Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Encyclopedia
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) , formerly Naval Air Station (NAS) 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
. It is located in Miramar
, San Diego, California
, about 10 miles (16.1 km) north of Downtown San Diego.
The airfield is named Mitscher Field after Admiral M.A. Mitscher
who was the commander of Task Force 58
during World War II
. The air station is the former location Pacific Fleet
fighter
and Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft (F-4 Phantom II
, F-14 Tomcat
, E-2 Hawkeye
) and is best known as the former location of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School
(NFWS), its TOPGUN training program and the movie
of the same name. In 1996, NFWS was relocated to Naval Air Station Fallon
in western Nevada
and merged into the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center
(NSAWC). During the heyday of TOPGUN at NAS Miramar, the station was nicknamed "Fightertown USA".
. The area east of Kearny Villa Road, called "East Miramar", is undeveloped and is used for military training.
Native Americans were the first inhabitants in the vicinity of the base. Spain
claimed the San Diego area in 1542 and colonized it beginning in 1769. In 1846 the crown issued a land grant that included the area of the current base to Don Santiago Argüello
. After the American Civil War
, the land was divided and sold to people such as Edward Scripps, a newspaper publisher from the eastern United States, who developed a ranch on the site. It was Scripps who named the area Miramar, meaning "view of the sea". The land was predominantly used for grazing and farming into the early 1900s.
During World War I
, the U.S. Army acquired 12721 acres (5,148 ha) of land in the Miramar Ranch area, on a mesa north of San Diego. Camp Kearny
was opened on 18 January 1917 and was named after Stephen W. Kearny
, who was commander of the Army of the West
during the Mexican-American War. The base was primarily used to train infantrymen on their way to the battlefields of Europe. During WWI an airstrip was never built on the property, although Army and Navy aircraft from Naval Air Station North Island
did land on the parade deck. Following the Armistice
, the base was used to demobilize servicemen and was closed on 20 October 1920. More than 1,200 buildings were demolished when the camp closed.
Charles Lindbergh
's Spirit of St. Louis
airplane was built in nearby San Diego. Lindbergh used the abandoned Camp Kearny parade field to practice landings and take-offs before making his historic solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
During the 1930s, the Navy briefly used the air base for helium
dirigibles. In 1932 a mooring mast and hangar were built at the camp for the dirigibles, but when the program was abandoned, the base was quiet again.
arrived on December 21 of that year. The Navy commissioned Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Camp Kearny in February 1943, specifically to train crews for the Consolidated
PB4Y-2 Privateer, which was built less than 10 miles (16.1 km) away in San Diego. A month later, the Marines established Marine Corps Air Depot Camp Kearny, later renamed Marine Corps Air Depot Miramar, to avoid confusion with the Navy facility.
The big Privateers proved too heavy for the asphalt concrete
runway the Army had installed in 1936 and the longer runways built in 1940, so the Navy added two concrete runways in 1943.
During the 1940s, both the Navy and the Marine Corps occupied Miramar. East Miramar (Camp Elliott) was used to train Marine artillery and armored personnel, while Navy and Marine Corps pilots trained on the western side. The bases were combined and designated Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in 1946.
In 1947, the Marines moved to MCAS El Toro
in Orange County, California
, and Miramar was redesignated as a Naval Auxiliary Air Station. In 1954, the Navy offered NAAS Miramar to San Diego for $1 and the city considered using the base to relocate its airport. But it was deemed at the time to be too far away from most residents and the offer was declined.
Only the western half of Miramar’s facilities were put to use, and the old station literally began to deteriorate, with many buildings sold as scrap. Miramar found new life as a Navy Master Jet Station in the 1950s. The eastern half, former Camp Elliot
, was used by the United States Air Force
for Project Orion
(having been transferred temporarily), and later by NASA
; It was the site of several launches. The base really came into its own during the Vietnam War
. The Navy needed a school to train pilots in dog-fighting and in fleet air defense. In 1969 the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School
was established.
In October 1972, Miramar welcomed the F-14 Tomcat
and fighter squadron VF-124
, a former Fleet Replacement Squadron
(FRS) was tasked with the mission to train new Tomcat crews. Formerly, VF-124 had been training pilots in the F-8 Crusader. That task was handed over to VFP-63 (Light Photographic Squadron 63) that then became "Crusader College" The first two operational Tomcat squadrons, VF-1
known as the "Wolfpack" and VF-2 known as the "Bounty Hunters," trained here before deploying aboard in 1974.
