 | This article includes a list ofgeneral references, butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations. Please help toimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(March 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Marine Corps Air Station Yuma | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuma,Arizona in theUnited States | |||||||||||||
 The3rd Marine Aircraft Wing's firstF-35B Lightning II taxis on the flight-line at MCAS Yuma with anAV-8B Harrier II in the background | |||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||||||
| Type | Marine Corps Air Station | ||||||||||||
| Owner | Department of Defense | ||||||||||||
| Operator | US Marine Corps | ||||||||||||
| Controlled by | 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing | ||||||||||||
| Condition | Operational | ||||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||
  MCAS Yuma Location in Arizona Show map of Arizona MCAS Yuma Location in the United States Show map of the United States | |||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 32°39′24″N114°36′22″W / 32.65667°N 114.60611°W /32.65667; -114.60611 | ||||||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||||||
| Built | 1928 (1928) (as Fly Field) | ||||||||||||
| In use | 1959 – present (by Marine Corps) | ||||||||||||
| Garrison information | |||||||||||||
| Current commander | Colonel Charles E. Dudik | ||||||||||||
| Garrison | Marine Aircraft Group 13 | ||||||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||||||
| Identifiers | IATA: YUM,ICAO: KNYL,FAA LID: NYL,WMO: 699604 | ||||||||||||
| Elevation | 64.9 metres (213 ft)AMSL | ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| Other airfield facilities | 5xV/STOL pad | ||||||||||||
| Airfield shared withYuma International Airport. Source:Federal Aviation Administration[1] | |||||||||||||
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma orMCAS Yuma (IATA:YUM,ICAO:KNYL,FAALID:NYL) is aUnited States Marine Corps air station inYuma,Arizona. It is the home of multiple squadrons ofF-35B Lightning IIs of the3rd Marine Aircraft Wing,Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 (MAWTS-1),Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (VMX-1) andMarine Fighter Training Squadron 401 (VMFT-401), an air combatadversary squadron of the4th Marine Aircraft Wing of theMarine Corps Reserve. It is a designatedSuperfund site due to a number of soil and groundwater contaminants, includingasbestos.
The station is 2 miles (1.7 nmi; 3.2 km) from the city center of Yuma. A joint use civilian-military airport, MCAS Yuma shares airfield facilities withYuma International Airport and occupies approximately 3,000 acres (1,200 ha), most of which is flatdesert. MCAS Yuma also operates an auxiliary airfield on theBarry M. Goldwater Range.
In 1928, the federal government purchased 640 acres (260 ha) near Yuma at the recommendation of Colonel Benjamin F. Fly. Temporarydirt runways were installed for usage by military and civilian planes. It was calledFly Field.
The outbreak ofWorld War II transformed the civilian airport into theYuma Army Airfield. Construction of facilities began on 1 June 1942 and was activated on 15 December
Yuma AAF was a single-engine flight training school, operated by theArmy Air Forces Flying Training Command, West Coast Training Center, laterWestern Flying Training Command. Flying training began in January 1943. Its training unit was the 307th Single Engine Flying Training Group which operatedAT-6 Texans, reporting to the37th Flying Training Wing. The base operating unit was the 403d Army Air Force Base Unit. In 1944, the unit was upgraded to multi-engine flight training, operatingB-26 Marauders. In addition to the flying training, a Flexible Gunnery School was established at the airfield in November 1943. Flight training was discontinued on 23 April 1945 and gunnery training on 31 May 1945.
The base was closed on 1 November 1945. After the war, the airfield was turned over to theDepartment of the Interior as a headquarters for the Bureau of Land Reclamation.
On 1 January 1954,Yuma County Airport was reactivated by theUnited States Air Force (USAF)Air Defense Command (ADC) as a training facility. In the mid-1950s, ADC was equipped almost solely with rocket-firingF-86D Sabre andF-89C Scorpion interceptors, and Headquarters USAF decided they should have their own training base.
Yuma Airport became the home of the 4750th Training Wing (Air Defense). The 4750th had two major components, the 4750th Training Group (Air Defense) and the 4750th Training Squadron. The group had two flying squadrons assigned – the 4750th TS equipped with sixF-86D Sabres and sixF-94C Scorpions: and the 4750th Tow Target Squadron equipped with twelveT-33As and eightB-45As used totow targets for the live fire portion of the course.
