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35-831: The academy is situated on the site of the former Harlingen Army Airfield , established in 1941. After closing, the field was re-opened in 1952 as the Harlingen Air Force Base which closed in the early 1960s. Since opening its doors as the Marine Military Academy most of the original buildings have been replaced with modern facilities. The adjacent runways became the Valley International Airport . Courses offered include regular high school classes as well as honors courses, Advanced Placement authorized courses and dual enrollment courses for which college credit may be earned. Most courses are taught year-long. In

70-472: A 1976 interview, Instructor Sgt. Jim Morton claimed that MMA was "twice as strict as any other military school." Cadets have required attendance at tutorials if they are failing any classes. There are no make-ups for failed exams or missed homework assignments without acceptable reasons and mandatory Closed Call to Quarters (time set aside each evening in the barracks for the completion of homework and studying for exams). The school has summer programs including

105-465: A confidence course, obstacle course and high ropes course. Introductory training, also called the plebe system, is supervised by cadet NCOs serving as cadet instructors, who are supervised by a cadet officer. A parade is held at the end of the training during which the plebes place the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor on their garrison cover to symbolize the transformation from plebe to cadet. The cadet rank structure

140-488: A corrosion control meeting, in April as the gym, library, and military clothing sales store closed their doors. Undergraduate Navigator Training at Harlingen AFB ended on 6 June 1962 with the graduation of Class 62-22N. The 3610th Navigator Training Wing and subordinate units were discontinued on 1 July. At the same time, Air Training Command placed Harlingen AFB on inactive status. In 1963, construction and renovation began on

175-612: A fire station, some water towers and a number of support buildings, all wood and tar paper on concrete blocks. An auxiliary airfield was built at Port Isabel, Texas to support training and flight operations at Harlingen. Training was conducted in air-to-air & air-to-surface gunnery; air-to-air training used a variety of aircraft, including AT-6 Texans , BT-13 Valiants , P-63 Kingcobras , B-17 Flying Fortresses , B-26 Marauder and B-24 Liberators . For ground-based training, facilities included moving target ranges and gunnery simulators. The first class of aerial gunners graduated from

210-449: A four-week bootcamp-style summer camp for boys 13–17, as well as ESL classes for foreign students. All cadets are required to participate in one of the offered extracurricular activities during the afternoon activity period which goes from approximately 4:00–5:30 P.M. The goal of the program is to provide all cadets an opportunity to participate in sports activities regardless of their skill level. Some athletic activities conducted at

245-490: A multi-engine pilot training school at Harlingen and realigned its observer training program by converting primary observer training into a primary-basic course and by providing advanced instruction in the basic course. Under the new program, every graduate of primary-basic training would be a qualified aircraft navigator. Effective 15 November 1956, Headquarters USAF directed the term navigator be substituted in all cases for observer or aircraft observer. That directive resulted in

280-452: A scarlet stripe down the outside seam of their blue trousers. According to Marine Corps history, the blood stripe is to honor fallen marines from the Battle of Chapultepec in 1847, https://www.marines.com/about-the-marine-corps/who-are-the-marines/uniforms-symbols.html U.S. Marine tradition maintains that the red stripe is worn on the trousers of the blue dress uniform, commonly known as

315-477: Is a scarlet stripe worn down the outside leg seams of trousers on the dress uniform of the United States Marine Corps . This red stripe is 2 inches (5.1 cm) for general officers , 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches (3.8 cm) for other officers, and 1 + 1 ⁄ 8 inches (2.9 cm) for enlisted staff noncommissioned officers and non-commissioned officers . Modified versions are worn on

350-466: Is also the final resting place of Corporal Harlon Block , formerly a resident of Weslaco, Texas , one of the Marines immortalized in the famous photo of the flag-raising on Iwo Jima from which the sculpture is modeled. Harlingen Army Airfield Harlingen Air Force Base , originally Harlingen Army Airfield , is a former United States Air Force (USAF) base in northeast Harlingen , Texas . After

385-529: Is based on the United States Marine Corps rank and billet system, with the addition of "Cadet" before the title. Eighth grade students cannot advance beyond Cadet Lance Corporal, and freshmen cannot exceed the rank of Cadet Corporal. However, eighth graders and freshmen more often serve as non-rates, those ranks up to c/Lance Corporal who are not non-commissioned officers . As a sophomore, a cadet may be promoted to an NCO rank. Juniors make up most of

