VMAQ - 3 Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3 ( VMAQ - 3 ) is one of four Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadrons in the United States Marine Corps . The squadron consists of five EA - 6B Prowler jets and is tasked with conducting airborne electronic warfare . The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point , North Carolina and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 14 ( MAG - 14 ) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing ( 2nd MAW ) . Mission . Support the Marine Air - Ground Task Force ( MAGTF ) commander by conducting airborne electronic warfare , day or night , under all weather conditions during Expeditionary , Joint , or Combined operations . History . Early years . VMC - 2 was formally commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point on September 15 , 1952 , evolving from the Airborne Early Warning and Electronic Countermeasures section of the Wing Headquarters Squadron . On December 1 , 1955 , the squadron was combined with Marine Photographic Squadron 2 ( VMJ - 2 ) . In July 1975 , VMCJ - 2 was reorganized into separate electronic warfare and photoreconnaissance squadrons . VMAQ - 2 , based at MCAS Cherry Point , retained all electronic warfare aircraft , while the photo reconnaissance aircraft became VMFP - 3 , based at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro , California . Some of the aircraft flown by VMAQ - 3 ' s tactical electronic warfare predecessors included ; the AD - 5Q Skyraider , the EF - 10B Skyknight and the EA - 6A Electric Intruder . In 1977 , the Marine Corps received the first of its EA - 6B " Prowlers , " . Reorganization . VMAQ - 2 was organized into three Detachments ; XRAY , YANKEE and ZULU to better support the Marine Corps ' world wide mission . On July 1 , 1992 , VMAQ - 3 was commissioned and formed from the personnel and aircraft of VMAQ - 2 Detachment ZULU . In October 1994 , VMAQ - 3 received The Association of Old Crows Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron of the Year Award . VMAQ - 3 began integrating with Carrier Airwing One ( CVW - 1 ) , in December 1994 and deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf aboard the USS America ( CV - 66 ) in August 1995 . The Squadron saw combat action in Operation Deliberate Force , Operation Deny Flight and Operation Decisive Endeavor . Additionally the squadron participated in Operation Southern Watch in the Persian Gulf . Early 1997 found the Moondogs preparing to deploy to Aviano Air Base , Italy . From February to August the Moondogs conducted air operations over Bosnia in support of Operation Deliberate Guard while also supporting Operation Silver Wake , a Non - Combatant Evacuation Operation conducted in Albania . In December 2000 to April 2001 , VMAQ - 3 deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base , Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Southern Watch . Global War on Terror . From October 2001 to February 2002 , VMAQ - 3 deployed to Incirlik Air Base , Turkey to fly combat missions in the enforcement of United Nations resolutions and sanctions imposed upon Iraq by flying in support of Operation Northern Watch . Early in 2003 the squadron was deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni , Japan as part of the Unit Deployment Program . During this time the squadron participated in participated in exercises in Thailand and Korea . From January to August 2005 the squadron was deployed to Bagram Air Base , Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom ( OEF ) . VMAQ - 3 was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for its performance during this time . From July 2006 to January 2007 , the squadron supported Operation Iraqi Freedom where they sustained an operational tempo 700 % greater than their average garrison optempo . VMAQ - 3 flew over 3 , 900 hours in support of ground combat forces . On February 5 , 2010 aircraft from VMAQ - 3 returned home to MCAS Cherry Point from Al Asad Airbase in western Iraq after a six month deployment . They were the last Marine Corps aviation unit to leave Iraq after the Marine Corps turned over control of Al Anbar Governorate to the United States Army .