MCAS Cherry Point News

Army Sgt. Jeff Inman, a demonstration parachutist with the United States Army Special Operations Command, Black Daggers and Cpl. Kevin Willis, an aircraft electronic countermeasures technician with Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4, pose for a photo after completing their tandem skydive May 3. The service members jumped from approximately 10,000 feet. - Army Sgt. Jeff Inman, a demonstration parachutist with the United States Army Special Operations Command, Black Daggers and Cpl. Kevin Willis, an aircraft electronic countermeasures technician with Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4, pose for a photo after completing their tandem skydive May 3. The service members jumped from approximately 10,000 feet.

Lance Cpl. Anthony DiCola (center), a crew chief with Marine Transport Squadron 1, spots potential landing zones from the side window of the HH-46E Sea Knight, dubbed Pedro, during a three-hour training flight April 27. Cpl. Kyle Smith, a rescue swimmer with VMR-1 and Sgt. Zachary Wood, a crew chief and noncommissioned officer in charge with VMR-1 (right) assisted DiCola with his on-the-job training which ranged from Morehead City to New Bern pointing out different landing zones used during their rapid emergency response efforts. - Lance Cpl. Anthony DiCola (center), a crew chief with Marine Transport Squadron 1, spots potential landing zones from the side window of the HH-46E Sea Knight, dubbed Pedro, during a three-hour training flight April 27. Cpl. Kyle Smith, a rescue swimmer with VMR-1 and Sgt. Zachary Wood, a crew chief and noncommissioned officer in charge with VMR-1 (right) assisted DiCola with his on-the-job training which ranged from Morehead City to New Bern pointing out different landing zones used during their rapid emergency response efforts.

Paul Ringheiser Jr., left, and Paul Ringheiser III, stand on front of a B-25J Mitchell bomber owned by Disabled American Veterans flight team, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., May 4, 2012. Paul III's grandfather Paul Ringheiser Sr. was a flight engineer on the Marine Corps equivalent of the aircraft during World War II era. "I was in the seat where he would have sat, right below the cockpit gunner," Paul Jr. said. "That’s where the flight engineer would have sat so it was really interesting and really emotional to think 'this is what he would have gone through,'" said Paul Sr. - Paul Ringheiser Jr., left, and Paul Ringheiser III, stand on front of a B-25J Mitchell bomber owned by Disabled American Veterans flight team, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., May 4, 2012. Paul III's grandfather Paul Ringheiser Sr. was a flight engineer on the Marine Corps equivalent of the aircraft during World War II era. "I was in the seat where he would have sat, right below the cockpit gunner," Paul Jr. said. "That’s where the flight engineer would have sat so it was really interesting and really emotional to think 'this is what he would have gone through,'" said Paul Sr.

Lt. Col. Thomas J. Witczak, right, commanding officer of Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2, presents Maj. Gen. Jon M. Davis, left, the commanding general of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, with tokens of appreciation for nearly two years of leadership at a picnic aboard MCAS Cherry Point, May 8. - Lt. Col. Thomas J. Witczak, right, commanding officer of Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2, presents Maj. Gen. Jon M. Davis, left, the commanding general of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, with tokens of appreciation for nearly two years of leadership at a picnic aboard MCAS Cherry Point, May 8.

Sgt. Nathaniel Duarosan, the mission assurance noncommissioned officer in charge for Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, rehearses a Tahitian dance routine on the air station’s flightline Apr. 25, 2012, in preparation for his performance in the multicultural heritage portion of the 2012 MCAS Cherry Point Air Show. MCAS Cherry Point will "Celebrate the Heritage" May 4-6 by commemorating 100 years of Marine Corps aviation, the 70th anniversary of the air station and multicultural diversity. - Sgt. Nathaniel Duarosan, the mission assurance noncommissioned officer in charge for Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, rehearses a Tahitian dance routine on the air station’s flightline Apr. 25, 2012, in preparation for his performance in the multicultural heritage portion of the 2012 MCAS Cherry Point Air Show. MCAS Cherry Point will "Celebrate the Heritage" May 4-6 by commemorating 100 years of Marine Corps aviation, the 70th anniversary of the air station and multicultural diversity.

