Officially Licensed Marine Combat Crew Readiness Training Group MCCRTG 10 Patch

Marine Combat Crew Readiness Training Group 10 (MCCRTG-10) Patch

Marine Combat Crew Readiness Training Group 10, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

Marine Combat Crew Readiness Training Group 10 (MCCRTG-10) was commissioned on 1 January 1969 at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California as part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The Group's mission was to provide specialized tactical and technical training for both aircrews and enlisted aviation personnel in airborne weapons systems for the conduct of offensive close-air support and air-to-air combat operations—ensuring that every Marine aviator and flight officer who entered the Fleet Marine Force was fully combat-ready.

MCCRTG-10 served as the umbrella organization for Marine Corps tactical aviation training squadrons on the West Coast, most notably Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 (VMFAT-101), the legendary "Sharpshooters," which was commissioned under MCCRTG-10 on 3 January 1969 and initially trained naval aviators and flight officers in the employment of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. VMFAT-101 flew its first training sortie on 20 February 1969 and completed its first class of fighter aircrew by August of that year. By the mid-1970s, the Group had graduated approximately 600 pilots and 140 radar intercept officers, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps presented the unit with recognition for its outstanding performance.

During the summer of 1970, MCCRTG-10 relocated to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, where the Group continued to produce combat-ready Marine aircrews. In 1972, the Sharpshooters under MCCRTG-10 earned their first Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award after compiling over 18,300 mishap-free flight hours. The Group continued training Marine aviators through the transition from the F-4 Phantom to next-generation aircraft until MCCRTG-10 was deactivated on 31 March 1988, with its training squadrons reassigned to operational Marine Aircraft Groups.

Perfect For: MCCRTG-10 veterans, VMFAT-101 Sharpshooters alumni, F-4 Phantom II community members, Marine Corps aviation training instructors, MCAS Yuma and El Toro veterans, and 3rd MAW personnel.

Honoring the training command that forged Marine fighter aircrews for two decades—ensuring every pilot who entered the Fleet was combat-ready from day one.