Marine Air Control Squadron 4

Marine Air Control Squadron 4 (MACS-4) is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control squadron that provides aerial surveillance Ground-controlled interception and air traffic control for the III Marine Expeditionary Force. Originally formed in World War II, the squadron's most notable combat operations occurred during the Vietnam War when it was the first unit to ever use the Marine Tactical Data System. They are currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and fall under the command of Marine Air Control Group 18 and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.

Marine Air Control Squadron 4
MACS-4 Insignia
Active5 May 1944 – 30 Apr 1947
30 Jun 1951 – 31 Jan 1971
15 Jun 1971 – present
Country United States of America
Branch United States Marine Corps
TypeAviation Command & Control
RoleAerial surveillance & Air traffic control
Part ofMarine Air Control Group 18
1st Marine Aircraft Wing
Garrison/HQMarine Corps Air Station Futenma
Nickname(s)Vice Squad
EngagementsVietnam War
Operation Enduring Freedom
Commanders
Current
commander		LtCol John Kolb


Subordinate units
NameLocation
Headquarters and Support DetachmentMCAS Futenma
Air Traffic Control Detachment AlphaMCAS Futenma
Air Traffic Control Detachment BravoMCAS Iwakuni
Tactical Air Operations Center DetachmentMCAS Futenma

Mission

Provide air surveillance and the control of aircraft and Surface-To-Air weapons for antiair warfare; Continuous All-Weather radar and Non-Radar air traffic control service, and airspace management in support of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF)

History

Early years

Air Warning Squadron 13 was commissioned May 5, 1944 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina and assigned to 1st Marine Air Warning Group, 9th Marine Aircraft Wing.[1] On 12 August 1944 the squadron moved to Naval Air Station Vero Beach, Florida to assist in the air control program and give squadron personnel experience in night intercept problems. The squadron was responsible for operating an SCR-527 radar at Sebastian, the SCR-270 radars at Stuart and Roseland and the Radio direction finder (RDF) stations at Melbourne, Vero Beach and Stuart. The squadron departed NAS Vero Beach on June 7, 1945 heading for the west coast. They were redesignated 1 August 1946 to Marine Ground Control Intercept Squadron 4 and assigned to Marine Air Control Group 2. The squadron was decommissioned April 30, 1947.

They were reactivated 30 June 1951 at Marine Corps Air Station Santa Ana, California and assigned to Marine Air Control Group 3, Air Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. Re-designated 15 February 1954 as Marine Air Control Squadron 4. They moved in July 1959 to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan and were assigned to Marine Wing Headquarters Group, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. Their first deployment was to Thailand during May–July 1962 in connection with communist threat to that country.

Vietnam War

The squadron again relocated during October 1965 to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. They deployed during 1967 to Danang, Republic of Vietnam and assigned to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron was reassigned during August 1967 to Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. They were the first unit in the Marine Corps to utilize the Marine Tactical Data System (MTDS) which they operated from Monkey Mountain west of Danang from June 1967 to January 1971. The squadron departed Vietnam embarking on the USS Alamo (LSD-33) on 31 January 1971 to head back to MCAS Santa Ana, California. On that same day MACS-4 was officially deactivated. They were reactivated 15 June 1971 at MCAS Futenma, Okinawa, Japan and assigned to Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.

Global War on Terror

Elements of the squadron participated in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, April 2002 through March 2004.

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See also

References
 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
Citations
  1. Rottman 2002, pp. 449.
Bibliography
  • Rottman, Gordon (2002). U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle: Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939–1945. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31906-5.
Web
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