Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
Encyclopedia
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort or MCAS Beaufort is a United States Marine Corps
air base located three miles (5 km) northwest of the central business district
of Beaufort
, a city in Beaufort County
, South Carolina
, United States
. About 4200 personnel serve at the station and it is home to six Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet
fighter-attack squadrons plus one Navy F/A-18 strike fighter squadron.
Naval Air Station Beaufort was commissioned on June 15, 1943 for advanced training operations of anti-submarine patrols during World War II
. It was then deactivated in 1946 and reactivated in 1956. On March 1, 1960, it was re-designated Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. On September 19, 1975, the airfield was named Merritt Field in honor of Major General Lewie G. Merritt
, USMC, a 1917 graduate of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. He was from Ridge Spring, South Carolina
.
The air station encompasses 6,900 acres (28 km²). It is also associated with a large air-to-air combat area off the coast of South Carolina
and Georgia
as well as a 5,200 acre (21 km²) air-to-ground combat and bombing range in McIntosh County, Georgia
. Also attached to the base is the housing complex of Laurel Bay
, just 3 miles (5 km) from the station, that provides family housing for area servicemembers.
Formerly home to USMC F-8 Crusader
and F-4 Phantom II
operations, MCAS Beaufort currently hosts all active duty USMC F/A-18 air operations on the East Coast, said aircraft and squadrons being assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 31
(MAG-31). The mission of MCAS Beaufort is to provide support as an operational base for MAG-31 and its associated squadrons, Marine Corps support units and tenant Navy strike fighter squadrons. The mission of the Marine Aircraft Group (MAG-31) is to conduct anti-air-warfare and offensive air support operations in support of Fleet Marine Forces from advanced bases, expeditionary airfields, or aircraft carriers and conduct such other air operations as may be directed. An additional Navy F/A-18 strike fighter squadron under the claimancy of Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic at NAS Oceana, Virginia is also homeported at MCAS Beaufort. The population of the on-base "city" includes nearly 4,000 active-duty servicemembers and more than 700 civilian workers.
As is the case with many air bases, MCAS Beaufort hosts a bi-annual air show open to the public, which in April 2007, was the site of a fatal crash
involving an aircraft from the Blue Angels
demonstration team.
MCAS Beaufort's nickname is "Fightertown East." MCAS Miramar
in San Diego, California
is the more commonly known "Fightertown", also called "Fightertown USA", the latter having acquired the nickname when it was under Navy control as NAS Miramar.
The 1979 film The Great Santini
, based upon a novel written by Pat Conroy
which centered on MCAS Beaufort in the early 1960s, was filmed on base and in the local area.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
air base located three miles (5 km) northwest of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Beaufort
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,361 in the 2010 census. It is located in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan...
, a city in Beaufort County
Beaufort County, South Carolina
-National protected areas:*Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge *Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 155,215 people, 45,532 households, and 33,056 families residing in the county. The population density was 206 people per...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. About 4200 personnel serve at the station and it is home to six Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
fighter-attack squadrons plus one Navy F/A-18 strike fighter squadron.
Resident units
- Headquarters and Headquarters SquadronHeadquarters and Headquarters SquadronA Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron, abbreviated as H&HS or HQHQSQDN, is the headquarters entity for a United States Marine Corps aviation facility.-Organization:...
- Marine Aircraft Group 31Marine Aircraft Group 31Marine Aircraft Group 31 is a United States Marine Corps aviation group based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina that is currently composed of four F/A-18C squadrons, one F/A-18A+ squadron, two F/A-18D squadrons and a maintenance and logistics squadron...
- Marine Wing Support Squadron 273Marine Wing Support Squadron 273Marine Wing Support Squadron 273 is an aviation ground support unit of the United States Marine Corps. They are based out of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina...
- Marine Air Control Squadron 2, Detachment "A"Marine Air Control Squadron 2Marine Air Control Squadron 2 is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control squadron. The squadron provides aerial surveillance and air traffic control for the II Marine Expeditionary Force...
- Combat Logistics Company 23
- Strike Fighter Squadron 86VFA-86Strike Fighter Squadron 86 is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. Known as the Sidewinders, they fall under the command of Carrier Air Wing Eleven...
