Marine Aviation Training Support Group 53

Marine Aviation and Training Support Group 53
MATSG-53 insignia
Active	April 1, 1943 - May 1947 September 2, 1986 - present
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Role	Training
Garrison/HQ	Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
Commanders
Current commander	Col Timothy B. Cutright

Marine Aviation Training Support Group 53 (MATSG-53) is a United States Marine Corps aviation training group located at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. The group was originally established on April 1, 1943 as Marine Aircraft Group 53, the first Marine night-fighter group.

Mission

Furnish highly qualified Fleet Replacement EA-6B Prowler personnel to the Fleet Marine Force and also provide the Commandant of the Marine Corps administrative and logistical support for assigned Marine Corps Personnel and to perform other tasks directed by the Commandant.

History

Marine Night Fighting Group 53 (MAG(N)-53) was formed on April 1, 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina^[1]. It was the first night fighter group in the Marine Corps and was responsible for the traing of all VFM(N) squadrons.^[2] They trained in Vero Beach, Florida in the spring and summer of 1944 and in November of that year they moved to Marine Corps Air Station Eagle Mountain Lake, Texas.^[3] They were redesignated Marine Night Fighter Group 53 (MNFG 53) in April of 1945. The group remained in Texas until the end of the war. During the course of the war the group trained 8 night fighting squadrons and sent seven of them ionto combat.^[2]

They moved back to MCAS Cherry Point in February of 1946 and changed their name again, this time to Marine Aircraft Group 53 (MAG-53) in November of that year. The group was deactivated in May of 1947.^[3]

See also

United States Marine Corps portal

• List of United States Marine Corps aircraft groups
• VAQ-129

Notes

1. ^ Porter (1985): 183
2. ^ ^{a b} Sherrod (1952): 447
3. ^ ^{a b} Rottman (2002): 437

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.

Books

• Porter, R. Bruce; Eric Hammel (1985). Ace! - A Marine Night-Fighter Pilot in World War II. Pacifica, California: Pacifica Press. 

• Rottman, Gordon L. (2002). U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle - Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939 - 1945.’’. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31906-5. 
• Sherrod, Robert (1952). History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Combat Forces Press. 

External links

• MATSG-53 official website