Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Encyclopedia
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point(}) is a United States Marine Corps
airfield located in Havelock
, North Carolina
, USA
, in the eastern part of the state. It was built in 1941, and was commissioned in 1942 and is currently home to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
.
MCAS Cherry Point also maintains a satellite field at MCALF Bogue
, in Bogue, North Carolina
, as well as an outlying airfield at Marine Corps Outlying Field (MCOLF) Atlantic in Atlantic, NC. Several former outlying landing fields have been converted to regional airports, such as MCOF Greenville, MCAA Kinston, and MCOF New Bern.
authorized Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point on July 9, 1941, with an initial appropriation of $14,990,000 for construction and clearing of an 8,000 acre (32 km²) tract of swamp
s, farms and timberland.
Actual clearing of the site began on August 6, 1941, with extensive drainage and malaria control work. Construction began in November just 17 days before the attack on Pearl Harbor
.
On May 20, 1942, the facility was commissioned Cunningham Field, named in honor of the Marine Corps' first aviator, Lieutenant Colonel Alfred A. Cunningham. The completed facility was later renamed Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, after a local post office situated among cherry trees.
Cherry Point's primary World War II
mission was to train units and individual Marines for service to the Pacific theater. The air station also served as a base for anti-submarine operations, with an Army Air Corps
(22d Antisubmarine Squadron) and later a Navy squadron each being responsible for the sinking of a German U-boat
just off the North Carolina coast during 1943.
Cherry Point's contribution to the Korean War
effort was to provide a steady stream of trained aviators and air crewmen as well as maintenance and support personnel as replacements to forward deployed aviation units.
During the Vietnam War
, Cherry Point deployed three A-6 Intruder
squadrons to the Far East and again provided a constant source of replacements for aircrews and enlisted aviation personnel.
In Operation Desert Storm, Cherry Point was a major contributor to the victory in Southwest Asia by supporting the deployment of three AV-8B Harrier squadrons, two A-6E Intruder squadrons, one KC-130 Hercules squadron, one EA-6B Prowler squadron, and headquarters detachments from Marine Aircraft Group 14
, Marine Aircraft Group 32
, and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
.
Cherry Point Marines and Sailors participated in strike missions and follow-on operations in Afghanistan
and its surrounding region during Operation Enduring Freedom, which was initiated on October 7, 2001.
On September 8, 2007, the headquarters building (198) was gutted by a fire. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Headquarters Building was on 29 July 2009, with completion planned for sometime in 2011.
The air station and its associated support locations occupy more than 29,000 acres (120 km²). Its runway system is large enough that the air station serves as an alternate emergency landing site for the Space Shuttle
launches out of Cape Canaveral
, Florida
.
614th Airborne Control and Warning Squadron
established a Air Defense Command Phase I Mobile Radar station (M-116) at Cherry Point. This station was part of the planned deployment of forty-four Mobile radar stations. The Air Force activated an AN/FPS-6 and two AN/FPS-8 radars located adjacent to Base Flight Operations. These radars were placed on top of 90 feet (27.4 m) towers without radomes, and initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes.
In addition to the radars on the air station, two unmanned AN/FPS-14 "Gap Filler" sites, one at Engelhard, NC
(M-116B) 35°29′49"N 076°00′34"W and one at Holly Ridge, NC
(M-116C) 34°30′50"N 077°32′08"W were set up for additional coverage.
One of the AN/FPS-8s was damaged by Hurricane Donna
in 1960. The radars were turned over to the Navy on 30 April 1960, and the Marine Corps retained the other undamaged AN/FPS-8 radar for a number of years for base air traffic control.
During 1961 M-116 joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) system, initially feeding data to DC-04 at Fort Lee AFS, Virginia. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 614th Radar Squadron
(SAGE) on 1 March 1963. The radar squadron provided information 24/7 the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range, direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile.
Air Force radar operations continued at MCAS Cherry Point until 1 August 1963 when budget reductions and a general draw-down of antiaircraft radar sites closed the facility.
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...
airfield located in Havelock
Havelock, North Carolina
Havelock is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 22,442 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 21,906 in 2006...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in the eastern part of the state. It was built in 1941, and was commissioned in 1942 and is currently home to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina...
.
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:...
- 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing2nd Marine Aircraft WingThe 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina...
- Marine Aircraft Group 14Marine Aircraft Group 14Marine Aircraft Group 14 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina that is currently composed of four AV-8B Harrier squadrons, four EA-6B Prowler squadrons, one KC-130 squadron and a maintenance and logistics...
- Marine Wing Support Group 27Marine Wing Support Group 27Marine Wing Support Group 27 is a United States Marine Corps aviation combat service support unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point that is currently composed of 4 squadrons, that provide the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and II Marine Expeditionary Force with complete airfield operation...
- Marine Air Control Group 28Marine Air Control Group 28Marine Air Control Group 28 is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point that is currently composed of 5 squadrons and a battalion that provide the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing with airspace coordination, air control, immediate air...
- Marine Aircraft Group 14
- Combat Logistics Company 21
- Fleet Readiness Center (East)
MCAS Cherry Point also maintains a satellite field at MCALF Bogue
Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue
Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue , also known as Bogue Field, is an landing field located on Bogue Sound that serves as the Marine Corps’ only East Coast site for Field Carrier Landing Practice...
, in Bogue, North Carolina
Bogue, North Carolina
Bogue is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 577 in 2008.-Geography:Bogue is located at ....
, as well as an outlying airfield at Marine Corps Outlying Field (MCOLF) Atlantic in Atlantic, NC. Several former outlying landing fields have been converted to regional airports, such as MCOF Greenville, MCAA Kinston, and MCOF New Bern.
