R 071840Z JUL 05
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
TO AL ALMAR(UC)
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 033/05
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CMC//
SUBJ/2D MARINE AIRCRAFT WING ANNIVERSARY MESSAGE//
POC/SGT K. PTAK/ADMIN CHIEF/CMC STAFF GROUP/-/TEL:(703) 614-2326
/EMAIL:PTAKKK@HQMC.USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  SIXTY FOUR YEARS AGO, AS THE DARK CLOUDS OF THE
SECOND WORLD WAR GATHERED, THE 2D MARINE AIRCRAFT WING WAS FORMED ON
10 JULY IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.  SOON TESTED IN COMBAT, THE WING
DISTINGUISHED ITSELF OVER THE SKIES OF WAKE ISLAND, OKINAWA,
MIDWAY, SAIPAN, GUADALCANAL, TINIAN AND GUAM, FORGING A WELL-EARNED
REPUTATION FOR COURAGE UNDER FIRE AND AERIAL PROWESS.  
2.  FROM THOSE EARLY DAYS OVER THE PACIFIC, THE MARINES OF 2D MAW
HAVE REPEATEDLY DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES AT THE CHOSIN RESERVOIR, AT
MARBLE MOUNTAIN IN VIETNAM, OVER GRENADA AND BEIRUT, IN THE BATTLE
OF KHAFGJI, AND MOST RECENTLY, OVER THE STREETS AND DESERTS OF THE
AL ANBAR PROVINCE IN IRAQ.  BATTLE-TESTED IN EVERY DECADE SINCE ITS
INCEPTION, EACH GENERATION OF MARINES HAS ADDED LUSTER TO THE
ENDURING LEGACY OF THE 2D MARINE AIRCRAFT WING.
3.  AS WE CELEBRATE THIS ANNIVERSARY, IT IS FITTING TO REFLECT ON
THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND SACRIFICES OF THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US.
WE ALSO NOTE WITH PRIDE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THOSE NOW SERVING
WITH DISTINCTION IN HARM'S WAY.  ALL MARINES SHARE IN YOUR
COMMEMORATION, AND WISH YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS. SEMPER FIDELIS AND
KEEP ATTACKING!  M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT
OF THE MARINE CORPS.//