Marine Aircraft Group MAG-24 — USMC Embroidered Patch
Close Air Support Pioneers
MAG-24 didn't just fly close air support — they helped write the doctrine. From the skies over Bougainville to the beaches of the Philippines, this group's Marines refined the art of putting bombs on target just yards from friendly forces. This officially licensed patch represents that warrior legacy.
Activated on 1 March 1942 at MCAS Ewa on Oahu, Hawaii, MAG-24 was built to fill the need for dive-bombers in combat areas. The group fought across the Solomon Islands, supporting the invasion of Bougainville and striking the strategic Japanese stronghold at Rabaul. In the Philippines, MAG-24 combined with MAG-32 to fly over 8,842 combat sorties and drop more than 19,000 bombs in support of the Sixth Army. Their close air support became legendary — on one mission, SBDs dropped five tons of bombs on a Japanese position only 200 yards from friendly forces, and the position "simply disintegrated." Now based at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, MAG-24 continues to provide combat-ready expeditionary aviation forces under the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
Perfect For:
MAG-24 veterans and active duty Marines, 1st MAW personnel, MCAS Kaneohe Bay community members, close air support historians, and USMC aviation patch collectors.
Danger Close Since 1942.
