Naval Air Stations, and some history behind them.

[ea6bflyr]

This weekend was spent at NAS Oceana, MASTER JET BASE. We've all flown into airfields without knowing the historical significance of the why they were named as such. I thought it would be interesting to share and re-live some of the great and not-so-great Naval Air Stations and the history behind them.

I'll start with NAS Oceana.

Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Oceana was commissioned in August 17, 1943. Because it was growing, on April 1, 1952, SECDEF re-named it Naval Air Station Oceana. On June 4, 1957, it was named Apollo Soucek Field after Vice Admiral Apollo Soucek.

Vice Admiral Apollo Soucek was a Naval Aviator, a Test Pilot in the 1920s, a high altitude record holder in 1929 & 1930 (seaplane: 38,560 feet / landplane: 43,166 feet), first CO of the Midway-class USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB 42) in 1945, Commander of Carrier Division Three from 1952-1953 and Commander Task Force 77. From 1953-1955 he was in charge of the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics from 1953-1955.

-ea6bflyr

 

[lcaeagle913]

Wait.

So, you're saying Oceana was around before all the people who live under the traffic pattern moved in and started complaining?

Weird.

 

[scoolbubba]

no, the navy puts traffic patterns over their houses to specifically annoy the sh!t out of them.

I never understood the term master jet base.

Are there master helo bases and master propeller bases too?

 

[Pugs]

NAS Whidbey is Ault field, named after Navy Cross winner William B Ault lost in battle of Coral Sea


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_B._Ault

 

[Deepsea 31]

NAS Names

Where is Brewer Field? A4s should know this one. No cheating on Google.

 

[brownshoe]

I never understood the term master jet base.

Me neither, but I was stationed at one of 'em. Ah... Cecil, the lap of luxury.

Steve

 

[A4sForever]

Where is Brewer Field? A4s should know this one. No cheating on Google.

Nope; I've read the history of Guam.

NAS Agana = Brewer Field

And besides the plethora of "historically" named fields in/around P-Cola (Corry, Bronson, Barin, Whiting, Ellyson, Saufley, etc ... ) ....

Some others ...

NAS Pensacola = Forrest Sherman Field
MCAS Cherry Point = Cunningham Field
NAS Barber's Point = John Rogers Field
NAS Meridian = McCain Field
NAS JAX = Towers Field
NAS Fallon = Van Voorhis Field
NAS North Island = Halsey Field
NAS/MCAS Miramar = Mitscher Field
NAS PAX River = Trapnell Field

There's more ... just can't think of 'em off the top of my head.

Time for Happy Hour ...

 

[smittyrunr]

no, the navy puts traffic patterns over their houses to specifically annoy the sh!t out of them.

I never understood the term master jet base.

Are there master helo bases and master propeller bases too?

NAS Jacksonville is a "Master ASW Base."

Sorry, no cool picture of the sign.

NAS Corpus Christi = Truax Field

 

[CommodoreMid]

When did Corry Station no longer serve as an airfield? You can still see where the runways were on Google Earth which is cool.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

no, the navy puts traffic patterns over their houses to specifically annoy the sh!t out of them.

I never understood the term master jet base.

Are there master helo bases and master propeller bases too?

North Island has a sign which says "Master Helicopter Base" when you approach the main gate.

 

[2sr2worry]

The Birthplace

Great gouge on the history of North Island from the National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places:

Naval Air Station San Diego: http://www.nps.gov/history/Nr/travel/aviation/san.htm

Rockwell Field San Diego: http://www.nps.gov/history/Nr/travel/aviation/rok.htm

North Island can reasonably claim to be the birthplace of both Navy and Army aviation. The I-Bar is in the Rockwell Field district. CNAF headquarters is in the Naval Air Station San Diego district. History drips from both sides.

 

[Junkball]

NAS Whidbey is Ault field, named after Navy Cross winner William B Ault lost in battle of Coral Sea


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_B._Ault

Is William Ault any relation to Frank Ault of the Ault Report fame?

And reading Billy Ault's Wiki bio... some last words to emulate:

"O.K. So long, people. We put a 1,000 pound hit on the flat top."

 

[A4sForever]

North Island can reasonably claim to be the birthplace of both Navy and Army aviation.

Roger that; there is a LOT of Naval Aviation history in/around the place. Your thumbnail pix looks like it's the ENTERPRISE or YORKTOWN tied up at the quay ...

If any of you have not seen it ... rent "Dive Bomber", circa 1941 ... a little "hokey", sure ... but it will give you some GREAT shots of period Naval Aviation and the areas surrounding NAS NORIS, where the film was made.

Errol Flynn, Fred MacMurray, Ralph Bellamy ... some have said: "forget the actors, forget the plot, enjoy the period ... "

I tend to agree.

 

[Mumbles]

Is William Ault any relation to Frank Ault of the Ault Report fame?

And reading Billy Ault's Wiki bio... some last words to emulate:

"O.K. So long, people. We put a 1,000 pound hit on the flat top."

No.....although William Ault's son was the SuppO on Frank Ault's carrier Coral Sea in the 1960's.

 

[Birdog8585]

When did Corry Station no longer serve as an airfield? You can still see where the runways were on Google Earth which is cool.

Yeah I was wondering the same thing when I was doing some PARs at Sherman of couple of weeks ago. The date on those aerials from Google earth are Dec 2004 - you can still see the bludgeoning that Ivan gave to NAS P-cola along the bayfront.

Ole trustworthy Wikipedia - - says decomm in 1958. Named after LCDR William M Corry, MOH recipient. "...was an active aviation training complex where advanced fighter plane techniques were taught. In 1943, the field was re-designated as Naval Auxiliary Air Station, continuing to serve as a training center for aviators through World War II and during the Korean War."