In 1993, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission
recommended that Marine Corps Air Station El Toro
and Marine Corps Air Station Tustin
be closed down and that NAS Miramar be transferred to the Marine Corps. BRAC also recommended that all Navy Pacific Fleet F-14 aircraft and squadrons (with the exception of those assigned to Carrier Air Wing 5 in Japan) and Pacific Fleet F-14 training be consolidated with the Atlantic Fleet and be relocated to NAS Oceana, Virginia. BRAC recommended that Pacific Fleet E-2C training be consolidated with Atlantic Fleet E-2C training at Naval Station Norfolk
, Virginia, that all Pacific Fleet E-2C aircraft and squadrons (with the exception of those assigned to Carrier Air Wing 5 in Japan) be relocated to NAS Point Mugu, California and that the Naval Fighter Weapons School ("TOP GUN") and Navy Reserve adversary squadron VFC-13
be relocated to NAS Fallon, Nevada.
In 1999, MCAS El Toro and MCAS Tustin were closed and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
returned to Miramar when it officially became Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. On October 1, 1997, Colonel Thomas A. Caughlan became the first Marine commanding officer of MCAS Miramar since World War II. Caughlan was also the last commanding officer of MCAS Tustin.
In 2005, the BRAC Commission directed instructor pilots and support personnel from Miramar to Eglin AFB
in Florida, sufficient to stand up the Marine Corps' portion of the F-35 Lightning II
Joint Strike Fighter Program
(JSF) Training Site. This will lead to an eventual phasing out of Fighter Pilot training at Miramar by 2015 as the F-18's are retired.
In 2006, the San Diego County Proposition A proposed obtaining 3000 acres (12 km²) at MCAS Miramar to develop a commercial airport. The proposition was defeated 62 percent opposed to 38 percent in favor. The public decided that they did not want the military to leave and that the proposed joint use arrangement would increase noise levels to an intolerable level and would interfere with the needs of the military.
, limitations on engine run-ups, and modification to flight plans. Residents are able to file noise complaints via the Air Station's Noise Complaint hotline
.
was dedicated at the northwest corner of MCAS Miramar. The cemetery is an extension of Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
and when it is complete will be able to accommodate the remains of approximately 235,000 veterans and spouses. Before its opening, Fort Rosecrans had been closed to most casket burials in 1966, and casket burials of San Diego region veterans occurred at Riverside National Cemetery
. The cemetery design takes into account environmental considerations, preserving habitat for endangered California gnatcatcher
s and fairy shrimp
. The first internment occurred in November 2010.
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...
installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 3d Marine Aircraft Wing is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and provides the aviation combat element for I Marine Expeditionary Force...
, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force
1st Marine Expeditionary Force
The I Marine Expeditionary Force is a Marine Air Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps primarily composed of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and 1st Marine Logistics Group...
. It is located in Miramar
Miramar, San Diego, California
Miramar is a neighborhood in the northern part of the city of San Diego, California, USA. It includes residential areas and commercial and light industrial districts....
, 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...
, about 10 miles (16.1 km) north of Downtown San Diego.
The airfield is named Mitscher Field after Admiral M.A. Mitscher
Marc Mitscher
Admiral Marc Andrew "Pete" Mitscher was an admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander of the Fast Carrier Task Force in the Pacific in the latter half of World War II.-Early life and career:...
who was the commander of Task Force 58
Fast Carrier Task Force
The Fast Carrier Task Force was the main striking force of the United States Navy in the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II.The Fast Carrier Task Force was known under two designations. The Navy made use of two sets of upper command structures for planning the upcoming operations...
during 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...
. The air station is the former location Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
and Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft (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,...
, F-14 Tomcat
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
, E-2 Hawkeye
E-2 Hawkeye
The Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, aircraft carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the...
) and is best known as the former location of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School
United States Navy Fighter Weapons School
The United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program , more popularly known as TOPGUN, is the modern-day evolution of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School which was originally established on March 3, 1969 at the former Naval Air Station Miramar in California...
