View source for VMGR-252

{{Use American English|date=January 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252
| image= Vmgr252 insig.jpg
| image_size = 200
|caption= VMGR-252 Insignia
|dates= 1 June 1928 - present
|country= [[United States]]
|allegiance= [[United States|United States of America]]
|branch= [[United States Marine Corps]]
|type= Cargo Transport / [[Aerial refueling]]
|role= [[Assault support]]
|size= 420 Marines
|command_structure= [[Marine Aircraft Group 14]]<br/>[[2nd Marine Aircraft Wing]]
|current_commander= Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas M. Culver|garrison= [[Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point]]
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname= Otis
|patron=
|motto="Otis, my man!"
|colors='''[[Tail Code|BH]]'''
|colors_label=Tail Code
|march=
|mascot=
|battles= '''[[World War II]]'''<br/>* [[Battle of Iwo Jima]]<br/>* [[Battle of Okinawa]]<br/>'''[[Vietnam War]]'''<br/>'''[[Operation Desert Storm]]'''<br/>'''[[Operation Enduring Freedom]]'''<br/>'''[[Operation Iraqi Freedom]]'''
|anniversaries=
|aircraft_transport=[[C-47 Skytrain|R4D Skytrain]]<br/>[[C-119 Flying Boxcar|R4Q Flying Boxcar]]<br/>[[KC-130F/R Hercules]]<br/>[[KC-130J Super Hercules]]
}}
'''Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252''' ('''VMGR-252''') is a [[United States Marine Corps]] [[Lockheed Martin KC-130|KC-130J]] squadron.  They are a part of [[Marine Aircraft Group 14]] (MAG-14), [[2nd Marine Aircraft Wing]] (2nd MAW) and provide both fixed-wing and rotary-wing [[aerial refueling]] capabilities to support [[Fleet Marine Force]] air operations in addition to assault air transport of personnel, equipment, and supplies. The squadron, known as "Otis" is stationed at [[Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point]], [[North Carolina]].  It also has the distinction of being the oldest continually active squadron in the Marine Corps.<ref>[http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news/news_show.php&id=35553 VMGR-252 Continues Long Illustrious History of Flying]</ref>
==Mission==
Support the MAGTF Commander by providing air-to-air refueling, assault support, Close Air Support (CAS) and Multi-sensor Imagery Reconnaissance (MIR), day or night under all weather conditions during expeditionary, joint, or combined operations.
==History==
===Early years===
The squadron was formed 1 June 1928, and designated Headquarters Detachment 7M in [[San Diego, California]]. The squadron was re-designated several times in the next decade. It received the designation Marine Utility Squadron 252 (VMJ-252) on 1 July 1941, and Marine Transport Squadron 252 (VMR-252) on 1 April 1945.
[[File:VJ-7M Logo.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Squadron logo when they were VJ-7M]]
===World War II===
The squadron was heavily involved during [[World War II]] and participated in the following campaigns: [[Pearl Harbor]], [[Marianas]], [[Battle of Iwo Jima|Iwo Jima]], and [[Battle of Okinawa|Okinawa]].  Following the war, the squadron relocated to MCAS Cherry Point and was reassigned to [[Marine Aircraft Group 21]].
[[File:R4Q-1 USMC NAN8-50.jpg|thumb|A VMR-252 R4Q-1 in 1950]]
===Post World War II through the 1980s===
In July 1946, VMR-252 was based at MCAS Miramar as part of [[Marine Aircraft Group 25]].  They remained there until 14 October 1946 when they were moved to MCAS El Toro.<ref name="MAG-25">{{cite web| title =History of MAG-25| publisher =DC3 Aviation Museum| url =http://www.centercomp.com/cgi-bin/dc3/stories?1916| access-date =2008-05-25| url-status =dead| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20080616053431/http://www.centercomp.com/cgi-bin/dc3/stories?1916| archive-date =2008-06-16}}</ref>  During October 1961, the [[KC-130 Hercules]] became the squadron's aircraft. With the introduction of the KC-130, the squadron's primary mission was changed to [[aerial refueling]]. On 1 February 1962, the Squadron received its present designation as Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 (VMGR-252). In December 1965, the KC-130 was used to refuel the [[H-3 Sea King|CH-3 helicopter]]. This was the first time that a [[Aerial refueling#Probe and drogue|tanker drogue system]] was used to refuel a helicopter.
