Marine Air Control Squadron 9

Marine Air Control Squadron 9 (MACS-9) was a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control squadron. The squadron provided aerial surveillance and ground-controlled interception and saw action the Vietnam War. They were last based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina and fell under the command of Marine Air Control Group 28 (MACG-28) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW).

Early years
Marine Ground Control Intercept Squadron 9 (MGCIS-9) was commissioned 31 May 1952 at Marine Corps Air Station Miami, Florida. During the squadron’s time at MCAS Miami it participated in numerous training exercises in Puerto Rico and elsewhere in the Caribbean Ocean area. The unit acquired its current designation as MACS-9 on 15 February 1954. A year and a half later MACS-9 was ordered to the West Coast and by September 1955 they had settled at Marine Corps Air Station Santa Ana, California. In September 1960 the squadron began the first of three deployments to Japan where they would locate at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. In January 1962, MACS-9 aided VMF-451 with in-flight refueling during their trans-Pacific flight (the first oceanic crossing attempted and completed by a Marine Corps squadron). In June of 1962, a MACS-9 controller directed the first tactical intercept by VMF-314 using their new fighter interceptor, the F4H-1 Phantom. During the last of the three deployments to Japan in 1964 the squadron would re-locate to Naval Air Station Atsugi midway through.

Vietnam Era and beyond
MACS-9 received orders to prepare for deployment to Vietnam in the spring of 1965. In early July the squadron set sail from the west coast of the United States. They arrived at Chu Lai on 9 July 1965. Their time in Vietnam was very short and by the latter part of August 1965 they began moving to Okinawa with follow on movement to their new home at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina where they eventually arrived on 1 October 1965. For the next few years MACS-9 maintained a vigorous training program for the detection of hostile aircraft and missiles however they would eventually be deactivated on 1 July 1971.

Unit awards
A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. MACS-9 has been presented with the following awards: