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: August, 2005

AL ASAD, Iraq ? Petty Officer 2nd Class Andy Roberts, an administrator and load planner with Mobile Air Cargo Handling Team 3 and Willard, Mo., native, is serving for the first time in Iraq in his 17-year Navy reserves? career. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Petty Officer 2nd Class Andy Roberts, an administrator and load planner with Mobile Air Cargo Handling Team 3 and Willard, Mo., native, is serving for the first time in Iraq in his 17-year Navy reserves? career.

Cargo handling sailor supports aviation supply route in Iraq

Petty Officer 2nd Class Andy Roberts, an administrator and load planner with Mobile Air Cargo Handling Team 3 is a 17-year veteran of the Navy reserves. He and his unit are supporting the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing in the fight against terror. Although untimely requiring he leave his pregnant wife and three children, Roberts took the news of his

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Watch out Jesse James: Colorado Marine builds choppers in Al Asad

The high operational tempo of the second largest air base in Iraq requires many of the service members here to find ways to get from place to place faster than by just walking. Bicycles, a cheap and effective mode of transportation, have become the most popular way to overcome this challenge.Sgt. Dustin W. Lambert, an airframes mechanic with Marine

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AL ASAD, Iraq - Corporal Douglas Brown, an F/A-18 Hornet mechanic with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26 and Mableton, Ga., native, poses in front of some of his most recent work Aug. 8. Douglas airbrushes unusable aircraft parts for fellow Marines in his unit. - AL ASAD, Iraq - Corporal Douglas Brown, an F/A-18 Hornet mechanic with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26 and Mableton, Ga., native, poses in front of some of his most recent work Aug. 8. Douglas airbrushes unusable aircraft parts for fellow Marines in his unit.

Marine lends artistic touch to war in Iraq

At 15-years-old, Douglas Brown got a summer job at an Atlanta area theme park to be a cashier at an airbrush booth. Watching the artist create colorful designs sparked his own artistic talent. Little did he know that eight years later he would be using the skills he learned to show his appreciation to fellow Marines serving in Iraq. Corporal

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? The post and beam construction of this building makes it unique to Al Asad. No nails were used in the construction. Instead the Marines on the project used chisels to cut out joints and used wooden pins to join the different pieces of wood. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? The post and beam construction of this building makes it unique to Al Asad. No nails were used in the construction. Instead the Marines on the project used chisels to cut out joints and used wooden pins to join the different pieces of wood.

Workhorses raise the roof old-style

Ingenuity is a trait important to engineers whose skills are necessary to completing the mission with creativity, and resourcefulness. And with their most recent construction the engineer company of Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 used all that, and some old ideas. The Workhorses are wrapping up their deployment here soon, and will leave their

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? Corporal Mickey Lovy, supply noncommissioned officer in the logistics department of Marine Wing Support Group 27, continues a family tradition of military service dating back to World War II. Lovy, from Holly, Mich., joined the Marine Corps in September 2002. He is a graduate of Holly High School and is on his first deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Corporal Mickey Lovy, supply noncommissioned officer in the logistics department of Marine Wing Support Group 27, continues a family tradition of military service dating back to World War II. Lovy, from Holly, Mich., joined the Marine Corps in September 2002. He is a graduate of Holly High School and is on his first deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Michigan Marine continues family’s military service tradition

Ever since Cpl. Mickey Lovy’s grandfather immigrated to the United States from Hungary, military service has been a family tradition. His grandfather served in the U.S. Army during World War II and his father was a U.S. Army doctor during the Vietnam War. Lovy, the supply noncommissioned officer in the logistics department of Marine Wing Support

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? Colonel Thomas M. Murray, outgoing Marine Aircraft Group 26 commanding officer, renders the appropriate salute to Brig. Gen. Robert E. Milstead Jr., 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) commanding general, during the MAG-26 change of command ceremony here Aug. 7. Murray relinquished command of the group to Col. David J. Mollahan and is slated to be the chief of staff of 2nd MAW (Fwd). Milstead was the ceremony?s reviewing officer. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Colonel Thomas M. Murray, outgoing Marine Aircraft Group 26 commanding officer, renders the appropriate salute to Brig. Gen. Robert E. Milstead Jr., 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) commanding general, during the MAG-26 change of command ceremony here Aug. 7. Murray relinquished command of the group to Col. David J. Mollahan and is slated to be the chief of staff of 2nd MAW (Fwd). Milstead was the ceremony?s reviewing officer.

