MCAS New River started as an auxiliary airfield for Camp Lejeune, housing Marine Corps close air support squadrons, specializing in amphibious assault support. Squadrons based from the New River station flew in several Pacific Theater campaigns. With the end of the war, the facility was closed, and remained closed until reactivated to provide basing for units supporting Marine operations in the Korean War. The station slowly grew after that, continuing to provide air support and later infantry air lift through the Vietnam War and to the present day.

From the early 1960s the Marines on New River station flew the Sea Knight helicopter, but in the 1990s these helicopters were phased out in favor of the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor, which is now the main aircraft on board.