Marine Corps Air Station New River is a key component in our nation’s national defense and has been since 49 parcels of land were purchased in 1941. This land was purchased from multiple families and is recorded on an official map identified as Area B. This map was approved by Brigadier General, Quartermaster, United States Marine Corps on 25 March 1941 and certified by Boney and Broadfoot, Architects and Engineers on 18 July 1941.

In 1942, Camp Lejeune investigated an area with an existing airfield to host aircraft units in support of amphibious operations. The location was placed under the command of Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune and received its first squadron, Marine Bombing Squadron (VMB)-612, in 1943. This squadron flew an aircraft similar to the Army’s B-25 Mitchell light bomber, known as the PBJ. In April 1944, the station was initially commissioned as Marine Corps Air facility, Peterfield Point, Camp Lejeune, New River. This name change was done due to considerable confusion arising from time to time as a result of the similarity of the names “Marine Barracks, Camp Lejeune” and “Marine Corps Air Facility, Camp Lejeune”. The commissioning delineated the air station from Camp Lejeune, and marked April 1944 as the birth of the air station as a Marine Corps installation. Over the next few years, paratrooper Marines, glider troops and air delivery personnel were trained in the King Air hangar, the Stations’ first hangar.

As World War II ended, the facility was deactivated on 31 March 1945 but the airfield remained operational and later was re-designated on 1 Oct 1951 as Marine Corps Air Facility, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. However, a year later the name was changed again, this time to Marine Corps Air Facility New River, Jacksonville, North Carolina.

In April 1951, the first assigned aircraft arrived at the Station. It was not until July of 1954 that the first Helicopter Group arrived. The Marine Aircraft Group 26, (MAG-26) which was transferred from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, served as a training, staging, and deployment base for many elements of MAG-26 as they supported operations like the Cuban Missile Crisis, intervention in the Dominican Republic; and Combat in S.E. Asia. Since July 1954, facilities have constantly been modernized and improved to provide the best working, operating and living conditions possible. Among these improvements has been the construction of new hangers to accommodate tenant squadrons and new barracks and other facilities to support the growing Station.

On 1 Sept 1968, the installation was recommissioned as Marine Corps Air Station (Helicopter) New River, marking its growth into a major operational airfield. In June 1972, the airfield was renamed in honor of General Keith B. McCutcheon, a three war Marine, Ace pilot and pioneer of rotary wing aviation. In 1985, the (Helicopter) designation was dropped from the official name and it is currently known as Marine Corps Air Station New River.

New River units experienced their first combat since Vietnam in 1983 when New River-based squadrons flew combat missions in Lebanon and during the invasion of Grenada. Station Marines were also involved in the Iranian hostage rescue attempt, the liberation of Kuwait during Operations Desert Shield/Storm, Hurricane Hugo relief, Operation Sharp Edge, Monrovia, Liberia, the O’Grady rescue mission in Bosnia, and assisted in the rescue of Hurricane Katrina victims.

Following the attacks of September 11 2001, New River units were among the first to respond in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and continue to fight the Global War on Terror today. On 28 August 2003, Marine Tilt-Rotor Test and Evaluation Squadron (VMX-22) was activated, bringing the MV-22 Osprey and a new era of Marine Aviation to MCAS New River.

Today, Marine Corps Air Station New River is home to over 200 helicopters and tilt-rotor aircraft operated by the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing. Throughout its history, MCAS New River has supported the combat aviation requirements of Marine aviation as it trains and deploys into harm’s way to carry out the nation’s bidding. That mission continues.