MAG-26 changes hands in Iraq: Murray moves on, Mollahan takes helm

In a ceremony held here Aug. 7, Col. Thomas M. Murray relinquished command of Marine Aircraft Group 26 to Col. David J. Mollahan.Murray, from St. Paul, Minn., assumed command of the group in October 2003. “It has been my privilege for the last two years to be the custodian of this institution,” he said. “I’ll remember it for the rest of my life

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Preventive medicine keeps air wing in the fight

For the past 230 years, the Marine Corps has fought wars on foreign fronts in austere environments throughout the globe. The environmental changes experienced when deployed to a new clime and place bring unknown viruses and diseases. That, combined with less than ideal sanitary conditions can create havoc on a service members well being. Today,

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? Army Sgt. Daniel Carden, sergeant of the guard with the 1st Battalion of the 109th (Mechanized) Infantry and Carbondale, Pa., native, drives around the several observation posts his soldiers are manning to ensure they have food and water Aug. 5. Carden and the rest of the soldiers in the unit arrived here recently to provide interior security for this former Iraqi air base and conduct convoy security missions throughout western Iraq. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Army Sgt. Daniel Carden, sergeant of the guard with the 1st Battalion of the 109th (Mechanized) Infantry and Carbondale, Pa., native, drives around the several observation posts his soldiers are manning to ensure they have food and water Aug. 5. Carden and the rest of the soldiers in the unit arrived here recently to provide interior security for this former Iraqi air base and conduct convoy security missions throughout western Iraq.

Pennsylvania’s Old Gray Mare arrives in Al Asad hot to trot

The 1st Battalion of the 109th (Mechanized) Infantry, a U.S. Army National Guard unit from Scranton, Pa., arrived here recently to continue the force protection mission Marines from Provisional Security Battalion carried out for the last six months. “Everybody is motivated and prepared to do their mission,” said Sgt. 1st Class George Long, a rifle

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. John Gonzalez, an ordnance technician with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 and Jackson, Mich., native, gives directions to a Moonlighter pilot after landing here July 30. The Moonlighters took part in exercises in California and Arizona to prepare for this deployment. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. John Gonzalez, an ordnance technician with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 and Jackson, Mich., native, gives directions to a Moonlighter pilot after landing here July 30. The Moonlighters took part in exercises in California and Arizona to prepare for this deployment.

Moonlighters bring the sting to the Al Anbar province

The Moonlighters of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 332 joined the forward deployed 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Aug. 1 in support of stability operations in the Al Anbar province. The Moonlighters replaced the Bengals of VMFA(AW)-224. Both squadrons are based in Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, S.C. “We are here to continue the work of

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AL ASAD, Iraq?An F/A-18 Hornet waits in the morning sun and Iraqi dust Aug. 3. The Bengals of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 wrapped up a seven-month deployment this week. The ?Bengals? provided close air support for the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force to include raids on anti-Iraqi Force strong holds, counter-mortar and counter-improvised explosive device operations and search and seizure operations. - AL ASAD, Iraq?An F/A-18 Hornet waits in the morning sun and Iraqi dust Aug. 3. The Bengals of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 wrapped up a seven-month deployment this week. The ?Bengals? provided close air support for the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force to include raids on anti-Iraqi Force strong holds, counter-mortar and counter-improvised explosive device operations and search and seizure operations.