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Just 17 days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, construction began on the Marine Corps air station known as Cherry Point. Once only North Carolina swampland and forest, Cherry Point is now home to the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing. The air station is currently commanded by, Major General (Sel) Robert M. Flanagan. Cherry Point is home to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, commanded by Major General Dennis T. Krupp. The wing consists of six groups; four aircraft groups, flying all combat aircraft in the Marine inventory, one aircraft control group and one engineer group.
Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point now includes 13,164 acres on the air station proper, with an additional 15,975 acres of auxiliary activities, including Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue, along Bogue Sound in Carteret County.
The largest command at Cherry Point is the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. The 2nd MAW headquarters is located at Cherry Point, as well as Marine Aircraft Group 14, Marine Wing Support Group 27 and Marine Air Control Group 28. Other 2nd MAW units include helicopter squadrons at MCAS New River, N.C., and F/A-18 Hornet squadrons at MCAS Beaufort, SC.
Marine Aircraft Group 14's flying squadrons include three AV-8B Harrier squadrons, four EA-6B Prowler squadrons and one KC-130 Hercules refueling squadron. The Marine Corps' only Harrier training squadron and only Hercules training squadron are also located at the air station.
Harriers are used primarily for close air support of ground troops and Cherry Point squadrons own both AV-8B II Harriers and AV-8B II Plus models. The mission of the Prowler squadrons is to suppress enemy radar and surface-to-air missiles, using electronic jamming equipment and High-speed Anti-radiation Missiles (HARM), as well as gathering electronic intelligence data. The KC-130 squadrons are primarily configured for aerial refueling missions, but troop and cargo transport can also be accomplished with the workhorse Hercules airframe.
Marine Wing Support Group 27 provides logistical support for the wing with Marine Wing Support Squadron 274 located at the air station and Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 providing support for MCALF Bogue.
Marine Air Control Group 28 employs some of the most advanced equipment for command of tactical air operations. The Marines who control the air war are defended by a battalion of Marines who employ the Stinger anti-aircraft missile system to control the skies overhead.
Other major tenant units at MCAS Cherry Point are the Naval Aviation Depot and the U.S. Naval Hospital.
Approximately 7,486 Marines and sailors stationed at Cherry Point earn an annual payroll of about $215 million. Combined with the station's nearly 5,700 civilian employees, more than $480 million is pumped into the local economy yearly from Cherry Point. These salaries, in addition to local expenditures for supplies and capital improvements, add up to more than $610 million economic impact in the state annually.
Information above is excerpted from the USMC CPAS Web Site
For More information visit www.cherrypoint.usmc.mil
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Last Revised: July 22, 2006 07:11 PM.
US Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
