In late 1940, Congress authorized a naval air fleet of fifteen thousand aircraft. The Marine Corps was allotted a percentage of these planes to be formed into 2 air wings with 32 operational squadrons. On the advice of Navy and Marine advisors returning from observing the war in Europe these numbers were doubled very soon after. It was under this expansion program that the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing was activated in San Diego, California on 10 July 1941. Its first component was Marine Air Group Two which was based at Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii. This gave 2nd MAW some of the oldest squadrons in Marine aviation Although the Hawaii-based squadrons sustained extensive damage during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, 2nd MAW contributed to 83 South Pacific combat operations. Marines and aircraft from 2nd MAW participated in major battles or campaigns at Wake Island, Guadalcanal, Midway, Saipan, Tinian, Guam and Okinawa. 2d MAW served as the headquarters for the Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army during the Battle of Okinawa. During three months of combat over the skies of Okinawa, squadrons from 2nd MAW accounted for 484½ planes shot down helping to create 21 new Marine Corps aces. Following the surrender of Japan, 2nd MAW retained its headquarters on Okinawa and sent Marine Aircraft Group 31 to Yokosuka and other units to Omura and Nagasaki. In April 1946, 2nd MAW relocated to its present home at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.
From 2000 through 2002, EA-6B Prowler squadrons deployed in support of Operation Southern Watch, Operation Northern Watch and Unit Deployment Program rotations to Japan. AV-8B Harrier and helicopter squadrons deployed in support of the 22nd, 24th and 26thMarine Expeditionary Units. F/A-18 Hornet squadrons deployed aboard the with Carrier Air Wing 3; and Marine Wing Support Group 27 and Marine Air Control Group 28 deployed personnel in support of all exercises and operations in which 2nd MAW flying squadrons were participating. In early 2001, VMFA-312 and VMAQ-3 participated in a joint combined strike against Iraq. This marked the first Marine Corps combat use of the Joint Standoff Weapon. VMA-542 and HMM-261 flew combat missions over Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and conducted humanitarian missions in Djibouti. The Marines of VMA-542 were among the first to employ the LITENING 2 targeting pod in combat. In 2003, 2nd MAW deployed more than 7,700 Marines and Sailors in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. More than 200 tactical combat aircraft flew in support of these missions. They supported combat and contingency operations around the globe, with greater than 70 percent of the command and control, support group, and aircraft deployed simultaneously. During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing units flew over 7,800 combat sorties, expended over 3.9 million pounds of ordnance, carried over 10,000 troops and 6.2 million pounds of cargo, built five base camps, two expeditionary airfields, ten forward area arming and refueling points and three forward operating bases. 2nd MAW eventually headquartered at Al Asad Airbase to serve as the aviation combat element ofMulti-National Forces West for the remainder of the Iraq War. In the fall of 2009, the wing headquarters turned this mission over to Marine Aircraft Group 26 and returned home. As American forces end their missions in Iraq, 2nd MAW continues to support the War on Terrorism today in Afghanistan.
