R 131218Z AUG 10
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 030/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS //
SUBJ/4TH MARINE AIRCRAFT WING ANNIVERSARY//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  IT IS MY DISTINCT PLEASURE, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE MARINE CORPS, TO SALUTE THE MARINES AND SAILORS OF 4TH MARINE AIRCRAFT WING (4TH MAW) ON THEIR 68TH ANNIVERSARY.
2.  DURING THE EARLY DAYS OF WORLD WAR II, THE 4TH MARINE BASE DEFENSE AIRCRAFT WING WAS ACTIVATED ON 22 AUGUST 1942, TO PROTECT AND DEFEND THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, MIDWAY, AND THE SAMOAS.  AS THE DEFENSE REQUIREMENT LESSENED, THE WING PARTICIPATED IN OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS IN THE ELLICE, GILBERT, AND MARSHALL ISLANDS, RESULTING IN THE UNIT'S DESIGNATION CHANGE IN 1944 TO TODAY'S FAMILIAR 4TH MAW.  FOLLOWING THE END OF WORLD WAR II, 4TH MAW WAS DEACTIVATED ON 26 MARCH 1946.
3.  WITH THE REORGANIZATION OF THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE, 4TH MAW WAS REACTIVATED AS A RESERVE WING ON 1 JULY 1962.  THE WING HAS CONSISTENTLY PROVEN TO BE AN UNSURPASSED SOURCE OF TRAINED, PROFESSIONAL AND SKILLED WARRIORS, WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THEIR ACTIVE COUNTERPARTS IN COMBAT IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, AND OUR NATION IN TIMES OF HUMANITARIAN CRISIS. 
4.  YOUR FELLOW MARINES HONOR YOUR TIRELESS DEDICATION TO CORPS AND COUNTRY. 
5.  HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AND SEMPER FIDELIS MARINES.  JAMES T. CONWAY, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//