(NFWS), its TOPGUN training program and the movie
Top Gun
Top Gun may refer to:* Top Gun is a 1986 film starring Tom Cruise.**Top Gun , soundtrack to the movie**Top Gun , a number of games based on the movie...
of the same name. In 1996, NFWS was relocated to Naval Air Station Fallon
Naval Air Station Fallon
Naval Air Station Fallon or NAS Fallon is the United States Navy's premier air-to-air and air-to-ground training facility. It is located southeast of the city of Fallon in western Nevada in the United States. Since 1996, it has been home to the Naval Fighter Weapons School , and the surrounding...
in western Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
and merged into the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center
Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center
The Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center at Naval Air Station Fallon located in the city of Fallon in western Nevada is the center of excellence for naval aviation training and tactics development...
(NSAWC). During the heyday of TOPGUN at NAS Miramar, the station was nicknamed "Fightertown USA".
Tenant commands
- 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:...
- 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing3rd Marine Aircraft WingThe 3d Marine Aircraft Wing is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and provides the aviation combat element for I Marine Expeditionary Force...
- Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3 is the headquarters element of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and is located at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California.-Mission:...
- Marine Aircraft Group 11Marine Aircraft Group 11Marine Aircraft Group 11 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of three F/A-18C squadrons, three F/A-18D squadrons, one fleet readiness squadron, one KC-130 tactical aerial refueling squadron and a maintenance and...
- Marine Aircraft Group 16Marine Aircraft Group 16Marine Aircraft Group 16 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of one CH-46 Sea Knight squadron, four V-22 Osprey squadrons, four CH-53 Super Stallion squadrons, one Personnel Support Detachment and a maintenance and...
- Marine Air Control Group 38Marine Air Control Group 38Marine Air Control Group 38 is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of 5 squadrons and 1 battalion that provide the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wings tactical headquarters, positive and procedural control to...
- Marine Wing Support Group 37Marine Wing Support Group 37Marine Wing Support Group 37 is a United States Marine Corps aviation combat service support unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of 4 squadrons, that provide the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and I Marine Expeditionary Force with complete airfield operation...
- Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3
- Marine Aircraft Group 46Marine Aircraft Group 46Marine Aircraft Group 46 was a United States Marine Corps reserve aviation group based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California with subordinate units spread throughout California. It previously composed of one adversary squadron equipped with the F-5, one CH-46 squadron, one CH-53E...
- Combat Logistics Company 11
Geography
The base contains 23116 acres (93.5 km²). It is bisected by Kearny Villa Road and Interstate 15Interstate 15 in California
In the U.S. state of California, Interstate 15 is a major north–south route through the San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego Counties, and it has a length of in the state. It is a major thoroughfare for traffic between Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as points beyond...
. The area east of Kearny Villa Road, called "East Miramar", is undeveloped and is used for military training.
History
KumeyaayKumeyaay
The Kumeyaay, also known as Tipai-Ipai, Kamia, or formerly Diegueño, are Native American people of the extreme southwestern United States and northwest Mexico. They live in the states of California in the US and Baja California in Mexico. In Spanish, the name is commonly spelled...
Native Americans were the first inhabitants in the vicinity of the base. Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
claimed the San Diego area in 1542 and colonized it beginning in 1769. In 1846 the crown issued a land grant that included the area of the current base to Don Santiago Argüello
Santiago Argüello
-Life:Santiago Argüello was born in Monterey, California, the son of José Darío Argüello, a soldier, and María Ignacia Moraga, a niece of the acting governor of Alta California. Argüello was tall and stout. His fair complexion and black hair, along with his reserved manner gave him a regal...
. After the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the land was divided and sold to people such as Edward Scripps, a newspaper publisher from the eastern United States, who developed a ranch on the site. It was Scripps who named the area Miramar, meaning "view of the sea". The land was predominantly used for grazing and farming into the early 1900s.
1918–1941
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the U.S. Army acquired 12721 acres (5,148 ha) of land in the Miramar Ranch area, on a mesa north of San Diego. Camp Kearny
Camp Kearny
Camp Kearny was a U.S. military base in San Diego, California, on the site of the current Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. It operated from 1917 to 1946.-Establishment and early years:...
was opened on 18 January 1917 and was named after Stephen W. Kearny
Stephen W. Kearny
Stephen Watts Kearny surname also appears as Kearney in some historic sources; August 30, 1794 October 31, 1848), was one of the foremost antebellum frontier officers of the United States Army. He is remembered for his significant contributions in the Mexican-American War, especially the conquest...
