Biography

Lieutenant Colonel Michael Wyrsch
Commanding Officer VMFA-242

Lieutenant Colonel Wyrsch was born in Washington, DC and grew up in Montgomery Village, Maryland.  He graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.  He was commissioned on 29 March, 2002 and attended the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. 

Lieutenant Colonel Wyrsch was assigned to Romeo Battery, Fifth Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment (R/5/11) aboard Camp Pendleton, California in 2003.  He was attached to Bravo Company, First Battalion, Fourth Marine Regiment as an Artillery Forward Observer on the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  During the deployment, he participated in combat operations in Najaf, as well as Operation Phantom Fury while temporarily assigned to Lima Company, Third Battalion, First Marine Regiment.   At the completion of the deployment, Lieutenant Colonel Wyrsch served as the Guns Platoon Commander and Battery Executive Officer with R/5/11 until reporting for flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. 

Lieutenant Colonel Wyrsch was selected to fly the AV-8B Harrier and was assigned to Marine Attack Squadron 542 at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina in 2008.  He attached to Marine Medium Tilt Squadron 266 and deployed on the 26th MEU in 2010.  During this deployment, he participated in combat operations in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn.

In 2011, Lieutenant Colonel Wyrsch was assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 to serve as a Harvest HAWK Fire Control Officer aboard the KC-130J.  He deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan and participated in combat operations in the Helmand Province in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. 

Lieutenant Colonel Wyrsch was selected to transition to the F-35 program, and was assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 at MCAS Yuma, Arizona in 2012.  He served as the Director of Safety and Standardization, Aircraft Maintenance Officer, and Executive Officer.  In 2016, Lieutenant Colonel Wyrsch relocated with VMFA-121 from MCAS Yuma to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan.  While in Japan, he deployed twice as part of the F-35B detachment on the 31st MEU, including once at the F-35B Detachment Officer-in-Charge. 

In 2018, Lieutenant Colonel Wyrsch was assigned to the Pentagon in Washington, DC where he served as the F-35C Requirements Officer for the Chief of Naval Operations, Air Warfare Directorate.  He returned to MCAS Iwakuni in 2020 for command of VMFA-242 during the transition from the F/A-18D Hornet to the F-35B Lightning II.

Lieutenant Colonel Wyrsch’s personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star, Air Medal Strike/Flight with numeral 12, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat distinguishing device and one gold star, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with combat distinguishing device and two gold stars, and the Combat Action Ribbon.

1st Marine Aircraft Wing