Marine Aircraft Group MAG-16 — USMC Embroidered Patch Rotary Wing Pioneers MAG-16 didn't just fly helicopters into combat — it invented the way Marines use them. As the first helicopter group ever established in the Marine Corps, MAG-16 set the standard for rotary wing assault operations that continues to this day. If you've ever served with this group, you were part of aviation history. Commissioned on 1 March 1952 at Marine Corps Air Facility Santa Ana, California, MAG-16 was the first helicopter group in the Marine Corps. Before its activation, helicopter squadrons reported directly to the Air Wing with no intermediate command. The group deployed to Da Nang in March 1965 and became one of the largest Marine Air Groups in the history of the Corps, devising the "Sparrow Hawk" quick-reaction force concept with the 9th Marines. From Vietnam to Desert Storm, Somalia to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan, MAG-16 has been in the fight. Now based at MCAS Miramar with MV-22 Ospreys and CH-53 Super Stallions, the group continues to provide assault support under the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. Perfect For: MAG-16 veterans and active duty Marines, MV-22 Osprey and CH-53 community members, MCAS Miramar personnel, rotary wing aviation enthusiasts, and Marine Corps heritage collectors. First in Rotary Wing.
