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.
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.
MCAS Cherry Point's mission is to provide the highest quality operating environment for all using activities; operate and maintain facilities and assigned aircraft; furnish a full range of vital support services; nurture the quality of life; protect the natural environment; conduct proactive community relations; and to provide America with the best trained, best led, best supported armed forces capable of operating anytime, anywhere - to fight, win and survive.
Located only 20 miles from some of the Atlantic's most beautiful beaches, Cherry Point is about 90 miles west-southwest of Cape Hatteras at the foot of the great Outer Banks. It is perhaps appropriate that the home of such a powerful aviation arsenal is just down the coast from Kitty Hawk, where winged aviation got its start.
More than 49,000 people make up the Cherry Point-related population, including active duty and retired Marines, the civilian workforce, and their dependents. The area here enjoys a temperate climate with relatively mild winters, hot summers and precipitation throughout the year.