The mission of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing is to provide combat ready expeditionary aviation forces capable of short notice world wide deployment to Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF), fleet and unified commanders.
Current force
Locations
Units of 3rd MAW are located in the Western United States at the following bases:
On April 21, 1944, the Wing boarded three carriers for a voyage to Hawaii and arrived May 8, where it assumed the functions of Marine Air, Hawaii Area.
When the Japanese surrendered, 3d MAW was decommissioned and its personnel were assigned to other units. The Wing had played an important, but behind-the-scenes, role in defeating the Japanese by giving the best training available to Marine pilots and support personnel.
1950s
In 1952, as the Corps again fought in the Far East, the Wing was reactivated at Cherry Point for the Korean War. The main portion of the Wing began moving to the new Marine Corps Air Station Miami, the Marine Corps' first "flying field."
Wing squadrons were detached and deployed to Vietnam as combat action in Southeast Asia flared. At the end of the Vietnam War several units were brought back to the United States and deactivated or redesignated, creating the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing of today.
The fall of 2001 would reveal a new type of warfare, the War on Terrorism, and 3d MAW answered the call again deploying several detachments in support of the ongoing Operation Enduring Freedom.
In the fall of 2002 the Wing began deploying to Kuwait to prepare for combat operations in Iraq. The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing supported I MEF and coalition forces in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
