Marine F-35 squadron receives distinguished Air Force award

A Marine F-35 squadron received an Air Force award this month for actions in the Middle East last year.

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 542 received the Department of the Air Force’s Gallant Unit Citation for actions between March 15 and Oct. 7, 2025, according to a Marine Administrative Notice on new awards.

The Air Force Gallant Unit Citation was created in 2004 to recognize units engaged in military operations against an enemy force on or after Sept. 11, 2001, according to the Air Force Personnel Center. It honors active duty, Reserve and Guard units for extraordinary combat heroism equal to the individual Silver Star.

The citation has only been awarded a handful of times. 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.

The Marine service message did not cite specific actions that the squadron carried out to earn the Gallant Unit Citation but said that it was receiving the award as an “additional participating unit” to the Air Force’s 378th Air Expeditionary Wing, which also received the award.

The 378th was presented with the Gallant Unit Citation in October 2025 during a change of command ceremony.

The MARADMIN, issued almost a year later, was the first announcement that the Marine squadron has received the award.

VMFA-542, based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., deployed to the U.S. Central Command last spring for five months.

The unit flew more than 1,099 combat sorties and provided essential support to CENTCOM’s integrated air operations, according to a news release from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at the time.

“During the deployment, VMFA-542 made a significant operational and strategic impact in the CENTCOM (area of responsibility),” the press 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. They advanced F-35 tactics, techniques and procedures while demonstrating the aircraft’s flexibility in real-world operations.”

U.S. forces at the time were engaged in Operation Rough Rider, which began in mid-March 2025 in Yemen as part of a 52-day campaign to stop Iran-backed Houthi rebels from threatening ships and allies in the Red Sea.

In late June, the U.S. attacked the Iran nuclear facilities at Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz in a surprise mission dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer.

Pilots from both missions have received the Distinguished Flying Cross.