Marine Air Support Squadron 6
MASS 6 insignia
Active	15 May 1947 - 30 November 1950 18 January 1952 - 31 July 1962 1 August 1962 - present
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Type	Aviation command and control
Role	Provide the DASC
Part of	Marine Air Control Group 48 4th Marine Aircraft Wing
Garrison/HQ	Westover Air Reserve Base
Nickname(s)	Lighthouse
Engagements	Operation Desert Storm Operation Iraqi Freedom * 2003 invasion of Iraq
Commanders
Current commander	Lt. Col. Herbert J. Bowsher Jr.

Marine Air Support Squadron 6 (MASS-6), is a reserve United States Marine Corps aviation command and control unit that provides the Direct Air Support Center (DASC) for the Marine Forces Reserve. Their headquarters is in Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts and their Detachment Alpha is located at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California

Provide Direct Air Support Center (DASC) capabilities for control and coordination of aircraft operating in direct support of Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Operations.

Marine Ground Control Intercept Squadron 21 (MGCIS-21) was commissioned on 15 May 1947 at Naval Air Station Squantum, Massachusetts. They provided early warning and ground control intercept as part of the Marine Air Reserve Training Command until they were decommissioned on 30 November 1950. The squadron was reactivated on 18 January 1952 and in December 1953 moved to Naval Air Station South Weymouth. On 1 March 1954 they were re-designated as Marine Air Control Squadron 21 (MACS-21) and operated as such until their deactivation on 31 July 1962.

The squadron was quickly repurposed and brought back on 1 August 1962 as Marine Air Traffic Control Unit 73 (MATCU-73). MATCU-73 was responsible for providing air traffic control and precision approach radar services at NAS South Weymouth. This new designation did not last long because on 1 January 1963 they reverted to MACS-21.

On 1 April 1967 the squadron would gain its current moniker when it was re-designated Marine Air Support Squadron 6 (MASS-6). \Elements of MASS-6 would help support Operation Desert Storm in 1990/1991. After the Gulf War and in light of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRA) military downturn, the unit was relocated to Westover Air Force Base and occupied duplexes for 9 years until a new Marine Reserve Center was built with the politic backing of both sides of the political aisle.

Operation Iraqi Freedom For the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the DASC for the I Marine Expeditionary Force was provided by MASS-3 with augmentation from MASS-1 and MASS-6. It was broken up into a main echelon (DASC Main) and a forward echelon (DASC Fwd). The main was attached to the Main Headquarters of the 1st Marine Division while the forward was attached to the Division "Jump Command Post (CP)." The DASC (Fwd) was also a part of Task Force Tripoli when they went into Tikrit at the end of the invasion. Air support Marines also provided a smaller DASC for Task Force Tarawa, the British Forces on the Al Faw Peninsula, staffed a DASC (A) detachment out of Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait and provided Air Support Liaison Teams (ASLTs) to all of the regiments within the 1st Marine Division.

MASS-3 returned to Iraq with the 1st Marine Division to provide air support in January 2004. They were based out of Camp Blue Diamond in Ramadi and were replaced in January 2005 by MASS-1. The DASC moved to Camp Fallujah near the city of Fallujah in January 2006 around the same time that MASS-3 returned to Iraq to retake the air support mission in Al Anbar Province. MASS-1 again switched out with MASS-3 in early 2007 and provided air support for the 2nd Marine Division.

Marine Air Support Squadron 6 Marines now wear the Naval Aviation Observer Wings they were awarded March 25, 2011. The wings were typically awarded to operators of the OV-10 Bronco surveillance aircraft only, which were phased out of service in 1995. According to Marine Administrative Message 091/11, released Feb. 11, Marines involved with air support control operations may now wear the wings as well.

In addition the Unit received numerous commendations for NATO exercises Battle Griffin in Norway as well as providing support to Combined Arms Exercises at 29 Palms, CA, Marine Combat Center. During these exercises in the 1980, the Reserve Unit created what is now a standard protocol for all Marine Air Support Units by creating the Air Support Liaison Party or ASLP. Originally designed to get the most up to the minute status on enemy air, troop movements close air support missions and medevacs inside the Battalion S-3 Operations, it quickly became a necessity for ground units to rely on for communications and close air support with forward air controllers. Today every battalion or regiment rates an ASLT when deploying either in a MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) or MEB (Marine Expeditionary Brigade) to all corners of the globe.

