[2] The first operational Marine Aircraft Group arrived from MCAS Cherry Point[3] in July 1954.

In July 1954, the group relocated to Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.

Elements of MAG-26 participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis;[5] intervention in the Dominican Republic; Antilles disaster relief operation in the Dominican Republic;[6] the Iranian hostage rescue attempt;[7] Multinational Peacekeeping Force, Beirut, Lebanon; Operation Urgent Fury,[8] Grenada and the Carriacou Islands; Hurricane Hugo relief, Puerto Rico and Charleston, S.C.; and Operation Sharp Edge, Monrovia, Liberia.

As Hurricane Floyd moved up the East Coast in September 1999, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines relocated hundreds of military aircraft and vessels out of Floyd's path, and evacuated all non-emergency military and civilians to help ensure their safety.

On 28 January 2009, MAG-26 turned over with Marine Aircraft Group 16 and assumed primary command of aviation support in Iraq's Al Anbar Province.