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420-452: The Academy's staff NCOs. Seniors are generally promoted to officer rank. They hold positions of command responsibility, as Platoon Commanders, Company Executive Officers, Company Commanders, Battalion Executive Officers, and Battalion Commanders. There are also many other Battalion Staff and Company Staff positions available for seniors not in billets of command. Uniforms authorized for wear at

455-675: The Gunnery School in January 1942. During the Korean War the base was reactivated on 17 March 1952. It was placed under the auspices of the Air Training Command (ATC), who renamed the field Harlingen Air Force Base and put it under the operational control of the 3610th Observer Training Wing (ATC) as part of its observer training program. Training was conducted primarily with Convair T-29 aircraft. On 1 September 1953, ATC also established

490-587: The Marine Corps adopting the Army's practice of wearing stripes the same color as uniform jacket facings. These original stripes were buff white to match changes to the uniform jacket, but when the jacket was changed back to dark blue with red trim in 1839, the stripes remained, but altered to a similar blue edged in red. A U.S. Naval Institute history of USMC uniforms records that orders issued in January 1840 provided that officers and non commissioned officers were to wear

525-509: The QM during entrance into the school for events off campus, including liberty on weekends and special leave. The academy authorizes the class "A" and class "B" uniforms for events considered "black tie" and leave home during times of academy departure. The class "A" and "B" uniforms consist of" Medals, ribbons (only worn with ribbons if in class “B” uniform) marksmanship badges, academic wreaths, pilots wings, NJHS torches and GPA stars may be worn above

560-464: The Utility “U-1” uniform above the right breast pocket. The PT and PT-1 uniforms are authorized for times of physical activity, rest and relaxation and barracks liberty. The PT and PT-1 uniforms consist of: PT-1 is the main uniform of summer campers for the summer camp. The Iwo Jima monument, located on the Marine Military Academy grounds, is the original model, a creation of Dr. Felix de Weldon , and

595-465: The academy are parallel to those of the United States Marine Corps . During school days, the uniforms worn on weekdays are the utility and U-1 uniform. Four days a week the prescribed uniform is utility, and on Mondays the cadets wear the U-1 uniform which consists of camouflage utility bottoms, boots, a company t-shirt with the name of the company and corresponding color, (red for echo, blue for alpha, etc.,) and

630-679: The base closed, the field was redeveloped into Valley International Airport . With the outbreak of World War II in Europe it was decided to build a military airfield in Harlingen. Col John R. Morgan was the first commanding officer of the Harlingen Aerial Gunnery School , arriving in August 1941; he was to hold that appointment through World War II. On June 30, 1941 a contract was let for Morgan and Zachary, El Paso and Laredo builders, to start

665-544: The blood stripe, because a large number of the Marine NCOs and officers of the detachment died while storming the castle of Chapultepec in 1847, though iterations of the stripe antedate the war. Such a stripe of that time was normally reserved for officers, but due to the casualties among the officers of the battle, the NCOs lead the remainder of the assault, and hence the stripe recognizes the leadership role of NCOs thereafter. In 1849,

700-541: The country, closed in 1945. It was initially assigned to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Gulf Coast Training Center as a flexible gunnery school, with the 78th Service Group being designated as the first host organization at the new airfield. The airfield had two parallel north–south 6000-foot runways and two 5,200-foot runways aligned NE/SW and NW/SE. A large parking ramp and several aircraft hangars were built along with warehouses, dormitories,

735-678: The first Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (MCJROTC) in the nation. All cadets are members of the MCJROTC unit, unless they fail to qualify for full membership because of age or citizenship. In this case they receive the training as associate members. Cadets are assigned to one of five company barracks, supervised by a drill instructor and assistant drill instructor. Introductory training lasts for four weeks, during which new cadets are taught varied general military skills and knowledge. These include military rank structure, uniforms, close order drill. They also undergo training on rappelling,

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770-414: The military airfield construction. The mission of Harlingen Army Airfield was to train aerial gunners. The school received its first assigned cadre in August 1941. Its primary mission, with an initial student load of 600, was that of training aerial gunnery students in a five-week (extended to six weeks in 1943) training program. Over 48,000 soldiers were trained until the school, one of three such types in

805-655: The officers' evening dress uniforms, with the scarlet flanked with gold trim, and on members of the Marine Band , which wear the traditional red stripe with a white stripe in the center. Trouser stripes were in use in various militaries for many years (especially the British Army , whose uniforms influenced American uniforms for many years, as well as the red stripes of the Spanish Navy Marines ). In 1837, President Andrew Jackson ordered uniform changes that included

