# Marine Aircraft Group 40

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Marine Aircraft Group 40 MAG-40's insignia Active 1990 2009 – present Country United States Allegiance United States of America Branch United States Marine Corps Type Aviation Combat Element Role Assault Support Close-in Fire Support Part of 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade Garrison/HQ Camp Leatherneck Mottos Assault, Attack, Control Engagements Operation Desert Storm Operation Enduring Freedom * Operation Moshtarak

Military unit

**Marine Aircraft Group 40** is a composite [United States Marine Corps](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps) aviation unit that is based in [Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point](/source/Marine_Corps_Air_Station_Cherry_Point) and was deployed to [Afghanistan](/source/Afghanistan) in 2009. They served as the [aviation combat element](/source/Aviation_combat_element) for [2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade](/source/2nd_Marine_Expeditionary_Brigade) which was supporting [Operation Enduring Freedom](/source/Operation_Enduring_Freedom) from spring 2009 through 4 April 2010 when they were relieved by the [3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd)](/source/3rd_Marine_Aircraft_Wing).[1][2] The group is currently composed of two [CH-53](/source/CH-53_Super_Stallion) squadrons, one light attack helicopter squadron, one [AV-8B Harrier II](/source/AV-8B_Harrier_II) squadron, one [MV-22 Osprey](/source/MV-22_Osprey) squadron, one [KC-130](/source/KC-130) tactical aerial refueling squadron, one unmanned aerial vehicle squadron and an aviation logistics squadron.

## Mission

Provide air support to [Marine Air Ground Task Force](/source/Marine_Air_Ground_Task_Force) commanders.

## Subordinate units

[MALS-40](/source/Marine_Aviation_Logistics_Squadron_40) Smoking Aces (Bastion Bastards)

[HMLA-169](/source/HMLA-169) Vipers

HMH-772 Hustler

## History

### Gulf War

MAG-40 (Gulf War) Components Headquarters & Headquarters and Services Squadron 28(-) VMA-331 HMM-263 HMM-365 HMH-461 HMLA-269(-) MALS-13.[3]

MAG-40 was originally stood up to support Exercise Teamwork and Exercise Bold Guard in [Norway](/source/Norway) and [West Germany](/source/West_Germany) in September/October 1990. When [Iraq](/source/Iraq) invaded [Kuwait](/source/Kuwait) in August 1990 the MAG was designated as the aviation combat element of the [4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade](/source/4th_Marine_Expeditionary_Brigade). They began immediately deploying to the [Persian Gulf](/source/Persian_Gulf). The group remained in the Persian Gulf as part of the Amphibious Task Force. During this time the group aviation assets included 20 AV-8Bs, 24 CH-46s, 14 CH-53s, 6 UH-1Ns, and 15 AH-1s.[4]

### Afghanistan

MAG-40 was reactivated as a composite aircraft group which serves as the headquarters for all Marine aviation units in Afghanistan beginning in the spring/summer of 2009. The group was located at an airfield in southern Afghanistan and is made up of 50 to 100 aircraft.[5] During their time in Afghanistan, aircraft from the group flew just under 38,000 flight hours and moved over 141,000 passengers. They were relieved on 4 April 2010 by the [3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd)](/source/3rd_Marine_Aircraft_Wing) and will return to MCAS Cherry Point.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## See also

- [United States Marine Corps Aviation](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps_Aviation)

- [List of United States Marine Corps aircraft groups](/source/List_of_United_States_Marine_Corps_aircraft_groups)

- [List of United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons](/source/List_of_United_States_Marine_Corps_aircraft_squadrons)

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Cherry Point Marines set to deploy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090405170619/http://www.havenews.com/news/cherry_5409___article.html/marines_point.html). *Havelock News*. 3 April 2009. Archived from [the original](http://www.havenews.com/news/cherry_5409___article.html/marines_point.html) on 5 April 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["3rd MAW (Fwd.) Assumes Responsibilities From MAG-40"](http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news/news_show.php&id=47671). *DVIDS*. 4 April 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [DESERT STORM - Marine Air Combat Elements](http://www.popasmoke.com/desert-storm/elements.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100205144653/http://www.popasmoke.com/desert-storm/elements.html) 2010-02-05 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-AirCampaign_4-0)** Principal Deputy Under Secretary (Strategy and Resources) (April 1992). "Chapter Six - The Air Campaign". [*Conduct of the Persian Gulf War Final Report to Congress*](http://www.fas.org/irp/imint/docs/cpgw6/cpgw_ch6_plan.htm). U.S. Department of Defense. Posted in digital format by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS). Available in scanned version from [The Department of Defense Reading Room](http://www.dod.mil/pubs/foi/persian_gulf/) and as pdf from [NDU.edu](http://www.ndu.edu/library/epubs/cpgw.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20060502031202/http://www.ndu.edu/library/epubs/cpgw.pdf) 2006-05-02 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine). Find the author at [DTIC](http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA249390) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110717145048/http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord) 2011-07-17 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Talton, Trista (23 March 2009). "Lejeune brigade prepares for Afghanistan". *Marine Corps Times*.

## References

- This article incorporates [public domain material](/source/Copyright_status_of_works_by_the_federal_government_of_the_United_States) from websites or documents of the [United States Marine Corps](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps).

**Bibliography**

- Brown, Ronald J. (1998). [*With Marine Forces Afloat in Desert Shield and Desert Storm (U.S. Marines in the Persian Gulf, 1990-1991)*](https://books.google.com/books?id=9B0BcHnHHvcC). Diane Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-16-049765-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-16-049765-5).

**Web**

- [MAG-40's official website](https://www.marines.mil/unit/2ndMAW/mag40)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

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v t e 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2 2nd MAW Band MAG-14 MALS-14 VMUT-2 VMA-223 VMA-231 VMGR-252 VMFA-542 MAG-26 MALS-26 MWSS-272 VMM-162 VMMT-204 VMM-261 VMM-263 VMM-266 VMM-365 MAG-29 MALS-29 HMLA-167 HMLA-269 HMHT-302 HMH-366 HMH-461 HMH-464 MAG-31 MALS-31 VMFA-115 VMFA(AW)-224 VMFA-251 VMFA-312 VMFAT-501 VMFA(AW)-533 MACG-28 MTACS-28 MWCS-28 MASS-1 MACS-2 2nd LAAD MWSS-271 MWSS-272 MWSS-273 MWSS-274

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Marine Aircraft Group 40](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Aircraft_Group_40) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Aircraft_Group_40?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.