Marine Air Support Squadron 1 Marine Air Support Squadron 1 ( MASS - 1 ) , callsign " Chieftain , " is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control unit that provides the Direct Air Support Center ( DASC ) capability for the II Marine Expeditionary Force . MASS - 1 is based out of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point , North Carolina , and part of Marine Air Control Group 28 of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing . Mission . The squadron is responsible for the planning , receiving , coordination and processing of requests for direct or close air support . It provides this through the DASC , whether ground or airborne based . The DASC is the principal Marine air command and control system agency , responsible for the direction of air operations directly supporting ground forces . It functions in a decentralized mode of operation , but is directly supervised by the marine or Navy Tactical Air Command Center . During amphibious or expeditionary operations , the DASC is normally the first air command & control agency ashore and usually lands in the same serial ( i . e . , scheduled wave or on - call wave ) as the Ground Combat Element ' s senior Fire Support Coordination Center . History . MASS - 1 was originally commissioned as Headquarters and Services Squadron of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing on 25 June 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point . On 1 April 1944 they were assigned to the 9th Marine Aircraft Wing and on 31 March 1946 they were assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing . In July 1947 , the unit ’ s name was changed to Marine Tactical Air Control Squadron 1 ( MARTACRON - 1 ) and in February 1954 , the squadron assumed its present designation . In May 1956 , MASS - 1 deployed to the Dominican Republic and provided air support for Operation Power Pack by carrying out its duties as controlling agency for rotary and fixed wing aircraft . On 1 September 1967 the squadron was reassigned to Marine Air Control Group 28 , where it remains today . In August 1990 , MASS - 1 deployed a detachment in support of 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade , the amphibious forces which deployed to Southwest Asia during Operation Desert Shield . A second detachment later deployed to provide an airborne DASC in support of I MEF , and both detachments ultimately participated in Operation Desert Storm . During the 1990s , the squadron was twice designated as the Marine Air Command and Control Systems Unit of the Year , receiving the prestigious " Edward S . Fris Award " in both 1992 and 1998 . On 21 January 2003 , the squadron deployed to Kuwait and was attached to 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and conducted airborne DASC operations during the 2003 invasion of Iraq , returning home in May 2003 . In January 2005 , MASS - 1 redeployed to Iraq to provide a DASC , Air Support Elements and Air Support Liaison Teams throughout Al Anbar Province . MASS - 1 deployed to Iraq a third time in 2007 for a year - long tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . In 2009 , the squadron returned to Iraq for another 12 - month deployment , while also sending a detachment on a concurrent combat deployment to Afghanistan in support of Marine Aircraft Group 40 . 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 . MASS - 1 has been presented with the following awards :