Its mission was to support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) commander by conducting airborne electronic warfare, day or night, under all weather conditions during expeditionary, joint, or combined operations.

VMAQ-2's predecessor squadrons flew various electronic warfare aircraft, including the AD-5 Skyraider, the EF-10 Skyknight, the RF-8 Crusader, the RF-4B Phantom II, and the EA-6A Intruder.

VMC-2 was the original composite squadron (combined aerial photographic reconnaissance and electronic warfare capability) in Marine Corps aviation.

It was commissioned at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point on 15 September 1952 evolving from the former Airborne Early Warning and Electronic Counter Measures section of the Wing Headquarters Squadron.

In 1962, VMCJ-2 provided electronic and photographic intelligence during the Cuban Missile Crisis that enabled President Kennedy to make key decisions that would lead to the removal of Soviet military equipment from Cuba.

The unit sailed from Morehead City, NC to the Naval Base at Rota, Spain and flew both photographic and electronic warfare missions during the exercise.

Less than three years after the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis, some of the same VMCJ-2 aircrews deployed with VMCJ-1 to Vietnam and applied their lessons learned against Cuba as the EF-10Bs began to provide ECM support for air strikes against North Vietnamese targets.

On 13 April 1972 the squadron diverted an EA-6A detachment that was scheduled to deploy on the Saratoga in the Mediterranean to WESTPAC to join VMCJ-1 at NAS Cubi Point.

Even the CY tail code was fashioned on some in the shape of a bunny head (designed and implemented by VMAQ-2's MMCO at the time, Captain Ross Meglathery).

Specifically, VMAQ-2 Prowlers provided Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) support to British Harriers performing reconnaissance flights over weapons containment sites in these two areas of operation.

On 3 February 1998 a USMC Grumman EA-6B Prowler, BuNo 163045, callsign "Easy 0-1" from VMAQ-2, struck a cable supporting a gondola in Cavalese, Italy.

VMAQ-2 also provided support for armed reconnaissance missions, day and night battlefield air interdiction strikes, and combat search and rescue efforts of downed allied aircrew.

VMAQ-2 was subsequently chosen as the Marine Corps Aviation Association 2005 Prowler squadron of the year In January 2006, VMAQ-2 deployed to Al Asad Airbase, Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM 05-07.