, who was commander of the Army of the West
Army of the West (1846)
The Army of the West was the name of the United States force commanded by Stephen W. Kearny during the Mexican-American War, which played a prominent role in the conquest of New Mexico and California....
during the Mexican-American War. The base was primarily used to train infantrymen on their way to the battlefields of Europe. During WWI an airstrip was never built on the property, although Army and Navy aircraft from Naval Air Station North Island
Naval Air Station North Island
Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island is located at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay and is the home port of several aircraft carriers of the United States Navy...
did land on the parade deck. Following the Armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
, the base was used to demobilize servicemen and was closed on 20 October 1920. More than 1,200 buildings were demolished when the camp closed.
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
's Spirit of St. Louis
Spirit of St. Louis
The Spirit of St. Louis is the custom-built, single engine, single-seat monoplane that was flown solo by Charles Lindbergh on May 20–21, 1927, on the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris for which Lindbergh won the $25,000 Orteig Prize.Lindbergh took off in the Spirit from Roosevelt...
airplane was built in nearby San Diego. Lindbergh used the abandoned Camp Kearny parade field to practice landings and take-offs before making his historic solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
During the 1930s, the Navy briefly used the air base for helium
Helium
Helium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table...
dirigibles. In 1932 a mooring mast and hangar were built at the camp for the dirigibles, but when the program was abandoned, the base was quiet again.
World War II
By the time World War II began, Miramar was already undergoing a “precautionary” renovation. Camp Holcomb (later renamed Camp Elliott) was built on part of old Camp Kearny, to be used for Marine artillery and machine gun training. Camp Elliott became home to Fleet Marine Force Training Center, West Coast and the 2nd Marine Division, charged with defending the California coast. Runways were constructed in 1940, and the 1st Marine Air Wing1st Marine Aircraft Wing
The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan...
arrived on December 21 of that year. The Navy commissioned Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Camp Kearny in February 1943, specifically to train crews for the Consolidated
Consolidated Aircraft
The Consolidated Aircraft Corporation was founded in 1923 by Reuben H. Fleet, the result of the Gallaudet Aircraft Company's liquidation and Fleet's purchase of designs from the Dayton-Wright Company as the subsidiary was being closed by its parent corporation, General Motors. Consolidated became...
PB4Y-2 Privateer, which was built less than 10 miles (16.1 km) away in San Diego. A month later, the Marines established Marine Corps Air Depot Camp Kearny, later renamed Marine Corps Air Depot Miramar, to avoid confusion with the Navy facility.
The big Privateers proved too heavy for the asphalt concrete
Asphalt concrete
Asphalt concrete is a composite material commonly used in construction projects such as road surfaces, airports and parking lots. It consists of asphalt and mineral aggregate mixed together, then laid down in layers and compacted...
runway the Army had installed in 1936 and the longer runways built in 1940, so the Navy added two concrete runways in 1943.
During the 1940s, both the Navy and the Marine Corps occupied Miramar. East Miramar (Camp Elliott) was used to train Marine artillery and armored personnel, while Navy and Marine Corps pilots trained on the western side. The bases were combined and designated Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in 1946.
Naval Air Station
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was a United States Marine Corps Air Station located near Irvine, California.Before it was decommissioned in 1999, it was the home of Marine Corps aviation on the West Coast. Designated as a Master Jet Station, its four runways could handle the largest aircraft...
in Orange County, California
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, and Miramar was redesignated as a Naval Auxiliary Air Station. In 1954, the Navy offered NAAS Miramar to San Diego for $1 and the city considered using the base to relocate its airport. But it was deemed at the time to be too far away from most residents and the offer was declined.
Only the western half of Miramar’s facilities were put to use, and the old station literally began to deteriorate, with many buildings sold as scrap. Miramar found new life as a Navy Master Jet Station in the 1950s. The eastern half, former Camp Elliot
Sycamore Canyon Test Facility
Sycamore Canyon Test Facility is rocket and weapons test site located east of MCAS Miramar in northern San Diego, California. A number of weapons contractors have had facilities at the site including Lockheed-Martin, Hughes Aircraft and General Dynamics. The engines for the Atlas missile and...
