Marine Corps Air Station Eagle Mountain Lake
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| Marine Corps Air Station Eagle Mountain Lake | |
|---|---|
| Pecan Acres, Texas | |
 Overhead shot of the facility during WWII |
|
| Type | Military air station |
| Built | December 1, 1942 - December 1946 |
| In use | 1942 - 1946 |
| Controlled by | USMC |
| MCAS Eagle Mountain Lake | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: - ICAO: | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military | ||
| Serves | Pecan Acres, Texas | ||
| Elevation AMSL | ft ( m) | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 17L/35R | 6000 | Concrete | |
| 12L/30R | 3000 | Concrete | |
Marine Corps Air Station Eagle Mountain Lake (MCAS Eagle Mountain Lake) was a United States Marine Corps air station that was located 23 miles northwest of Fort Worth, Texas during World War II. Commissioned on December 1, 1942 the air station was originally suppossed to be the home of the Marine Corps glider program. When the program was cancelled in 1943 the station became home to the newly created Marine Night Fighting Squadrons. After the war the air station went into caretaker status in December 1946 and became an Outlying Landing Field of Naval Air Station Dallas. Today the airfield is a private airport run by the Kenneth Copeland Ministry [1].
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] World War II
In 1942, 2,931 acres of former ranch land was purchased on the eastern shore of Eagle Mountain Lake so the Marine Corps could set up glider operations. Construction of the base began on July 24, 1942. Marine Glider Group 71 (MLG-71) and Marine Glider Squadron 711 (VML-711) arrived at the base in November of 1942 and the station was officially commissioned on December 1, 1942[2] .
In May of 1943, the Marine Corps cancelled its glider program [3] and on June 30, 1943 the base was redesignated a Naval Air Station[4]. The Navy's Strategic Tasks Air Group 2 used the airfield to test newly developed remote control aircraft until 1944 when they were moved to Traverse City, Michigan[1].
On April 1, 1944 the air station reverted back to Marine Corps control and on April 9, Marine Aircraft Group 33 (MAG-33) arrived from Bogue Field, North Carolina[4]. MAG-33 stayed until August 17, 1944 when they left for San Diego, California[4]. In August, Marine Aircraft Group 93 (MAG-93) arrived from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and remained until November[2]. In December the field became the home of Marine Aircraft Group 53 which was the Marine Corps' first night fighter group[4]. From then on the base was used primarily for night fighter training. Two common night fighters that operated from the field were the Grumman F6F Hellcat and F7F Tigercat[1].
February 28, 1945 saw the arrival of VMF(N)-544 to MCAS Eagle Mountain Lake[4] and it was also during this time that the air sation reached its maximum utilization with a total of 121 aircraft on board[1].
[edit] Post World War II use
After the war the air station went into caretaker status in December 1946 and became an Outlying Landing Field of Naval Air Station Dallas[1].
[edit] Today
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Freeman, Paul. Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:85/60Texas - Northwestern Fort Worth area. Eagle Mountain Lake Marine Corps Air Station (4TA2), Pecan Acres, TX.
- ^ a b Shettle Jr., M. L. (2001). United States Marine Corps Air Stations of World War II. Bowersville, Georgia: Schaertel Publishing Co.. ISBN 0-964-33882-3.
- ^ McKillop, Jack. Piper NLP, Piper NE Grasshopper. www.microworks.net.
- ^ a b c d e *Sherrod, Robert (1952). History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Combat Forces Press.
