The 1991 Persian Gulf War

MARCENT Marine Corps Component

by David Nilsen and Greg Novak

I Marine Expeditionary Force

    1st Marine Division (US)

    2d Marine Division (US)

      1st "Tiger" Brigade, 2d Armored Division (US)

    1st Force Service Group
    3d Civil Affairs Group
    1st, 2d (-), and 4th (-) Force Recon Companies
    3d Naval Construction Regiment (US Navy)
      including 4th, 5th, 7th, 24th, 40th, and 74th Naval Mobile Construction Battalions, Naval Support Group 1, and Naval Beach Group 1

    24th Marines

3d Marine Air Wing (Aircraft below listed in Command Decision/Combined Arms terms)

Marine Air Group 11

    VMFA (AW)- 121 Green Knights (at SheikhIsa Air Base, Bahrain): 3 F/A-18D
    VMFA-212 Lancers (at Sheikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain): 3 F/A-18C
    VMFA-232 Red Devils (at Sheikh Isa. Air Base, Bahrain): 3 F/A-18C
    VMFA-235 Death Angels (at Sheikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain): 3 F/A18C
    VMFA-314 Black Knights (at Sheikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain): 3 F/A18A
    VMFA-333 Shamrocks (at Sheikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain): 3 F/A-18A
    VMFA-451 Warlords (at Sheikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain): 3 F/A-18A
    VMA (AW)-224 (at Sheikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain): 3 A-6E
    VMA (AW)-533 Hawks (at Sheikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain): 3 A-6E
    VMAQ-2 Playboys (at Sheikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain): 3 EA-6B
    VMGR-234 (at Bahrain International Airport, Muharraq, Bahrain): 1 KC-130T
    VMGR-252 (at Bahrain International Airport Muharraq, Bahrain): 1 KC-130F/R
    VMGR-352 (at Bahrain International AirpoM Muharraq, Bahrain): 1 KC-130F/R
    VMGR-452 (at Sheikh Isa, Bahrain, and Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia): 2 KC- 130T

Marine Air Group 13

    VMA-231 Ace of Spades (at King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Al Jubail): 5 AV-8B
    VMA-311 Tomcats (at King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Al Jubail): 5 AV-8B
    Detachment B, VMA-513 Flying Nightmares (at King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Al Jubail): 1 AV-8B
    VMA-542 Flying Tigers (at King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Al Jubail): 5 AV-8B
    VMO-1 (at King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Al Jubail): 3 OV-10A/D
    VMO-2 (at King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Al Jubail): 2 OV-10A/D

Marine Air Group 16

    HMM-161 Cavalry of the Sky (at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base, Al Jubail): 3 CH-46E
    HMM-165 White Knights (at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base. Al Jubail): 3 CH-46E
    HMLA-367 Scarface (at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base, Al Jubail): 3 AH-1W, 2 UH-1N
    HMLA-369 Gunfighters (at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base, Al Jubail): 3 AH-lW, 2 UH-lN*
    HMH-462 Heavy Haulers (at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base, Al Jubail): 3 CH-53D
    HMH-463 Pineapples (at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base, Al Jubail): 3 CH-53D
    HMH-465 Warhorses (at Ras Al Ghar, Saudi Arabia): 3 CH-53E
    HMH-466 (at Ras Al Ghar, Saudi Arabia): 2 CH-53E

Marine Air Group 26

    HMM-261 Bulls (at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base, Al Jubail): 3 CH-46E
    HMM-266 Griffins (at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base, Al Jubail): 3 CH46E
    HMM-774 (at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base, AIJubail): 3 CH-46E
    HMH-362 Ugly Angels (at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base, A] Jubail): 3 CH-53D
    HMH-464 Condors (at Ras Al Ghar, Saudi Arabia): 2 CH-53E
    Det A, HMH-772 (at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base, Al Jubail): 1 RH53D
    HMA-775 (at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base, Al Jubail): 3 AH-11
    HML-767 (at King Abdul Aziz Naval Base, Al Jubail): 2UH-lN

Marine Air Control Group 38

    2d Light Antiaircraft Missile Battalion
    3d Light Antiaircraft Missile Battalion
    2d Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion (less one battery)
    3d Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion (less one battery

Notes

1. Although commanded by MARCENT, the fixed-wing Marine Corps aviation forces above were coordinated by the Joint Forces Air Component Commander (JFACC) via the Air Tasking Order (ATO).

2. The "*" marked UH-lNs of HMLA-369 above were modified with thermal sights (T) and a laser-designating capability, allowing them to designate for Hellfire missiles fired from Marine AH-I.Ws, which cannot designate for their own Hellfires.

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© Copyright 1994 by Greg Novak.
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