The first ADC squadron arrived at Yuma for the Rocketry Proficiency Program on 1 February 1954. ADC squadrons rotated through Yuma on a regular basis for a two-week proficiency program that includedlive-fire exercises over theWilliams AFB andLuke AFB gunnery ranges.
The two-week course included a controller course, many hours in the F-86D simulator and at least one 'live fire' mission flown each day. The targets, usually towed behind B-45A tow ships, were 9'x45' target sleeves, with two radar reflectors attached for the interceptor fire control systems to lock onto. Most of theTDY personnel were quartered in tents near the flight line, at least until April 1954 when the first permanent barracks buildings were finished and air conditioned. By June, seven ADC units had rotated through the Yuma program.
Also Headquarters USAF decided to add a separate air-to-air rocketry competition to the annual USAF gunnery meet that was held atLas Vegas Air Force Base (renamedNellis Air Force Base in 1950). The Interceptor Phase of the competition would be held at Yuma between 20 June and 27 June 1954. The competition would take place each year, with the last occurring in 1956.
Several changes occurred during the last half of 1954. On 24 August, Yuma County Airport was redesignatedYuma Air Force Base. On 1 September, the 4750th Training Wing became the 4750th Air Defense Wing (Weapons). The 4750th Group and squadrons were also redesignated. And on 8 January 1955, the 4750th Tow Target Squadron became the 17th TTS. Between July 1954 and the end of the year, ADC rotated eleven more squadrons through the Yuma program – nine in F-86Ds, and one each in F-94Cs and F-89Ds.
On 1 January 1956, the 4750th Drone Squadron was established as part of the 4750th ADW (Weapons). They were equipped with the brand newRyan Q-2A Firebee drone, which was launched fromGB-26C Invader aircraft. Although the drones were in place by spring, the first GB-26Cs did not arrive until June, and the first Firebee flight took place in July. The Q-2A Firebees were recovered byH-21 helicopters after landing on the desert floor.
Yuma AFB was renamed on 13 October 1956 asVincent Air Force Base, the installation was named forBrigadier General Clinton D. "Casey" Vincent, one of Major GeneralClaire Chennault's top fighter leaders in theChina-Burma Theater and the second youngest General Officer in U.S. Air Force history, receiving his star at the age of 29. Vincent was the subject of aTIME magazine article titled "Up Youth",[2] which covered the meteoric promotions of theU.S. Army and USAF. Vincent was also an inspiration for the main character in the comic stripTerry and the Pirates. Vincent died of a heart attack in 1955 at the age of 40 while serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations,Air Defense Command (ADC) atEnt AFB, Colorado.[3]
In addition to the fighter units, Vincent AFB was used by Air Defense Command as a general surveillance radar station. The864th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron began operations in 1956 usingAN/MPS-7 andAN/MPS-14 radars, the site being designated as "SM-162".
In addition to the main facility, Vincent AFB operated severalAN/FPS-14 Gap Filler sites:
Fleet Air Gunnery Unit Pacific was moved before 1 July 1958 to MCAAS YUMA fromNAS El Centro, California.[4][5][6][7]
Vincent AFB was transferred to theU.S. Navy on 1 Jan 1959, and the tenant radar site was renamedYuma Air Force Station. On 20 July 1962, the base designation was changed to Marine Corps Air Station. In this time frame, the USAF began construction of a new Yuma AFS (RSM-162) about 13 miles south of Yuma. However, the replacement site was never completed, as, in March 1963, the Air Force ordered the 864th AC&W Squadron to inactivate. Operations ceased 1 August 1963.[8][9]
The 4750th Air Defense Wing was inactivated at Vincent AFB on 15 June 1959 and control of the base was passed over to theUnited States Navy. Nine days later the base was turned over to theUnited States Marine Corps (USMC). The base was renamed Marine Corps Air Station Yuma (Vincent Field) on 20 July 1962.
