2nd Marine Aircraft Wing The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing ( 2nd MAW ) is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point , North Carolina . They provide the aviation combat element for the II Marine Expeditionary Force . Mission . Conduct air operations in support of the Marine forces to include Offensive air support , anti air warfare , assault support , aerial reconnaissance , electronic warfare , and control of aircraft and missiles . As a collateral function , the MAW may participate as an integral component of naval aviation in the execution of such other Navy functions as the Fleet Commander may direct . Subordinate units . Due to a re - organization within Marine aviation , 2nd MAW expanded between 2007 – 2010 . In 2008 , HMH - 366 and HMLA - 467 were activated in September and October , respectively . In 2010 , VMFA - 451 was reactivated and re - designated as VMFAT - 501 as the Fleet Replacement Squadron for the F - 35 Lightning II . History . World War II . In late 1940 , Congress authorized a naval air fleet of fifteen thousand aircraft . The Marine Corps was allotted a percentage of these planes to be formed into 2 air wings with 32 operational squadrons . On the advice of Navy and Marine advisors returning from observing the war in Europe these numbers were doubled very soon after . It was under this expansion program that the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing was activated in San Diego , California on 10 July 1941 . Its first component was Marine Air Group Two which was based at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa , Hawaii . This gave 2nd MAW some of the oldest squadrons in Marine aviation Although the Hawaii based squadrons sustained extensive damage during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 , 2nd MAW contributed to 83 South Pacific combat operations . Marines and aircraft from 2nd MAW participated in major battles or campaigns at Wake Island , Guadalcanal , Midway , Saipan , Tinian , Guam and Okinawa . During three months of combat over the skies of Okinawa , squadrons from 2nd MAW accounted for 484½ planes shot down helping to create 21 new Marine Corps aces . Following the surrender of Japan , 2nd MAW retained its headquarters on Okinawa and sent Marine Aircraft Group 31 ( MAG - 31 ) to Yokosuka and other units to Omura and Nagasaki . In April 1946 , 2nd MAW relocated to its present home at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point , North Carolina . Vietnam War . During the Vietnam War , 2nd MAW supplied combat - ready units and personnel to operations in the Asian Theater . 1980s and 1990s . In the 1980s , 2nd MAW units were active participants in exercises and operations around the globe , to include those in Lebanon , Cuba , Grenada , Panama , and the Dominican Republic . The decade of the 1990s began with Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm . The millennium closed with 2nd MAW squadrons prosecuting and supporting NATO air strikes in Kosovo and Serbia during Operation Allied Force , and flying support during Operation Northern Watch from Incirlik , Turkey . Global War on Terror . From 2000 through 2002 , EA - 6B Prowler squadrons deployed in support of Operation Southern Watch , Operation Northern Watch and Unit Deployment Program rotations to Japan . AV - 8B Harrier and helicopter squadrons deployed in support of the 22nd , 24th and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit s . F / A - 18 Hornet squadrons deployed aboard the with Carrier Air Wing 3 ; and Marine Wing Support Group 27 and Marine Air Control Group 28 deployed personnel in support of all exercises and operations in which 2nd MAW flying squadrons were participating . In early 2001 , VMFA - 312 and VMAQ - 3 participated in a joint combined strike against Iraq . This marked the first Marine Corps combat use of the Joint Standoff Weapon ( JSOW ) . VMA - 542 and HMM - 261 flew combat missions over Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and conducted humanitarian missions in Djibouti . The Marines of VMA - 542 were among the first to employ the LITENING 2 targeting pod in combat . In 2003 , 2nd MAW deployed more than 7 , 700 Marines and Sailors in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom , Operation Enduring Freedom , and Joint Task Force Horn of Africa . More than 200 tactical combat aircraft flew in support of these missions . They supported combat and contingency operations around the globe , with greater than 70 percent of the command and control , support group , and aircraft deployed simultaneously . During the 2003 invasion of Iraq , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing units flew over 7 , 800 combat sorties , expended over 3 . 9 million pounds of ordnance , carried over 10 , 000 troops and 6 . 2 million pounds of cargo , built five base camps , two expeditionary airfields ( EAFs ) , ten forward area arming and refueling points ( FARPS ) and three forward operating bases ( FOBs ) . 2nd MAW eventually headquartered at Al Asad Airbase to serve as the aviation combat element of Multi - National Forces West for the remainder of the Iraq War . In the fall of 2009 , the wing headquarters turned this mission over to Marine Aircraft Group 26 and returned home . As American forces end their missions in Iraq , 2nd MAW continues to support the War on Terrorism today in Afghanistan . Current aircraft . Fixed - wing aircraft Rotary wing aircraft Tilt rotor aircraft UAVs