Naval Air Station Chase Field

Naval Air Station Chase Field
Summary
Airport type Military
Location Beeville, Texas
Elevation AMSL 190 ft / 58 m
Coordinates 28°21′51.69″N 97°39′35.32″W / 28.3643583°N 97.6598111°W / 28.3643583; -97.6598111Coordinates: 28°21′51.69″N 97°39′35.32″W / 28.3643583°N 97.6598111°W / 28.3643583; -97.6598111

Naval Air Station Chase Field is a former naval air station located in Beeville, Texas. It was named for Lieutenant Commander Nathan Brown Chase,[1][2] Naval Aviator #37, who died in 1925 while developing carrier landing techniques for the U.S. Navy.[3]

Seven buildings of the station are individually listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places: NAS Chase Field-Building 1001, NAS Chase Field-Building 1009, NAS Chase Field-Building 1015, NAS Chase Field-Building 1040, NAS Chase Field-Building 1042, NAS Chase Field-Quarters R, and NAS Chase Field-Quarters S.[4][5]

History

Originally under construction as Beeville Municipal Airport, it was leased in 1943 by the U.S. Navy to satisfy the increasing demand for trained pilots necessitated by World War II. Not initially intended to be a permanent base, it closed in July 1946. In August 1952, it was then purchased by the Navy to again relieve congestion at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in preparation for the Korean War. Jet training began there in 1954.[1][2][6] It operated as Chase Field until 1968, when it was redesignated as a full Naval Air Station to meet the demand for pilot training during the Vietnam War.[7]

At the time of its closure pursuant to a Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) decision in 1993, it was home to Training Air Wing 3 and three training squadrons operating the T-2C Buckeye and TA-4J Skyhawk II jet trainers, preparing U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Student Naval Aviators as strike pilots in sea-based jet fighter and attack aircraft. Training for selected NATO and Allied student jet aviators was also conducted at NAS Chase Field. After its closure, the installation was redeveloped into Chase Field Industrial Complex.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Royston, