R 302152Z JUN 11
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 025/11
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS//
SUBJ/1ST MARINE AIRCRAFT WING ANNIVERSARY//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  IT IS MY HONOR TO CONGRATULATE THE MARINES AND SAILORS OF 1ST MARINE AIRCRAFT WING (1ST MAW) ON THE OCCASION OF THEIR HISTORIC 70TH ANNIVERSARY.
2.  ON 7 JULY 1941, 1ST MAW WAS ACTIVATED AT THE CROSSROADS OF THE MARINE CORPS, QUANTICO, VA.  EPITOMIZING SERVICE "IN EVERY CLIME AND PLACE," 1ST MAW HAS PROVIDED AVIATION COMBAT SUPPORT TO MARINES FIGHTING ON THE GROUND IN WORLD WAR II, KOREA, VIETNAM AND IRAQ. UNITS OF THE 1ST MAW CONTINUE TO PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN OUR ON-GOING EFFORT IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN.  FORWARD DEPLOYED, 1ST MAW MARINES AND SAILORS ARE CONSISTENTLY AMONG INITIAL FORCES TO RESPOND WITH CRITICAL SUPPLIES AND SERVICES TO HUMANITARIAN CRISES THROUGHOUT THE PACIFIC; MOST RECENTLY PROVIDING RAPID AID TO JAPAN AFTER A DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI.
3.  AS YOU CELEBRATE YOUR ANNIVERSARY, PAUSE TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN THE SUPREME SACRIFICE, AND REMEMBER ALL THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SAVED BY YOUR PROFESSIONAL RESPONSE TO THE CALL OF DUTY.
4.  SEMPER FIDELIS AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.  JAMES F. AMOS, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//