After more than 40-years of operation, the Marine Corps will be retiring Vietnam era aircraft, after welcoming home service members at Cherry Point Tuesday afternoon from deployment.

The VMAQ-2 is the final squadron in the Marine Corps that will operate the EA-6B Prowler, which is set to cease operation in March of 2019.

The aircraft, which went into operation in the early 70's, is an electronic warfare platform.

The Marine Corps has been retiring the aircraft over the past four years and will soon switch to the F-35, which will fill the same capabilities.

The two jets that arrived at Cherry Point Tuesday were most recently based out of Qatar, supporting missions both in Syria, as well as Afghanistan.

Marine Corps officials say the retired aircraft will be stripped of their classified equipment, and either be sent to museums or what is called the "boneyard" in Arizona.