2nd Marine Aircraft Wing was commissioned in July 1941 and originally headquartered in San Diego, California, with squadrons split between San Diego and Hawaii.
Unit History / Marine Aviation Combat Element
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing is the East Coast Marine aviation wing aligned to II Marine Expeditionary Force. This aviation hub keeps HMLA-269 and future aircraft groups organized as subordinate wing pages while preserving the larger Marine aviation structure.
Common Abbreviation2nd MAW / 2d MAW
Higher HeadquartersII Marine Expeditionary Force
Parent Wing ContextAll HMLA / aviation squadron pages live as subordinate unit pages here
Current SubgroupHMLA-269 Gunrunners · MAG-29 · H-1 light attack squadron
HISTORY
Public Historical Breakdown
Hawaii-based squadrons suffered heavy damage during the attack on Pearl Harbor, but the wing went on to support extensive South Pacific operations and major campaigns including Wake Island, Midway, Guadalcanal, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, and Okinawa.
Marine aviation wings developed as MAGTF aviation combat elements, integrating offensive air support, assault support, antiair warfare, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and air-control functions.
2nd MAW units supported combat and contingency operations across Southwest Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Horn of Africa missions, including fixed-wing, rotary-wing, tiltrotor, command-and-control, and aviation logistics support.
The wing continues to generate aviation readiness for II MEF through aircraft groups, squadrons, wing support units, and expeditionary aviation training tied to distributed operations and MAGTF integration.
SUBGROUPS
Aviation Units Under 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
MOS
Common MOS Lanes
This page focuses on Marine aviation command, aviation support, aircraft control, and H-1 light attack support lanes that connect HMLA-269 to the larger wing.
PIPELINE
Training Pipeline Overview
Marine Officer / Aviator Track
Marine aviators begin as commissioned officers, complete The Basic School, then enter the naval aviation training system before earning wings and moving into platform-specific fleet replacement training.
H-1 Light Attack Track
AH-1S and UH-1Y pilots progress through rotary-wing training, H-1 platform training, and squadron-level qualifications such as aircraft commander, section lead, instructor, or weapons-and-tactics development.
Air Control And Support
Air traffic control, direct air support, tactical air command-and-control, communications, and aviation ground support Marines enable wing operations from established bases and expeditionary sites.
MAGTF Integration
Wing units support the MAGTF with offensive air support, assault support, aerial reconnaissance, electronic warfare, control of aircraft and missiles, and expeditionary aviation sustainment.
PROFILE USE
Assignment Lane
Current Assignment Only
This unit lane controls background art, insignia, and active-unit identity for profiles assigned here. Individual names stay inside the Chain of Command system.
Clean Historical Page
Unit history pages focus on lineage, mission, MOS lanes, training pipeline, and public references. Personal biography details stay on the member profile.
SUBORDINATE AVIATION
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Task Organization
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing provides the aviation-combat-element framework for close air support, armed overwatch, aerial reconnaissance, air-ground integration, escort, utility support, and casualty-evacuation coordination.
2nd MAW Command Element
Coordinates aviation planning, air tasking, readiness, safety, airspace use, and integration with ground maneuver and special-tactics elements.
HMLA-269
Light attack helicopter squadron lane nested under 2nd MAW, supporting AH-1S Cobra attack aviation, escort, armed reconnaissance, and close-air-support identity.
Aviation Flights & Aircrews
Maintains aircrew readiness, weapons employment, communications, ship/shore integration, and sustained aviation effects for deployed operations.
Maintenance / Armament
Tracks aircraft readiness, weapons support, recovery, servicing, and the behind-the-scenes sustainment required to keep aviation sorties available.
CAS / Escort / CASEVAC
Provides lethal and non-lethal aviation effects, route overwatch, armed escort, aerial reconnaissance, and casualty-evacuation coordination across the battlespace.
SOURCES