MCAS Vieques Airport was a Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) at MCB Camp Garcia on the island-municipality of

Vieques Vieques (; ), officially Isla de Vieques, is an island and municipality of Puerto Rico, in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands. Vieques is part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, ...

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

. It was built in 1960 by USMC engineers and consisted of a single 5,000 ft east–west runway. It was used to fly in troops, equipment and supplies to support amphibious landing training missions. MCB Camp Garcia was a U.S. Marine Corps base, Camp Garcia Gate. The base was used for amphibious landing training purposes. Camp Garcia hosted the Atlantic Fleet's Composite Training Unit Exercises and served as the premiere training area for the Atlantic Fleet for more than 60 years. It also housed a MARS (

Military Auxiliary Radio System The Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) is a United States Department of Defense sponsored program, established as a separately managed and operated program by the United States Army, and the United States Air Force. The United States Navy-M ...

) radio relay station. Camp Garcia was named after Marine Corps Private 1st Class Fernando Garcia, a

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

recipient during the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

and a native of Puerto Rico. It was located on the island of Vieques (part of the Puerto Rico Commonwealth). The base closed in 2003.

References

External links

Leatherneck Forum entries

Profile at Togetherserved
Vieques, Puerto Rico Defunct airports in Puerto Rico 1960 establishments in Puerto Rico Airports established in 1960 Closed military facilities in Puerto Rico {{US-airport-stub