Marine Aircraft Group 14
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| Marine Aircraft Group 14 | |
|---|---|
 United States Marine Corps · Public domain · source | |
| Unit name | Marine Aircraft Group 14 |
| Caption | Emblem of Marine Aircraft Group 14 |
| Dates | 1 March 1942 – present |
| Country | United States |
| Allegiance | United States Marine Corps |
| Branch | Department of the Navy |
| Type | Aviation group |
| Role | Fixed-wing assault support, close air support, aerial refueling |
| Command structure | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing |
| Garrison | Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point |
| Nickname | "The Flying Fighting 14" |
| Motto | "In Pace, Vigilantia" |
| Battles | World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom |
Marine Aircraft Group 14 is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock, North Carolina. The group provides fixed-wing aviation capable of assault support, aerial refueling, and close air support to II Marine Expeditionary Force and other joint force commanders. Formed during World War II, the unit has participated in major 20th- and 21st-century campaigns and developed expertise in expeditionary aviation logistics, training, and operator readiness.
History
Activated in 1942 amid the expansion preceding Operation Torch and Guadalcanal Campaign, the group supported Fleet Marine Force operations in the Pacific Theater alongside squadrons attached to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. Postwar reassignments placed the group in reserve status before it returned to active duty during the Korean War, integrating with units deployed to Kunsan Air Base and providing tactical support for 1st Marine Division operations. In the Vietnam War, the group sustained forward-deployed squadrons that operated from airfields such as Da Nang Air Base and Chu Lai Air Base, supporting Operation Starlite and other counterinsurgency efforts. During the Gulf War era, the group contributed to Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm through tanker and assault support detachments that interfaced with Marine Aircraft Group 26 and Carrier Air Wing elements. In the post-9/11 environment, elements of the group cyclically deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, coordinating with Joint Task Force structures and multinational partners such as units from the Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force.
Mission and Role
The group's mission aligns with the United States Marine Corps aviation doctrine of providing responsive, expeditionary fixed-wing capabilities to the II Marine Expeditionary Force and joint commanders. It emphasizes assault support for Marine Expeditionary Units, aerial refueling to extend range for strike aircraft such as those from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 and Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542, and close air support that integrates with ground maneuver elements like 3rd Marine Division and 1st Marine Regiment. The group also supports Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief missions in coordination with entities such as United States Southern Command and United States Northern Command and trains for interoperability with partner services including the United States Navy and United States Air Force.
Organization and Units
Marine Aircraft Group 14 comprises multiple squadrons and support units organized to deliver integrated air operations. Typical components include assault support squadrons that operate tactical lift aircraft aligned with Marine Air Control Group 28's command-and-control framework, aerial refueling squadrons that coordinate with Air Mobility Command and Fleet Logistics Support Wing elements, and maintenance and logistics squadrons that synchronize with Naval Air Systems Command procedures. Over time, the group has hosted units such as fixed-wing attack squadrons, aerial refueler-transport squadrons, and electronic warfare detachments, often working alongside Marine Aircraft Group 11 and Marine Aircraft Group 13 during large-scale exercises like Operation Juniper Cobra and Exercise Noble Dina.
Aircraft and Equipment
Historically, the group's inventory has shifted from World War II-era fighters and bombers to modern fixed-wing platforms. In different eras the group has employed aircraft types associated with Vought F4U Corsair, Grumman TBF Avenger, Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, and McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet families. In contemporary operations, emphasis has been on tactical tankers and transport aircraft compatible with KC-130 variants for aerial refueling and logistics, as well as systems for mission planning and targeting interoperable with Advanced Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System suites. The group's maintenance elements follow standards promulgated by Naval Aviation Maintenance Program and use components certified under Federal Aviation Administration regulations when applicable to joint operations.
Deployments and Operations
The group has been integral to expeditionary deployments, providing aircraft and crews for carrier interdiction support and shore-based tactical operations. In World War II, detachments supported campaigns across the Solomon Islands and Philippine Islands. During Korean War operations, elements provided tactical airlift and close air support missions around the Pusan Perimeter and Inchon landing. In Vietnam War, squadrons flew interdiction, close air support, and logistical missions that interoperated with Military Assistance Command, Vietnam assets. In the 1990s and 2000s, the group supported Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom basing from Al Udeid Air Base and Bagram Airfield, and Operation Iraqi Freedom with sorties coordinated through Multinational Force Iraq command nodes. The group also participates regularly in multinational exercises with NATO members such as Royal Netherlands Air Force and German Air Force as part of readiness and interoperability programs.
Notable Commanders and Personnel
The group’s command cadre over decades has included aviators who later advanced to senior leadership in the United States Marine Corps and joint services, including officers who became leaders within 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and served on staffs of United States European Command and United States Central Command. Notable alumni have held commands in operational theaters and contributed to doctrine published by Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory and Marine Corps University. The unit’s enlisted and warrant officer technicians have been recognized by awards such as the Navy Unit Commendation and Meritorious Unit Commendation for collective performance during major operations.