MASS-2 celebrates 75th birthday

Photo By Sgt. Natalie Dillon | Marines with Marine Air Support Squadron 2, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, pull a Humvee during their Devil Dog competition Jan. 4, 2018 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan. The unit ran a nearly 9-mile relay run, held a formation run, and competed in its own Devil Dog competition in celebration of the unit’s 75th birthday. MASS-2 has spent all of its existence dedicated to supporting operations and exercises in the Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Natalie Dillon)  

MCAS FUTENMA, OKINAWA, JAPAN

01.04.2018

Story by Sgt. Natalie Dillon 

1st Marine Aircraft Wing   

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, OKINAWA, Japan– Seventy-five years after Marine Air Support Squadron 2’s birth in El Centro, California, the Marines celebrated it’s long, dedicated history by relay-running nearly 9 miles from U.S. Army Base Torii Station to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Jan. 4, 2018.

Immediately after this impressive trek through suburban Okinawa, Japan, the Marines formed up for a unit run along the flight line before spending the rest of the morning competing against one another in a Devil Dog squad competition.

This morning we collected sand from the beach that MASS-2 landed on during the Battle for Okinawa, which was a pretty cool experience, said Capt. Ryan Brodarick, MASS-2’s future operations officer.

MASS-2’s long history has been almost entirely dedicated to supporting United States missions and operations in the Pacific, shifting their focus only to support Operations Enduring Freedom and Desert Storm.

Being the oldest member of the Marine Corps’ aviation command and control community, MASS-2 is a proud reliable asset to the Marine Corps and American people. This Marine Corps unit has endured the tests of time, being based out of several different continental United States locations and ultimately a move to the other side of the globe.

MASS-2 found its current home at MCAS Futenma in 1973 after the Battle for Okinawa and became part of Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.

Although the proud Marines who belong to MASS-2 took the entire day to celebrate, they anticipate an action packed 2018.

“We’re going to be averaging one exercise per month for 2018,” said Brodarick. “Our Marines are getting pushed to the limit, but they are excelling every time.”

• Date Taken: 01.04.2018
• Date Posted: 01.09.2018 02:53
• Story ID: 261605
• Location: MCAS FUTENMA, OKINAWA, JP