840-481: The only ATC base on the list. Harlingen entered its last group of students into navigator training on 9 August. From that point on, James Connally AFB , Texas, provided all undergraduate navigator training until its subsequent closure and the relocation of navigator training back to Mather AFB. In March 1962, the dining halls were consolidated as base staffing diminished, and the base hospital announced its change to dispensary status. The base hosted its last conference,

875-437: The opportunity to participate in volleyball, basketball, soccer and track and field sports against other member private schools. After a cadet has his throat slit in his room in 1997, reports of violence, hazing, and extensive use of drugs and alcohol among students spread throughout various media. Enrollment declined by 50% in the year afterward, and the head of the school retired. The Marine Military Academy established one of

910-565: The re-designation of the 3610th Observer Training Wing to 3610th Navigator Training Wing. In October 1959, ATC directed Mather AFB , California to move its primary-basic navigator training to Harlingen AFB by early 1962. This training had to be relocated so that Mather could take over Keesler AFB 's electronic warfare officer (EWO) training by early 1963. Early in 1960, the USAF authorized ATC to discontinue pilot and navigator preflight courses at Lackland AFB , Texas. Pilot preflight training became

945-460: The responsibility of the primary training bases, and navigator preflight moved to the navigator schools. New navigator preflight training programs went into effect at Harlingen on 6 April. In March 1961, during his budget message to Congress, U.S. president John F. Kennedy announced that the Department of Defense would close 73 military installations (70 stateside), including Harlingen AFB, Texas,

980-465: The right breast pocket. If the cadet has any activity specific pins (drill pin, rotary team pin, etc.) he may wear it on his right breast pocket. The academy authorizes the class "C" and class "D" uniforms for events such as weekend liberty, special leave and leave home during times of academy departure. The class "C" and "D" uniforms consist of: Ribbons, marksmanship badges, academic wreaths, pilots wings, NJHS torches and GPA stars may be worn above

1015-421: The right breast pocket. If the cadet has any activity specific pins (drill pin, rotary team pin, etc.) he may wear it on his right breast pocket. The academy authorizes the Utility “U-1” and “U” Uniforms for wear during the school day. It cannot be worn during times of liberty, special leave, or leave home during times of academy departure. The Utility “U” and “U-1” Uniforms consist of: Pilot wings can be worn on

1050-701: The school include jiu jitsu, boxing, baseball, football, tennis, soccer, raiders, track, and golf. Beginning with the 2000–2001 school year, varsity sports began competing in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) for statewide honors. Also offered at the eighth grade level is the VISA program (Valley Independent School Association), with yearlong competition in various sports. As they are not permitted to participate in TAPPS competitive activities until they reach grade nine, this program provides eighth graders

1085-455: The sight to be transformed into a military academy modeled after the United States Marine Corps . The school, Marine Military Academy , was opened for the first school year in 1965. The school still stands to this day and can house up to 250~ cadets. In October and November 1942, the World War II movie Aerial Gunner (released 9 May 1943), partly about the aerial gunnery school in Harlingen,

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1120-623: The uniform of the day at all times while enrolled (with the exception of leave) at the academy. Since there are many varying cadet uniforms, certain events dictate which uniform is appropriate. For example, Dress Blue "A" is rarely worn. The school holds two specific events that require Blue "A": the Marine Corps Birthday Ball and the HM Smith Foundation dinner. Both Dress Blue "A" and "B" may be worn to civilian occasions which dictate white tie or black tie. Green "C"s are issued at

1155-495: The utility cover. Cadets holding rank above Cadet Corporal are authorized to display their rank centered in the middle of their cover. During periods of exercise PT gear is worn. The dress blue uniforms are often preserved for the Marine Corps Birthday Ball and other formal events. Raincoats and letter jackets may also be worn when directed during cold or rainy weather. The Cadet rank insignias and blood stripe are no longer sewn into cadet dress blue pants. Cadets are required to wear

1190-598: Was set here. The movie was inspired by, and principal photography location filming was done at, the Harlingen Army Airfield; using many USAAF trainees and staff as extras. An uncredited, and then unknown, Robert Mitchum appeared in the film. The film actress Amelita Ward was discovered in Harlingen by the film's producers, and signed to a co-starring role. [REDACTED]  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Blood stripe A blood stripe

1225-439: Was used for the casting of the monument erected at Arlington National Cemetery . After completion of the monument, this sculpture was placed in storage until the early 1980s when its creator donated it to the Marine Military Academy. Donations were collected to fund the transport and reassembly of the monument, which was supervised by Dr. de Weldon. On April 16, 1982, the monument was officially dedicated. The Marine Military Academy

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