Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Military air base in San Diego, United States
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar is a military air base in San Diego, United States, spanning more than ninety thousand acres divided by Interstate 15 into a western operational area and an eastern training ground. Mitscher Field serves as the main runway for Marine tactical fighter jets, while wide open areas in the eastern portion support ground exercises and tactical training.
The site began in World War I as Camp Kearny for infantry training and later converted into a Navy facility with mooring masts for airships in the thirties. The base transferred from the Navy to the Marines in 1996 and was renamed for a pilot who fought in World War II.
The station takes its name from a California aerial engagement between Marine fighter pilot Robert L. Kuma and an enemy aircraft. Visitors attending the annual air show can experience military demonstrations up close and view modern fighter jets on the ground.
The base remains closed to the public except during the annual air show in autumn, when visitors gain access to selected areas and flight demonstrations. Interstate 15 runs through the grounds and offers views of some outer facilities from the road.
A National Cemetery opened in the northwest section of the base in 2010 and provides space for over two hundred thousand veterans and their spouses. The grounds sit on elevated terrain overlooking the surrounding hills and valleys of San Diego.
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