Sixty eight years ago on Dec. 7, approximately 360 Japanese planes launched from aircraft carriers 200 miles north of Hawaii and attacked Pearl Harbor.
Of the 90 ships moored at Pearl Harbor, the Japanese sank or severely damaged 18 ships, including eight battle ships. They destroyed or damaged 347 planes, and killed more than 2,000 service members and civilians.
After recovering from the surprise attack, service members at Pearl Harbor fought back. Marines from Marine Aircraft Group 21 returned fire with rifles and machine guns, some salvaged from damaged planes.
In San Diego, Marines from the 2nd Marine Division dug trenches in preparation of a potential attack on the California coast and North Island. Machine gun nests were established, Tommy guns were issued and supply facilities initiated ‘blackout’ procedures.
A few days after the attack, 300 Marines from the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing were sent to Camp Kearney Calif. to establish military aviation operations. Army Camp Kearney was the army’s World War I infantry training center and was closed in 1920.
General Roy S. Geiger, the commander of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, surveyed fields in response to Naval Air Station San Diego’s war diary entry stating “all desert fields are available for use.” On Dec. 21, 1941 the 1st MAW came here and remained until 1942 when it deployed to Guadalcanal.
Naval Air Station San Diego at North Island was the center of military aviation in San Diego before the attack.
By Dec. 12, eight bombers and 18 pursuant planes operated out of Camp Kearny.
The tragic attack on Pearl Harbor caused the empty fields of former Army Camp Kearny to become Naval Auxiliary Air Station Camp Kearney which eventually became what is now Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, home of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
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