page_title: Marine Wing Support Squadron 272
section_title: Global War on Terror
hierarchical_section_title: Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 / History / Global War on Terror
caption_attribution_description: English: Marines Prepare for Deployment with Field Training: U.S. Marines from the Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 prepare to fire during training on the Enhanced Marksmanship Program range, April 7-13, 2005. The squadron deploys for Iraq in August 2005.
context_page_description: Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 is an aviation ground support unit of the United States Marine Corps. They are based out of Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina. The squadron, nicknamed "The Untouchables," falls under the command of Marine Wing Support Group 27 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
context_section_description: In late 2001, MWSS-272 augmented several Marine Expeditionary Units in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).
  MWSS-272 deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in February 2003 and remained there until June 2003. MWSS-272 was responsible for providing aviation ground support to three Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) at Al Jabr, Ali Al Salem, and Joe Foss. FOB Joe Foss was the largest expeditionary airfield built since World War II, and it was vitally important to air assault and medevac operations during the war.
  In 2004, MWSS-272 augmented both MWSS-271 and MWSS-273 with personnel for their AGS mission in Iraq again as well as providing personnel to support operations for OEF in the Horn of Africa. In August 2005 the Squadron deployed to Al Asad Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and provided aviation ground support for the entire airbase at Al Asad as well as FOB Al Qaim.
  In 2009 Marines from MWSS-272 augmented MWSS-271 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and provided aviation ground support at various airbases throughout the forward operating area.
  The Squadron deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, again providing aviation ground support at various locations across Helmand Province.
  On 29 February 2012, operational control of MWSS-272 transferred from Marine Wing Support Group 27 to Marine Aircraft Group 26, in advance of the deactivation of MWSG-27 during May, 2012.  As a result of this permanent change, and to reflect the all-MV22 type/model/series make-up of MAG-26, the Squadron patch was redesigned to incorporate elements that reflect its mission of expeditionary airfield construction and aviation ground support.  The elements are a M970 refueling truck and a Medium Crawler Tractor bulldozer, at the end of an AM-2 airfield matting runway.  An Osprey tiltrotor aircraft now dominates the top half of the patch, included to reflect the airframe flown by MWSS-272's sister squadrons of MAG-26.
caption: Marines from the MWSS 272 prepare to fire during training on the Enhanced Marksmanship Program range, 7–13 April 2005.
exif: {}