Country United States | ||
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Allegiance United States of America Branch United States Marine Corps Type Aviation ground support squadron Part of Marine Aircraft Group 41
4th Marine Aircraft Wing Garrison/HQ Marine Corps Air Station Miramar | ||
Marine Wing Support Squadron 473 (MWSS-473) is a reserve aviation ground support unit of the United States Marine Corps. They are headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California with Detachment A at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California and Detachment B at Naval Air Station Fort Worth, Texas. The squadron is part of Marine Aircraft Group 41 and the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.
Contents
Mission
Provide all essential Aviation Ground Support requirements to a designated fixed-wing and rotor-wing components of an Aviation Combat Element (ACE) and all supporting or attached elements of the Marine Air Control Group .
History
MWSS-473 completed an eight-month deployment in Afghanistan in 2004–2005. The unit was composed of selected personnel from all three detachments that make up the squadron. During their deployment unit they fueled and loaded helicopters at various bases on the eastern end of Afghanistan. The unit also participated in humanitarian aide missions around Afghanistan. Notably, the squadrons fuel section was in charge of securing, filtering, and refueling helicopters and vehicles, heavy equipment was tasked with loading helicopters with ammunition and supplies. The unit experienced various rocket and mortar fire and did not sustain any casualties during the deployment.
The squadron was re-activated in May 2007 and spent June at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona and the rest of the summer at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California completing pre-deployment training.
They deployed in September 2007 to Al Asad Airbase in the western Iraq. They sent detachemnts at Al Qa'im, Rawah and Mudyasis. They returned in April 2008 after a seven-month deployment.