Marine Aircraft Group 31

Marine Aircraft Group 31, commonly abbreviated MAG-31, is a United States Marine Corps aviation group responsible for organizing and supporting tactical aviation capabilities within the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. It is based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina and falls under the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. Unlike a commercial brand, MAG-31 is a military operational organization whose identity is associated with Marine Corps aviation, expeditionary air support, combat readiness, and the squadrons and logistics units assigned to it. The group was first commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, on 1 February 1943 under Major Ralph K. Rottet. During the Second World War, it deployed to the Pacific and operated from several bases in Samoa. Its aircraft conducted missions against Japanese positions that had been bypassed during the Allied advance, including neutralization operations connected with the wider campaign against garrisons in the Marshall Islands and the Rabaul area. MAG-31 played a significant aviation-support role during the Battle of Okinawa. It landed at Yontan Airfield on 7 April 1945 and quickly placed most of its available aircraft into combat operations. The group maintained combat air patrols to help defend Allied naval forces against kamikaze attacks and also provided close air support to Marine and Army units fighting on the ground. Later in the campaign, it moved to Chimu Airfield and conducted operations over Okinawa, Kyushu, the Chinese coast, the East China Sea, and areas between Formosa and Kyushu. During this period it was commanded by Colonel John C. Munn, who later became a lieutenant general and Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. After the war, MAG-31 moved from Okinawa to Yokosuka, Japan, in October 1945. Its arrival made it the first Marine land-based aircraft group to operate in the Japanese homeland. The group subsequently changed higher headquarters, moving from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing in February 1946 and then to Fleet Marine Force Pacific in March 1946. It returned to the United States in July 1946 and operated as a night-fighter group at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California until its decommissioning on 31 May 1947. The unit was reactivated at Cherry Point on 17 March 1952 and transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Miami, Florida, where it served under the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. This incarnation ended with another decommissioning on 31 January 1959. MAG-31 was reactivated again on 1 November 1961 in cadre status, initially consisting of six officers and 75 enlisted Marines. It was established at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort as part of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, where it remains based. Its current structure includes one F/A-18C Hornet squadron, three F-35B Lightning II squadrons or training formations, and an aviation logistics squadron. These units support the Marine Corps mission of providing air support to Marine Air-Ground Task Force commanders. The group therefore combines fighter and strike aviation, transition and replacement-pilot training, fifth-generation aircraft operations, and maintenance and logistics support.

Marine Aircraft Group 31 was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, on 1 February 1943. Major Ralph K. Rottet was its first commanding officer. In September of that year, the group deployed from the United States to Samoa. Its constituent squadrons operated from multiple Samoan airfields while supporting Allied operations across the Pacific. During 1944, MAG-31 conducted neutralization missions against Japanese garrisons that had been bypassed by the Allied advance, including positions associated with the Marshall Islands and the Rabaul region. The group’s most prominent wartime operations came during the Battle of Okinawa. MAG-31 landed at Yontan Airfield on 7 April 1945 and rapidly committed much of its aircraft strength to combat. It established combat air patrols to assist in protecting the Allied fleet from kamikaze attacks and delivered close air support to Marine and Army formations engaged on Okinawa. On 1 July, the group moved from Yontan to Chimu Airfield, where it remained until the end of the war. Its aircraft also operated over Kyushu, the Chinese coast, the East China Sea, and waters and territories between Formosa and Kyushu. Colonel John C. Munn commanded the group during the Okinawa campaign; he later attained the rank of lieutenant general and served as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. On 12 October 1945, MAG-31 departed Okinawa for Yokosuka, Japan. The move was historically notable because the group became the first Marine land-based aircraft group to operate in the Japanese homeland. Its administrative alignment changed during the postwar period: it transferred from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing on 12 February 1946 and then to Fleet Marine Force Pacific on 13 March 1946. The group returned to the United States on 5 July 1946 and was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California, as a night-fighter group. It was decommissioned on 31 May 1947. A new incarnation was activated at Cherry Point on 17 March 1952 and transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Miami, Florida. In that period it operated under the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. This second postwar activation ended when MAG-31 was decommissioned on 31 January 1959. MAG-31 was reactivated once more on 1 November 1961, initially in cadre status with six officers and 75 enlisted Marines. The unit was based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, and assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. Its later development reflects the evolution of Marine Corps tactical aviation, including the transition from earlier fighter and night-fighter roles to modern multirole and fifth-generation aircraft operations. The group is currently composed of VMFA-312, the F/A-18C Hornet squadron known as the Checkerboards; VMFA-224, an F-35B Lightning II squadron known as the Bengals; VMFAT-501, the F-35B training squadron known as the Warlords; VMFA-533, an F-35B squadron known as the Hawks; and MALS-31, the aviation logistics squadron known as the Stingers. Its continuing mission is to provide air support to Marine Air-Ground Task Force commanders, integrating aircraft operations, pilot training, maintenance, and logistics within the Marine Corps expeditionary warfare system.

