

Warhorses soar past 40,000-hour safety milestone

The Warhorses of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 have achieved a milestone several years in the making. With mission accomplishment and safety on their minds, the Marines and sailors of HMH-465 have flown 40,000 mishap free flight hours. Although, achievements in flight hours are common in today's safety minded Corps, the 40,000 mark is no

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? Gunnery Sgt. Steven Teague administration chief with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 142 discusses a travel claim issue with his administration clerk, Cpl. Marques Bates. Teague is a general residential contractor and owns his own business in Covington, Ga. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Gunnery Sgt. Steven Teague administration chief with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 142 discusses a travel claim issue with his administration clerk, Cpl. Marques Bates. Teague is a general residential contractor and owns his own business in Covington, Ga.

Admin chief takes hands on approach to better serve Marines

Almost 21 years ago a college student, Steven L. Teague, enlisted into the Marines Corps after being paired with a former Marine as a roommate while attending Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga, Tenn. Now a 21 year veteran of the Marine Corps, Gunnery Sgt. Teague is the administration chief with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 142. A

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AL ASAD, Iraq - (From L-R) Corporal Keith Challet, embark chief; Lance Cpl. Timothy Brake, embark clerk; Cpl. Thomas Tupps, supply chief; Cpl. Ryan Walters, embark noncommissioned officer and Sgt. Troy Cook, armorer, make up the logistics shop with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224. These five Marines worked to move the Bengals? more than 200 Marines and sailors along with 200,000 pounds of gear here and will soon be begin planning the units return to their home base, Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, S.C. - AL ASAD, Iraq - (From L-R) Corporal Keith Challet, embark chief; Lance Cpl. Timothy Brake, embark clerk; Cpl. Thomas Tupps, supply chief; Cpl. Ryan Walters, embark noncommissioned officer and Sgt. Troy Cook, armorer, make up the logistics shop with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224. These five Marines worked to move the Bengals? more than 200 Marines and sailors along with 200,000 pounds of gear here and will soon be begin planning the units return to their home base, Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, S.C.

Embark, logistics Marines work to improve quality of life for Fighting Bengals

As Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 continues flight operations throughout the Al Anbar province, a group of five Marines in the supply and logistics shop are working long hours to make sure the squadron is fully equipped to accomplish the mission. The Bengals’ logistics shop is comprised of an armorer, a supply Marine and three

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AL ASAD, Iraq - Petty Officer 2nd Class Kathryn VanHooser, a Springfield, Mo., native with Mobile Air Cargo Handling Team 3 prepares a pallet for shipment on the flightline here June 7. VanHooser is a deputy sheriff in Missouri and this is her second time to Iraq. She deployed the first time in 2003 with 4th Medical Battalion from Camp Pendleton, Calif. - AL ASAD, Iraq - Petty Officer 2nd Class Kathryn VanHooser, a Springfield, Mo., native with Mobile Air Cargo Handling Team 3 prepares a pallet for shipment on the flightline here June 7. VanHooser is a deputy sheriff in Missouri and this is her second time to Iraq. She deployed the first time in 2003 with 4th Medical Battalion from Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Sailors push gear throughout Al Anbar province

When aircraft parts are transported into Al Asad for the forward deployed 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing a group of sailors is in charge of pushing that gear to the proper place. Mobile Air Cargo Handling Team 3, a reserve unit from Springfield, Mo., has 24 sailors in three locations throughout the Iraqi theater. Fourteen of those sailors are stationed

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AL ASAD, Iraq (June 9, 2005) - Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 move a 300,000 pound non-traditional field expedient bridge into place. The bridge is part of project to enhance the security of the airbase. - AL ASAD, Iraq (June 9, 2005) - Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 move a 300,000 pound non-traditional field expedient bridge into place. The bridge is part of project to enhance the security of the airbase.