, was used by the United States Air Force
United 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...
for Project Orion
Project Orion
Project Orion may refer to:*Project Orion was an engineering design study of spacecraft powered by nuclear pulse propulsion...
(having been transferred temporarily), and later by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
; It was the site of several launches. The base really came into its own 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...
. The Navy needed a school to train pilots in dog-fighting and in fleet air defense. In 1969 the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School
United States Navy Fighter Weapons School
The United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program , more popularly known as TOPGUN, is the modern-day evolution of the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School which was originally established on March 3, 1969 at the former Naval Air Station Miramar in California...
was established.
In October 1972, Miramar welcomed the F-14 Tomcat
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
and fighter squadron VF-124
VF-124
Fighter Squadron 124 was a fleet replacement squadron of the United States Navy. Known as the Gunfighters, they were active from 1958 through 1994...
, a former Fleet Replacement Squadron
Fleet Replacement Squadron
A Fleet Replacement Squadron , is a unit of the United States Navy and Marine Corps that trains Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers on the specific front-line aircraft they have been assigned to fly...
(FRS) was tasked with the mission to train new Tomcat crews. Formerly, VF-124 had been training pilots in the F-8 Crusader. That task was handed over to VFP-63 (Light Photographic Squadron 63) that then became "Crusader College" The first two operational Tomcat squadrons, VF-1
VF-1
This article is about the fighter squadron; for the mecha seen in Macross/Robotech, see VF-1 Valkyrie.Fighter Squadron 1 was a fighter squadron of the United States Navy. Known as the "Wolfpack" the squadron saw combat during World War II, the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm...
known as the "Wolfpack" and VF-2 known as the "Bounty Hunters," trained here before deploying aboard in 1974.
Recent history
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
recommended that Marine Corps Air Station El Toro
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro was a United States Marine Corps Air Station located near Irvine, California.Before it was decommissioned in 1999, it was the home of Marine Corps aviation on the West Coast. Designated as a Master Jet Station, its four runways could handle the largest aircraft...
and Marine Corps Air Station Tustin
Marine Corps Air Station Tustin
Tustin Legacy is a planned community in Tustin, California being developed on the former Marine Corps Air Station Tustin. The project, under construction, will include parks, a commercial retail center and various densities of housing, for a total of 4,600 units.The City’s vision for Tustin Legacy...
be closed down and that NAS Miramar be transferred to the Marine Corps. BRAC also recommended that all Navy Pacific Fleet F-14 aircraft and squadrons (with the exception of those assigned to Carrier Air Wing 5 in Japan) and Pacific Fleet F-14 training be consolidated with the Atlantic Fleet and be relocated to NAS Oceana, Virginia. BRAC recommended that Pacific Fleet E-2C training be consolidated with Atlantic Fleet E-2C training at Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk
Naval Station Norfolk, in Norfolk, Virginia, is a base of the United States Navy, supporting naval forces in the United States Fleet Forces Command, those operating in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean...
, Virginia, that all Pacific Fleet E-2C aircraft and squadrons (with the exception of those assigned to Carrier Air Wing 5 in Japan) be relocated to NAS Point Mugu, California and that the Naval Fighter Weapons School ("TOP GUN") and Navy Reserve adversary squadron VFC-13
VFC-13
Fighter Squadron Composite Saints is a US Navy fighter squadron that provides adversary training for U.S. Navy air wings at NAS Fallon, Nevada.VFC-13 uses "Bogey" as its main radio callsign.-History:...
be relocated to NAS Fallon, Nevada.
In 1999, MCAS El Toro and MCAS Tustin were closed and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 3d Marine Aircraft Wing is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and provides the aviation combat element for I Marine Expeditionary Force...
returned to Miramar when it officially became Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. On October 1, 1997, Colonel Thomas A. Caughlan became the first Marine commanding officer of MCAS Miramar since World War II. Caughlan was also the last commanding officer of MCAS Tustin.
