Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

Coordinates: 32°52′04″N 117°08′30″W / 32.86778°N 117.14167°W / 32.86778; -117.14167
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Mitscher Field
San Diego, California in the United States
An aerial view of MCAS Miramar during 2008
MCAS Miramar is located in the United States
MCAS Miramar
MCAS Miramar
Location in the United States
Coordinates32°52′04″N 117°08′30″W / 32.86778°N 117.14167°W / 32.86778; -117.14167
TypeMarine Corps Air Station
Site information
OwnerDepartment of Defense
OperatorUS Marine Corps
Controlled by3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
ConditionOperational
Websitewww.miramar.marines.mil Edit this at Wikidata
Site history
Built1917 (1917) (as Camp Kearny)
In use1917 – 1920
1929 – present
Garrison information
Current
commander		Colonel Thomas M. Bedell
Garrison
Airfield information
Identifiers
AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
6L/24R 3,657.6 metres (12,000 ft) concrete
6R/24L 2,438.7 metres (8,001 ft) porous European mix
Helicopter strip (LHD) 304.8 metres (1,000 ft) 
Helipads
Number Length and surface
1 30 metres (98 ft) 
2 30 metres (98 ft) 
3 30 metres (98 ft) 
4 38 metres (125 ft) 
5 38 metres (125 ft) 
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) (

San Diego, California, about 14 miles (23 km) north of Downtown San Diego
.

The airfield has been named Mitscher Field since 1955, after

Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC). During the heyday of TOPGUN at NAS Miramar, the station was nicknamed "Fightertown USA".[3][4]

Geography

Naval Consolidated Brig, Miramar

The base contains 23,116 acres (93.55 km2). It is bisected by Kearny Villa Road and Interstate 15. The area east of Kearny Villa Road, called "East Miramar", is undeveloped and is used for military training. [citation needed] Miramar is recognized as the world's largest Master Jet Air Station.

History

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".[5]
The land was predominantly used for grazing and farming into the early 20th century.

1918–1941

During

Armistice, the base was used to demobilize servicemen and was closed on 20 October 1920.[7]
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

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 U.S Marine Corps artillery and machine gun training. Camp Elliott became home to Fleet Marine Force Training Center, West Coast, and the

PB4Y-2 Privateer,[8]
which was built less than 10 miles (16 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.[9][10]

Naval Air Station

NAS Miramar in 1954

In 1947, the Marines moved to MCAS El Toro in Orange County, California, and Miramar was redesignated as NAAS Miramar (Naval Auxiliary Air Station Miramar). It became NAS Miramar (Naval Air Station Miramar) on 1 March 1952. In 1954, the Navy offered NAS Miramar to San Diego for $1 and the city considered using the base to relocate its airport.[11] 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; the old east station began to deteriorate, with many buildings sold as scrap. Miramar found new life as a Navy

United States Navy Fighter Weapons School was established organizationally as part of VF-121
, which was then the F-4 Phantom Fleet Replacement Aviation Maintenance Personnel (FRAMP), which trained the maintainers who joined the fleet as qualified "Phantom Phixeres".

In October 1972, Miramar welcomed the

VF-1 known as the "Wolfpack" and VF-2 known as the "Bounty Hunters," trained here before deploying aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
in 1974.

NAS Miramar was also the west coast E-2 squadrons home. VAW-110 the west coast fleet replacement squadron and fleet squadrons VAW-112, VAW-113, VAW-114 (disestablished 1995), VAW-116 and VAW-117. With the change to MCAS Miramar, the training squadron was disestablished and moved to

NAS Point Mugu
, California.

1990s–Present: Marine Corps Air Station

F/A-18 Hornet on the flight line at MCAS Miramar

In 1993, the

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.[16] On 1 October 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.[17]

In 2005, the BRAC Commission directed instructor pilots and support personnel from Miramar to

F/A-18 Hornets
are retired.

In 2006, the San Diego County Proposition A proposed obtaining 3000 acres (12 km2) at MCAS Miramar to develop a commercial airport.[19] The proposition was defeated 62 percent opposed to 38 percent in favor.[20]

Noise

Numerous

Tierrasanta. MCAS Miramar has a web site and phone number that people can call to register complaints about 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-houses, limitations on engine run-ups, and modification to flight plans. In spite of efforts, noise complaints remain an issue in 2019.[22][23][24][25][26]

Based units

Flying and notable non-flying units based at MCAS Miramar:[27][28]

Crashes

There have been a number of aviation accidents:

Naval Consolidated Brig, Miramar

Main article: Naval Consolidated Brig, Miramar

Miramar National Cemetery

Main article: Miramar National Cemetery

On 30 January 2010, the

National Cemetery at the northwest corner of MCAS Miramar.[45] The cemetery is an extension of Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery and when complete will accommodate approximately 235,000 deceased veterans and spouses.[46]

Attractions

The United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps at MCAS Miramar in 2014

