View source for Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton

{{Short description|US military installation in California}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name          = Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton
| ensign        = 
| ensign_size   = 
| native_name   = Munn Field
| partof        = [[Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton]]
| location      = 
| nearest_town  = [[Oceanside, California|Oceanside]], [[California]]
| country       = [[United States]]
| image         = File:Division Commander flies in new Viper-Cobra attack helicopter (Image 1 of 8) 160602-M-HF454-059.jpg
| alt           = 
| caption       = A [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marine Corps]] [[Bell AH-1Z Viper|AH-1Z Viper]] light attack helicopter taking off from MCAS Camp Pendleton in 2016
| image2        = [[File:MCAS Pendleton insignia.gif|175px]]
| alt2          = 
| caption2      = 
| type          = Marine Corps air station
| coordinates   = {{coord|33|18|04|N|117|21|19|W|region:US-SC_scale:10000|display=inline,title}}
| gridref       = 
| image_map     = 
| image_mapsize = 
| image_map_alt = 
| image_map_caption = 
| pushpin_map   = USA
| pushpin_mapsize = 
| pushpin_map_alt = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States
| pushpin_relief = 
| pushpin_image = 
| pushpin_label = MCAS Camp Pendleton
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_mark  = 
| pushpin_marksize = 
| ownership     = [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]]
| operator      = [[United States Marine Corps]]
| controlledby  = [[3rd Marine Aircraft Wing]]
| open_to_public = <!-- for out of use sites/sites with museums etc -->
| site_other_label = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox -->
| site_other    = <!-- for other sorts of facilities – radar types etc -->
| site_area     = <!-- area of site m2, km2 square mile etc -->
| code          = <!--facility/installation code, applies to US -->
| built         = {{Start date|1942}}
| used          = 1942 – present <!--{{End date|1946}} -->
| builder       = 
| materials     = 
| height        = <!-- height of tallest part, not above sea level -->
| length        = <!-- for border fences or other DMZs -->
| fate          = <!--changed from demolished parameter-->
| condition     = Operational
| battles       = 
| events        = 
| current_commander = Colonel Christine M. Houser
| past_commanders = <!-- past notable commander(s) -->
| garrison      = [[Marine Aircraft Group 39]]
| occupants     = <!-- squadrons only -->
| designations  = 
| website       = {{Official URL}}
<!-- begin airfield information  -->| IATA          = <!--not NFG-->
| ICAO          = KNFG
| FAA           = NFG
| TC            = 
| LID           = 
| GPS           = 
| WMO           = 722926
| elevation     = {{Convert|23.7|m|0}}
| r1-number     = 03/21
| r1-length     = {{Convert|1830.6|m|0}}
| r1-surface    = [[Asphalt concrete|asphalt]]
| h1-number     = E2
| h1-length     = {{Convert|40.5|m|0}}
| h1-surface    = asphalt
| h2-number     = F2
| h2-length     = {{Convert|40.5|m|0}}
| h2-surface    = asphalt
| h3-number     = P1
| h3-length     = {{Convert|41.7|m|0}}
| h3-surface    = asphalt
| h4-number     = P2
| h4-length     = {{Convert|41.7|m|0}}
| h4-surface    = asphalt
| h5-number     = P3
| h5-length     = {{Convert|41.7|m|0}}
| h5-surface    = asphalt
| h6-number     = P4
| h6-length     = {{Convert|41.7|m|0}}
| h6-surface    = asphalt
| airfield_other_label = Other airfield facilities
| airfield_other = Helicopter rinse facility
<!--  end airfield information   -->| footnotes     = '''Source:''' [[Federal Aviation Administration]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/2006/05985ad.pdf#nameddest=(NFG)|title=Airport Diagram – Camp Pendleton MCAS (Munn Field) (KNFG) |date=21 May 2020|website=Federal Aviation Administration|access-date=13 June 2020}}</ref>
}}

'''Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton''' or '''MCAS Camp Pendleton''' {{airport codes||KNFG|NFG}} is a [[United States Marine Corps]] airfield located within [[Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton]]. It was commissioned in 1942 and is currently home to [[Marine Aircraft Group 39]]. The airfield is also known as '''Munn Field''' in honor of Lieutenant General [[John C. Munn|John C. "Toby" Munn]], the first Marine aviator to serve as the Commanding General of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

==History==

[[File:NFG - FAA airport diagram.gif|thumb|200px|FAA airport diagram|alt=|left]]

On 25 September 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 Toro]].<ref>O'Hara (2005): 95</ref> The airstrip was 6,000&nbsp;ft by 400&nbsp;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.<ref>Shettle (2001): 84</ref>

During the early 1950s, the airfield was used in filming ''[[The Flying Leathernecks]]'' starring [[John Wayne]].

[[VMO-5|Marine Observation Squadron FIVE]] ([[VMO-5]]), a composite squadron consisting of both [[OV-10 Bronco]] 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]].