In 2005, the BRAC Commission directed instructor pilots and support personnel from Miramar to Eglin AFB
Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 3 miles southwest of Valparaiso, Florida in Okaloosa County....
in Florida, sufficient to stand up the Marine Corps' portion of the F-35 Lightning II
F-35 Lightning II
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, fifth generation multirole fighters under development to perform ground attack, reconnaissance, and air defense missions with stealth capability...
Joint Strike Fighter Program
Joint Strike Fighter Program
Joint Strike Fighter is a development and acquisition program intended to replace a wide range of existing fighter, strike, and ground attack aircraft for the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and their allies. After a competition between the Boeing X-32 and the Lockheed Martin X-35, a...
(JSF) Training Site. This will lead to an eventual phasing out of Fighter Pilot training at Miramar by 2015 as the F-18's are retired.
In 2006, the San Diego County Proposition A proposed obtaining 3000 acres (12 km²) at MCAS Miramar to develop a commercial airport. The proposition was defeated 62 percent opposed to 38 percent in favor. The public decided that they did not want the military to leave and that the proposed joint use arrangement would increase noise levels to an intolerable level and would interfere with the needs of the military.
Noise
To lessen the noise impact to the community, MCAS Miramar has made adjustments to their operations over the years, including the use of hush-housesHush house
Hush house is a generic term for an enclosed, noise suppressed, aircraft jet engine testing facility for the testing of installed or uninstalled jet engines under actual load conditions.Jet engines and aircraft can be tested either indoors or outdoors....
, limitations on engine run-ups, and modification to flight plans. Residents are able to file noise complaints via the Air Station's Noise Complaint hotline
Hotline
In telecommunication, a hotline is a point-to-point communications link in which a call is automatically directed to the preselected destination without any additional action by the user when the end instrument goes off-hook...
.
Crashes
There have been a number of aviation accidents:- On 4 December 1959, an F3H DemonF3H DemonThe McDonnell F3H Demon was a subsonic swept-wing United States Navy carrier-based jet fighter aircraft. After severe problems with Westinghouse J40 engine that was ultimately abandoned, the successor to the McDonnell F2H Banshee served starting in 1956 redesigned with the J71 engine...
with Navy pilot ENS Albert Joe Hickman crashed into the adjoining community of Clairemont Mesa. The pilot stayed with the aircraft to avoid hitting a school. The city named an elementary school in Mira Mesa after him. - On 12 August 1968, an F-8C CrusaderF-8 CrusaderThe 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...
of VF-124VF-124Fighter Squadron 124 was a fleet replacement squadron of the United States Navy. Known as the Gunfighters, they were active from 1958 through 1994...
crashed at night North of Miramar Road, West of Hwy 395. The pilot was killed. The area was open brushland at the time (now heavily populated). Live missiles presented a dangerous crash site. - On 22 December 1969, an F-8J Crusader of VF-194VF-194Fighter squadron VF-194 Red Lightnings was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. It was established in 1952 and disestablished in 1978. It was reactivated for a short time again between 1986 and 1988.-Squadron linage:...
crashed into a hangar at NAS Miramar, after the pilot ejected. 14 died and 30 were injured. Pilot Lt. C. M. Riddell ejected safely. Five other fighters, including two F-4F-4 Phantom IIThe 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,...
s, were damaged in the repair facility fire that ensued. Helicopters and military and civilian ambulances were used to transport the injured to Balboa Naval HospitalBob Wilson Naval HospitalNaval Medical Center San Diego , also known as Bob Wilson Naval Hospital and informally referred to as "Balboa Hospital", is a technologically advanced Navy medical treatment facility. Located within the grounds of Balboa Park in San Diego, the hospital has played a role in the history of San...
, San Diego. - On 27 March 1978, an F-14 TomcatF-14 TomcatThe Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
from VF-1VF-1This article is about the fighter squadron; for the mecha seen in Macross/Robotech, see VF-1 Valkyrie.Fighter Squadron 1 was a fighter squadron of the United States Navy. Known as the "Wolfpack" the squadron saw combat during World War II, the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm...
crashed into I-15 just short of the runway and was stopped on the northbound lanes by a concrete divider. One aviator in the Tomcat was killed. - On 7 November 1978, an A-4 SkyhawkA-4 SkyhawkThe Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
used by the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue AngelsBlue AngelsThe 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...
