Marine Air Support Squadron 2

Marine Air Support Squadron 2
Active	1 January 1943 - present
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Type	Aviation command and control
Role	Provide the DASC
Part of	Marine Air Control Group 18 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
Garrison/HQ	Marine Corps Air Station Futenma
Nickname(s)	"Pacific Vagabonds"
Anniversaries	1 January 2018 - 75th Anniversary
Engagements	World War II Korean War Vietnam War Operation Enduring Freedom
Commanders
Current commander	LtCol Dan Knudson

Marine Air Support Squadron 2 (MASS-2), is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control unit that provides the Direct Air Support Center (DASC) for the III Marine Expeditionary Force. It is the oldest^[1] and most decorated aviation command and control unit in the Marine Corps.

Originally formed at Marine Corps Air Station El Centro, California on 1 January 1943, the Squadron served as the senior air defense headquarters during the Battle of Okinawa. It was the first aviation command and control unit to arrive in Korea as part of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade in August 1950 and was part of the last Marine Corps units to leave in July 1956. MASS-2 provided multiple DASCs and Air Support Radar Teams in support of Marine Corps operations in Vietnam from April 1965 until late 1973. The squadron has also sent multiple small detachments to support operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, the squadron is based out of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan and continues to regularly deploy in support of exercises and theater security cooperation engagements throughout the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.^[2]