Marine Aircraft Group 13 Marine Aircraft Group 13 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma that is currently composed of four AV - 8B Harrier squadrons and a maintenance and logistics squadron . The group falls under the command of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and the I Marine Expeditionary Force . Mission . Provide air support to Marine Air - Ground Task Force commanders . Subordinate units . AV - 8B Harrier Squadrons History . World War II . Marine Aircraft Group 13 was activated 1 March 1942 , in San Diego , California . A week later the group ' s forward echelon was en route to Samoa . The first planes from MAG - 13 arrived at Tutuila on 2 April 1942 at which point they assumed responsibility for the air defense of American Samoa . In these early days of the war before the victories at Midway and Guadalcanal , Samoa was seen has very vulnerable and open to attack by the Japanese . MAG - 13 pilots were mostly untrained and each MAG - 13 squadron was also instructed to organize as an infantry company should the need to defend the islands ever arise . By 27 May part of the group was based out of Funafuti and on 15 December another element moved to Nanomea . Squadrons from the group operated out of Wallis , Nukufetau , Tarawa and Makin Atoll before the entire group was consolidated on Majuro in April 1944 . From there they participated in the campaign to neutralize by - passed Japanese bases in the Marshall Islands . The group remained on Majuro until the end of the war . MAG - 13 returned to the west coast in October 1945 and were deactivated shortly thereafter . Post World War II years . Reformed in March 1951 , the MAG moved to Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay , Hawaii , in early 1953 with two fighter squadrons and Marine Air Control Squadron 2 . Aviation units based at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro were rotated to MCAS Kaneohe Bay every six months for training until April 1954 . On 1 May 1956 , the 1st Marine Brigade assumed its title in lieu of the 1st Provisional Marine Air Ground Task Force designation , and MAG - 13 provided the air support for the unique organization . It gained the distinction of being the only composite Marine Aircraft Group , composed of fighter , attack and helicopter squadrons , supporting the ground arm of the brigade . Vietnam War . In June 1965 , MAG - 13 became a unit of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni , Japan , where it operated until September 1966 when it deployed to the Republic of Vietnam . Based out of Chu Lai , MAG - 13 supported the III Marine Amphibious Force and other forces in I Corps and II Corps tactical zones , Laos , North Vietnam and Cambodia . Initially the Group consisted of VMFA - 314 , VMFA - 323 and VMFA - 542 all operating F - 4B Phantoms . In December 1965 , VMFA - 542 was replaced with VMFA - 115 while VMFA - 232 and VMFA - 334 arrived in early 1969 with the new F - 4J ' s . This was the structure that remained through most of 1969 . MAG - 13 headquarters left Vietnam in September 1970 and returned to MCAS El Toro in October of that same year . 1980s to present . The Group moved to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma on 1 October 1987 . Global War on Terror . In early January 2003 Marine Aircraft Group 13 deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . With 60 Harriers operating from the USS Bonhomme Richard ( LHD - 6 ) and 16 from Al Jaber Air Base in Kuwait , Harriers of Marine Aircraft Group 13 flew over 2 , 000 sorties , over 3 , 000 flight hours and expended over 750 , 000 pounds of ordnance in support of I Marine Expeditionary Force . Between 2003 and 2007 all four VMA squadrons of Marine Aircraft Group 13 made multiple deployments to Al Asad Air Base to support coalition combat operations in Iraq . During this period , MAG - 13 squadrons also deployed to Japan to support the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit , and provided Harrier detachments in support the 11th , 13th , and 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit s ( MEU ) . In 2005 , Marine Aircraft Group 13 squadrons upgraded the avionics and software systems of the AV - 8B , enabling all weather precision strike capability . These warfighting enhancements were demonstrated in early 2006 , when VMA - 513 became the first Marine Harrier squadron to employ the Joint Direct Attack Munition ( JDAM ) in combat . Since September 2001 , MAG - 13 has amassed over 15 , 000 combat flight hours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom . Unit awards . Since the beginning of World War II , the United States military has honored various units for extraordinary heroism or outstanding non - combat service . This information comes from the official Marine Aircraft Group 13 webpage and is certified by the Commandant of the Marine Corps .