Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point (*) is a

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...

airfield located in

Havelock, North Carolina Havelock is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 20,735 at the 2010 census. The city is home to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, the world's largest Marine Corps air station, and home to the 2nd Mar ...

, United States, 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 The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered in Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The Wing provides the aviation combat element for the ...

History

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

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 A swamp is a forested wetland.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p. Swamps are considered to be transition zones because both land and water play a role in ...

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 The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ...

. 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 or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

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 Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

(

22d Antisubmarine Squadron D, or d, is the fourth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''dee'' (pronounced ), plural ''dees''. History Th ...

) and later a

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...

squadron each being responsible for the sinking of a

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare ro ...

just off the North Carolina coast during 1943. Cherry Point's contribution to the

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...

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 The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

, Cherry Point deployed three A-6 Intruder squadrons to the

Far East The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons. The t ...

and again provided a constant source of replacements for aircrews and enlisted aviation personnel. In

Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...

, 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 The Northrop Grumman (formerly Grumman) EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine, four-seat, mid-wing electronic-warfare aircraft derived from the A-6 Intruder airframe. The EA-6A was the initial electronic warfare version of the A-6 used by the United ...

squadron, and headquarters detachments from

Marine Aircraft Group 14 Marine Aircraft Group 14 (MAG-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, one F-35C squadron, one UAV squadron, on ...

, Marine Aircraft Group 32, and the

. Cherry Point marines and sailors participated in strike missions and follow-on operations in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...

and its surrounding region during

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 a ...

, 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 served as an alternate emergency landing site for the

Space Shuttle The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program n ...

launches out of

Cape Canaveral , image = cape canaveral.jpg , image_size = 300 , caption = View of Cape Canaveral from space in 1991 , map = Florida#USA , map_width = 300 , type = Cape , map_caption = Location in Florida , location ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

. In 2013, Cherry Point hosted warfighters, technology teams and testers under the flags of 10 nations and each of the U.S. military services for the 11th Bold Quest coalition demonstration. The

Joint Staff The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, that advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the ...

, J6 Joint Deployable Analysis Team (JDAT) led the test plan design, execution control, and emplaced the necessary infrastructure to connect the numerous geographic sites across seven states. Cherry Point was chosen for its ideal location for hosting East Coast military assets, two Navy ships, Arleigh Burke-class destroyer

USS Jason Dunham USS ''Jason Dunham'' (DDG-109) is an in the United States Navy. She is named after US Marine Corps corporal Jason Dunham, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for service in the Iraq War. ''Jason Dunham'' is the 59th destroyer in h ...

(DDG-109) and Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG-56).

USAF use

On 1 July 1957 the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...

(USAF) 614th Airborne Control and Warning Squadron established an

Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was established in 1946, briefly inac ...

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 USAF activated an AN/FPS-6 and two

AN/FPS-8 The AN/FPS-8 Radar was a Medium-Range Search Radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activate ...

radars located adjacent to Base Flight Operations. These radars were placed on top of 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) and one at Holly Ridge, NC (M-116C) were set up for additional coverage. One of the AN/FPS-8s was damaged by

Hurricane Donna Hurricane Donna, known in Puerto Rico as Hurricane San Lorenzo, was the strongest hurricane of the 1960 Atlantic hurricane season, and caused severe damage to the Lesser Antilles, the Greater Antilles, and the East Coast of the United States, e ...

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 Fort Lee Air Force Station is a former United States Air Force station. It is located northwest of Prince George, Virginia. It was closed in 1983 due to budget cuts. History Fort Lee Air Force Station, located on the United States Army For ...

, 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. USAF 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.

Based units

Flying and notable non-flying units based at MCAS Cherry Point.

United States Marine Corps

Marine Corps Installations – East * Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron – UC-35D Citation

2nd Marine Logistics Group The 2nd Marine Logistics Group (2nd MLG) is a logistics unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 2nd MLG was formerly known as 2nd Force Service Support Group (FSSG), reorganiz ...

* Combat Logistics Regiment 25 (CLR-25) ** Combat Logistics Company 21 (CLC-21)

Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2 Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2 is the headquarters element of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and is located at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point History Commissioned on 31 December 1955, Marine Wing Headquarters Group 2 was garrisoned at ...

Marine Air Control Group 28 Marine Air Control Group 28 (MACG-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 four command and control squadrons and a low altitude air defense ...

** 2d Low Altitude Defense Battalion (2D LAAD Bn) ** Marine Air Control Squadron 2 (MACS-2) ** Marine Air Support Squadron 1 (MASS-1) ** Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 28 (MATCS-28) ** Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28 (MWCS-28) *

** Marine Aerial Refueller Squadron 252 (VMGR-252) – KC-130J Hercules ** Marine Attack Squadron 223 (VMA-223) –

AV-8B Harrier II The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) AV-8B Harrier II is a single-engine ground-attack aircraft that constitutes the second generation of the Harrier family, capable of vertical or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL). The aircraft is primari ...

** Marine Attack Squadron 231 (VMA-231) – AV-8B Harrier II ** Marine Attack Squadron 542 (VMA-542) – AV-8B Harrier II ** Marine Attack Training Squadron 203 (VMAT-203) – AV-8B Harrier II and TAV-8B Harrier II ** Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 14 (MALS-14) ** Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2 (VMU-2) – RQ-21A Blackjack ** Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 (MWSS-271) * Marine Aviation Training Support Group 42 ** Marine Attack Training Squadron 203 (VMAT-203) Squadron Augment Unit – AV-8B Harrier II and TAV-8B Harrier II

United States Navy

Naval Air Systems Command * Fleet Readiness Center East

Supported facilities

MCAS Cherry Point also maintains a satellite field at MCALF Bogue a manned installation in Bogue, Carteret County North Carolina at MCALF Oak Grove, an unmanned training field in Jones County and an outlying airfield at MCOF Atlantic in Carteret County with a skeleton crew near Atlantic, North Carolina. Several former outlying landing fields have been converted to regional airports, such as MCOF Greenville, MCAA Kinston, MCASE near Edenton NC and MCOF New Bern.

References

;Notes : ;Bibliography * ;Web
MCAS Cherry Point's official website

External links

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry PointMCAS Cherry Point's official DVIDS pageUSMC Life Cherry Point
An Insider's Guide to Cherry Point Marine Base

at GlobalSecurity.org
USMC Air Station Cherry Point Overview & PCS Information
(MarineCorpsUSA.org) * *
{{Authority control Military installations in North Carolina Military Superfund sites Populated places established in 1941 Populated places in Craven County, North Carolina Populated places on the Neuse River Radar stations of the United States Air Force Superfund sites in North Carolina active World War II airfields in the United States Military installations established in 1942 1941 establishments in North Carolina Buildings and structures in Craven County, North Carolina Space Shuttle Emergency Landing Sites