Marine Wing Support Squadron 372, the “Diamondbacks,” was activated on 2 June 1986 aboard Camp Pendleton, California. Marine Wing Support Squadron 372 provided aviation ground support to Marine Aircraft Group 39 aboard Camp Pendleton, California. Over 300 Marines deployed and supported subsequent combat operations into Kuwait in support of Operation Desert Storm. In December 1992, Marine Wing Supp
ort Squadron 372 rapidly deployed to Somalia providing aviation ground support to Marine Aircraft Group 16 in support of Operation Restore Hope. After conducting operations out of the Somali capitol of Mogadishu, the Diamondbacks displaced inland and established an air site at Baledogle airfield to support foreign humanitarian assistance. In January 2003, Marine Wing Support Squadron 372 deployed to Kuwait to augment the Offload Preparation Party for maritime prepositioning force arrival and assembly operations at the Port of Al Shuaiba in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Following the equipment offload, the Diamondbacks enabled 3d Marine Aircraft Wing to support I Marine Expeditionary Force combat operations by leap-frogging multiple forward arming and refueling points in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In November 2005, Marine Wing Support Squadron 372 deployed directly to Iraq to provide aviation ground support as part of 2d Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Diamondbacks operated out of forward operating bases at al Taqaddum, Camp Korean Village, and Mudaysis. Marine Wing Support Squadron 372 also conducted response support to dispose of and exploit improvised explosive devices found in the vicinity of Rutbah, Fallujah, Habbaniyah, and Ramadi. In August 2007, Marine Wing Support Squadron 372 deployed again to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. For this deployment the Diamondbacks task organized as a provisional security battalion providing security for Al Asad Airbase. In September 2009, the Diamondbacks deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. This deployment culminated with Marine Wing Support Squadron 372 Marines conducting forward arming and refueling point operations to support the insertion of Marines into the Taliban stronghold of Marjah during Operation Moshtarek. In September 2013, Marine Wing Support Squadron 372 deployed again to Afghanistan and provided aviation ground support to units assigned to International Security Assistance Force Regional Command-Southwest. During this period, the Diamondbacks supported aviation operations at Bastion Airfield, and forward operating bases at Camp Dwyer, Delaram, and Shukvani in the Helmand province. In September 2015, the Diamondbacks deployed as part of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force, Crisis Response, in support of United States Central Command, operating out of Sheik Isa Air Base, Bahrain, and al Jaber, Kuwait. The unit provided aviation ground support and security support to enable offensive air support and crisis response for Operation Inherent Resolve.
