R 031947Z JUL 12
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 026/12
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS //
SUBJ/2D MARINE AIRCRAFT WING ANNIVERSARY //
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  SEVENTY-ONE YEARS AGO AS THE SECOND WORLD WAR LOOMED ON THE HORIZON, 2D MARINE AIRCRAFT WING (2D MAW) ACTIVATED ON 10 JULY 1941 IN SAN DIEGO, CA.  THE WING QUICKLY DISTINGUISHED ITSELF IN THE SKIES OVER WAKE ISLAND, OKINAWA, MIDWAY, SAIPAN, GUADALCANAL, TINIAN AND GUAM, FORGING A WELL-EARNED REPUTATION FOR AERIAL PROWESS AND COURAGE UNDER FIRE.
2.  FROM THOSE EARLY DAYS OVER THE PACIFIC, THE MARINES OF 2D MAW HAVE REPEATEDLY DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES DURING THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS, IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, DURING OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM, AS WELL AS IN THE SKIES OVER THE BALKANS, IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN.  EACH GENERATION OF MARINES THAT HAS SERVED IN 2D MAW HAS ADDED LUSTER TO ITS ENDURING LEGACY THAT HAS BEEN BATTLE-TESTED IN EVERY DECADE SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
3.  AS WE CELEBRATE THIS ANNIVERSARY, IT IS FITTING TO REFLECT ON THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND SACRIFICES OF THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US.
4.  HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AND SEMPER FIDELIS!  JAMES F. AMOS, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//