Marine Corps Air Station Ewa (MCAS Ewa) was a
United States Marine Corps air station that was located west of
Pearl Harbor on the island of
Oahu, Hawaii. The base was hit during the
attack on Pearl Harbor and later served as the hub for all Marine aviation units heading into combat in the
Pacific Theater during
World War II. The base was closed in 1952 because its runways were too short for the jet aircraft and expansion was impossible due to the proximity of
Naval Air Station Barbers Point. Ewa has been abandoned since 1952 however two of its runways are still visible from the air and many of the
revetments still remain in good condition.
History
Originally founded as an
airship base for the
United States Navy in 1925, The airship program was cancelled after 3 of the 4 dirigibles located there crashed during the 1930s. The bases’ upgrade to air station began in September 1940 and on February 3, 1941 it was commissioned Marine Corps Air Station Ewa.
By the onset of World War II, the air station had four runways and numerous hangars. On December 7, 1941, MCAS Ewa was the first installation hit during the
attack on Pearl Harbor. All forty eight aircraft based there were destroyed.
In April 1944, the
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing was relocated to MCAS Ewa where they stayed for the remainder of the war.<ref name="MCAS El...
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