, crashed and the pilot was killed. - On 30 November 1989, an F-8 Crusader crashed into a parking lot of a nearby industrial park. The pilot ejected safely.
- On 11 March 2004, a UC-35Cessna Citation VThe Cessna Citation V is a turbofan-powered small-to-medium sized business jet built by the Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas. The Citation brand of business jets encompasses several distinct "families" of aircraft, and the Citation V was the basis for one of these families...
crashed on east Miramar at the approach end of the runway. 4 Marines were killed. - In November 2006, an F/A-18C 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...
crashed on the eastern perimeter of the base, with the pilot ejecting safely. - On 8 December 2008, four people were killed, two homes were destroyed and three homes were damaged when an F/A-18D 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...
crashed about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the base. The plane was returning from training exercises with the USS Abraham LincolnUSS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)USS Abraham Lincoln , is the fifth Nimitz-class supercarrier in the United States Navy. She is the second Navy ship named after former president Abraham Lincoln. Her home port is Everett, Washington.-Construction:...
, which was off the coast of San Diego. The pilot was attempting to steer the aircraft to an unpopulated area when he lost all engine, electrical and hydraulic power. He ejected safely.
Miramar National Cemetery
On 30 January 2010 a new National CemeteryUnited States National Cemetery
"United States National Cemetery" is a designation for 146 nationally important cemeteries in the United States. A National Cemetery is generally a military cemetery containing the graves of U.S. military personnel, veterans and their spouses but not exclusively so...
was dedicated at the northwest corner of MCAS Miramar. The cemetery is an extension of Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is situated in the city of San Diego, California, on the Fort Rosecrans Military Reservation. The cemetery is located approximately 10 miles west of downtown San Diego, overlooking the bay and the city...
and when it is complete will be able to accommodate the remains of approximately 235,000 veterans and spouses. Before its opening, Fort Rosecrans had been closed to most casket burials in 1966, and casket burials of San Diego region veterans occurred at Riverside National Cemetery
Riverside National Cemetery
Riverside National Cemetery is a cemetery located in Riverside, California, dedicated to the interment of United States military personnel. The cemetery covers , making it the third-largest cemetery managed by the National Cemetery Administration...
. The cemetery design takes into account environmental considerations, preserving habitat for endangered California gnatcatcher
California Gnatcatcher
The California Gnatcatcher, Polioptila californica, is a small 10.8 cm long insectivorous bird which frequents dense coastal sage scrub growth...
s and fairy shrimp
Branchinecta sandiegonensis
Branchinecta sandiegonensis is a rare species of crustacean in the family Branchinectidae and the order Anostraca, the fairy shrimp. Its common name is San Diego fairy shrimp. It is native to southern California in the United States and Baja California in Mexico...
. The first internment occurred in November 2010.
Attractions
- MCAS Miramar is home to the Flying Leatherneck Aviation MuseumFlying Leatherneck Aviation MuseumThe Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum is located at Building T, 4203 Anderson Avenue, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San Diego, California. The museum contains exhibits and artifacts relating to the history and legacy of United States Marine Corps Aviation...
, which is open to the public. - The Miramar AirshowMiramar AirshowThe Miramar Airshow is an airshow held in October at MCAS Miramar in San Diego, California, USA. It is a major stop on the airshow circuit featuring civilian and military aircraft with a demonstration by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. In 2007, the US Air Force Thunderbirds performed instead of the Navy...
is a major airshowAirshowAn air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
held at MCAS Miramar each October.
See also
- Kearny MesaKearny Mesa-External links:***...
, where MCAS is located - List of United States Marine Corps installations
- List of airports in California
- Pogogyne abramsiiPogogyne abramsiiPogogyne abramsii is a rare species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name San Diego mesa mint. It is endemic to San Diego County, California, where it is known only from a few sites at vernal pools in and around San Diego and its suburbs. Much of its range is located on the...
– an endangered plant found on the grounds of MCAS Miramar. - 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....
Links
- Miramar Marine Corps Air Station 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...
- Marine Corps Air Station Miramar official website
- USMC Air Station Miramar Overview & PCS Information (MarineCorpsUSA.org)
- Miramar Air Show
- Flying Leathernecks Museum web site