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: September, 2007

Lance Cpl. John F. Czujko, an embarkation specialist for Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, counts the number of passengers about to board a CH-53 departing Al Qaim, Aug. 30. Czujko is filling a staff sergeant?s billet as the Al Qaim arrival and departure airfield control group (ADACG) embark chief. - Lance Cpl. John F. Czujko, an embarkation specialist for Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, counts the number of passengers about to board a CH-53 departing Al Qaim, Aug. 30. Czujko is filling a staff sergeant?s billet as the Al Qaim arrival and departure airfield control group (ADACG) embark chief.

Lance corporal fills staff sergeant billet as sole embarker in Al Qaim

Marines all over the Corps are always stepping up to the plate regardless of the situation.In a combat environment that plate can seem even bigger and more demanding, but for some Marines it is just another day at the office.For one Marine in particular, Lance Cpl. John F. Czujko, an embarkation specialist for Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, that

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45th Medical Company hands over reins of Al Qaim medevac to Charlie 214th

People think that our job is just to go and fix somebody, but every life that you save is a father, a brother, son or daughter. It’s somebody that just wants to go home,” said Army Staff Sgt. Omar Ruiz, the noncommissioned officer-in-charge flight medic with 45th Medical Company.The detachment of Soldiers of 45th Med in Al Qaim have spent a year

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AL ASAD, Iraq - Two CH-53D "Sea Stallions" flown by Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362 refuel at the Al Asad hot pits after a mission, Sept 15. The "Ugly Angels" have a history that reaches back 55 years and motivates the Marines to maintain the image of excellence created by the original members of the squadron. - AL ASAD, Iraq - Two CH-53D "Sea Stallions" flown by Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362 refuel at the Al Asad hot pits after a mission, Sept 15. The "Ugly Angels" have a history that reaches back 55 years and motivates the Marines to maintain the image of excellence created by the original members of the squadron.

Ugly Angels: 70,000 hours of doing it right

History is a big part of the Marine Corps, every Marine is taught to honor the legacy of the first Leathernecks in 1775. Tradition has permeated so far into the Marines that it is not just the history of the Corps that Devil Dogs honor, but the feats of individual units as well.Marines in one of the oldest heavy helicopter squadrons in the Marine

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AL ASAD, Iraq - Marines with Task Force Military Police, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, engage targets during an Enhanced Marksmanship Program course at the Al Asad fire and maneuver range, Sept. 5. The EMP course is designed to prepare Marines for the style of combat they may encounter in Iraq. - AL ASAD, Iraq - Marines with Task Force Military Police, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, engage targets during an Enhanced Marksmanship Program course at the Al Asad fire and maneuver range, Sept. 5. The EMP course is designed to prepare Marines for the style of combat they may encounter in Iraq.

EMP course teaches TFMP Marines to quickly engage, dispatch enemies

Some of the greatest battles of history consisted of two armies drawn up in static lines fighting it out across a barren no man’s land. The two sides would punish each other until one group could no longer handle the pressure and fell.The battles of today are different; they are dynamic, and the battle lines of old have been replaced by small

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Air Operations Marines ensure Al Qaim operations run smooth

Just like the human body cannot function without a heart and a house could not be built without a foundation, Al Qaim air operations could not work without one group of Marines.Those Marines are the ones in the Air Boss’ office maintaining air operations and ensuring that everyone in the Forward Arming and Refueling Point is coordinated.“This is

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AL ASAD, Iraq - Two pilots with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 perform a preflight inspection on a CH-53E "Super Stallion" before taking off from the Al Asad flightline, Aug. 29. The "Wolfpack" of HMH-466 has flown over 65,000 Class A mishap-free flight hours since the squadron's inception in 1984. - AL ASAD, Iraq - Two pilots with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 perform a preflight inspection on a CH-53E "Super Stallion" before taking off from the Al Asad flightline, Aug. 29. The "Wolfpack" of HMH-466 has flown over 65,000 Class A mishap-free flight hours since the squadron's inception in 1984.

‘Wolfpack’ withstands test of time, racks up 65,000 mishap-free hours

Marines pride themselves on doing their job as safely as possible. The Corps has instituted concepts like operational risk management to help Marines maintain that safety. One squadron has proven they can withstand the test of time and has done their job safely since the birth of their unit.The Marines of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466

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AL ASAD, Iraq- Lance Cpl. Andrew Krebs, a motor transportation refueler from Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, pulls the fuel nozzle out from his truck to refuel an AH-1W Cobra, Aug. 10. After inserting the nozzle, the Marine grounds the truck to the bird cutting out static electricity and opens the fuel valves to begin fueling. - AL ASAD, Iraq- Lance Cpl. Andrew Krebs, a motor transportation refueler from Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, pulls the fuel nozzle out from his truck to refuel an AH-1W Cobra, Aug. 10. After inserting the nozzle, the Marine grounds the truck to the bird cutting out static electricity and opens the fuel valves to begin fueling.

Refuelers sustain squadrons, keep aircraft flying high

Throughout Iraq there are two things that keep squadron’s generators burning and their aircraft engines turning, the JP-8 fuel which powers everything from lights to F/A-18s and the Marine refuelers who ensure everyone receives the fuel they need.The refuelers of Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 man the hot pits and work the mobile fuel trucks to

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Refuelers sustain squadrons, keep aircraft flying high

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AL TAQADDUM, Iraq - Marines with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 and Soldiers from Task Force Dragon stand in formation during the transfer of authority ceremony, Aug. 10. - AL TAQADDUM, Iraq - Marines with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 and Soldiers from Task Force Dragon stand in formation during the transfer of authority ceremony, Aug. 10.

Flying Tigers hand reins to Task Force Dragon

The task of transporting service members and cargo around part of Iraq’s Al Anbar Province recently transferred from the hands of a Marine squadron to an Army task force.Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 handed the reins to the Army’s Task Force Dragon in a transfer of authority ceremony here, Aug. 10.The Soldiers of Task Force Dragon,

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Sgt. Lester Peterson with 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, Task Force Military Police, reaches deep down inside for everything he has to hold two ATVs during the Hercules Hold event of the Al Asad Strongman Competition, Aug. 12. Competitors were split up into various weight classes and competed in events like the Atlas Stone carry and Farmer?s Walk. - Sgt. Lester Peterson with 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, Task Force Military Police, reaches deep down inside for everything he has to hold two ATVs during the Hercules Hold event of the Al Asad Strongman Competition, Aug. 12. Competitors were split up into various weight classes and competed in events like the Atlas Stone carry and Farmer?s Walk.