--- title: "Marine fighter squadron awarded rare Air Force unit citation" description: "Marines with VMFA-542 received the Gallant Unit Citation for their participation in air operations in the Middle East last year." date: "2026-08-23" modified: "2026-08-23" authors: - name: "Nicholas Slayton" job_title: "Contributing Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/nicholas-slayton/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-fighter-squadron-air-force-gallant-unit-citation/" categories: - "Around the World" - "Marine Corps" - "Middle East" - "Military Branches" - "News" tags: - "central command" --- # Marine fighter squadron awarded rare Air Force unit citation ![Two U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning IIs with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 participate in air-to-air refuel operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, June, 9, 2025. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. David Ornelas Baeza) ]() *F-35Bs from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 542 refuel while flying over the Middle East on June 9, 2025. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. David Ornelas Baeza.* A Marine Corps fighter squadron received a rare Air Force award this month for actions in the Middle East in the spring and summer of 2025. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 542 received the Department of the Air Force’s Gallant Unit Citation for actions between March 15-Oct. 7, 2025, according to an Aug. 19 [Marine Administrative Notice]() on new awards. The Gallant Unit Citation was created in 2004 to honor “Air Force active duty, Reserve, and Air National Guard units for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force on or after Sept. 11, 2001,” [according to]() the Air Force’s personnel center. The award is below a Presidential Unit Citation, but is the unit equivalent to a Silver Star. The award itself has been presented only a handful of times. Some past recipients include the [385th Air Expeditionary Group]() and the [621st Contingency Response Group](), both of which received the award for their role in the evacuation of Kabul in August 2021. A spokesperson for 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing confirmed the squadron had received an Air Force award. The MARADMIN did not cite specific actions that VMFA-542 carried out to earn the Gallant Unit Citation, but said that it was receiving it as an “additional participating unit” to the Air Force’s 378th Air Expeditionary Wing, a provisional force operating under Air Force Central Command, which also received the award. The 378th was [presented with]() the Gallant Unit Citation in October 2025, during a change of command ceremony for the wing. This month’s MARADMIN, nearly a year later, was the first announcement of the Marine Corps squadron receiving the unit award. The Marine Corps fighter squadron deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in the spring of 2025, where it flew more than 1,099 combat sorties, according to an October 2025 [release]() from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. The Marine Corps did not specify the operations the squadron took part in while in theater, instead saying that “VMFA-542 not only enhanced deterrence, supported regional maritime security, and deepened interoperability through combined training with allied and partner air forces.” “During the deployment, VMFA-542 made a significant operational and strategic impact in the CENTCOM AOR,” the October 2025 release said. “The squadron conducted Close Air Support, Armed Overwatch, and Defensive Counter-Air missions in support of Marine, Navy, Army, coalition, and partner nation forces.” The time period the award covers includes several U.S. military aerial engagements. In March 2025, the United States restarted combat operations against Houthi militants in Yemen, a two-month-long campaign that saw fighter jets conduct airstrikes throughout Yemen. Some pilots who participated later received [Distinguished Flying Crosses]() and Silver Stars. U.S. fighter jets also flew intercept missions to take out Iranian missiles during the 12-Day War between Israel and Iran. And in late June, U.S. forces carried out Operation Midnight Hammer, a major air mission that saw dozens of planes support B-2 Spirit stealth bomber strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Several awards, including more [Distinguished Flying Crosses](), were presented this spring and summer to some airmen who [took part]() in those operations. ## Author Nicholas Slayton is a contributing editor for Task & Purpose, covering conflict for over 12 years, from the Arab Spring to the war in Ukraine. His previous reporting can be found on the non-profit Aslan Media, The Atlantic, Al Jazeera, The New Republic, The American Prospect, Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, and the Los Angeles Downtown News. You can reach him at nicholas@taskandpurpose.com or find him on Twitter @NSlayton and Bluesky at @nslayton.bsky.social. ### Author social links [Twitter]()