Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 (MALS-13) 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 "Black Widows", it is currently based at

Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Marine Corps Air Station Yuma or MCAS Yuma is a United States Marine Corps air station. It is the home of multiple squadrons of F-35B Lightning IIs of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 (MAWTS-1), Ma ...

, as part of

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 one McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II squadron, three Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II squadrons, an ...

and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

Mission statement

Provide aviation ordnance, maintenance and logistics support, guidance and direction to Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) squadrons; as well as logistics support for navy funded equipment in the supporting Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS), Marine Air Control Squadron and Marine Aircraft Wing/mobile calibration complex.

Squadron organization

* Aviation logistics Information Maintenance Support Department (ALIMSD) * Headquarters * Aviation Supply department * Aircraft Maintenance department * Avionics division * Aviation Ordnance Department

History

TF-9J Cougar of H&MS-13 in Vietnam c1967

Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 was activated on 1 March 1942 at San Diego, California as Headquarters and Service Squadron 13. The squadron saw frequent action in the Pacific theater during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

before being deactivated on 30 November 1945. The squadron was reactivated 15 March 1951, at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California, as Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 13. During September 1966, the squadron deployed to

Chu Lai Air Base Chu Lai Air Base was a military airport in Chu Lai, Vietnam, operated by the United States Marine Corps between 1965 and 1970. It was located near Tam Kỳ city, the largest city in Quảng Nam Province. Abandoned after the end of the Vietnam Wa ...

Republic of Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of t ...

and remained until October 1970. H&MS-13 used first the Grumman TF-9J Cougars and later Douglas TA-4F Skyhawks as fast forward air control aircraft in support of ground troops. The squadron was then relocated to El Toro, California, and assigned to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing until 1 October 1987, when the squadron moved to MCAS Yuma. On 5 October 1988, the Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron within the Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) was replaced by the creation of the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS). During the period of 10 August 1990 to October 1991, Marines from Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 responded expeditiously in providing aviation logistics support during

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 ...

Global War on Terror

In October 2002, the Squadron was tasked with providing support to six

AV-8B Harrier The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) AV-8B Harrier II is a single-engine ground-attack aircraft that constitutes the second generation of the Harrier family, capable of vertical or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL). The aircraft is primaril ...

aircraft in combat operations in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

during Operation Enduring Freedom. This detachment of MALS-13 personnel returned October 2003. On 15 January 2003, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 embarked 205 Marines and equipment aboard the USS ''Bonhomme Richard'' in support of combat operations in Southwest Asia, deploying detachments ashore with MALS-13 Forward during

Operation Southern Watch Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from Summer 1992 to Spring 2003. United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of mon ...

and Operation Iraqi Freedom at Al Jaber Air Base,

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 ...

and An Numiniyah Expeditionary Air Field, Iraq. In May 2003, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 disembarked USS ''Bonhomme Richard'' and returned to MCAS Yuma.

Awards

* Presidential Unit Citation Streamer with one bronze star * Navy Unit Commendation Streamer with three bronze stars * Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer with two bronze stars *

Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal is a United States military award of the Second World War, which was awarded to any member of the United States Armed Forces who served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945. The medal was created o ...

with one bronze star *

World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. The Wo ...

National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) is a service award of the United States Armed Forces established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. It is awarded to every member of the US Armed Forces who has served during any one of four ...

with three bronze stars *

Vietnam Service Streamer Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making it ...

with two silver and one bronze star *

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOT-EM) is a United States Armed Forces award created by George W. Bush on 12 March 2003, through Executive Order 13289. The medal recognizes those military service members who have deployed ove ...

. * Global War on Terrorism Service Streamer. *

Vietnam Cross of Gallantry The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross also known as the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross or Vietnam Cross of Gallantry ( vi, Anh-Dũng Bội-Tinh) is a military decoration of the former Government of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam). The medal ...

with Palm Streamer * Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Civil Actions Streamer

References

External links

* {{3rdMAW LOG13