Our Squadron is for all Marines who are or were part of Marine Air Command and Control. The name honors a small team of Marines who created an all weather bombing system in 1949 at Point Magu, California that evolved to become the Air Support Radar Team (ASRT). The equipment was sent to the Korean War as part of the 1st MAW, 1st MTACS. The radio call sign was Devastate Charlie. We are part of the Marine Corps Aviation Association. Click on the MCAA logo below for more information or to join. If you want to post stories or photos send them to craighullinger@gmail.com Semper Fi

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

CMC on Seapower

The link below is an in-depth interview in the September 2011 issue of Seapower magazine. CMC describes the Marine Corps' role as America's crisis response force and discusses budget constraints, reset, and other challenges that lie ahead.



Here is the link to the article:





http://www.seapower-digital.com/seapower/spsample/#pg1






Monday, August 29, 2011

Tactical Air Control Party

Residents living around Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, New River and Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue can expect increased aircraft noise and night operations Monday through Friday during a Tactical Air Control Party 6-11 exercise,




Click to read the article


Sunday, August 28, 2011

Facebook Page

Check out our Facebook Page:


http://devastatecharlie.blogspot.com/


Click on the link or the Facebook link in the right column, click "Like" and you will be added to the page. Plus you can check out who else "Likes" the page. Eventually we should be able to create a pretty extensive network of Marine Air Command and Control Facebook users.


Let your other Facebook Command and Control Marines know about this blog and ask them to "Like" the Facebook page.


About 1/2 of Americans are now on Facebook. And the Air Control community is more technologically savvy than the average person, so we should be able to make this pretty robust.


Semper Fi



Air Traffic Control / Air Support


Responsibilities
Air traffic controllers monitor and coordinate air traffic and vehicles within the designated areas of an established airport control zone, expeditionary airfield or remote area landing site. Air Support Marines coordinate with aircraft and ground forces in order to provide direct and 
indirect close fire support.

Initial Training
After recruit training, these Marines will either complete Air Traffic Control Basic Course at Pensacola, Fla., the Air Control Electronics Operator Course at Quantico, Va, or the Air Support Operations Operator Course at Twentynine Palms, Calif.



Thursday, August 25, 2011

Thank You For Freedom










This is just south of Omaha, NE. on Hwy 75 south. Farmer Chris Shottun does it with his tractor.  He uses GPS to get the letters readable. He has done this every fall for several years now.

This is what our servicemen see when landing at Offutt Air Force Base. 

Thank you, Farmer Chris Shottun and Walmart. Very nice.


http://www.snopes.com/photos/patriotic/offutt.asp





Wednesday, August 24, 2011

MACG-48


History 

MACG-18 was formed 1 September 1967 in DaNang, Vietnam, at the height of US participation in the Vietnam Conflict. At that time the Group's component units were already deeply involved in combat, and its Hawk battalion was among the first US Marine units to land in Vietnam.

From the very time of its formation, MACG-18 and it subordinated units with attachments scattered throughout the I Corps Tactical Zone, participated in every major campaign conducted in the northern area of South Vietnam until its departure from Vietnam. In recognition of their accomplishments during the Vietnam Conflict, MACG-18 and its units were awarded four Presidential Unit Citations, three Navy Unit Commendations and Meritorious Commendation.

The Group moved from Vietnam to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan in 1971, and was displaced again to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, in 1975. Since the end of the war in Vietnam, MACG-18 has assumed a major role in joint, combined and Marine air-ground training and contingency operation in the Western Pacific.




Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Adios, Muammar

It appears that Muammar Gaddafi's dictatorship in Libya is at an end. This individual directed terrorist activities including the destruction of two civilian airplanes carrying numerous passengers. We are glad to see him go and hope that he soon receives his deserved punishment.


Details of how air was controlled over Libya are murky but it appears that the US and NATO forces worked very well with the rebels on the ground. Congratulations to all concerned.


My with and I flew Space A Air to Souda Bay this past April. The Libyan effort was underway and our fighter bombers were leaving the base to bomb Libya and return. It was somewhat surreal - we were in a war that only the pilots were experiencing. There were several NATO countries and the US providing assets.


At any rate their were no US casualties. And a brutal dictator is on his way out. A job well done.


Congratulations and Semper Fi


http://travelhullinger.blogspot.com/


http://marines10.blogspot.com/

http://www.inamibia.co.na/news-and-weather/15-africa/2036-the-secret-weapon-in-libya.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muammar_Gaddafi


MTACS-48 Change of Command

Monday, August 22, 2011

4th Marine Airwcraft Wing 1942





Today in Marine Corps history - 1942 - The 4th Marine Aircraft Wing was commissioned at Ewa, Hawaii, as the 4th Marine Base Defense Air Wing.

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Friday, August 19, 2011

Fish Out Of Water

Fish are generally found in the water. Not these fish! These fake fish swim through the air and are radio-controlled. Watch the fun as the owners surprise unsuspecting people. You'll fall over laughing!


We have quality remote controlled aircraft used for surveillance. 


I wonder if these flying fish would be useful in that role?


Any VMU Marines out there?  What do you think?  Might be worth a look. And it would be fun.

http://www.tvkim.com/watch/1246/kims-picks-fish-out-of-water

Thanks to Ken Zalga for sharing




Oldest Marine Corps Airplane



Back in the Old Corps. They don't make them like they used to. I wonder how Marine Air Control worked back then?


A Curtiss C-3 was the first plane of the United States Marine Corps, photographed at Culebra, Puerto Rico, in 1913.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_C-3_USMC_CulebraPR_1913_NAN8-87.jpg


MACG-28 Marines


271 Marines depart for Afghanistan

CHERRY POINT — Cherry Point is experiencing a weekend of activities as some Marines depart and some arrive back home from Afghanistan.
Marines from Marine Air Control Group 28 boarded a commercial jumbo jet bound Friday morning for a seven-month deployment to Afghanistan.
Stay Safe, Marines

Semper Fi

Monday, August 8, 2011

MACG-48


Marine Air Control Group 48 


Mission Statement
Coordinate all aspects of Air Command and Control and Air Defense within the Marine Aircraft Wing. Provide the Command and Staff functions for the MACG Commander when deployed as part of the Aviation Combat of the Marine Air Ground Task Force.