Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29 (MALS-29) is an aviation logistics support unit of the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
. Known as the "Wolverines", they fall under the command of
Marine Aircraft Group 29
Marine Aircraft Group 29 (MAG-29) is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina. The group is currently composed of four CH-53E Super Stallion squadrons including the Fleet Replacement ...
and the
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and are currently based at
Marine Corps Air Station New River
Marine Corps Air Station New River is a United States Marine Corps helicopter and tilt-rotor base in Jacksonville, North Carolina, in the eastern part of the state. In 1972, the airfield was named McCutcheon Field for General Keith B. McCutcheo ...
. MALS 29 supports multiple types of aircraft and provides detachments to aviation combat elements operating globally in support the United States National Defense Strategy.
Mission
Provide aviation logistics support, guidance, planning and direction to Marine Aircraft Group squadrons on behalf of the commanding officer, as well as logistics support for Navy funded equipment in the supporting Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS), Marine Air Control Group (MACG), and Marine Aircraft Wing/Mobile Calibration Complex (MAW/MCC).
History
Early years
The Squadron was activated as Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 29 (H&MS-29) at
Marine Corps Air Station New River
Marine Corps Air Station New River is a United States Marine Corps helicopter and tilt-rotor base in Jacksonville, North Carolina, in the eastern part of the state. In 1972, the airfield was named McCutcheon Field for General Keith B. McCutcheo ...
, North Carolina and assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 29 (MAG-29) on 1 May 1972. During the years from 1972 through 1976, H&MS-29 operated the MAG-29 Aerial Observer School and performed its primary mission as an Intermediate Maintenance and Supply support activity.
On 1 October 1988, H&MS-29 was re-designated as Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29 (MALS-29) as a result of the implementation of the Marine Aviation Logistics Support Package concept.
1990s
In August 1990, MALS-29 commenced its support of
Operation Desert Shield
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
by deploying four detachments aboard L-Class ships in direct support of
Marine Aircraft Group 40
Marine Aircraft Group 40 is a composite United States Marine Corps aviation unit that is based in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009. They served as the aviation combat element for 2nd Marine Expedition ...
(MAG-40),
4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade. Additionally, during December 1990, MALS-29, under the operational control of
Marine Aircraft Group 26
Marine Aircraft Group 26 (MAG-26) is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station New River composed of seven MV-22 Osprey squadrons, one of which is the Fleet Replacement Squadron, an aviation logistics squadron ...
(MAG-26), deployed to Southwest Asia. MALS-29 was a participant in
Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
and distinguished itself with several first-time aviation logistics actions, including operating a fully functional rotary wing Intermediate Maintenance Activity aboard the
SS Wright (T-AVB-3), while continuously supporting MAG-26 during the ground war. On 22 May 1991, the squadron recalled its personnel, who were disbursed throughout the
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
i theater of operations, and during June 1991, redeployed itself at MCAS New River, NC. The reconstitution of the Intermediate Maintenance Activity in support of MAG-29 was completed on 1 August 1991.
From 1992 through 1999, MALS-29 continued to support MAG-29 tactical aircraft operations. Over this period, the Squadron underwent extensive changes in personnel and logistical support with the decommissioning of
VMO-1 : ''For the earlier VMO-1 which formed in MCB Quantico in 1937 see VMTB-151''
Marine Observation Squadron 1 (VMO-1) was an observation squadron of the United States Marine Corps which saw extensive action during World War II and supported numerou ...
and the transfer of
HMT-302
Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron 302 (HMHT-302), is a United States Marine Corps helicopter training squadron stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina. Known as the "Phoenix", HMHT-302 trains newly designated Naval ...
to MAG-29. During 1996, participation in
Operation Decisive Endeavor
The Implementation Force (IFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peace enforcement force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename ''Operation Joint Endeavour''.
Background
NATO ...
in
Bosnia,
Operation Assured Response
Operation Assured Response was a non-combatant evacuation operation in Liberia carried out by United States armed forces in 1996.
