Marine Wing Communications Squadron 48 Mission . Provide expeditionary communications for the aviation combat element ( ACE ) of a Marine Expeditionary Force ( MEF ) , including the phased deployment element of tasked - organized elements thereof . Formation . The squadron was originally activated on 10 April 1952 in Chicago , Illinois as the 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company ( 2nd ANGLICO ) of the Marine Corps Reserve . The 1950s . Name Changes and Early Years . On 15 May 1957 they were redesignated the Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company , 2nd Communication Support Battalion . Later that year on 1 November they again changed names , this time to the 2nd Communication Support Battalion . The 1960s saw more name redesignations to 5th Communication Battalion in 1962 and Marine Wing Communication Squadron 4 on 1 May 1962 . At this time they were also transferred to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing . The 1960s . The Vietnam War . MWCS - 48 was not deployed to fight in Vietnam , but the war profoundly affected the character of the Squadron . Better educated reservists began to fill the Squadron , attempting to escape the draft . The 1970s . Movement and Reassignment . On 1 July 1971 the squadron took on their present name . In 1974 , they moved to Naval Air Station Glenview , Illinois . 1977 saw them become part of their current command , Marine Air Control Group 48 . The 1980s . " Roar of the Corps " and bear logo . In 1988 , MWCS - 48 was adding detachments on the coasts . Andrew B . Davis , then a lieutenant colonel in command of the squadron , decided to create a new unit logo that would unify MWCS - 48 ' s detachments over their shared culture , honor MWCS - 48 ' s history in the Chicago area , and honor its history as one of the few units of US Marines headquartered in Illinois . LtCol Davis contacted the Chicago Bears and requested to use their distinctive bear head logo as the MWCS - 48 unit insignia in conjunction with the new unit motto " Roar of the Corps " . This was during the excitement of the Mike Ditka years following the Bears victory at Super Bowl XX in 1986 . In November 1988 , NFL Properties granted permission , provided that any unit patches or decals with the logo be given away rather than sold . According to MWCS - 48 ' s official heraldry , the image of the bear denotes courage , dominance , and tumultuous noise . The lightning bolts emanating from the bear ' s mouth are symbols of communications and electronics ( the tools of MWCS - 48 ) , and depict the volume of the bear ' s roar , symbolizing the clarity and volume of communications provided by the squadron . The motto , " Roar of the Corps " , likewise gives emphasis to the boldness and skill by which MWCS - 48 performs its communications mission in the control of aircraft and missiles . MWCS - 48 is one of only two units in the entire US military authorized by NFL Properties to use a team logo in its unit heraldry . The 1990s . The Gulf War . In February to June 1991 the squadron was mobilized in support of Operation Desert Storm . " Firsts " . During the 1990s , MWCS - 48 established itself as the premier communications unit in the Marine Corps Reserve through a series of " firsts " . They were the first unit in the Marine Corps Reserve to field and successfully operate the MRC - 142 multichannel radio . During the same period , they were the first unit in the Reserve to field and successfully operate the AN / TTC - 42 digital telephone switch . Yet perhaps more significantly , in 1993 MWCS - 48 became the first unit in the Marine Corps , active or reserve , to receive fiber optic cable , and became the first unit to use it in support of a major combined arms exercise when they used it to support Enhanced Combined Arms Exercise ( ECAX ) 7 / 8 at Twentynine Palms . Base closures and relocation . The Squadron was affected by the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission , which closed down Glenview Naval Air Station . As a result , on 5 – 6 September 1995 , the squadron moved again , this time to Fort Sheridan in Highwood , Illinois . The 2000s . Another relocation . Just six years after moving from Glenview Naval Air Station to Ft . Sheridan , MWCS - 48 was relocated yet again . In November 2001 , they moved to their present location at Naval Station Great Lakes . On 8 September 2007 , the Marines of MACG - 48 dedicated the training center the Gen Christian F . Schilt Marine Corps Reserve Training Center , after the Medal of Honor recipient and Illinois native . Operation Iraqi Freedom . The squadron was again mobilized in February 2003 to support Operation Iraqi Freedom . 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 . This information is compiled by the United States Marine Corps History Division and is certified by the Commandant of the Marine Corps . Marine Wing Communications Squadron 48 has been presented with the following awards : Commanding Officers . This is a list of all known former commanders of MWCS - 48 :