• 1961

  Reactivation at Beaufort

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 31en.wikipedia.org

  MAG-31 was reactivated in cadre status on 1 November 1961 at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort as part of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.

• 1959

  Second decommissioning

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 31en.wikipedia.org

  The second postwar incarnation of MAG-31 was decommissioned on 31 January 1959.

• 1952

  Reactivation at Cherry Point

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 31en.wikipedia.org

  The group was reactivated on 17 March 1952 and later moved to Marine Corps Air Station Miami under the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

• 1947

  First postwar decommissioning

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 31en.wikipedia.org

  After operating as a night-fighter group from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, MAG-31 was decommissioned on 31 May 1947.

• 1946

  Postwar headquarters transfers

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 31en.wikipedia.org

  MAG-31 transferred to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing in February and to Fleet Marine Force Pacific in March.

• 1945

  Operations during the Battle of Okinawa

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 31en.wikipedia.org

  MAG-31 landed at Yontan Airfield on 7 April 1945, conducting combat air patrols and close air support during the Okinawa campaign.

• 1945

  First Marine land-based aircraft group in Japan

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 31en.wikipedia.org

  The group arrived at Yokosuka on 12 October 1945 and became the first Marine land-based aircraft group to operate in the Japanese homeland.

• 1943

  MAG-31 commissioned

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 31en.wikipedia.org

  Marine Aircraft Group 31 was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, on 1 February 1943.

• 1943

  Deployment to Samoa

  [1]Marine Aircraft Group 31en.wikipedia.org

  In September 1943, the group departed the United States for Samoa, where its squadrons operated from multiple island bases.

An expeditionary Marine Corps aviation organization focused on tactical air support, fighter and strike operations, aircraft training, and aviation logistics rather than commercial products or services.

• tactical aviation

  F/A-18C Hornet operations

  MAG-31 includes VMFA-312, the Checkerboards, an F/A-18C Hornet squadron. The Hornet provides multirole fighter and strike capability within the Marine Corps aviation structure and supports the group’s mission of delivering air support to Marine Air-Ground Task Force commanders.

• fifth-generation tactical aviation

  F-35B Lightning II operations

  The group includes VMFA-224, VMFAT-501, and VMFA-533, formations associated with the F-35B Lightning II. Together they provide operational and training capacity for the Marine Corps short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing variant of the F-35, integrating advanced fighter and strike functions with expeditionary Marine aviation.

• aviation maintenance and logistics

  Aviation logistics support

  MALS-31, known as the Stingers, provides aviation logistics and maintenance support for the group’s aircraft and squadrons. Its role enables aircraft availability, sustainment, technical support, and the broader readiness of MAG-31’s operational and training formations.

• 1945Battle of Okinawa

  Okinawa · Kyushu · East China Sea

  MAG-31 operated from Yontan and later Chimu airfields, conducting combat air patrols, close air support, and related missions during the Battle of Okinawa.

  Outcome. The group supported Allied naval defense against kamikaze attacks and ground operations on Okinawa until the end of the campaign.

  Source
• 1944Pacific neutralization operations

  Pacific theater

  During much of 1944, MAG-31 supported missions against Japanese garrisons bypassed during the Allied advance, including operations connected with the Marshall Islands and the Rabaul area.

  Outcome. The group contributed aviation pressure against isolated Japanese positions while supporting the wider Allied island-campaign strategy.

  Source

1. 1Marine Aircraft Group 31en.wikipedia.org