• Organization of the United States Marine Corps
• List of United States Marine Corps air support squadrons

• MASS-6's official website

v t e Marine Air Command and Control System
Marine Air Control Group 18	1st LAAD Bn Marine Air Control Squadron 4 Marine Air Support Squadron 2 Marine Wing Communications Squadron 18
Marine Air Control Group 28	2d LAAD Bn Marine Air Control Squadron 2 Marine Air Support Squadron 1 Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28
Marine Air Control Group 38	3d LAAD Bn Marine Air Control Squadron 1 Marine Air Support Squadron 3 Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38
Marine Air Control Group 48	Marine Air Control Squadron 24 Marine Air Support Squadron 6 Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 48 Marine Wing Communications Squadron 48
3d Marine Division	3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion 12th Littoral Anti Air Battalion (activates FY24) 4th Littoral Anti Air Battalion (activates FY26)
Agencies	Tactical Air Command Center Direct Air Support Center Tactical Air Operations Center
Missions	Facilitate Close Air Support Procedural control Early Warning Ground-controlled interception Air traffic control Meteorology Anti-aircraft warfare Surface-to-air missile Man-portable air-defense systems Long-haul communications Network operations center
Decommissioned units	Landing Force Air Support Control Units Air Warning Squadrons Assault air warning squadrons Defense Battalions Marine Air Control Squadrons Marine Air Support Squadrons LAAM Battalions Marine Air Traffic Control Units Marine Air Traffic Control Squadrons History of GBAD Marine Detachment, Air Warning Service, Philippines (1941-42) Marine Corps Early Warning Detachment, Guadalcanal (1942-43) VMF(N)-531 GCI Detachment 1st AAA (AW) Battalion
Category

v t e United States Marine Corps
Leadership	Secretary of the Navy Under Secretary of the Navy Commandant of the Marine Corps Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Military Secretary to the Commandant of the Marine Corps Marine Corps four-star generals Marine Corps three-star generals 1942–1959 2000–2009 2010–present US Congress House Armed Services Committee Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee Senate Armed Services Committee Seapower subcommittee
Major commands	Organization of the Marine Corps Headquarters Marine Corps Marine Forces Command II Marine Expeditionary Force Marine Forces Pacific I Marine Expeditionary Force III Marine Expeditionary Force Marine Forces Reserve Fleet Marine Force Atlantic Pacific Marine Corps Combat Development Command Training & Education Command (TECOM) United States Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory Marine Corps Systems Command
Auxiliary	Marine Corps Cyber Auxiliary
Structure	Marine Air-Ground Task Force Bases Battalions Regiments Brigades Divisions MEF/Corps Marine aviation Marine expeditionary unit Marine Security Guard Special Operations Marine Raiders Marine Raider Regiment Recon Force Division
Personnel and training	Personnel Rank insignia MOS Notable Marines Historical Marines Marine Astronauts Criminal Investigation Division Judge Advocate Division Chaplain of the Marine Corps Associated organizations Training Recruit Training School of Infantry Officer Candidates School The Basic School Martial Arts Program
Uniforms and equipment	Uniforms Awards Badges Weapons Vehicles and aircraft Individual equipment
History and traditions	History Culture Acronyms and terms Birthday Color Sergeant of the Marine Corps Eagle, Globe, and Anchor Flag Marine Band Drum and Bugle Corps Horse Marines Marine One Color Guard Silent Drill Platoon White House Sentries Service Numbers Marine Corps War Memorial Marine Detachments "Marines' Hymn" Oorah National Museum Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima Rifleman's Creed Semper Fidelis march History of Hispanics in the USMC History of women in the USMC Women's Reserve Honorary Marine Toys for Tots Gung ho
Category

v t e 4th Marine Aircraft Wing
Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 4
MATSG-42	Site Support Miramar VMR Andrews VMR Belle Chasse
MAG-41	MALS-41 MWSS-471 MWSS-473 VMU-4 VMFA-112 VMGR-234 VMFT-401 VMM-764 HMLA-775
MAG-49	MALS-49 MWSS-472 VMGR-452 HMH-772 HMLA-773 VMM-774
MACG-48	MTACS-48 MWCS-48 MACS-24 MASS-6