VMO - 2 Marine Observation Squadron 2 ( VMO - 2 ) was an observation squadron of the United States Marine Corps which saw extensive action during World War II and the Vietnam War . They were based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma , Japan and Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton , California and saw their final combat in support of Operation Desert Storm in 1991 . They were deactivated on 23 May 1993 . Mission . Provide aerial fire support spotting and intelligence in support of the Marine Air - Ground Task Force . History . World War II & the 1950s . Artillery Spotting Division , Marine Observation Squadron 251 ( VMO - 251 ) was activated at Marine Corps Base Quantico , Virginia on 1 November 1943 . In February 1944 , VMO - 251 was redesignated VMO - 2 and attached to the 2nd Marine Division in Hawaii flying hundreds of missions in the OY - 1 aircraft . The squadron participated in the Battle of Saipan where they were the first American airplanes to land at Marpi Point Field . During the Battle of Tinian the squadron reconnoitered the island and registered the various batteries positions . The Battle of Okinawa would see their last combat of the war . During the battle , aircraft from the squadron would again be the first American planes to land on the island and they would continue in their primary role of reconnaissance and artillery - spotting missions . Following the surrender of Japan , the squadron remained in Japan until June 1946 when it sailed for the United States . Arriving at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point , North Carolina , VMO - 2 was reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 22 ( MAG - 22 ) , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing . Here the squadron was deactivated on 26 August 1946 . VMO - 2 was reactivated in 15 June 1951 at Marine Corps Air Station Santa Ana , California where they specialized in reconnaissance , artillery and naval gunfire spotting . In 1953 , the squadron moved to Japan with fixed and rotary wing aircraft , and remained there until April 1956 when all but a subunit was relocated to Okinawa . Vietnam War . Beginning in 1965 VMO - 2 was part of Marine Aircraft Group 16 ( MAG - 16 ) at Marble Mountain Air Facility , Da Nang in South Vietnam flying the UH - 1E Iroquois before receiving the OV - 10 Bronco . Beginning in 1969 they began to fly the AH - 1G SuperCobra . The squadron split on 17 December 1969 , becoming an OV - 10 only unit . On 2 February 1970 VMO - 2 transferred to Marine Aircraft Group 11 ( MAG - 11 ) . The squadron flew its last combat mission on 22 March 1971 . The Bronco flew over 38 , 000 combat flight hours between September 8 , 1968 and 23 March 1971 . On 24 – 25 March 1971 , the remaining 14 Broncos were flown to Naval Air Station Cubi Point , Philippines for follow on travel to the United States . The squadron was in cadre status until 30 September 1971 when it was reactivated at MCALF Camp Pendleton , California . They received the 9 OV - 10s that had been assigned to HMLA - 267 . Operation Desert Storm . In August 1990 , VMO - 2 made aviation news by launching six OV - 10 ' s on an unprecedented 16 , 000 km ( 10 , 000 mi ) journey to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Shield . Beginning in January 1991 the squadron flew a total of 286 combat missions totaling 900 flight hours during Operation Desert Storm . Missions were flown around the clock for the duration of the conflict , focusing primarily on controlling U . S . and Allied artillery , numerous attack aircraft , and naval gunfire , including spotting for the ' s first combat firing since the Korean War . The squadron performed these demanding and crucial missions despite being targeted by Iraqi surface - to - air missile gunners over 94 times and while trying to avoid large concentrations of antiaircraft artillery . These efforts resulted in confirmed kills totaling 54 tanks , 53 armored personnel carriers , 49 artillery pieces , 112 other vehicles , and four command post buildings . Popular culture . In the U . S . television series Magnum , P . I . ( 1980 – 1988 ) the main characters Rick Wright played by Larry Manetti , and T . C . played by Roger E . Mosley had previously been members of VMO - 2 in Vietnam . Tom Selleck and Roger E . Mosley wore " VMO - 2 DaNang " baseball caps in the series . 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 . VMO - 2 has been presented with the following awards :