Marine Operational Training Group 81
A World War II-era United States Marine Corps aviation training group for PBJ-1 medium bomber crews.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Marine Operational Training Group 81, commonly abbreviated MOTG-81, was a United States Marine Corps aviation training organization active during World War II. It prepared personnel for operations involving the PBJ-1, the Marine Corps version of the North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber. Its training mission covered more than pilots: the organization also instructed aircrew and ground personnel needed to operate, maintain, and support Marine medium-bomber units. The group developed from Operational Training Squadron 8, which was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, on 1 February 1943. Colonel Karl S. Day was its commanding officer at commissioning. The original squadron was established to train Marine Corps PBJ pilots and associated aviation personnel. Between June and December 1943, it trained 141 pilots, 345 aircrew members, and 195 ground crew members, illustrating the breadth of the unit's operational-training role. On 3 December 1943, Operational Training Squadron 8 moved from Cherry Point to Marine Corps Air Station Edenton, North Carolina. On 1 January 1944, it was redesignated Marine Operational Training Group 81. The new group structure included four subordinate training squadrons: Marine Training Squadrons 811, 812, 813, and 814. These units were commissioned at Edenton on the same date and initially operated under the Marine training-group framework. The subordinate squadrons were redesignated Marine Operational Training Squadrons in February 1945. During that month, all four moved from Edenton to MCAS Cherry Point on different dates: 811 on 23 February, 812 on 20 February, 813 on 19 February, and 814 on 17 February. The group itself had returned to Cherry Point in January 1945 and remained there through the end of the war. The organization was short-lived because the Marine Corps abandoned its medium-bomber fleet soon after World War II. Marine Training Squadrons 811 and 812 were decommissioned on 10 September 1945. Squadrons 813 and 814 were decommissioned in November 1945, and MOTG-81 was decommissioned in December 1945. It therefore represents a wartime training structure associated with a specific aircraft type and a temporary Marine Corps aviation capability rather than a continuing commercial brand or active military command.
History
MOTG-81 emerged from the Marine Corps' effort to create and sustain a medium-bomber capability during World War II. Its direct predecessor, Operational Training Squadron 8, was commissioned at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, on 1 February 1943 under Colonel Karl S. Day. The squadron's purpose was to train Marine personnel for the PBJ-1 medium bomber, including pilots and the broader air and ground teams required for effective operation of the aircraft. The training establishment expanded during 1943. From June through December of that year, Operational Training Squadron 8 trained 141 pilots, 345 aircrew members, and 195 ground crew members. This output indicates that the organization was intended to provide a complete operational pipeline rather than merely qualify individual pilots. The PBJ-1 mission depended on coordinated aviation, technical, and maintenance personnel, and the unit's training totals reflect that integrated approach. On 3 December 1943, the predecessor squadron moved to MCAS Edenton, North Carolina. On 1 January 1944, it was redesignated Marine Operational Training Group 81. Four subordinate units—Marine Training Squadrons 811, 812, 813, and 814—were commissioned at Edenton on that date. The group consequently became a multi-squadron training organization supporting Marine PBJ operations. The four subordinate squadrons received a further nomenclature change on 1 February 1945, when they were redesignated Marine Operational Training Squadrons 811 through 814. The squadrons then transferred from Edenton back to MCAS Cherry Point on separate dates in February: 814 on 17 February, 813 on 19 February, 812 on 20 February, and 811 on 23 February. MOTG-81 itself had returned to Cherry Point in January 1945 and stayed there until the war ended. The end of the war quickly eliminated the operational rationale for the group. The Marine Corps divested its medium-bomber fleet immediately after World War II, making a dedicated PBJ-1 training structure unnecessary. Squadrons 811 and 812 were decommissioned on 10 September 1945. Squadrons 813 and 814 followed in November, while MOTG-81 was decommissioned in December 1945. The group thus lasted less than two years under its MOTG-81 designation and was part of a temporary wartime aviation system rather than a permanent postwar institution.
- 1945
Subordinate squadrons redesignated
[1]Marine Training Squadrons 811, 812, 813, and 814 became Marine Operational Training Squadrons on 1 February.
- 1945
Return to Cherry Point
[1]The group returned to MCAS Cherry Point in January; its four subordinate squadrons followed in February on separate transfer dates.
- 1945
First subordinate squadrons decommissioned
[1]Marine Operational Training Squadrons 811 and 812 were decommissioned on 10 September.
- 1945
MOTG-81 decommissioned
[1]Squadrons 813 and 814 were decommissioned in November, followed by the decommissioning of MOTG-81 in December after the Marine Corps ended its medium-bomber program.
- 1944
MOTG-81 established
[1]On 1 January, Operational Training Squadron 8 was redesignated Marine Operational Training Group 81, and four subordinate training squadrons were commissioned at Edenton.
- 1943
Operational Training Squadron 8 commissioned
[1]Operational Training Squadron 8 was commissioned at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, on 1 February to train Marine Corps PBJ-1 personnel.
- 1943
Training activity expanded
[1]Between June and December, the predecessor squadron trained 141 pilots, 345 aircrew members, and 195 ground crew members.
- 1943
Move to MCAS Edenton
[1]Operational Training Squadron 8 transferred from MCAS Cherry Point to MCAS Edenton on 3 December.
Products and positioning
A wartime Marine Corps aviation training organization focused on preparing complete PBJ-1 medium-bomber operating teams.
Military aviation training · 1943
PBJ-1 pilot training
Training for Marine Corps pilots assigned to the PBJ-1 medium bomber. The predecessor organization was created specifically to build the pilot cadre required for Marine medium-bomber operations.
Military aviation training · 1943
PBJ-1 aircrew training
Instruction for non-pilot aircrew supporting PBJ-1 missions. The recorded wartime training totals show that aircrew preparation was a substantial part of the organization's output.
Aircraft support training · 1943
PBJ-1 ground-crew training
Preparation of ground personnel responsible for maintaining and supporting Marine PBJ-1 units. This training complemented pilot and aircrew instruction within the group's integrated operational model.
Brand decisions
1945
End of the medium-bomber training organizationStrategyBackground
After World War II, the Marine Corps divested its medium-bomber fleet, removing the operational requirement for a dedicated PBJ-1 training group.
Action taken
The subordinate squadrons were decommissioned during September and November, and MOTG-81 was decommissioned in December.
Aftermath
MOTG-81 ceased to exist as the Marine Corps ended its medium-bomber capability.
1944
Conversion from a training squadron to a training groupStrategyBackground
The Marine Corps required a broader organization to support PBJ-1 medium-bomber training during World War II.
Action taken
Operational Training Squadron 8 was redesignated MOTG-81 on 1 January, with four subordinate training squadrons established at MCAS Edenton.
Aftermath
The group operated as a multi-squadron training structure until its decommissioning at the end of 1945.
Sources1 sources
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