MCAS Yuma is currently the busiest air station in the Marine Corps, offering excellent year-round flying conditions and thousands of acres of open terrain for air-to-ground weapons ranges (including theChocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range and theBarry M. Goldwater Air Force Range- West), and associatedrestricted airspace for military flight operations. During the 1960s, 70s, and early 1980s, MCAS Yuma was home toVMFAT-101, the Marine Corps'Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) for theF-4 Phantom II, training USMC, U.S. Navy, andNATO/Allied flight crews and maintenance personnel in the F-4B, F-4J, F-4N, and F-4S. Following the transfer of VMFAT-101 toMCAS El Toro, California in the 1980s, MCAS Yuma became the principalFleet Marine Force, Pacific operating base for theAV-8B Harrier II, under the cognizance ofMarine Aircraft Group 13 (MAG-13).
Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 (MAWTS-1) is a major aviation command at MCAS Yuma, conducting training for all Marine Corps tactical aviation units, most notably the Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course.Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 (VMFT-401) is a Marine Air Reserve squadron also based at MCAS Yuma, containing both active duty and Selected Marine Corps Reservists, providing aerial adversary/aggressor services anddissimilar air combat training (DACT) for all U.S. military services, and selected NATO, Allied, and Coalition partners. This base was also used in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the Marine Corps Airborne Training Center.
MCAS Yuma is currently programmed to become the Marine Corps' initial operating base for the F-35BSTOVL variant of theF-35 Lightning II, the first of which arrived on 16 November 2012.[10]
Flying units based at MCAS Yuma.[11][12]
| Insignia | Squadron | Code | Callsign/Nickname | Assigned Aircraft | Operational Assignment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 214 | VMFA-214 | The Blacksheep | F-35B | 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW) |
 | Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 | VMFA-211 | Wake Island Defenders | F-35B | 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW) |
_insignia%2c_2016.png) | Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 | VMFA-122 | Werewolves | F-35B | 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW) |
.png) | Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 225 | VMFA-225 | Vikings | F-35B | 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW) |
 | Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 | VMX-1 | Storm | F-35B,MV-22,CH-53,RQ-21B,AH-1,UH-1Y | Commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force (COMOPTEVFOR) |
 | Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 | VMFT-401 | Snipers | F-5N | 4th Marine Aircraft Wing (4th MAW) |
 | Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 1 | VMU-1 | Watchdogs | MQ-9A | 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW) |
Flying and notable non-flying units based at MCAS Yuma.[11][12]
Marine Corps Installations – West
| Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps
Training and Education Command
|
There are no schools for dependent children that are located directly on post. Liberty Military Housing is assigned to schools in theYuma Elementary School District andYuma Union High School District. Zoned elementary and middle schools for that housing are James B. Rolle Elementary School and R. Pete Woodard Junior High School.Kofa High School is the zoned high school for Liberty. 16th Street Military Housing is assigned to schools in theCrane Elementary School District and the Yuma UHSD. Zoned elementary and middle schools for that housing areRonald Reagan Elementary School and Centennial Middle School.Cibola High School is the zoned high school for 16th street.[13]
Because Fleet Air Gunnery Unit Pacific is being moved before July 1 to MCAAS YUMA , the annual Naval Air Weapons meet will be held this year in October at ...
Later, after a tour or so in squadrons, and if the pilots were well qualified, they could receive orders to attend FAGUPAC (Fleet Air Gunnery Unit, Pacific). This Navy training unit, then located at NAS, El Centro, Calif. (later at MCAF, Yuma, Ariz.), had the sole mission of training experienced pilots to become weapons delivery experts...By now you will have noticed that MTG and FAGU have been referred to in the past tense. Unfortunately, they are no longer around...The reason the MTGs (Marine Training Groups) are not around today is economy. After the Korean war the large influx of pilots into the Marine Corps slowed. (Major, United States Marine Corps)
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theUnited States Marine Corps. This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Currentmilitary installations inArizona | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army |
|  | ||||||||||||
| Marines |
| |||||||||||||
| Air Force |
| |||||||||||||
| Leadership |
|  | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major commands | |||||
| Auxiliary | |||||
| Structure | |||||
| Personnel and training |
| ||||
| Uniforms and equipment | |||||
| History and traditions |
| ||||
| Flying training |
|  | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical training | ||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
