Mag 15

[david43844]

what has happened to MAG 15 in Iwakuni? I was the Supply chief for MABS 15.:gotee:

[greybeard]

I 'think MAG15 went like this:

El Toro to:
Iwakuni to:
Danang to:
Nam Phong, Thailand(theRose Garden) to:
maybe Tustin??
It's deactivated now I think. I'll post a link to some info that is a year or so old, if ya give me a minute or 2.

Ok-rather than paste all this, I'll just provide a link or 2. :)
Marine Aviation History-MAG15
http://www.acepilots.com/usmc/hist19.html

Some peole who were with MAG 15. 3 or 4 threads on MAG 15. Hope the email addressesare still valid. They can tell ya more:
http://www.msdsite.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=567

[FREEBIRD]

Mag 15 was in Iwakuni Japan from sept 1970 to Sept 1971, I was in Mag 12 then, also I was in MWHS-1 in 1976, Mag 15 was back at Iwakuni then. Not sure where or what happen to it after that, I know a lot of de-activation went on after Nam.
Also one of the guys you have address to is full of it!!!!
he has VMA311, Mabs-12, H&MS-17 and a few others as being in MAG 15, all the above is very wrong
H&MS-17 was in MAG-17, Mabs-12 was in MAG-12, and when I let VMA311 was in MAG-12, but it came from Nam from MAG-11 to Iwakuni, and also 533 was in Mag 12 then, and I know 533 went to Mag15 to the rose garden, so maybe 311 did too, I'm not sure.
My memory of 311 was it came to Iwakuni from Nam, and went back to Eltoro and was deactivated.


Semper Fie,
Freebird

[greybeard]

Freebird-I didn't mean to link to any bogus info. There just isn't much out there on MAG-15, & I haven't found any reference to it as a unit after Nam Phong. It definitely went to Danang and then to Thailand. Probably with a different mix of squadrons. The guy you are speaking of being 'full of it' never does post a timeline/history of the Group, just of units that were in it. I suspect it was deactivated while in Thailand, or shortly thereafter. You are the 1st time I've heard of it being back in Iwakuni in the mid 70's, so I certainly could be wrong about the deactivation in Thailand. I'll ask on the 1st MAW website.

Just to show you how confusing things get with aviation units, everyone thinks of MAG-16 as a helo unit. Not so way back when. When it 1st went in country , MAG16 was fixed wing. After Shufly, (Soc Trang) Mag16 eventually ended up at Marble, and the fixed wing assets became MAG11, and stayed at Danang Air Base. Then, there's Dets in various places, like Phu Bai, and Dong Ha, Ky Ha, Chu Lai. MAG36 was in the mix as well, with different squadrons being shifted around as they were needed. Confusing ain't it?

[david43844]

Ok mag 15 was in Iwakuni in 74? memory is getting bad anyway they retrograded back from Nam Phong ie the rose garden as I was the Supply Chief at the time but I've never heard what happened after that.,as I rotated back to the states.

[FREEBIRD]

MAG-15 <br />
I'm gonna say this one more time for those who can read...... <br />
MAG-15 was in Iwakuni Japan when I got back there in April 1976 as well as MAG-12. I was wanted to go back to MAG 12 or 15 but...

[FREEBIRD]

OK, FOUND OUT WHAT YOU WANTED TO KNOW, HOPE THIS COMES OUT, IF NOT THE ANSWER YOU WANTED IS WHERE IS MAG-15, IT WAS BAC, LIKE I THOUGHT AT IWAKUNI JAPAN UNTIL 1988, THEN IT WAS MIXED IN AND COMBINED WITH MAG-12, READ THE FOLLOWING IF IT COMMARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan(March 8, 2002) -- Marine Aircraft Group 12 marked its 60th anniversary in a cake-cutting ceremony and a group formation on the flightline March 1.

"Sixty years is a little over the average life expectancy for somebody living on this planet," said Col. John Dewitt, MAG-12 commanding officer. "We've spent 55 of those years in the Pacific region, and 13 of those years in combat. Today we find ourselves in a battle against terrorism. But we still have time to celebrate our birthday."

Also known as the Ready Group, MAG-12 was founded at Camp Kearney, Calif., and has been participating in operations in the Pacific theater ever since.

"We're called the Ready Group because we're a force in readiness," said Sgt. Maj. Robert O'Donnell, MAG-12 sergeant major. "We're ready to go at any time."