Workhorse ingenuity benefits Al Asad

Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 put the finishing touches today on a two-month project to enhance the security of airbase by expanding the perimeter fence. Engineers, welders, draftsmen, surveyors and heavy equipment operators began the mesa fence project April 26, and since then have been working, through temperatures ranging in the

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AL QAIM, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. Mark A. Moher, a bulk fuel specialist assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, Detachment Al Qaim waits for a signal to stop the flow of fuel during the refueling of a CH-53E Super Stallion from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 on June 9. Moher, a native of Naugatuck, Conn., is one of the seven Marines in the fuels section representing MWSS-271 here. - AL QAIM, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. Mark A. Moher, a bulk fuel specialist assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, Detachment Al Qaim waits for a signal to stop the flow of fuel during the refueling of a CH-53E Super Stallion from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 on June 9. Moher, a native of Naugatuck, Conn., is one of the seven Marines in the fuels section representing MWSS-271 here.

Al Qaim fuel specialists let pride continue to fly

They’re not in the air providing ground support to Marines in contact with the enemy or evacuating the wounded; but they round out the operation and add another piece to the puzzle that accomplishes the mission. The piece is large and little can be accomplished without it. While the aircraft can be in superb mechanical condition and have the best

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? Corporal Joshua Nalley, an Immediate Reaction Team machine gunner takes a part his machine gun during a routine inspection of his gear. Nalley, recently the recipient of a combat meritorious promotion, is an Easley, S.C., and joined the Marine Corps shortly after graduating high school in 2003. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Corporal Joshua Nalley, an Immediate Reaction Team machine gunner takes a part his machine gun during a routine inspection of his gear. Nalley, recently the recipient of a combat meritorious promotion, is an Easley, S.C., and joined the Marine Corps shortly after graduating high school in 2003.

Palmetto state native hits bulls-eye, takes combat promotion

Every mission in the Marine Corps takes a team effort. Explosive Ordnance Disposal is one of those jobs that requires many different parts coming together to accomplish the mission. When the disposal unit receives a call for an improvised explosive device or unidentified ordnance outside the base, they are deployed with the Immediate Reaction Team

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AL ASAD, Iraq (June 8, 2005) - Sgt. Aaron E. Spivack, intelligence analyst and native of Tucson, Ariz., stands in front of a vehicle checkpoint. In addition to his responsibilities as the intelligence for Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4, Spivack serves as the squadron's anti-terrorism force protection chief. His duties in ATFP include overseeing vehicle checkpoints and third-country national escorts as well as the overall security of the south side of the air base. - AL ASAD, Iraq (June 8, 2005) - Sgt. Aaron E. Spivack, intelligence analyst and native of Tucson, Ariz., stands in front of a vehicle checkpoint. In addition to his responsibilities as the intelligence for Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4, Spivack serves as the squadron's anti-terrorism force protection chief. His duties in ATFP include overseeing vehicle checkpoints and third-country national escorts as well as the overall security of the south side of the air base.

Tucson native moves Seahawks forward

Sgt. Aaron E. Spivack can’t really talk about his job. He can tell you it’s important, and he can give you the basics, but don’t expect details, you’re on a need-to-know basis. The Tucson, Ariz., native is the intelligence chief for Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4, and the work he and his fellow intelligence analysts do helps keep

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AL QAIM, Iraq ? 1st Lt. William Wallace, a UH-1N Huey pilot with Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, Detachment Al Qaim inspects the helicopter?s engine compartment during a preflight inspection June 7. Wallace, from La Grange, Ky., recently took part in a seven-day offensive aimed at eliminating insurgents and foreign fighters from the northwestern Al Anbar province. - AL QAIM, Iraq ? 1st Lt. William Wallace, a UH-1N Huey pilot with Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, Detachment Al Qaim inspects the helicopter?s engine compartment during a preflight inspection June 7. Wallace, from La Grange, Ky., recently took part in a seven-day offensive aimed at eliminating insurgents and foreign fighters from the northwestern Al Anbar province.