Commissioning and the 1980s MWSS-273 was commissioned on June 13, 1986, at
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort,
South Carolina. The squadron was formed from elements of
Marine Air Base Squadron 31, and Detachment Bravo,
Marine Wing Support Group 27. In 1989, MWSS-273 provided extensive disaster relief support to the city of
Charleston, South Carolina, during the aftermath of
Hurricane Hugo.
The Gulf War & the 1990s During
The Persian Gulf War in 1991, Marines were reassigned from MWSS-272 and MWSS-274 to augment the squadron which was deployed in December 1990 and played a direct role in providing aviation ground support for UN forces conducting combat operations against
Iraq. The Marines of MWSS-273 assisted in the construction of the largest expeditionary airfield in Marine Corps history at
Al Khanjar, Saudi Arabia, in addition to several other major construction and transportation projects located at Ras Al Jubail, Ras Mishab, and on the Kuwait/Saudi Arabian border located at "LoneSome Dove". While conducting unit activities at Ras Mishab, the squadron received numerous FROG missile attacks from Iraqi enemy units located north of Ras Al Khafji during the first days of the "Air War Campaign". Throughout the 1990s, the squadron provided extensive operational support for
Aviano Air Base, Italy,
NATO contingency operations
Deny Flight and
Provide Promise,
Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti,
Operation Joint Forge in the
Balkans,
Operation Allied Force and Joint Task Force Noble Anvil in
Taszar, Hungary, and numerous
Marine Expeditionary Units. MWSS-273 has also provided support personnel for the ongoing
Operation Enduring Freedom taking place in
Afghanistan.
Iraq and Afghanistan MWSS-273 deployed twice in squadron strength to Iraq in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom. The "Sweathogs" conducted 24-hour Aviation Ground Support operations at
Al Asad Airbase, the Forward Operating Base at
Al Qa'im and the Forward Arming and Refueling Point Mudayasis. During the squadron's last deployment to Iraq it was responsible for the tactical recovery of an unprecedented seven Coalition Aircraft. In only seven months, MWSS-273 provided over 28 million gallons of fuel to Coalition aircraft, conducted over of motor transport operations, rendered safe 126 enemy explosive devices, destroyed ten enemy weapons caches, conducted over 11,000 hours of heavy equipment operations, two water main repairs, and four outside-the-wire construction missions to improve living conditions at local Combat Outposts. From March to September 2012, MWSS-273 deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Squadron: provided over 9 million gallons of fuel to over 25,000 aircraft and 2500 ground vehicles; built the largest High Power Run-Up in Marine Corps history; executed two aircraft recoveries including the first-ever combat recovery of an MV-22B Osprey; executed numerous Combat Logistics Patrols; constructed an air-site at Combat Outpost (COP) Shukvani; and prepared 1.78 million square feet of Aluminum Matting 2nd Generation for redeployment – all while providing first-class Aviation Ground Support to seven different air sites. As a result of these efforts, MWSS-273 earned three awards:
Marine Corps Aviation Association's 2012 James E. Hatch Marine Wing Support Squadron of the Year;
Marine Corps Engineer Association Engineer Company of the Year; and the
American Petroleum Institute Tactical Unit of the Year. ==Awards==