Marine Aircraft Group 43 was designated to serve as the headquarters for the Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army for the forthcoming Battle of Okinawa. En route to their destination their convoy stopped at Eniwetok, Babelthaup and the Philippines. The stay in Hawaii was only of a brief duration, because on 22 February 1945, Headquarters Squadron 43 embarked and sailed on board USS Allendale for the Western Pacific.

While deployed to the territory of Hawaii in January 1945, Headquarters Squadron 43 and Marine Aircraft Group 43 were reassigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. With the departure of the Group, however, Headquarters Squadron 43 also moved to Hawaii. During the first two years of its existence the Squadron remained in California. In November 1944, the Group was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 43. The unit originally functioned as the headquarters element of Marine Aircraft Base Defense Group 43. Marine Air Support Squadron 2 was activated 1 January 1943, at Marine Corps Air Station El Centro, California, as Headquarters Squadron 43, Services Group, Marine Wings Pacific. Provide Direct Air Support Center (DASC) capabilities for control and coordination of aircraft operating in direct support of Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Forces.

Today, the squadron is based out of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan and continues to regularly deploy in support of exercises and theater security cooperation engagements throughout the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility. The squadron has also sent multiple small detachments to support operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan. MASS-2 provided multiple DASCs and Air Support Radar Teams in support of Marine Corps operations in Vietnam from April 1965 until late 1973. It was the first aviation command and control unit to arrive in Korea as part of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade in August 1950 and was part of the last Marine Corps units to leave in July 1956. Originally formed at Marine Corps Air Station El Centro, California on 1 July 1943, the squadron served as the senior air defense headquarters during the Battle of Okinawa. It is the oldest and most decorated aviation command and control unit in the Marine Corps. Marine Air Support Squadron 2 (MASS-2), is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control unit that provides the Direct Air Support Center (DASC) for the III Marine Expeditionary Force.

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