History
CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
authorized Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point on July 9, 1941, with an initial appropriation of $14,990,000 for construction and clearing of an 8,000 acre (32 km²) tract of swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s, farms and timberland.
Actual clearing of the site began on August 6, 1941, with extensive drainage and malaria control work. Construction began in November just 17 days before the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
.
On May 20, 1942, the facility was commissioned Cunningham Field, named in honor of the Marine Corps' first aviator, Lieutenant Colonel Alfred A. Cunningham. The completed facility was later renamed Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, after a local post office situated among cherry trees.
Cherry Point's primary World War II
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...
mission was to train units and individual Marines for service to the Pacific theater. The air station also served as a base for anti-submarine operations, with an Army Air Corps
Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command
The Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command was a direct reporting agency of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. Its mission was to deal with the German Navy U-boat threat.-Lineage:...
(22d Antisubmarine Squadron) and later a Navy squadron each being responsible for the sinking of a German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
just off the North Carolina coast during 1943.
Cherry Point's contribution to the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
effort was to provide a steady stream of trained aviators and air crewmen as well as maintenance and support personnel as replacements to forward deployed aviation units.
During the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Cherry Point deployed three A-6 Intruder
A-6 Intruder
The Grumman A-6 Intruder was an American, twin jet-engine, mid-wing attack aircraft built by Grumman Aerospace. In service with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps between 1963 and 1997, the Intruder was designed as an all-weather medium attack aircraft to replace the piston-engined A-1 Skyraider...
squadrons to the Far East and again provided a constant source of replacements for aircrews and enlisted aviation personnel.
In Operation Desert Storm, Cherry Point was a major contributor to the victory in Southwest Asia by supporting the deployment of three AV-8B Harrier squadrons, two A-6E Intruder squadrons, one KC-130 Hercules squadron, one EA-6B Prowler squadron, and headquarters detachments from Marine Aircraft Group 14
Marine Aircraft Group 14
Marine Aircraft Group 14 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina that is currently composed of four AV-8B Harrier squadrons, four EA-6B Prowler squadrons, one KC-130 squadron and a maintenance and logistics...
, Marine Aircraft Group 32
Marine Aircraft Group 32
Marine Aircraft Group 32 was a United States Marine Corps aviation unit established during World War II.-World War II:Marine Aircraft Group 32 was commissioned on 1 February 1943 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. They trained there until January of 1944 when they moved to...
, and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina...
.
Cherry Point Marines and Sailors participated in strike missions and follow-on operations in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and its surrounding region during Operation Enduring Freedom, which was initiated on October 7, 2001.
On September 8, 2007, the headquarters building (198) was gutted by a fire. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Headquarters Building was on 29 July 2009, with completion planned for sometime in 2011.
The air station and its associated support locations occupy more than 29,000 acres (120 km²). Its runway system is large enough that the air station serves as an alternate emergency landing site for the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle program
NASA's Space Shuttle program, officially called Space Transportation System , was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011...
launches out of Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral, from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, is a headland in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic coast. Known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated from it by the Banana River.It is part of a region known as the...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
USAF use
On 1 July 1957 the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
614th Airborne Control and Warning Squadron
614th Radar Squadron
The 614th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Washington Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, stationed at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station, North Carolina...
established a Air Defense Command Phase I Mobile Radar station (M-116) at Cherry Point. This station was part of the planned deployment of forty-four Mobile radar stations. The Air Force activated an AN/FPS-6 and two AN/FPS-8 radars located adjacent to Base Flight Operations. These radars were placed on top of 90 feet (27.4 m) towers without radomes, and initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes.
In addition to the radars on the air station, two unmanned AN/FPS-14 "Gap Filler" sites, one at Engelhard, NC
Engelhard, North Carolina
Engelhard is a small unincorporated fishing community in Lake Landing Township located on US 264 in the mainland of Hyde County, North Carolina, United States. It has access to the Pamlico Sound....
(M-116B) 35°29′49"N 076°00′34"W and one at Holly Ridge, NC
Holly Ridge, North Carolina
Holly Ridge is a town in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. The 2008 estimated population was 908. It is part of the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Holly Ridge is located at ....
(M-116C) 34°30′50"N 077°32′08"W were set up for additional coverage.
One of the AN/FPS-8s was damaged by Hurricane Donna
Hurricane Donna
Hurricane Donna in the 1960 Atlantic hurricane season was a Cape Verde-type hurricane which moved across the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispanola, Cuba, The Bahamas, and every state on the East Coast of the United States...
in 1960. The radars were turned over to the Navy on 30 April 1960, and the Marine Corps retained the other undamaged AN/FPS-8 radar for a number of years for base air traffic control.
During 1961 M-116 joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
Semi Automatic Ground Environment
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment was an automated control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft used by NORAD from the late 1950s into the 1980s...
(SAGE) system, initially feeding data to DC-04 at Fort Lee AFS, Virginia. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 614th Radar Squadron
614th Radar Squadron
The 614th Radar Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Washington Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, stationed at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station, North Carolina...
(SAGE) on 1 March 1963. The radar squadron provided information 24/7 the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range, direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile.
Air Force radar operations continued at MCAS Cherry Point until 1 August 1963 when budget reductions and a general draw-down of antiaircraft radar sites closed the facility.
See also
- Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field BogueMarine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field BogueMarine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue , also known as Bogue Field, is an landing field located on Bogue Sound that serves as the Marine Corps’ only East Coast site for Field Carrier Landing Practice...
- Proposed Outlying Landing Field in North Carolina
- United States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....
- List of United States Marine Corps installations
- List of airports in North Carolina
- List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations
External links
- USMC Life Cherry Point An Insider's Guide to Cherry Point Marine Base
- MCAS Cherry Point 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 Cherry Point Overview & PCS Information (MarineCorpsUSA.org)