Marine Aircraft Group 21
Operator Identification
August 1922 to April 1947
United States of America
TYPE: US Navy unit
IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil
HEADQUARTERS: NAS San Diego, CA (1922-1941), MCAS Ewa, HI (1941-1943), Banika, Russell Islands (1943), Efate, New Hebrides (1943-1944), Guam, Marianna Islands (1944-1946), MCAS Miramar, CA (1946), MCAS Cherry Point, NC (1946-1947)
FORMER NAME: 2nd Marine Aircraft Group
SUBSEQUENT NAME: Marine Aviation Training Support Group 21 (MATSG-21)
Operator History
The 2nd Aviation Group was formed at NAS San Diego, CA in August 1922. On May 1, 1939 they were redesignated to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Group. The group was sent overseas to MCAS Ewa, HI in January 1941. There they consolidated with the headquarters of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing on 10 July 1941 and less than a month later they were redesignated Marine Aircraft Group 21.
By the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, MAG-21 was made up of the following squadrons: VMF-211, VMF-221, VMO-251, VMSB-231, VMSB-132 and VMJ-252. All of its aircraft were destroyed in the attack, and the group suffered 17 casualties.
Later, squadrons from MAG-21 fought at the Battle of Wake Island, Battle of Midway and as part of the Cactus Air Force during the Battle of Guadalcanal but the group itself remained at MCAS Ewa until February 1943 when they departed for Banika in the Russell Islands. By June 1943, MAG-21's squadrons were fighting large scale operations against Japanese installations in the northern Solomon Islands. The group moved to Efate, New Hebrides in November 1943 and remained there until June 1944. Their final destination during the war was on Guam where they were based from August 1944 until the end of the war.
The squadron returned to MCAS Miramar, CA in March 1946 with follow on movement to MCAS Cherry Point, NC. They were deactivated in April 1947. They would be reactivated in 2000 as MATSG-21.
Commando Operations
April 1945 to September 1946*
Last edited: 19/03/2021