VMAQ - 2 Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 2 ( VMAQ - 2 ) is a United States Marine Corps electronic warfare squadron consisting of EA - 6B Prowler jets . 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 . VMAQ - 2 boasts a proud history of service to the Marine Corps through its predecessor squadrons flying various electronic warfare aircraft , to include : the AD - 5 Skyraider , the EF - 10 Skyknight , and the EA - 6A Intruder . VMC - 2 was the original composite squadron in Marine Corps aviation . It was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point on September 15 , 1952 evolving from the former Airborne Early Warning and Electronic Counter Measures section of the Wing Headquarters Squadron . On December 1 , 1955 , the squadron was redesignated as VMCJ - 2 after former Marine Photographic Squadron 2 ( VMJ - 2 ) was decommissioned and joined VMC - 2 . As 1955 was also the year " Playboy " magazine was first published , it soon followed that the squadron adopted the Playboy name and logo with their permission . Since its designation in 1975 , VMAQ - 2 deployed detachments of EA - 6A aircraft [ designated Detachments Alpha , Bravo , and Charlie ] and EA - 6B aircraft [ designated Detachments Xray , Yankee , and Zulu ] on a continuous basis in support of Marine forces in the Western Pacific and in support of Fleet Commanders on aircraft carriers , including lengthy deployments on the USS Midway , Nimitz , America , and Saratoga . In 1977 , the squadron transitioned to the EA - 6B Prowler and now operates the Improved Capability III version of the aircraft . In 1986 , a detachment of the squadron participated in U . S . raids against Libya . The Gulf War & the 1990s . In 1990 , VMAQ - 2 deployed Detachments Yankee and Zulu to Bahrain in support of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm , flying nearly 500 combat sorties in a six - week period . Detachment X - Ray was already forward deployed with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in the Western Pacific for their routine six - month rotation and would remain there for a total of 410 days - more than double their scheduled deployment time - the longest continuous deployment in Marine aviation history during peacetime . On 1 July 1992 , VMAQ - 2 , the largest tactical squadron in Marine Aviation , was reorganized into three squadrons : VMAQ - 1 , VMAQ - 2 , and VMAQ - 3 . In 1993 , outside pressure forced the Marine Corps to direct the squadron to change their name and logo from " Playboys " to something more politically correct . After several ideas were rejected the squadron chose Panthers as the new name and began using the logo ( with permission ) of the National Football League ' s Carolina Panthers . VMAQ - 2 ’ s next assignment led them to Aviano Air Base , Italy , in March 1996 in support of Operation Decisive Endeavor . This operation tasked VMAQ - 2 with missions over Bosnia and Herzegovina . Specifically , VMAQ - 2 Prowlers provided Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses ( SEAD ) support to British Harriers performing reconnaissance flights over weapons containment sites in these two areas of operation . In 1997 , VMAQ - 2 once again deployed to Aviano Air Base . However , this time it was in support of Operation Deliberate Guard . VMAQ - 2 was tasked with flying missions over Bosnia to cover the Bosnian elections . On February 3 , 1998 an EA - 6B Prowler , BuNo " 163045 " , callsign " Easy 01 " , from VMAQ - 2 , struck a cable supporting a gondola in Cavalese , Italy . The cable was severed and 20 people in the cabin plunged over 80 metres to their deaths . The plane had wing and tail damage but was able to return to the base . It was the squadron ' s first major mishap in over 60 , 000 flight hours spanning nearly fifteen years of worldwide operations . In February 1999 , VMAQ - 1 , VMAQ - 2 , VMAQ - 3 , and VMAQ - 4 received the order to again deploy to Aviano in support of Operation Noble Anvil and possible subsequent combat operations against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia . After diplomatic attempts to resolve the Kosovo crisis failed , Operation Allied Force began . VMAQ - 2 launched day and night sorties to provide jamming and HARM support to U . S . and NATO missions . VMAQ - 2 also provided support for armed reconnaissance missions , day and night battlefield air interdiction strikes , and combat search and rescue efforts of downed allied aircrew . When Operation Allied Force came to an end , VMAQ - 2 had flown 2151 . 5 combat hours , 464 combat sorties , and fired 57 High speed Anti - Radiation Missiles ( HARM ) against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia . Global War on Terror . In February 2003 , VMAQ - 2 deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , initially in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and then Operation IRAQI FREEDOM . VMAQ - 2 logged over 1000 combat hours in under 60 days in the war to liberate Iraq . VMAQ - 2 deployed to Tallil Air Base , Iraq , for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM II from July 2004 through January 2005 and became the first Prowler squadron to operate from Iraqi soil . The squadron logged over 2000 mishap - free combat hours and attained 10 , 000 Mishap Free Flight Hours during the same period . VMAQ - 2 was subsequently chosen as the Marine Corps Aviation Association 2005 Prowler squadron of the year . In January 2006 , VMAQ - 2 deployed to Al Asad , Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 05 - 07 . VMAQ - 2 flew 691 combat missions for 3286 . 7 combat flight hours and supported 975 Joint Tactical Air Requests ( JTARS ) . This rigorous operational tempo resulted in four times the normal airframe utilization rate . In July 2007 , VMAQ - 2 returned to Al Asad , Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 06 - 08 . During the deployment , VMAQ - 2 flew 821 combat missions for a total of 4423 . 0 combat flight hours while supporting Coalition ground forces . This sustained tempo led not only to the highest utilization rate for any Prowler squadron but also for any Type / Model / Series in the Marine Corps . Awards . VMAQ - 2 ’ s awards include the Navy Unit Commendation Streamer with two Bronze Stars for the Cuban Missile Crisis and actions against Iraq , the Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer with two Bronze Stars , the Marine Corps Expeditionary Streamer with two Bronze Stars , the National Defense Service Streamer with two Bronze Stars , the Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamer with one Bronze Star for Cuban and Dominican Republic service , and the Southwest Asia Service Streamer with two Bronze Stars .