Through the years, aviation began to play an increasing role in Marine Corps tactics, creating a need for modern facilities. To meet this need, the auxiliary landing field was re-designated a Marine Corps Air Facility (MCAF) on 1 September 1978 serving as home to [[Marine Aircraft Group 39]] (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 13 March 1985, MCAF Pendleton was re-designated as Marine Corps Air Station effective 1 April 1985.  Today, the Air Station supports over 180 helicopters assigned to MAG-39, [[Marine Aircraft Group 46]] 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]] 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 year.

In July 2020, the station's Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron became a flying unit for the first time when it received a [[Beechcraft C-12 Huron|UC-12W Huron]]. The aircraft is used in the operational support role, allowing high priority passengers and cargo to be flown at a reduced cost compared to using the [[Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey|MV-22B Osprey]] or [[Bell UH-1Y Venom|UH-1Y Venom]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cortez|first=Lance Cpl. Andrew|date=6 August 2020|title=Making history: H&HS becomes a flying squadron|url=https://www.marines.mil/News/News-Display/Article/2302509/making-history-hhs-becomes-a-flying-squadron|access-date=6 August 2020|website=United States Marine Corps|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Based units ==
Flying and notable non-flying units based at MCAS Camp Pendleton.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Kaminski|first=Tom|date=2019|title=Aircraft of the US Marine Corps|magazine=US Navy & Marine Corps Air Power Yearbook 2019|publisher=Key Publishing|pages=93–99}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=MAG-39|url=https://www.3rdmaw.marines.mil/Units/MAG-39/|access-date=15 June 2020|website=3rd Marine Aircraft Wing|publisher=US Marine Corps}}</ref>

=== United States Marine Corps ===
'''[[Marine Corps Installations West|Marine Corps Installations – West]]'''

* [[Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron]] – [[Beechcraft C-12 Huron|UC-12W Huron]]

'''[[3rd Marine Aircraft Wing]]'''

* [[Marine Aircraft Group 39]]
** Headquarters Squadron 39 (MAG-39 HQ)
** [[Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 39|Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 39 (MALS-39)]]
** [[HMLA-169|Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 (HMLA-169)]] – [[Bell AH-1Z Viper|AH-1Z Viper]] and [[Bell UH-1Y Venom|UH-1Y Venom]]
** [[HMLA-267|Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267 (HMLA-267)]] – AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom
** [[HMLAT-303|Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303 (HMLAT-303)]] – AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom
** [[HMLA-369|Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369 (HMLA-369)]] – AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom
** [[HMLA-367|Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 (HMLA-367)]] - AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom
** [[HMLA-469|Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469 (HMLA-469)]] – AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom
** [[HMLA-775|Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 775 (HMLA-775)]] – [[Bell AH-1 SuperCobra|AH-1W Super Cobra]], AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom
** [[VMM-164|Marine Medium Tilt-rotor Squadron 164 (VMM-164)]] – [[Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey|MV-22B Osprey]]
** [[VMM-364|Marine Medium Tilt-rotor Squadron 364 (VMM-364)]] – MV-22B Osprey
* [[Marine Aircraft Group 41]]
** [[VMU-4|Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 4 (VMU-4)]] – [[Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack|RQ-21 Blackjack]]

==See also==

* [[List of airports in California]]
* [[List of United States Marine Corps installations]]
* [[United States Marine Corps Aviation]]

==References==
;Notes
{{Marine Corps}}
{{Reflist}}

;Bibliography
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite web
 |url=http://www.cpp.usmc.mil/mcas/history.htm 
 |title=History - MCAS Pendleton 
 |publisher=MCAS Pendleton, United States Marine Corps 
 |accessdate=2007-02-09 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203133121/http://www.cpp.usmc.mil/mcas/history.htm 
 |archive-date=2007-02-03 
 |url-status=dead 
}}
*{{cite book
 | last = O'Hara
 | first = Thomas
 | year = 2005
 | title = Images of America - Camp Pendleton
 | publisher = Arcadia
 | location = Charleston, SC
 | isbn = 0-7385-2982-6
}}
*{{cite book
  | last = Shettle Jr.
  | first = M. L. 
  | title = United States Marine Corps Air Stations of World War II
  | publisher = Schaertel Publishing Co.
  | year = 2001
  | location = Bowersville, Georgia
  | isbn = 0-9643388-2-3
}}
{{Refend}}
;Web
* [http://www.mcaspendleton.marines.mil/ MCAS Camp Pendleton's official website]

==External links==
*[http://www.mcaspendleton.marines.mil/ MCAS Camp Pendleton's official website]
*[http://www.mccscamppendleton.com/ Marine Corps Community Services at Camp Pendleton]
*[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/camp-pendleton.htm Camp Pendleton] at GlobalSecurity.org
*[http://camppendleton.ca.marinecorpsusa.org/ USMC Air Station Camp Pendleton Overview & PCS Information] (MarineCorpsUSA.org)
*{{FAA-diagram|05985}}
{{US-airport-mil|NFG|-}}
**{{GCM|KNFG}}

{{commons category|Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton}}

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[[Category:Military installations established in 1942]]
[[Category:Airports in San Diego County, California]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps air stations|active]]
[[Category:World War II airfields in the United States]]
[[Category:Military facilities in San Diego County, California]]
[[Category:1942 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton]]