[4]: 60  MAG-16 squadrons rotated into and out of South Vietnam on approximately four month intervals, with HMM-163 replacing HMM-362 at Sóc Trăng on 1 August.

[4]: 70 On 8 March 1965 with the landing of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (9th MEB) at Da Nang the group was assigned to support it.

Most of their missions were flown in support of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces throughout I Corps.

[6] With Da Nang Air Base becoming increasingly crowded it was decided to relocate MAG-16's helicopter squadrons to a new base and on 26 August they moved into Marble Mountain Air Facility (MMAF) on the Tien Sha Peninsula, 5 miles (8.0 km) southeast of Da Nang.

[5]: 149  By the end of August the group comprised HMM-261 and HMM-361 at MMAF and HMM-161 at Phu Bai with a 10-plane detachment at Qui Nhon, VMO-2 and two support squadrons, MABS-16 and H&MS-16.

[5]: 149  On the night of 27/8 October Viet Cong (VC) sappers attacked MMAF destroying 19 helicopters and damaging a further 35.

When the decision to commit this force was made, UH-34Ds and UH-1E gunships on strip alert at MMAF flew to the LZ, picked up the squad, and transported it to the area of contact.

[7]: 63  In early April during the Buddhist Uprising group helicopters evacuated U.S. civilians from Da Nang.

[7]: 175  From early August group detachments at Dong Ha Combat Base supported Operation Prairie.

It also performed a myriad of tasks for the South Vietnamese military units and the related Revolutionary Development pacification campaign.

[11]: 72  By September 1970 with the ongoing withdrawal of Marine units under Operation Keystone Robin Alpha the group comprised HML-167, HML-367, HMM-262, HMM-263, HMM-364 and HMH-463.

[11]: 116  In October the group supported flood relief operations after four tropical storms hit Quảng Nam Province.

[11]: 242  Throughout May group helicopters were removed from service and transported to Da Nang Port for shipment.

MAG-16 and its units have provided aircraft support and transportation for visiting U.S. dignitaries and celebrities from the President of the United States, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of the Navy, Commandant of the Marine Corps and movie legend Audrey Hepburn.

From 11 September 2001 through to the present, elements of MAG-16 have actively participated in the Global War on Terror, beginning with HMM-163(REIN)'s role in establish FOB Rhino in Afghanistan as part of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which consisted of a core CH-46E HMM squadron, a CH-53E detachment from HMH-465, both part of MAG-16, as well as HMLA and VMA detachments.

All flying squadrons of MAG-16 have participated in the GWOT in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations, but were almost always under the command of other headquarters elements.