Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Name	Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Location	Havelock, North Carolina
Country	United States
Type	Marine Corps air station
Built	1941
Ownership	United States Department of the Navy
Operator	United States Marine Corps
Controlledby	Marine Corps Installations East
Occupants	2nd Marine Aircraft Wing

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield and base located near Havelock, North Carolina on the Crystal Coast. Established in 1942 during World War II, the installation has grown into a principal aviation hub for the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, supporting expeditionary aviation, logistics, and joint operations. The station sits within Carteret County, North Carolina and has played roles in major conflicts including World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

History

Cherry Point was commissioned in 1942 as Marine Corps Air Depot Cherry Point amid rapid expansion following the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Initial construction relied on contracts with firms like DuPont and labor sourced from regional shipyards tied to Wrightsville Beach and Morehead City. During World War II, Cherry Point hosted units preparing for operations in the Pacific War and served as a staging base for squadrons deploying to Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands campaign. Postwar drawdowns gave way to Cold War growth when the station supported jet transition programs and rotary-wing development tied to Marine Corps Aviation schoolhouses and Naval Air Systems Command initiatives. Cherry Point squadrons rotated through Korean War deployments and later trained for close air support missions used in Vietnam War. In the 1990s and 21st century, Cherry Point participated in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, while integrating aircraft such as the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, Bell UH-1 Iroquois, and Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey into regional aviation mix.

Mission and Units

The primary mission at Cherry Point is to provide aviation combat power, aerial refueling, and aviation logistics for the II Marine Expeditionary Force and joint taskings. The station hosts elements of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, including Marine Aircraft Group 14, Marine Air Control Group 28, and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 26. Tenant units have included Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (HMH-461), Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 (VMM-266), and detachments supporting Combat Logistics Regiment 27. Cherry Point also supports transient units from United States Navy carrier air wings, United States Air Force elements, and allied squadrons from partners such as Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force during exercises like Exercise Composite and Exercise Northern Edge.

Facilities and Infrastructure

Cherry Point features multiple runways, hardened aircraft shelters, hangars, and an aviation logistics complex capable of supporting rotary-wing and fixed-wing fleets including CH-53E Super Stallion and AH-1Z Viper airframes. The air station maintains ordnance storage areas compliant with Explosives Safety Regulations and fuel farms tied to Defense Logistics Agency distribution networks. Support infrastructure includes an air traffic control tower integrated with Federal Aviation Administration approaches, a control and reporting center, simulators for platforms such as the AV-8B Harrier II, maintenance depots modeled after Naval Aviation Depot standards, and family housing adjacent to Havelock Medical Clinic. Transportation links connect the station to U.S. Route 70 and regional ports like Beaufort Harbor and Morehead City Port for sealift and prepositioning operations.

Operations and Training

Cherry Point conducts carrier qualification support, expeditionary airfield exercises, and combined-arms training in coordination with II Marine Expeditionary Force and ground elements such as 1st Marine Division units. Training events include live-fire ranges, close air support integration with Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory concepts, vertical replenishment drills, and night-vision operations under Project Night Vision initiatives. The station hosts air shows and outreach during exercises like Bold Alligator and supports rotary-wing maintenance and flight hour generation for deployments to CENTCOM and NATO missions. Joint training occurs with United States Coast Guard cutters, United States Army aviation brigades, and allied detachments during interoperability exercises.

Environmental and Community Impact

Situated on estuarine and maritime ecosystems, Cherry Point interfaces with the Rhode River watershed and local wetlands that host species protected under Endangered Species Act considerations. Environmental programs at the station address Clean Water Act compliance, fuel spill prevention coordinated with the Environmental Protection Agency, and conservation efforts for habitats near Croatan National Forest. Community relations involve partnerships with Carteret County Schools, workforce development with Craven Community College, and economic impact reporting linking payroll and contracting to the regional economy anchored by Morehead City and Jacksonville, North Carolina. The station has engaged in mitigation for noise abatement and encroachment planning with local governments such as Havelock and Carteret County Commission.

Notable Incidents and Accidents

Over its history Cherry Point has experienced aircraft mishaps, training accidents, and weather-related damages. Notable events include rotary-wing training crashes investigated by the Naval Safety Center and mishaps leading to changes in maintenance or flight procedures under Marine Corps Order 5100.29. Severe storms and Hurricane Hugo-era impacts prompted infrastructure hardening and revised evacuation protocols integrated with FEMA and state emergency operations centers in Raleigh, North Carolina. Investigations into accidents have involved National Transportation Safety Board coordination for joint-service inquiries and resulted in safety recommendations across Marine Aviation platforms.

Category:United States Marine Corps air stations Category:Installations of the United States Department of Defense in North Carolina