MATCUs possessed Tactical air navigation systems (TACAN) and Ground-controlled approach (GCA) equipment which assisted Marine Corps, joint and coalition aircraft in conducting landings during inclement weather.

These new units provided deployable surveillance radars, ground-controlled approach, TACANs, radio direction finding, control towers, and communications equipment.

In most instances, the MATCUs fell under the command of the local Marine Air Base Squadrons (MABS).

In the early 1970s the Marine Corps began experiencing a sustained shortage of trained air traffic controllers and maintenance personnel.

To address this systemic issue the service decided to consolidate regionally aligned MATCUs into singular squadrons assigned to each Marine Air Wing.

MATCU-60 was decommissioned on 1 October 1978 when its personnel and equipment were consolidated with MATCU-62 to form Detachment "A" of the newly established Marine Air Traffic Control Squadron 18 (MATCS-18).

MATCU-62 was decommissioned on 1 October 1978 when its personnel and equipment were consolidated with MATCU-60 to form Detachment "A" of the newly established Marine Air Traffic Control Squadron 18 (MATCS-18).

[4] The unit was decommissioned on 23 April 1976and its personnel and equipment became Marine Air Traffic Control Squadron 28, Detachment A.

In July 1958 the unit deployed onboard the USS Antietam (CV-36) with other elements of Marine Aircraft Group 26 in response to a growing crisis in Lebanon.

On 18 September 1950, GCA Unit 37M came ashore at Inchon as the Marine Corps' first ever deployed air traffic control detachment.

MATCU-66 arrived in South Vietnam on 19 May 1962 supporting aviation operations out of Sóc Trăng while simultaneously providing TACAN and GCA services at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand.

The unit supported operations at Sóc Trăng Airfield until 15 September 1962 when it returned to MCAS Futenma on Okinawa.

MATCU-67 offloaded at Chu Lai on 11 May 1965 and began establishing air traffic control services in support of Marine Aircraft Group 12.

Deployed in April 1962 to provide GCA and TACAN services at Sóc Trăng as part of Marine Airbase Squadron 16 in support of Operation Shufly.

In March 1966 MATCU-68 was relocated to the Phu Bai Combat Base while maintaining tower control at Marble Mountain.

From October 1966 until 15 February 1967 the unit also assumed responsibility for ATC services at the Khe Sanh Combat Base.

At the same time control of Khe Sanh was divested the unit assumed responsibility for providing services at the An Hoa Combat Base.

It was later moved to MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii to fill the gap created by MATCU-62's deployment to South Vietnam.

On 24 October, the detachment was airlifted to Quang Tri where it fell under the command of MABS-36 while supporting Marine Aircraft Group 36.

President Nixon flew to Johnston before boarding Marine One and flying to the USS Hornet (CV-12) to greet the returning astronauts.

The unit was decommissioned on 1 October 1978 when its personnel and equipment formed Detachment "B" of the newly established Marine Air Traffic Control Squadron 18 (MATCS-18).

The unit was decommissioned on 27 April 1976 and its personnel and equipment formed part of the newly established Marine Air Traffic Control Squadron 38.

MATCU-75 was decommissioned on 27 April 1976 and it personnel and equipment became part of the newly formed Marine Air Traffic Control Squadron 38.