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San Clemente Island
Chronological Military History (1934-2000)
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1980's
On September 30, Fleet Composite Squadron 3 (VC-3), after 18 years of providing drone aircraft and surface target services to the fleet, was decommissioned. 32 Operating under the tightest of security, Pacific Fleet amphibious forces with embarked Marines finished a major civilian evacuation exercise on January 16th. Code-named Kernel Egress, the exercise was the first of its kind ever staged on the west coast to demonstrate the fast-reaction capability of Southern California and Hawaii homeported ships and Marines. The highly-realistic exercise included the removal of approximately 110 Marine "actors" in civilian clothing - representing a fictional U.S. ambassador, U.S. officials and private citizens - from a country whose government was collapsing in the face of terrorist attacks and insurgent fighting. The deep submergence research vehicle "Alvin" conducted a series of dives in the San Clemente escarpment. 41 The Cable Termination Van (CTV) site, in support of the SOCAL ASW range, was installed at West Cove. The vans were constructed at the Naval Ocean Systems Center in San Diego, were then shipped to the Naval Undersea Systems Center (NUSC), Newport, RI,. for installation of electronics equipment, and returned for installation on the island. The Range Electronics Warfare Simulator (REWS) site was also under construction at this time. 1
During March, NASNI Staff Civil Engineering Natural Resources contractor personnel completed three "net trapping" exercises for removal of feral goats. Approximately 1500 goats were removed from the island during this year. On July 24th and 25th, Helicopter Support Squadron 1 (HC-1) demonstrated the versatility of the CH-53E "Sea Stallion" helicopter, in support of the SHOBA range, by airlifting two Phantom aircraft hulks, and a 19,000 pound bus, the 70 miles to the island in separate lifts. These hulks, to be used as targets in the impact areas, were deposited at the VC-3 site targets marshaling area. 31 In August, following installation and testing of the Under Sea Warfare (USW) range facilities during the period 1982-1985, the Southern California Offshore Range (SCORE) was commissioned and began operations under the command of the Commander, ASWWINGPAC, at NAS, North Island. 1 The USW range initially covered 112 sq. miles, but was later enlarged to provide 670 sq. miles of 3-dimensional underwater tracking capability. 7 The first exercise on the new USW range pitted an SH-3 helicopter against a Los Angeles class submarine. 18 Also in August, members of the National Guard's 137th Transportation Co., based at the Stead Airport in Reno, NV, joined up with the Marines, Texas Airborne Pathfinders, and the Navy's HC-1, to set up targets in the shore bombardment area of the island. The 137th had practiced this procedure over desert stretches at NAS Fallon, and in Washington state. However, the San Clemente operation was a unique first. This training included a simulated crash landing or "ditching" at sea. Members of the 1150th Medical Detachment Guard based in Carson City, NV. were included. 20
The aircraft was carried by cable underneath the helicopter for 5-miles to the deck of the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70). HC-1 was the only helicopter squadron to perform such lifts at this time, virtually "writing the book". 19 The Naval Ocean Systems Center conducted a series of surface ship and submarine underwater explosive shock trials on the east side of the island. 1
The second Tomahawk test was conducted in April. This test was a successful aerial burst over the MIR revetment which contained a target aircraft. The aircraft was totally destroyed. 1 In August, command of SCORE, and its several island range sites, were transferred from Commander, ASWWINGPAC to the Commander, Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility (FACSFAC) at NAS, North Island. 7 The Range Electronic Warfare Simulator (REWS) was commissioned to provide Surface-to-Air threat avoidance, jamming, and threat simulations for fleet unit reactive training. 7 Two (2) Tomahawk missile tests were conducted this year. They were both sub-munitions payload tests. 1 In January, the SCORE Range Electronic Warfare Simulator (REWS) site became operational by conducting a jamming exercise against a surface combatant on the west side of the island. 18 Also in January and March, the deep submergence research vessel "Turtle" conducted search and recovery operations of two (2) Mk-27 targets, and four (4) Deep Ocean Transponders (DOT) for the Naval Undersea Warfare Engineering Center. The 409th Construction Battalion Unit (CBU), Long Beach, conducted the first of a series of major "Self Help" projects in support of SCORE and NALF. The SeaBees bivouacked on the beach at West Cove, and during their one-month deployment constructed four (4) buildings and repaired three (3) miles of critical range site access roads. 5 In the second deployment of the military in support of "Self-Help" projects, the U.S. Army 14th Combat Engineering Battalion (CEB) from Fort Ord, CA., constructed several range site facilities, and conducted range renovation repairs to impact area access road bridges in SHOBA. This unit set up support facilities at the VC-3 area. 5 In September, the DSRV "Turtle" searched for and photographed a lost F-14 in a debris field in 4,000' of water. 41 In November, the "Turtle" was trapped by two cables as it was attempting to recover a hydrophone at a depth of 1,277'. After 14 hours and 12 minutes, the "Turtle" and crew surfaced, tired but safe. 41 |
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