Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton
Encyclopedia
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 within Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It was commissioned in 1942 and is currently home to Marine Aircraft Group 39
Marine Aircraft Group 39
Marine Aircraft Group 39 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California that is currently composed of six AH-1W Super Cobra and UH-1N Huey light attack squadrons, three CH-46 Sea Knight squadrons and one logistics squadron...
. The airfield is also known as Munn Field in honor of Lieutenant General John C. "Toby" Munn
John C. Munn
John Calvin Munn was the 8th Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and United States Naval Aviator. He served for 37 years in the United States Marine Corps.-Biography:...
, the first Marine Aviator to serve as the Commanding General of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
History
On September 25, 1942, the area presently known as Marine Corps Air Station, Camp Pendleton, California was designated an auxiliary landing field and served as a sub-unit of Marine Corps Air Station El ToroMarine 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...
. The airfield was 6,000 ft by 400 ft and began operating in November 1942. In February 1944, it became an Outlying Field (OLF) to Marine Corps Auxiliary Field Gillespie and it was during this time that the first squadrons were actually assigned to the field. Among the first squadrons were VMO-5, VMF-323 and VMF-471. In September 1944, the field was designated as a permanent establishment. In 1945, due to overcrowding at Marine Corps Air Station El Centro, Marine Aircraft Group 35 began parking its spare transport planes at the field as well.
During the early 1950s, the airfield was used for the filming of The Flying Leathernecks starring John Wayne
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
.
Marine Observation Squadron FIVE (VMO-5), a composite squadron consisting of both OV-10 Bronco
OV-10 Bronco
The North American Aviation Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is a turboprop light attack and observation aircraft. It was developed in the 1960s as a special aircraft for counter-insurgency combat, and one of its primary missions was as a forward air control aircraft...
fixed-wing aircraft and UH-1 Huey helicopters, was established in 1966 and was the first squadron stationed at the airfield following 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...
.
Marine Aircraft Group 39
Marine Aircraft Group 39 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California that is currently composed of six AH-1W Super Cobra and UH-1N Huey light attack squadrons, three CH-46 Sea Knight squadrons and one logistics squadron...
(MAG-39). Since 1978, the Group expanded to a strength of four tactical helicopter squadrons, one helicopter training squadron, one observation squadron, and an aviation logistics squadron. This increase in aircraft and personnel established once again the need for improved facilities.
On March 13, 1985, MCAF Pendleton was re-designated as Marine Corps Air Station effective April 1, 1985. Today, the Air Station supports over 180 helicopters assigned to MAG-39, Marine Aircraft Group 46
Marine Aircraft Group 46
Marine 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...
Detachment A, and a wide variety of other Marine Corps units and visiting aircraft from other branches of the Armed Forces. The closure of MCAS Tustin and MCAS El Toro were a result of Base Realignment and Closure
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...
legislation which saw MCAS Camp Pendleton expand its facilities again to support three additional helicopter squadrons. The first medium lift helicopter squadron joined MAG-39 in January 1999, and the final one came in June of that same year.
See also
- List of United States Marine Corps installations
- 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 airports in California
External links
- MCB Camp Pendleton, official website
- Marine Corps Community Services at Camp Pendleton
- Camp Pendleton 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 Camp Pendleton Overview & PCS Information (MarineCorpsUSA.org)
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