In April 1996, in response to skirmishes in Monrovia between supporters of Charles Talyor and Roosevelt Johnson th ...
in Liberia,
Operation Silver Wake
Operation Silver Wake was a non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO) led by the United States to evacuate American citizens, noncombatants and designated third country nationals from Albania in March 1997. The operation was performed by U.S. M ...
in Albania, and tactical operations in
Zaire
Zaire (, ), officially the Republic of Zaire (french: République du Zaïre, link=no, ), was a Congolese state from 1971 to 1997 in Central Africa that was previously and is now again known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Zaire was, ...
demonstrated MALS-29's ability to provide expeditionary support around the globe. In 1999, participation in
Operation Allied Force
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombings continued until an a ...
,
Operation Allied Harbor
Operation Allied Harbor was NATO's first humanitarian operation. In the case of the Kosovo crisis, by the end of March 1999 these agencies were unable to cope with the massive influx of refugees into Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ) ...
,
Operation Noble Anvil
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombings continued until an a ...
and
Operation Joint Guardian
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Operation (game), ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* Operations (magazine ...
placed the MALS-29 detachment within the Aviation Combat Element of the
26th Marine Expeditionary Unit
The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26th MEU) is one of seven such units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. It is an air-ground task force with a strength of about 2,400 personnel when at full strength during a deployment. ...
(26th MEU) in support of the Ground Combat Elements peacekeeping mission surrounding the
Kosovo Conflict
The Kosovo War was an armed conflict in Kosovo that started 28 February 1998 and lasted until 11 June 1999. It was fought by the forces of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (i.e. Serbia and Montenegro), which controlled Kosovo before the war ...
.. Before returning home, the MEU was called to
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
for disaster relief from the tragic earthquakes for
Operation Avid Response
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
.
2000s
MALS 29 provides Intermediate Level Maintenance (second echelon), Aviation Supply, Class V Munitions / Ordnance, Aeronautical Equipment, Logistical and Information Technology products and services to the flying squadrons of Marine Aircraft Group 29 based in Jacksonville North Carolina. In 2019, MALS 29 is composed of more than 700 Marines, Sailors and civilians in over 35 different aviation technical jobs.
Global War on Terror
In January 2003, MALS-29 deployed in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom and a possible larger scale conflict in
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...
. The squadron developed a unique and flexible concept of logistics support while embarking personnel, equipment, and supplies aboard four L-class ships as part of
Task Force Tarawa
Task Force Tarawa (TFT) was the name given to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It was a Marine Air-Ground Task Force commanded by Brigadier General Richard F. NatonskiNatonski message. that was attached to ...
. From multiple sites throughout the theater and deep into Iraq, MALS-29 supported more than 6,000 flight hours and over 3,700 combat sorties during
Operation Iraqi Freedom, giving MAG-29 over of reach inland and the flexibility to leapfrog great distances in pursuit of operational objectives. Throughout the duration of combat operations, MAG-29 squadrons maintained a combined average 81 percent
mission capable rate and a 60 percent full mission capable rate.
In March 2004, the Wolverine logistical support was called upon via the activation of the Air Contingency
MAGTF
Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF, pronounced MAG-TAF) is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined ar ...
in support of security operations in
Haiti. MALS-29 deployed again to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in January 2007 for one year and returned February 2008.
Gallery
File:Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29 Performs Routine Maintenance 161018-M-AD586-0205.jpg, Aviation Supply, Warehousing, and Distribution operations.
File:Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29 Performs Routine Maintenance 161018-M-AD586-0048.jpg, Turboshaft engine troubleshooting, repair and testing.
File:Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29 Performs Routine Maintenance 161018-M-AD586-0120.jpg, Class V munitions building, delivery and aircraft loading.
File:Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29 Performs Routine Maintenance 161018-M-AD586-0224.jpg, Second Echelon aircraft component maintenance.
File:Marine PT.jpg, Wolverines conducting squadron level physical training.
See also
*
United States Marine Corps Aviation
United States Marine Corps Aviation (USMCA) is the aircraft arm of the United States Marine Corps. Aviation units within the Marine Corps are assigned to support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force, as the aviation combat element, by providing si ...
*
Organization of the United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). The most senior Marine commissioned officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recr ...
*
List of United States Marine Corps aviation support units
This is a list of United States Marine Corps aviation support squadrons and other units, sorted by type.
Active
Marine Wing Headquarters Squadrons
The Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron (MWHS) provides administrative and supply support for a Mari ...
Notes
References
:
;Bibliography
;Web
MALS-29’s official website
{{2ndMAW
LOG29