MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- Marines with Marine Air Control Group (MACG) 38 celebrated the Marine Corps' birthday this year by unveiling their new heritage room aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Nov. 10.
After a year of hard work and dedication, MACG-38’s heritage room came together as a memorial to the unit’s illustrious but untold history. The room serves to commemorate the hardworking men and women who helped shape the past of not just 3rd Marine Air Wing, but the entire Marine Corps.
“MACG-38 has a history of innovation, great Marines and hardworking units who often go unheralded,” said Maj. Mark Murphy, operations officer of MACG-38. “There is a three hundred page book of Marine aviation that was put out in 2012, we were two pages, and to top it off the photo they used with the two pages wasn’t even a photo of us.”
Marines like Staff Sgt. Jacob E. Marty who was the first Marine associated with the unit to give the ultimate sacrifice to the Corps, to their country and to MACG- 38 are lost to the fog of the past creeping up and taking the units heritage and pride.
In Marine Corps aviation the MACG coordinates all aspects of air command and control and air defense within the Marine aircraft wing. Acting like a body's nervous system, a behind the scenes force that is imperative to the operations conducted, without its guidance and oversight operations would come to a standstill.
According to Murphy, despite MACG-38’s vital role in the history of Marine Corps Aviation, its history and heritage often stay in the dark and are forgotten by many.
This realization led the command of MACG-38, spearheaded by Murphy, to create the heritage room by gathering items to display from donors within the veteran community who had treasure troves of historic information and memorabilia stockpiled in basements, garages and attics.
“There is a saying that one of the most important things you can do as a person is to be a good ancestor,” said Col. Chris Richie, commanding officer of MACG-38. “This means, in a family, the traditions and heritage of a people are passed on by their forefathers. We as Marines, and as MACG-38, are a family and we will be good ancestors to our future Marines and make sure to promote esprit de corps to those who come after us.”