History
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was then deactivated in 1946 and reactivated in 1956. On March 1, 1960, it was re-designated Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. On September 19, 1975, the airfield was named Merritt Field in honor of Major General Lewie G. Merritt
Lewie G. Merritt
Lewie G. Merritt was a major general and early aviator in the United States Marine Corps. Merritt served over 30 years in the Marine Corps, including service in World War I at Belleau Wood and as an aviator during World War II in both the European and Pacific Theaters...
, USMC, a 1917 graduate of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. He was from Ridge Spring, South Carolina
Ridge Spring, South Carolina
Ridge Spring is a town in Saluda County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 823 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Ridge Spring is located at ....
.
The air station encompasses 6,900 acres (28 km²). It is also associated with a large air-to-air combat area off the coast of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
as well as a 5,200 acre (21 km²) air-to-ground combat and bombing range in McIntosh County, Georgia
McIntosh County, Georgia
McIntosh County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Brunswick, Georgia, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of McIntosh, Glynn, and Brantley counties. As of 2010, the population is 14,333. The county seat is Darien.-History:McIntosh County was split...
. Also attached to the base is the housing complex of Laurel Bay
Laurel Bay, South Carolina
Laurel Bay is a census-designated place and military housing complex in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,891 at the 2010 census. As defined by the U.S...
, just 3 miles (5 km) from the station, that provides family housing for area servicemembers.
Formerly home to USMC F-8 Crusader
F-8 Crusader
The Vought F-8 Crusader was a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft built by Vought for the United States Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, replacing the Vought F7U Cutlass...
and F-4 Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
operations, MCAS Beaufort currently hosts all active duty USMC F/A-18 air operations on the East Coast, said aircraft and squadrons being assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 31
Marine Aircraft Group 31
Marine Aircraft Group 31 is a United States Marine Corps aviation group based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina that is currently composed of four F/A-18C squadrons, one F/A-18A+ squadron, two F/A-18D squadrons and a maintenance and logistics squadron...
(MAG-31). The mission of MCAS Beaufort is to provide support as an operational base for MAG-31 and its associated squadrons, Marine Corps support units and tenant Navy strike fighter squadrons. The mission of the Marine Aircraft Group (MAG-31) is to conduct anti-air-warfare and offensive air support operations in support of Fleet Marine Forces from advanced bases, expeditionary airfields, or aircraft carriers and conduct such other air operations as may be directed. An additional Navy F/A-18 strike fighter squadron under the claimancy of Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic at NAS Oceana, Virginia is also homeported at MCAS Beaufort. The population of the on-base "city" includes nearly 4,000 active-duty servicemembers and more than 700 civilian workers.
As is the case with many air bases, MCAS Beaufort hosts a bi-annual air show open to the public, which in April 2007, was the site of a fatal crash
2007 Blue Angels South Carolina crash
The 2007 Blue Angels South Carolina crash occurred on April 21, 2007 when the Number 6 US Navy Blue Angels jet crashed during the final minutes of an air show at the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in Beaufort, South Carolina...
involving an aircraft from the Blue Angels
Blue Angels
The United States Navy's Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, popularly known as the Blue Angels, was formed in 1946 and is currently the oldest formal flying aerobatic team...
demonstration team.
MCAS Beaufort's nickname is "Fightertown East." MCAS Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , formerly Naval Air Station Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force...
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
is the more commonly known "Fightertown", also called "Fightertown USA", the latter having acquired the nickname when it was under Navy control as NAS Miramar.
The 1979 film The Great Santini
The Great Santini
The Great Santini is a 1979 film which tells the story of a Marine officer whose success as a military aviator contrasts with his shortcomings as a husband and father. The film explores the high price of heroism and self-sacrifice...
, based upon a novel written by Pat Conroy
Pat Conroy
Pat Conroy , is a New York Times bestselling author who has written several acclaimed novels and memoirs. Two of his novels, The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini, were made into Oscar-nominated films.-Early life:...
which centered on MCAS Beaufort in the early 1960s, was filmed on base and in the local area.
See also
- F/A-18 HornetF/A-18 HornetThe McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
- List of United States Marine Corps installations
- List of airports in South Carolina
External links
- MCAS Beaufort at GlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...
- USMC Air Station Beaufort Overview & PCS Information (MarineCorpsUSA.org)