Marine Aircraft Group 36
MAG-36 Logo
1st Marine Aircraft Wing
Okinawa, Japan

Who We Are

Support the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) with combat ready expeditionary assault support aircraft and when directed, plan and conduct aviation operations as a Marine Expeditionary Brigade-level Aviation Combat Element.

 

MAG-36 News

 

MAG-36 Leaders

Commanding Officer
Marine Aircraft Group 36

Colonel Brett Allison assumed the duties as the Commanding Officer of Marine Aircraft Group 36 in June 2023.

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Executive Officer
Marine Aircraft Group 36

Lieutenant Colonel Ronald J. Eavers II assumed the duties as the Executive Officer of Marine Aircraft Group 36 in June of 2023.

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Senior Enlisted Leader
Marine Aircraft Group 36

Sergeant Major Luke A. Gilliland assumed his post in September of 2023 as the Marine Aircraft Group 36 Command Senior Enlisted Leader.

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Marine Aircraft Group 36
Unit 37131
FPO, AP 96386-7131

Marine Aircraft Group (Helicopter Transport) 36 was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Facility Santa Ana on 2 June 1952.  While VMO-6 was making history in Korea as the first Marine helicopter squadron in U.S. history to conduct combat operations, MAG-36 squadrons, consisting of HMRs 361, 362 and 363, were devoting long hours to testing and improving the techniques of employing their HRS-1 helicopters in amphibious ship-to-shore movements.  MAG-36 took part in many large-scale operations including atomic bomb testing during Operation DESERT ROCK. 

On 5 September 1955, MAG-36 moved to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) El Toro and attached to 3d Marine Aircraft Wing when the Wing returned from Korea.  MAG-36 deployed to the Republic of Vietnam in August 1965 and attached to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.  MAG-36 became the first complete Marine Aircraft Group to be transported by sea and arrive in a combat zone when it launched from the decks of the USS Princeton for Chu Lai Base on 1 September 1965.

Upon arrival, they provided resupply, troop lifts, air strikes, medical evacuation, and recon inserts/extracts for troops in the Southern I Corps area of operations.  These missions involved a variety of aircraft including UH-1E Gunships, CH-46 Sea Knights, and UH-34 Sea Horses.  In the fall of 1967, MAG-36 moved to Phu Bai, and by early 1968 was heavily involved in thwarting the communist Tet Offensive.  Throughout the battle for Hue, MAG-36 helicopters supported ground forces in and around the ancient city.  

On 4 November 1969, MAG-36 withdrew from Vietnam and relocated to MCAS Futenma, Okinawa Japan.  VMGR-152 joined MAG-36 at that time.  In 1970, MAG-36 began providing composite helicopter squadrons to the 31st Marine Amphibious Unit afloat; later renamed 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).  In early 1973, MAG-36 squadrons participated in clearing Haiphong harbor of mines.

On April 11, 1975, the group provided transport for Operation EAGLE PULL — the successful emergency evacuation of Americans from Cambodia.  Following this, the Group deployed all available aircraft aboard 7th Fleet ships for Operation FREQUENT WIND.  On 29 April 1975, MAG-36 helicopters evacuated over 7,000 people from Saigon in a 24-hour period.

From the late 1970s through the 1980s, MAG-36 continued to support fleet operations in the Pacific Theater.  MAG-36 became the Unit Deployment Program (UDP) linchpin in the Western Pacific (WestPac).  As part of the UDP, CH-46, CH-53, and OV-10 squadrons from Hawaii and California deployed to MCAS Futenma for six-month rotations.  During these deployments MAG-36 participated in numerous exercises and training deployments to various countries around the WestPac.

In November 1992, the last UDP detachment of OV-10s returned to Camp Pendleton, CA.  In the spring of 1993, HMM-262 arrived from Hawaii to become a permanent part of MAG-36.  HMM-262 was followed by HMM-265, and these two CH-46 squadrons have formed the backbone of the 31st MEU Aviation Combat Element. 

Throughout the 1990s, MAG-36 units participated in a variety of contingency operations.  In 1995, MAG-36 units conducted relief operations in Kobe Japan after 6,400 people lost their lives in a massive earthquake and also participated in the withdrawal of United Nation Forces from Somalia during Operation UNITED SHIELD.  In 1999, units responded to a no-notice deployment to the Persian Gulf for Operation DESERT FOX and to East Timor for peacekeeping during Operation STABILIZE.

During the first decade of the 21st century, MAG-36 units continued to support Theater Security Cooperation exercises and numerous contingency operations.  In 2004 and 2007 respectively, HMM-265 and HMM-262 deployed for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM combat operations.  Since May of 2009, VMGR-152 has been providing an enduring two-plane detachment to Afghanistan for Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

Nearly every year, MAG-36 deploys as a MEB-level Aviation Combat Element, often supporting Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.  In November of 2007, in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Sidr MAG-36 elements deployed to Bangladesh for Operation SEA ANGEL II.  MAG-36 supported Operation CARING RESPONSE in May 2008 from Thailand after Tropical Cyclone Nargis impacted Burma.  Additionally, MAG-36 has conducted HADR in the Philippines on three separate occasions: during 2004 with Joint Task Force 535, following three back-to-back typhoons in October 2009, and again in October 2010 in the wake of Super Typhoon MEGI.  Most recently during Operation TOMODACHI, MAG-36 deployed to mainland Japan immediately following the triple-disaster created by an earthquake, tsunami, and damaged nuclear reactor to provide much needed relief to our host nation.

Commercial: 011-81-098-911-5111
DSN: 315-636-3020

Group Duty Officer
Cell Phone: +81-90-6861-4884
DSN: 315-636-3020

Wing Duty Officer
Cell Phone: +81-80-2737-9024
DSN: 315-645-2564

 CO 315-636-2015  Group Surgeon 315-636-2206
 XO 315-636-5261  Corpsman   315-636-2237
 Sergeant Major  315-636-3778  Chaplain 315-636-3016
 PSD CO  315-636-2180   Group Duty Officer 315-636-3020
 ADJ  315-636-3044   Group Duty Cell +81-90-6861-4884
 PersO 315-636-5996  FAX 315-636-3620
 OpsO 315-636-3263    

Unit Readiness Coordinator
Douglas Kennedy
Cell: 080-2701-7742
DSN: 315-636-2216

Assistant Unit Readiness Coordinator
Clinton Battles
DSN:  315-636-2216
Cell: 080-2701-7742 

Housing Information
Family Team Building Okinawa
Military OneSource
NAVMC_11654__EF__5409 Authorization Form
FRO MOL SLIDE

Uniformed Victim Advocate's Policy Letter
Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Page 

MAG-36 UVA
SSgt Leighton Thompson
DSN: 636-5033

For CAC Authenticated users, the MAG-36 Intranet (SharePoint Online) can be found at:

https://usmc.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/MAG36

Please note that access must be granted to the site in addition to CAC Authentication.