New Name for Kaneohe
Posted: 26 May 2009, 14:58
Hawaii Marine Corps air facility re-named
Marine Corps Air Facility Kaneohe has a new name and some new aircraft in a reflection of its growing use.
The commandant of the Marine Corps has approved a request to re-designate the facility as Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay and to name the airfield in honor of deceased Marine Maj. Gen. Marion E. Carl.
A renaming ceremony was held on Friday at Hangar 105. The change comes as the air base is expected to expand to accommodate additional squadrons as the Marine Corps increases its aviation assets, officials said.
Among those changes are plans for:
- At least one squadron of troop- and cargo-carrying Huey and Cobra gunship helicopters within the next five years. Neither helicopter is based in Hawaii now.
- The Navy in January completed a plan to replace all but three of the 27 aging P-3C Orion surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft at Kaneohe Bay with 18 P-8A Poseidon multi-mission jet aircraft based on the Boeing 737-800. The switch to Poseidon surveillance aircraft will result in fewer airplanes and personnel at the Marine Corps base, slightly more noise, and an investment of $147.5 million for infrastructure upgrades. The Navy said it wants to begin replacing the Orions in its fleet no later than 2012 and have the process completed by 2019.
- An environmental impact statement said the aircraft mix at Kaneohe Bay eventually will include 36 MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft - which take off like a helicopter and fly like a plane - that will replace older CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters.
- One squadron of newer CH-53Es will replace a squadron of CH-53Ds.
Marine Corps Air Facility Kaneohe Bay has conducted more than 70,000 flights hours annually since 1999 - a use comparable to air stations elsewhere, officials said.
The new "Air Station" title is meant to denote greater activity than "Air Facility." Between 2007 and 2008, the airfield transported roughly 6 million pounds of cargo, transported 9,000 passengers and provided services for 1,075 transient aircraft, the Corps said. About 4,000 Marines and sailors work at the airfield.
"The re-designation of our Marine Corps Air Facility as a Marine Corps Air Station is a well-deserved and overdue change that accurately reflects the significant amount of operations and air traffic the airfield supports on a daily basis," said Lt. Col. Glen Butler, deputy commander, Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
The facility will become the ninth air station in the Marine Corps.
The renaming also will include the addition of Marine Maj. Gen. Marion E. Carl's name. Carl, the first "ace" to down 10 enemy aircraft during the battle for Guadalcanal in 1942, was twice awarded the Navy Cross, according to the Marine Corps.
**My experience shows that every place, plane, truck, weapon, etc has an official name and a 'troop name' Everyone flying out of Kaneohe will probably continue to use the "troop name."
Marine Corps Air Facility Kaneohe has a new name and some new aircraft in a reflection of its growing use.
The commandant of the Marine Corps has approved a request to re-designate the facility as Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay and to name the airfield in honor of deceased Marine Maj. Gen. Marion E. Carl.
A renaming ceremony was held on Friday at Hangar 105. The change comes as the air base is expected to expand to accommodate additional squadrons as the Marine Corps increases its aviation assets, officials said.
Among those changes are plans for:
- At least one squadron of troop- and cargo-carrying Huey and Cobra gunship helicopters within the next five years. Neither helicopter is based in Hawaii now.
- The Navy in January completed a plan to replace all but three of the 27 aging P-3C Orion surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft at Kaneohe Bay with 18 P-8A Poseidon multi-mission jet aircraft based on the Boeing 737-800. The switch to Poseidon surveillance aircraft will result in fewer airplanes and personnel at the Marine Corps base, slightly more noise, and an investment of $147.5 million for infrastructure upgrades. The Navy said it wants to begin replacing the Orions in its fleet no later than 2012 and have the process completed by 2019.
- An environmental impact statement said the aircraft mix at Kaneohe Bay eventually will include 36 MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft - which take off like a helicopter and fly like a plane - that will replace older CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters.
- One squadron of newer CH-53Es will replace a squadron of CH-53Ds.
Marine Corps Air Facility Kaneohe Bay has conducted more than 70,000 flights hours annually since 1999 - a use comparable to air stations elsewhere, officials said.
The new "Air Station" title is meant to denote greater activity than "Air Facility." Between 2007 and 2008, the airfield transported roughly 6 million pounds of cargo, transported 9,000 passengers and provided services for 1,075 transient aircraft, the Corps said. About 4,000 Marines and sailors work at the airfield.
"The re-designation of our Marine Corps Air Facility as a Marine Corps Air Station is a well-deserved and overdue change that accurately reflects the significant amount of operations and air traffic the airfield supports on a daily basis," said Lt. Col. Glen Butler, deputy commander, Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
The facility will become the ninth air station in the Marine Corps.
The renaming also will include the addition of Marine Maj. Gen. Marion E. Carl's name. Carl, the first "ace" to down 10 enemy aircraft during the battle for Guadalcanal in 1942, was twice awarded the Navy Cross, according to the Marine Corps.
**My experience shows that every place, plane, truck, weapon, etc has an official name and a 'troop name' Everyone flying out of Kaneohe will probably continue to use the "troop name."
