Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Cunningham Field
Havelock, North Carolina in the United States
KC-130J Hercules of VMG-252 on the flight-line MCAS Cherry Point.
MCAS Cherry Point Location in the United States
Coordinates	34°54′03″N 076°52′51″W / 34.90083°N 76.88083°W / 34.90083; -76.88083
Type	Marine Corps Air Station
Site information
Owner	Department of Defense
Operator	US Marine Corps
Controlled by	Marine Corps Installations – East
Condition	Operational
Site history
Built	1942 (1942)
In use	1942 – present
Garrison information
Current commander	Colonel Brendan Burks
Garrison	2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
Airfield information
Identifiers	ICAO: KNKT, FAA LID: NKT, WMO: 723090
Elevation	8.8 metres (29 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 14L/32R 2,736.7 metres (8,979 ft) Asphalt 5L/23R 2,588 metres (8,491 ft) Asphalt 14R/32L 2,559.7 metres (8,398 ft) Asphalt 5R/23L 2,495.7 metres (8,188 ft) Asphalt
Other airfield facilities	5x V/STOL pads

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a large airfield for the United States Marine Corps. It is located in Havelock, North Carolina, in the eastern part of the state. This important base was built in 1941 and officially opened in 1942. Today, it is home to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is a big group of Marine aircraft and support units.

History of Cherry Point Air Station

Building the Base

The idea for Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point started on July 9, 1941. The U.S. Congress approved money to build it. Workers began clearing the land on August 6, 1941. This area was about 8,000 acres (32 square kilometers) of swamps, farms, and forests.

Construction started in November 1941, just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. This made the base even more important for national defense.

MCAS Cherry Point from above in September 1942.

On May 20, 1942, the base was first called Cunningham Field. It was named after Lieutenant Colonel Alfred A. Cunningham, who was the first Marine aviator. Later, the base was renamed Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. This new name came from a local post office surrounded by cherry trees.

Cherry Point's Role in Wars

During World War II, Cherry Point's main job was to train Marines. These trained Marines and their units then went to serve in the Pacific Ocean area. The air station also helped fight against enemy submarines. Both Army and Navy squadrons based here helped sink German submarines off the North Carolina coast in 1943.

For the Korean War, Cherry Point kept sending trained pilots and aircrews. They also sent maintenance and support staff. These people were replacements for aviation units fighting overseas.

During the Vietnam War, Cherry Point sent three A-6 Intruder squadrons to Asia. Again, it provided a steady stream of new aircrews and aviation personnel.

In Operation Desert Storm, Cherry Point played a big part in the victory. It helped deploy many aircraft squadrons. These included AV-8B Harrier jets, A-6E Intruders, KC-130 Hercules planes, and EA-6B Prowler aircraft.

Cherry Point Marines also took part in missions in Afghanistan. This was during Operation Enduring Freedom, which began in 2001.

Modern Day Operations

On September 8, 2007, the main headquarters building caught fire. A new headquarters building started construction in 2009.

The air station and its support areas cover over 29,000 acres (120 square kilometers). Its runways are so big that the base was an emergency landing site for the Space Shuttle. This was for launches from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

In 2013, Cherry Point hosted a big exercise called Bold Quest. Military teams from 10 different countries and all U.S. military branches took part. Cherry Point was chosen because it's a great spot for East Coast military operations. It could also support two U.S. Navy warships offshore.

Air Force Use at Cherry Point

For a short time, the United States Air Force (USAF) also used Cherry Point. In 1957, the USAF set up a radar station here. This station helped guide interceptor aircraft toward unknown planes.

They used special radars to track aircraft. Two smaller, unmanned radar sites were also set up nearby. These were at Engelhard and Holly Ridge, North Carolina.

In 1960, a hurricane damaged one of the radars. The Air Force turned over their radars to the Navy in 1960. The Marine Corps kept one radar for air traffic control.

The Air Force radar operations at Cherry Point ended in 1963. This was due to budget cuts.

Units Based at Cherry Point

Many different types of Marine Corps and Navy units are based at MCAS Cherry Point. These units include:

United States Marine Corps Units

• Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron: This unit helps run the base. They use small UC-35D Citation planes.
• 2nd Marine Logistics Group: This group handles supplies and support.
  • Combat Logistics Company 21 (CLC-21)
• 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing: This is a large group of aircraft and support units.
  • Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2
  • Marine Air Control Group 28: This group controls air traffic and communications.
    • 2d Low Altitude Defense Battalion (2D LAAD Bn): These Marines protect the base from air threats.
    • 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 Aircraft Group 14: This group includes many flying squadrons.
    • Marine Aerial Refueller Squadron 252 (VMGR-252): They fly KC-130J Hercules planes, which refuel other aircraft in the air.
    • Marine Attack Squadron 223 (VMA-223): They fly AV-8B Harrier II jets.
    • Marine Attack Squadron 231 (VMA-231): They also fly AV-8B Harrier II jets.
    • Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 (VMFA-542): This squadron flies the advanced F-35B Lightning II jets.
    • Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 14 (MALS-14): They provide maintenance and logistics support for aircraft.
    • Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2 (VMU-2): This unit operates RQ-21A Blackjack drones.
    • Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 (MWSS-271): They provide ground support for aviation operations.
• Marine Aviation Training Support Group 42
  • Marine Attack Training Squadron 203 (VMAT-203): This squadron trains new pilots on AV-8B Harrier II jets.

United States Navy Units

• Naval Air Systems Command
  • Fleet Readiness Center East: This center repairs and maintains Navy and Marine Corps aircraft.

Other Facilities Supported by Cherry Point

MCAS Cherry Point also manages several smaller airfields nearby. These are used for different types of training:

• MCALF Bogue: This field is used for practicing landings, like on an aircraft carrier.
• MCOLF Oak Grove: This field is used for training in tough conditions, like low visibility.
• MCOLF Atlantic: This field is used for refueling helicopters and other training activities.

Some former outlying fields have become public airports. Examples include those near Greenville, Kinston, Edenton, and New Bern.