MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. (Feb. 1, 2012) -- Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 Marines gathered in the squadron’s hangar Feb. 1 to celebrate the unit’s 50th year anniversary.
It was Feb. 1 in 1962 when the unit officially became an aerial refueling squadron after receiving its first C-130 in October of 1961.
“Gaining the C-130 was a huge milestone for us,” said Sgt. Alan J. Stinar, the squadron’s assistant historical officer and a fixed wing aircraft mechanic. “There is no other aircraft that can do everything the C-130 does.”
The squadron was busy in the spring of 1962, slowly transitioning to the C-130 while still operating two military transport aircraft, the Fairchild R4Q and the Douglas R4D. Multitasking on multiple platforms was difficult, but the Marines embodied the spirit of adapt and overcome, said Stinar.
“Balancing three different aircraft while training and going on deployments was an outstanding accomplishment,” he said.
In celebration of the anniversary, Lt. Col. Charles J. Moses, commanding officer of VMGR-252, gave a speech to the Marines followed by a cake cutting ceremony.
“There isn’t a lot of change in the future for VMGR-252,” said Maj. Michael J. Carreiro, the executive officer for VMGR-252. “We have been successful in the last 50 years, and we plan to keep doing our mission in this manner.”