Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
Beaufort, South Carolina
MCAS Beaufort Insignia
Type	Air Station
Built	June 15, 1943
In use	June 15, 1943 - present
Controlled by	USMC
Garrison	Marine Aircraft Group 31

Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort is a United States Marine Corps air base near Beaufort, South Carolina, at 32.48° N 80.72° W. Its ICAO airport code is KNBC. About 4200 personnel serve at the station and it is home to six F/A-18 Hornet squadrons including one Navy squadron. Beaufort is a city located in Beaufort County, South Carolina, USA and situated on the Beaufort River. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... Marine Aircraft Group 31 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina that is currently composed of four F/A-18C squadrons, three F/A-18D squadrons and a maintenance and logistics squadron. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... Beaufort is a city located in Beaufort County, South Carolina, USA and situated on the Beaufort River. ... The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency of the United Nations, develops the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. ... The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) F/A-18 Hornet is a modern all-weather carrier-capable strike fighter jet, designed to attack both ground and aerial targets. ...

Resident units

• Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron
• Marine Aircraft Group 31
  • VMFA-115
  • VMFA-122
  • VMFA-251
  • VMFA-312
  • VMFA(AW)-224
  • VMFA(AW)-533
• MALS-31
• VFA-86
• Marine Wing Support Squadron 273
• Marine Control Squadron 2 Detachment "A"
• Marine Logistics Company 23 (Formerly CSSD-23).

Marine Aircraft Group 31 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina that is currently composed of four F/A-18C squadrons, three F/A-18D squadrons and a maintenance and logistics squadron. ... Official force name Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 Other names Silver Eagles Motto NA Branch United States Marine Corps Chain of Command Marine Aircraft Group 31 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Headquarters Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort Description Combat ready expeditionary aviation forces. ... Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 (VMFA-122) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. ... Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 (VMFA-251) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. ... Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 (VMFA-312) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. ... Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 (VMFA(AW)-224) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. ... Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 553 (VMFA(AW)-553) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. ... Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31 (MALS-31) is an aviation logistics support unit of the United States Marine Corps. ... The VFA-86 Sidewinders is a U.S. Navy strike fighter squadron based at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. ... Marine Wing Support Squadron 273 (MWSS 273) is an aviation ground support unit of the United States Marine Corps. ... Marine Air Control Squadron 2 (MACS-2) is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control squadron . ...

History

The watertower on the Air Station emblazoned with the base nickname "Fightertown."

Naval Air Station Beaufort was commissioned on June 15, 1943 for advanced training operations of anti-submarine partols during World War II. It was then deactivated in 1946 and reactivated in 1956. On March 1, 1960, it was re-designated Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. On September 19, 1975, the airfield was named Merritt Field in honor of Major General Lewie G. Merritt, USMCR of Ridge Spring, South Carolina. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3072 × 2048 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3072 × 2048 pixel, file size: 1. ... is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ridge Spring is a town located in Saluda County, South Carolina. ...

The air station encompasses 6,900 acres (28 km²). It is also associated with a large air-to-air combat area off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia as well as a 5,200 acre (21 km²) air-to-ground combat and bombing range in McIntosh County, Georgia. Also attached to the base is the housing complex of Laurel Bay, just 3 miles (5 km) from the station, that provides family housing for area servicepeople. Official language(s) English Capital Charleston(1670-1789) Columbia(1790-present) Largest city Columbia Largest metro area Columbia Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32°430N to 35°12N... McIntosh County is a county located in the state of Georgia. ... Laurel Bay is a census-designated place and military housing complex located in Beaufort County, South Carolina. ...

MCAS Beaufort hosts all active duty USMC F/A-18 air operations on the East Coast, assigned to MAG-31. The mission of the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort is to provide support as an operational base for MAG-31, and the support units. The mission of the Marine Aircraft Group (MAG-31) is to conduct anti-air-warfare and offensive air support operations in support of Fleet Marine Forces from advanced bases, expeditionary airfields, or aircraft carriers and conduct such other air operations as may be directed. The population of the on-base "city" includes nearly 4,000 active-duty servicemembers and more than 700 civilian workers. Beaufort is: The name of some places in the United States of America: Beaufort, North Carolina Beaufort, South Carolina Beaufort County, North Carolina Beaufort County, South Carolina The name of a place in Australia: Beaufort, Victoria The name of several communes in France: Beaufort, in the Haute-Garonne département... The F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather fighter and attack aircraft. ... Marine Aircraft Group 31 is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina that is currently composed of four F/A-18C squadrons, three F/A-18D squadrons and a maintenance and logistics squadron. ...

As is the case with many air bases, MCAS Beaufort hosts a bi-annual air show open to the public, which in April 2007, was the site of a fatal crash involving an aircraft from the Blue Angels demonstration team. April 2007 is the fourth month of the year. ... Family friends identified the downed pilot as Kevin Kojack Davis. ... The United States Navys Blue Angels (or Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron), formed in 1946, is the worlds first officially sanctioned military aerial demonstration team. ...

MCAS-Beaufort's nickname is "Fightertown East"; MCAS Miramar is the more commonly known "Fightertown", also called "Fightertown USA". Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar (IATA: NKX, ICAO: KNKX, FAA LID: NKX), formerly Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar, is an airfield of the United States military, located about 10 miles (16 km) north of downtown San Diego, California, USA, at . ...

See also

United States Marine Corps Portal

• List of United States Marine Corps air stations
• F-18 Hornet

Image File history File links USMC_logo. ... This is a list of United States Marine Corps air stations. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with F/A-18 Hornet. ...

External links

• MCAS Beaufort website
• www.globalsecurity.org

Jesus Loves the Corps.