Military

Camp Mackall
Mackall Army Airfield

Forty miles from Pope AFB, or 10 miles as the Herc flies, is Camp MacKall. Austere in almost every aspect, it was originally created to train the 82nd Airborne and glider pilots during World War II. The camp offers little more than a concrete slab, a dirt carpet and more bugs than you want to know about.

Located only a few miles West of Ft. Bragg, Camp Mackall was the home of the airborne during World War II. Still used extensively for Special Forces training, the barracks and division areas have long since been removed. Camp Mackall supported three airborne divisions during World War II and was used for maneuvers by troops from installations under the command of the Third Army, National Guard, ROTC, and the Marines. The site was also used for the Hoffman Airborne Command Station. Portions of Camp Mackall were disposed of from 1945 through 1949. Most of the site is now an active U.S. Army installation (Camp Mackall) and the Sandhills Game Lands of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (the U.S. Government retained maneuver and firing rights over these lands).

Camp Mackall was located in Hoke, Richmond, Moore, and Scotland Counties, North Carolina. Between 1943 and 1944, the War Department acquired 65,338.61 acres for this site. The acreage was comprised of 7,460.98 acres fee, 1,874.72 acres lease, and 56,002.91 acres under use permit of which 5,620 acres were later merged in fee.

The U.S. Army constructed a complete training facility starting in 1943 at the site, including taxiways, aprons, sewer and water treatment facilities, reservoirs, dikes, dams, and target ranges. Part of the site is still an active U.S. Army installation (Camp Mackall). Camp Mackall supported three airborne divisions during World War II and was used for maneuvers by troops from installations under the command of the Third Army, National Guard, ROTC, and the Marines. The site was also used for the Hoffman Airborne Command Station. The U.S. Government held both exclusive and proprietary jurisdiction to areas comprising Camp Mackall. There is no indication that the installation was under the control of any entity other than the Department of Defense (DOD) during the period of Government occupancy.

Portions of Camp Mackall were disposed of from 1945 through 1949. In 1948, 56,002.91 acres were retransferred to the Department of the Interior. In 1949, 54,164.65 acres of this land were deeded to the state of North Carolina for a Wildlife Reserve. The state of North Carolina was deeded 918.50 acres in fee by the War Assets Administration (WAA). The leases on 1,874.72 acres were terminated. The U.S. Government retained 6,542.48 acres for the present day Camp Mackall. On the lands conveyed to the State of North Carolina from the Department of the Interior (54,164.65 acres) and WAA (918.50 acres), the U.S. Government retained maneuver and firing rights over the property. Also, the deeds contained a reversionary clause stipulating that the property be utilized by the state of North Carolina for the conservation of wildlife and stipulated recapture provisions in the event of a declaration of war.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's Sandhills Game Lands is a popular multi-use outdoor recreational area. The Sandhills has long been recognized as a biologically distinct area, with a complex of plant and animal species requiring special attention. Transitional between the Coastal Plain and Piedmont, the Sandhills supports species of both physiographic regions. The Sandhills is recognized as one of the last large remaining pockets of longleaf pine. In addition to Uwharrie National Forest, which includes more than 700 historic and cultural resource sites, the Fort Bragg Military Reservation and Sandhills Game Lands are significant managed properties within this area.

The Sandhills area of North Carolina supports one of the largest remaining populations of federally endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers (RCWs) in the nation and is identified in the RCW recovery plan as 1 of the 15 populations across the species' range that must be viable in order to recover the species. Unlike the other 14 recovery populations, however, a significant portion (approximately 30 percent) of the Sandhills RCW groups known are on private land and could potentially contribute to a Sandhills recovery population. RCWs on private land in the Sandhills have declined significantly over the past decade.

A substantial amount of the NC Sandhills land base is in public ownership. However, these lands are fragmented from each other by private lands. Currently, the Sandhills RCW population on the public lands are divided into two subpopulations: an eastern sub-population (Fort Bragg) and western side(Sandhills Game Lands/Camp Mackall) separated by privately owned property. Because of this separation, only the eastern sub-population has been the focus of past recovery activities. Therefore, Fort Bragg s Section 7 responsibility required the Army to manage the installation to maximize RCW groups. In order to reach the recovery standard of 350 active breeding groups, either Fort Bragg must achieve 500 active sites or a combination of RCW s on Private Lands & Fort Bragg is needed to achieve the recovery target.

Operating Simmons and Mackall Army Airfield is the responsibility of Chief, Aviation Branch. The primary function is to support aviation unit and individual training, aviation unit field training exercises, and aviation multi-service joint training exercises/operations.

In accordance with Post Range Control Regulation 350-6, all facilities/areas within 200 yards of MAAF are off limits to ground units engaged in field training exercises (FTXs) or other exercises similar in nature. This includes runways, taxiways, and parking ramps.

Prior Permission Requests (PPRs) are not required for individual aircraft at MAAF. However, PPRs are encouraged and will allow operations and ATC to render better service. Contact MAAF operations with requests. Normal MAAF operating hours are 0800-2400 local (Mon-Fri), ATC Tower, and Weather. Hours of operation are subject to change on short notice and for extended periods.

MAAF Operations Building has a flight planning room with limited capabilities for IFR and/or VFR flight plans. An Air Force observer is located in the Operations Bldg.

Due to the Special Operations Training Area and the surrounding communities, No Fly Areas are designated and are subject to change. Therefore, aviators and units are encouraged to contact MAAF Operations monthly for any updated information.

Touchdown areas or lanes are designated and marked parallel to Rwy 11/29. This area will be outlined by white tires providing an area of 900 feet x 150 feet. Running landings, to the touchdown areas/lanes, will not be performed if heavy-duty skid shoes are installed on the aircraft.

Sling Load training will not be conducted at MAAF unless prior coordination has been accomplished with MAAF tower/operations. STABO training will not be conducted at MAAF, unless prior coordination has been accomplished with Range Control. A Sling load block is located PU 3691 7736 and will be returned to that point. Aircraft with Sling loads will not overfly any hardstand area or facilities at MAAF.

Aircraft will not be flown closer than 1KM (1000 M) to an active DZ or to an aircraft engaged in a paradrop. HALO Clearance will be determined from the center of the selected landing point. Clearance will be a one statute mile radius from that point. If ATC and the pilots of the non-participating aircraft both have visual with all jumpers, the lateral clearance may be reduced to 1/2 statute mile.

Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations are not authorized within the Mackall Army Airfield (MAAF) Class D surface area when the weather conditions are less than basic VFR (1000' ceiling and/or visibility less than 3 statue miles).