See also

Attribution

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

References

  1. ^ "Airport Diagram – Miramar MCAS (Joe Foss Field) (KNKX)" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  2. ^ Lance Cpl. O'Quin, Christopher (16 October 2008). "Famed Navy Admiral's legacy lives on flight line". 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  3. ^ Perry, Tony (1 June 1996). "San Diego bids farewell to Top Guns". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. (Los Angeles Times). p. 3A.
  4. ^ Fordahl, Matthew (28 May 1996). "'Top Gun' flight school is leaving San Diego". Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. Associated Press. p. C7.
  5. ISBN 978-0-932653-73-4
  6. ^ "Historic California Posts: Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar". www.militarymuseum.org.
  7. ISBN 0-9643388-2-3
    .
  8. ^ United States Naval Aviation 1910–1995 (PDF). Naval Historical Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2010. Retrieved 10 September 2009.
  9. ^ La Tourette, Robert, LT USN (June 1968). "The San Diego Naval Complex". United States Naval Institute Proceedings. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ISBN 1-55750-531-4
    .
  11. ISBN 0-9643388-2-3
    .
  12. ^ "Camp Elliot". Camp La Jolla Military Park. University of California, San Diego. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  13. ^ "Overview of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar". MilitaryHOMEFRONT. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  14. ^ "2.0 MCAS MIRAMAR LAND USE" (PDF). MCAS Miramar, California. United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  15. ^ "Atlas ICBM Missile". amp La Jolla Military Park. University of California, San Diego. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  16. ISBN 0-9643388-2-3
    .
  17. ^ "Miramar's first Marine commander since WWII retires". Marine Corps News. United States Marine Corps.
  18. ^ "May 2005 Base Closure and Realignment Report" (PDF). DefenseLink.mil.
  19. ^ Proposition A: Commercial airport at MCAS Miramar – San Diego County, CA SmartVoter.org
  20. ^ Ristine, Jeff (11 December 2006). "Vigorous 'no' for Miramar airport – Every city in county rejected proposition". San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on 1 July 2007.
  21. ^ Perry, Tony (8 September 1996). "Helo…goodbye". www.latimes.com.
  22. ^ "MCAS Miramar Today: Community Relations". No on Prop A. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
  23. ^ "MCAS Miramar Noise Complaint hotline". MCAS Miramar. Archived from the original on 13 March 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
  24. ^ "Marines reprimand two fighter pilots for flight mistakes, amid Miramar neighbor noise complaints" https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/military/sd-me-miramar-complaints-20180127-story.html
  25. ^ "Neighbors concerned with F-35 coming to MCAS Miramar https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/neighbors-concerned-with-f-35-coming-to-mcas-miramar"
  26. ^ "Jet noise disturbs some Carmel Valley residents" https://www.delmartimes.net/sd-cm-nc-jetnoise-20180911-story.html
  27. ^ Kaminski, Tom (2019). "Aircraft of the US Marine Corps". US Navy & Marine Corps Air Power Yearbook 2019. Key Publishing. pp. 88–99.
  28. ^ "About MCAS Miramar". Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. US Marine Corps. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  29. ^ "Air Force Security Forces Center". Air Force Installation & Mission Support Center. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  30. ^ "Hickman the Hero". Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  31. ^ This information is from a firefighter on the crash scene, Greg Bishop, and the pilot of one of the other aircraft on this training mission[original research?]
  32. ^ Miramar Naval Air Station, CA Jet Fighter Crashes Into Hangar, Dec 1969 | GenDisasters ... Genealogy in Tragedy, Disasters, Fires, Floods. .gendisasters.com. Retrieved on 2014-05-24.
  33. ^ Redlands, California: Redlands Daily Facts, Thursday, 22 December 1969, page one.
  34. ^ This Is A Work In Progress And I Archived 2012-10-02 at the Wayback Machine. Ejection-history.org.uk. Retrieved on 2014-05-24.
  35. ^ In 1982, I-15 was relocated eastward, and the road where the crash occurred became an extension of Kearny Villa Road. See Cooper, Casey (1 February 2008). "Unmarked Freeways: Kearny Villa Road". Historical Highways of Central and Southern California.
  36. ^ "Welcome blueangels-usn.org - Hostmonster.com". Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  37. ^ This Is A Work In Progress And I Archived 2012-10-11 at the Wayback Machine. Ejection-history.org.uk. Retrieved on 2014-05-24.
  38. ^ Reza, H.G. (4 December 1985). "Navy Pilot Dies After Jet Flips at Miramar". www.latimes.com. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  39. ^ [1] Archived 2016-01-31 at the Wayback Machine. http://www.a3skywarrior.com/personnel/memorials/a-3-accidents-by-buno.html . Retrieved on 2015-11-26.
  40. ^ Walker, Mark (30 October 2009). "MILITARY: Other recent crashes involving local military aircraft". North County Times. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  41. ^ Times, North County (30 November 2006). "F-18 crashes today east of Miramar". San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on 8 February 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  42. ^ a b "Records sought on jet type involved in crash". NBC News. Associated Press. 9 December 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
  43. ^ "Pilot killed after F-18 military jet crashes north of San Diego". NBC News. 26 August 2023. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  44. ^ "Pilot aboard F-18 military jet that crashed near San Diego has died: Official". ABC News. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  45. ^ 32°52′21″N 117°11′04″W / 32.87250°N 117.18444°W / 32.87250; -117.18444; U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Miramar National Cemetery
  46. ^ Moss, Andrea (30 January 2010). "MIRAMAR: Veterans, officials dedicate new national cemetery at Marine Corps air base". San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2015.

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

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