The group was first called upon during World War II, where it earned the Army Distinguished Unit Award and the Navy Unit Citation during the occupation of northern China. Other operations of MAG-12 occurred in the southern Solomons, New Georgia, the Bismarck Archipelago, Treasury Bougainville, Leyte, Luzon, and in the southern Philippines.

A second Navy Unit Citation was awarded to MAG-12 after its support of United Nations Forces in Korea, including operations at the infamous Chosin Reservoir. Over 80,000 combat sorties were flown by MAG-12 during the Korean War.

After the Korean War, in 1956, MAG-12 arrived at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, where it has remained headquartered until this day.

Two more Navy Unit Citations were awarded to the MAG for its service in the Vietnam War, where MAG-12 units participated in the recapture of Hue City and the relief of the besieged units at Khe Sanh.

In October of 1988, MAG-12 consolidated with MAG-15, which was also stationed at Iwakuni, bringing all of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing's strike assets under one command.

"We're the only group in I MAW that has tactical fixed-wing aircraft," said Lt. Col. Joel Yourkowski, MAG-12 Headquarters commanding officer. "The mission of MAG-12 is to support I MAW operations in the Pacific theater. That covers a whole broad range of things dealing with the capabilities of the aircraft."

Marine Aircraft Group 12 has continued to support I MAW throughout the western Pacific region, taking on the increasingly-important role of the air combat element's strike elements in the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force during numerous operations and exercises.

"Air power has become the supporting fires of choice," said Yourkowski. "It's probably the new king of battle. Artillery can't reach the range that is needed, or offer the precision strike capability. Aviation has come a long way in 60 years. For us, it's a chance to reflect on the proud traditions that we have not only as Marines, but as the aviation arm of Marines."

The Marines currently with MAG-12 are doing their part to shape the continuing history of the group, and of the role of aviation in the Marine Corps and the world.

"Did somebody in the 1940s have a vision of what we would be doing today? No," said Yourkowski. "It's not somebody having a plan. Individual Marines carry the torch to the next small step, passing it on to the next generations of Marines."

"That's how we've gotten to where we are today," he added. "In some ways, we are motivated by the understanding that we are just carrying that torch along to the next step."

Every Marine in the birthday celebration formation has their part to play in the history of MAG-12 that is currently being written.

"We only take small steps, the missions we are given," said Yourkowski. "These small steps add up to a tremendous history."



-30-

ES OUT

[greybeard]

That explains why it isn't listed anywhere currently.
Now, one more question for FREEBIRD.

Do you know what an NC-5 is? (ever race them?) :D
A Garwood towtractor?

Got any pictures of either?

[david43844]

thanx Freebird that answers my question. MAG 15 was the only air unit I was In and liked it. Once agine Thanx

[FREEBIRD]

I worked on Garwoods in 1969 at H&MS-32,MAG-32, BEAUFORT S.C. in 1969, they were fun to drive because they had 4 wheel drive, could go in Oblique??spelling?? anyway all 4 wheels could turn at same time or you flip a switch and go back to normal 2 wheel turning. The big problem with them is they had a hydraulic wheel motor on each wheel and had to be replaced often and were a big cost. they were replaced by the TA-75 which was a modern day real tow vehiclce, had a ford 302 engine with automatic transmision. My MOS was 6076 which was Ground support Hydraulics.
to David43844 and to Greybeard, i found the information about Mag-15 on Mag 12's website
Sempers Marines,
Forget.............Never!!!

[Robert Carnot]

To straighten out a couple of things (greybeard)----MAG- 16, to my knowledge, was always a Helo Airgroup. "Shufly" was the code name for Danang ( Sep or Oct 1963) during a semi covert operation.

[greybeard]

With all due respect Sir, maybe I should have worded my my post a little better. MAG16 has always been a helo Group, but also had squadrons of fixed wing a/c. From Marine Aviation in Vietnam:
http://www.ehistory.com/vietnam/books/buildup/0149.cfm

"The 1965 buildup of Marine aviation in Vietnam paralleled that of the MAF ground forces. Following the landing of the 9th MEB in March, two Marine fixed-wing squadrons, VMCJ-1 and VMFA-531, later relieved by VMFA-513, joined MAG-16 at Da Nang in April. MAG-16 had been, until that time, the MEB's composite helicopter group.* In May, the wing established its forward headquarters in Vietnam, and the next month MAG-12 arrived at the newly built SATS airfield at Chu Lai. On 14 July, MAG-11 headquarters assumed operational control of the fixed-wing squadrons at Da Nang from MAG-16."

