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, 2007

AL TAQADDUM, Iraq - Lance Cpls. Andres Valez, left, and Arturo Gonzales install a light underneath an awning that Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 371's Engineer Operations Company built at Ammo Supply Point 102, Aug. 9. The ASP, located outside Habbiniyah, is manned by soldiers from the Iraqi Army's 3rd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division. Valez is an electrical engineer and Gonzales is a combat engineer. - AL TAQADDUM, Iraq - Lance Cpls. Andres Valez, left, and Arturo Gonzales install a light underneath an awning that Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 371's Engineer Operations Company built at Ammo Supply Point 102, Aug. 9. The ASP, located outside Habbiniyah, is manned by soldiers from the Iraqi Army's 3rd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division. Valez is an electrical engineer and Gonzales is a combat engineer.

Engineers make life easier for Iraqi Army soldiers

Operation Iraqi Freedom has given control of the country back to its people. As more Iraqi Army units become responsible for their own areas of operation, the Marines working alongside them are doing everything in their power to set the Iraqi Army up for success.Recently, Marines from the Engineer Operations Company of Marine Wing Support Squadron

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Couple serves Corps, deployment together

The stresses of deployment are easier to bear when service members have someone to share the experience with. Some Marines are lucky enough to have a brother, sister, or even a parent beside them to help bear that stress during a deployment. Only a few get the chance to spend their deployment in the same place as their spouse.The McKenzies are one

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AL TAQADDUM, Iraq - A UH-1N "Huey" flown by Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369 returns to the flightline after completing a mission, Aug. 8. The squadron's primary mission is providing close air support to Marines on the ground. - AL TAQADDUM, Iraq - A UH-1N "Huey" flown by Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369 returns to the flightline after completing a mission, Aug. 8. The squadron's primary mission is providing close air support to Marines on the ground.

Gunfighters bring heat to the Middle East

In the overwhelming heat of the Iraqi summer, most people would want to spend their time indoors. Marines often do not have that luxury, as their mission - whether it is outside the wire or out on the flightline - invariably takes them out into the heat.In the sweltering heat of Al Taqaddum, the “Gunfighters” of Marine Light Attack Helicopter

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AL ASAD, Iraq - Lt. Col. Joseph Craft, the commanding officer of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 121, speaks to the Marines taking part in the squadron's Incident Free Liberty Campaign during the initial meeting, July 3. The two task forces in the campaign, Victor and Kilo, devised separate courses of action to keep Marines alive after they come home from deployment. - AL ASAD, Iraq - Lt. Col. Joseph Craft, the commanding officer of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 121, speaks to the Marines taking part in the squadron's Incident Free Liberty Campaign during the initial meeting, July 3. The two task forces in the campaign, Victor and Kilo, devised separate courses of action to keep Marines alive after they come home from deployment.

Green Knights ensure Marines arrive alive, stay alive

The saying goes that the Marine Corps is winning the war abroad, but losing the war at home. Some Marines are coming home from successful deployments with a sense of invulnerability, and hurting themselves or getting into trouble.In an effort to keep their Marines alive when they return from their deployment later this year, the “Green Knights” of

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Brothers serve Corps as F/A-18 pilots, fly together in Iraq skies

As kids Richard and Christopher were always close; big brother looking out for little brother, always competing with each other and sharing the same interests. As sons of a former Air Force F-16 pilot they grew up with a love for aviation. Although they took different paths to achieve their goals as adults, they are now on the same road.Capts.

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AL ASAD, Iraq - Navy Captain Joseph Stuyvesant, left, the commanding officer of the Navy Base Command Group, and Master Chief Petty Officer Randy Spence, the BCG command master chief, replace the placard hanging under the sign outside the group's headquarters building during a Transfer of Authority ceremony, July 27. The BCG will be responsible for providing critical infrastructure support to the service members aboard Al Asad. - AL ASAD, Iraq - Navy Captain Joseph Stuyvesant, left, the commanding officer of the Navy Base Command Group, and Master Chief Petty Officer Randy Spence, the BCG command master chief, replace the placard hanging under the sign outside the group's headquarters building during a Transfer of Authority ceremony, July 27. The BCG will be responsible for providing critical infrastructure support to the service members aboard Al Asad.

Sailors take reins from Soldiers, prepare to support warfighters

With units rotating in and out of Iraq on a near constant basis, transfers of authority are fairly routine. One unit assumes the role and responsibilities of their predecessors, fulfilling the mission until it is their time to return home and be replaced. However, it is uncommon for a unit from one service to assume the role that has long been held

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AL ASAD, Iraq - A CH-53E "Super Stallion" flown by Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 sits on the Al Asad flight line before a crew begins a preflight inspection in preparation for a mission, July 9. The "Wolfpack" of HMH-466 is responsible for transporting Marines and equipment around Iraq's Al Anbar Province. - AL ASAD, Iraq - A CH-53E "Super Stallion" flown by Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 sits on the Al Asad flight line before a crew begins a preflight inspection in preparation for a mission, July 9. The "Wolfpack" of HMH-466 is responsible for transporting Marines and equipment around Iraq's Al Anbar Province.

HMH-466: the strength of the wolf is in the ‘Pack’

The sounds of a helicopter’s rotor blades cutting through the air overhead is fairly common aboard Al Asad. That the crew’s mission is to support the War on Terror is obvious, but what Marines in those helicopters do once they are out of sight is often unknown to the casual observer on the ground.For the members of the “Wolfpack” of Marine Heavy

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AL ASAD, Iraq- Lt. Col. Stephen Liszewski, commanding officer of Task Force Military Police, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, holds the ribbon during the ceremony as Brig. Gen. Timothy C. Hanifen, commanding officer of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), cuts the ribbon to signify the opening of the new military working dog kennels, July 18. The new facility was built to accommodate the dogs and features a bathing sink, an improved obedience course and break yard, and includes increased kennel capacity. - AL ASAD, Iraq- Lt. Col. Stephen Liszewski, commanding officer of Task Force Military Police, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, holds the ribbon during the ceremony as Brig. Gen. Timothy C. Hanifen, commanding officer of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), cuts the ribbon to signify the opening of the new military working dog kennels, July 18. The new facility was built to accommodate the dogs and features a bathing sink, an improved obedience course and break yard, and includes increased kennel capacity.

Four-legged war fighters dwell in new abode

Throughout the theatre service members are continually asking for and receiving operational gear they need to accomplish their mission.The latest troops on Al Asad to get new mission essential equipment were the four-legged war fighters, more commonly known as military working dogs, of Task Force Military Police, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine

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AR RAMADI, Iraq- The Marines of Kilo Battery 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment mourned four fallen brothers during a memorial ceremony, July 31. The memorial service honored the lives of Cpl. James H. McRae, Cpl. Matthew R. Zindars, Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch, and Hospitalman (FMF) Daniel S. Noble. - AR RAMADI, Iraq- The Marines of Kilo Battery 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment mourned four fallen brothers during a memorial ceremony, July 31. The memorial service honored the lives of Cpl. James H. McRae, Cpl. Matthew R. Zindars, Lance Cpl. Robert A. Lynch, and Hospitalman (FMF) Daniel S. Noble.