# Marine Air Control Squadron 5

Marine Air Control Squadron 5 (MACS-5) was a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control squadron. The squadron provided aerial surveillance and early warning while it was active from 1944 through 1993. They were last based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina and fell under the command of Marine Air Control Group 28 (MACG-28) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW).

## History
### World War II

Air Warning Squadron 16 was commissioned on June 1, 1944, at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. AWS-16 moved to Marine Corps Auxiliary Airfield Atlantic in July 1944 for additional training. It returned to MCAS Cherry Point in September 1944. On August 1, 1946, the squadron was re-designated as Marine Ground Control Intercept Squadron 5 (MGCIS-5).

### 1950s and 1960s

Throughout the postwar period and the Korean War the squadron remained at MCAS Cherry Point, except for recurrent exercises along the east coast of the United States. The squadron would move from MCAS Cherry Point to Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Edenton, North Carolina on 16 September 1953. On February 15, 1954 the unit received its final designation as Marine Air Control Squadron 5 (MACS-5). Its mission was defined as follows: “To install, maintain, and operate ground facilities for the detection and interception of hostile aircraft and missiles and for the navigational direction of friendly aircraft in the accomplishment of support missions.” Just short of two years later the squadron would be decommissioned on January 31, 1956.
MACS-5 was reactivated on October 1, 1957, at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina as part of Marine Aircraft Group 32 (MAG-32). They had responsibility for controlling the more complex jet aircraft that were now being used in the post-Korean War era. In 1963, the squadron would deploy to Naval Air Station Atsugi, Japan for a year. While deployed they also supported exercises in Taiwan and South Korea. They returned to a different home station after the deployment, this time settling at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina. During this time the unit was using the AN/TPS-34 and AN/TPS-22 long range search radars in concert with the AN/UPS-1 short range search radar and the AN/TPS-37 height finder.

### 1970s and 1980s

On June 21, 1971, MACS-5 was decommissioned at MCAS New River only to be reactivated on July 1, 1971, at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. The squadron deployed to various nations in and around Europe and the Mediterranean Sea supporting numerous North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) exercises during the 1970s and 1980s.

### 1990s and decommissioning

On June 11, 1993, Marine Air Control Squadron 2 (MACS-2) was decommissioned at Marine Corps Base Hawaii and MACS-5 at the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina was renamed MACS-2. This deactivation was due to a reduction in Marine air control squadrons from six active and two reserve squadrons to three active and one reserve squadron as part of the post-cold war drawdown of forces. The new MACS-2 maintained MACS-2’s lineage and honors and did not retain those of MACS-5.

## Unit awards

A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. MACS-6 has been presented with the following awards:
| Award | Year(s) | Additional Info |
| Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer | 1980-1981, 1985-1986 | |
| American Campaign Service Streamer with one Bronze Star | 1942-1945 | World War II |
| World War II Victory Streamer | 1941–1945 | Pacific War |
| National Defense Service Streamer with two Bronze Stars | 1950–1954, 1961–1974, 1990–1995 | Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War |

## Notable former members

* Gordon Peterson – Washington, D.C.–based television news anchor.