The late sixties and early seventies found VMGR-252 actively supporting U.S. Forces in the [[Republic of Vietnam]], transporting essential equipment, parts, and personnel. VMGR-252 also supported the introduction of the [[Hawker Siddeley Harrier|AV-8A Harrier]]. In August 1973, VMGR-252 was involved in the development of safe and standardized aerial refueling procedures to be used with the Harrier.
===The Gulf War and the 1990s===
[[File:KC-130R VMGR-252 refueling Harriers 1978.JPEG|thumb|right|A VMGR-252 KC-130R refueling two [[Hawker Siddeley Harrier|Harriers]], in 1978.]]
In December 1988, VMGR-252 surpassed 300,000 accident free flight hours and won the distinction of achieving the most accident-free flight hours of any squadron in the Marine Corps and Navy.
The decade of the nineties started in earnest with VMGR-252 deploying aircraft to [[Freetown]], [[Sierra Leone]] in support of [[22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit]] operations following civil unrest in nearby [[Liberia]]. The first [[Night vision goggles|night-vision-goggle]] landing of a Marine Corps KC-130 was accomplished in May 1990.
With little down time the squadron found itself facing an even greater challenge with the mobilization of forces for [[Gulf War#Operation Desert Shield|Operation Desert Shield]].  Six squadron aircraft were deployed to form VMGR-252 Detachment Alpha. When [[Operation Desert Storm]] commenced on 16 January 1991, the detachment transitioned to combat operations and provided over 10 million pounds of fuel to strike aircraft during the course of 937 combat sorties.
[[File:KC-130J USMC.jpg|thumb|right|KC-130J of VMGR-252 in flight]]
During the remainder of the 1990s, the squadron continued to support East Coast [[Marine Expeditionary Unit]]s for operations in [[Kenya]], [[Rwanda]], the [[Republic of the Congo]], [[Albania]], [[Liberia]], Sierra Leone, and [[Kosovo]]. They also continued support for taskings [[Operation Northern Watch]] and [[Operation Southern Watch]].
===The Global War on Terror===
After the attacks on 11 September 2001, VMGR-252 formed the backbone of logistical and assault support operations during [[Operation Enduring Freedom]] in [[Afghanistan]] and provided similar support for the [[26th Marine Expeditionary Unit]] in [[Iraq]] during [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] in the spring of 2003.  Approximately 30% of the squadron has been continuously deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since 2003.<ref>{{cite web
| last =Cpl Hamel
| first =James
| title =VMGR-252 air crews make mission possible in Iraq
| publisher = Marine Corps News
| date =30 October 2005
| url =http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/A28FDA7D2726E3B8852570AA003D1529?opendocument
| access-date =  2007-12-24}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
In December 2002 VMGR-252 was equipped with three KC-130 J-model aircraft.
==See also==
* [[United States Marine Corps Aviation]]
* [[List of active United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons]]
* [[List of inactive United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons]]
{{Clear}}
==Notes==
{{Reflist}}
==References==
:{{Marine Corps}}
;Bibliography
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite book
|title=U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle - Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939 - 1945.''
|author=Rottman, Gordon L.
|year=2002
|publisher=Greenwood Press
|isbn=0-313-31906-5
}}
*{{cite book
| last = Sherrod
| first = Robert
| year = 1952
| title = History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II
| url = https://archive.org/details/historyofmarinec00sher
| url-access = registration
| publisher = Combat Forces Press
| location = Washington, D.C.
| oclc=1261876}}
{{Refend}}
;Web
{{Refbegin}}
* [http://www.marines.mil/unit/2ndmaw/mag14/vmgr252/Pages/Default.aspx VMGR-252's official website]
{{Refend}}
==External links==
* [http://www.mcata.com/ Marine Corps Air Transport Association]
{{US Marine Corps navbox}}
{{2ndMAW}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vmgr-252}}
[[Category:Aerial refueler transport squadrons of the United States Marine Corps|KC-130]]