Shufly started down south, in '62 and ran thru 64. It's the name commonly used to describe the Marine's Helicopter entrance into Vietnam, down in the delta around Soc Trang, in April 1962. All Marine helo ops were under the codename Shufly for a couple of years I think. In the USMC Vietnam helo community, it's always been a source of pride to say you were part of Shufly. That was way before my time tho.



http://www.mca-marines.org/Leatherneck/apr02OperationShufly.htm


"His squadron was to be the first operational Marine Corps unit to deploy to Vietnam in an operation dubbed "Shufly," and Clapp was one of the few Marines who knew it. It was 40 years ago this month when Clapp lifted off from the deck of USS Princeton (LPH-5) to lead his squadron to a World War II-era Japanese airstrip approximately 85 miles south-southwest of Saigon near Soc Trang, Vietnam, on 15 April 1962.


"We were to be in place by mid-April of '62," said Clapp, who now lives in Virginia Beach, Va. "And in true military fashion they figured it'd be exactly the 15th."


HMM-362 and Marine Air Base Squadron 16, Sub Unit 2 were the first units to deploy in Operation Shufly. New squadrons would rotate in approximately every four months until 1965 when the United States' involvement in Vietnam drastically increased."

[greybeard]

Originally posted by FREEBIRD
I worked on Garwoods in 1969 at H&MS-32,MAG-32, BEAUFORT S.C. in 1969, they were fun to drive because they had 4 wheel drive, could go in Oblique??spelling?? anyway all 4 wheels could turn at same time or you flip a switch and go back to normal 2 wheel turning. The big problem with them is they had a hydraulic wheel motor on each wheel and had to be replaced often and were a big cost.
Sempers Marines,
Forget.............Never!!!

I was a 6077/6073. Didn't get to work on much refrigeration equipment in a helo squadron tho. :) NC-5's (mobile generator) and air compressors, and Hyd test stands. I worked on garwoods at MAG14 and MAG-16. I hated them. leaky slant engined sobs. The good thing was, they would continue to pull even with only one wheel motor, as long as you could keep 5606B in it. The one we had at MAG16 MMAF was 'borrowed' from the Tripoli I heard. It was heck to work on in all that sand.

[greensideout]

Shufly, Soc Trang, 15 March 1962.I was there to lift off from the USS Princeton with COL Clapp. We had fixed wing with us from VMO-2.

You got it right Graybeard. :)

[FREEBIRD]

Greybeard,
what does refrigeration equipment have to do with 6077/6073 ??
why nobody ever mention MAG-13 ??

[greybeard]

I was 6077 at H&MS-14-Mag-14. They sent me TAD to NAS Jacksonville for a few weeks to go thru GSE mobile airconditioning/refrigeration school. When I returned to ChPt, they classified me as 6077/6073. 6073 was GSE refrigeration/electrician. (I had already been thru Basic electricity & electronics at Milington, that's where I found out I was colorblind) Not long after the JAX tad, I got orders for Vietnam and MAG-16.

[MAJMike]

Roger that VMA 531 was attached to MAG 15 at the "Rose Garden." One of my "fondest" memories as an A6 drive with VMA 531.

The "Rose Garden" got it's name from the USMC recruiting campaign of that time ' "I didn't promise you a rose garden!" - taken from the popular song of the same title.

[greensideout]

Greybeard. never figured out why VMO-2 didn't get the same credit as HMM-362? I think maybe it was Col. Clapp's time to make history with HIS unit.

Oh well, history is.

[F4Winger]

Worked in the Avionics shop of H&MS-15 end of '66, Iwakuni. Radar van was next to the benjo ditch. First person in the shop in the morning got to light the oil stove for heat. Got transferred to VMFA-115 and rotated to Chu Lai.

[FREEBIRD]

this bring back any memorys???

[Marine65]

I joined MAG-15 Radio (MCAS Iwakuni) December 1967 and left December 1969. Can't recall the squadrons stationed there. Crusaders, Phantoms, and A6's on the flight line.

:usmc:

[Marine84]

Well boys...............and MAJ - I am living proof that 15 was in Iwakuni in 86 and until I left in Feb 87. I was with H&MS 15 Ordnance under Capt Benbow and Top Emery (Top was to us Ordies like Jimi Hendrix was to music).

[Ray Manker]

MAG-15 came from El Toro to Iwakuni in 1966. I was with MAG-15 Group Supply. I left Iwakuni in l967 and rotated back. Went to Okinawa and floated back on the USS Gen. Walker. Tad to RVN in June 1967.