Lance Cpl. Robert J. Hamilton III, right, a patient with the Wounded Warrior Battalion at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., and his wife, Elizabeth, stand with Drew Brees, quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, April 20, 2012, during the Nicholas Sparks Celebrity Family Weekend in New Bern, N.C. The weekend’s events in downtown New Bern included a celebrity golf tournament, a 5K run, boat tours, a family fun night, silent auction and a screening of Sparks’ new film “The Lucky One.” Proceeds from the weeked events benefit several charities, including Hope For the Warriors, a national non-profit organization dedicated to supporting wounded military members, their families and families of the fallen. - Lance Cpl. Robert J. Hamilton III, right, a patient with the Wounded Warrior Battalion at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., and his wife, Elizabeth, stand with Drew Brees, quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, April 20, 2012, during the Nicholas Sparks Celebrity Family Weekend in New Bern, N.C. The weekend’s events in downtown New Bern included a celebrity golf tournament, a 5K run, boat tours, a family fun night, silent auction and a screening of Sparks’ new film “The Lucky One.” Proceeds from the weeked events benefit several charities, including Hope For the Warriors, a national non-profit organization dedicated to supporting wounded military members, their families and families of the fallen.

Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Dakota L. Meyer is fitted in a flight suit April 20, aboard Kentucky Air National Guard Base. Meyer was being fitted in order to make sure he had a working suit before flying in a T/AV-8B Harrier during the Thunder Over Louisville air show April 21. Marine Attack Training Squadron 203 provided the harrier for Meyer to fly in during the air show. - Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Dakota L. Meyer is fitted in a flight suit April 20, aboard Kentucky Air National Guard Base. Meyer was being fitted in order to make sure he had a working suit before flying in a T/AV-8B Harrier during the Thunder Over Louisville air show April 21. Marine Attack Training Squadron 203 provided the harrier for Meyer to fly in during the air show.

Lily M. Wade, 13, a Cherry Point military child, reads to a preschool class at the Child Development Center aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., April 3, 2012. Lily volunteered through the Cherry Point Tween Center to spend time with the preschoolers during April’s Month of the Military Child.“Month of the Military Child” was formed in 1986 by former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger as an official Defense Department commemoration. - Lily M. Wade, 13, a Cherry Point military child, reads to a preschool class at the Child Development Center aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., April 3, 2012. Lily volunteered through the Cherry Point Tween Center to spend time with the preschoolers during April’s Month of the Military Child.“Month of the Military Child” was formed in 1986 by former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger as an official Defense Department commemoration.

Explosive ordnance disposal Marines fill bags with diesel for an explosion demonstration April 17, 2012, at the EOD range aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. EOD Marines plan to put on a big bang and ignite a 1,000 foot wall of fire for the 150,000 spectators expected at the Cherry Point air show May 4 - 6. Members of 2nd EOD Company, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Lejeune, will join the air station and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing EOD Marines to assist during this year’s air show. - Explosive ordnance disposal Marines fill bags with diesel for an explosion demonstration April 17, 2012, at the EOD range aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. EOD Marines plan to put on a big bang and ignite a 1,000 foot wall of fire for the 150,000 spectators expected at the Cherry Point air show May 4 - 6. Members of 2nd EOD Company, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based out of Camp Lejeune, will join the air station and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing EOD Marines to assist during this year’s air show.

Maj. Gen. Jon. M. Davis, right, commanding general of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, congratulates Maj. J. Eric Grunke, AV-8B Harrier pilot with Marine Attack Squadron 542, upon his recognition as the Marine Corps Aviator of the Year by the Marine Corps Aviation Association, during a luncheon at Miller's Landing officers' club aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, April 17. Grunke was involved in a Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel mission in Libya in March 2011 to rescue the pilot of an Air Force F-15E that had crashed due to a mechanical failure. Over the course of the mission, Grunke dropped two 500-pound laser-guided bombs on tactical vehicles pursuing the pilot and identified a suitable landing zone for the MV-22B Osprey that would make the pickup. - Maj. Gen. Jon. M. Davis, right, commanding general of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, congratulates Maj. J. Eric Grunke, AV-8B Harrier pilot with Marine Attack Squadron 542, upon his recognition as the Marine Corps Aviator of the Year by the Marine Corps Aviation Association, during a luncheon at Miller's Landing officers' club aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, April 17. Grunke was involved in a Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel mission in Libya in March 2011 to rescue the pilot of an Air Force F-15E that had crashed due to a mechanical failure. Over the course of the mission, Grunke dropped two 500-pound laser-guided bombs on tactical vehicles pursuing the pilot and identified a suitable landing zone for the MV-22B Osprey that would make the pickup.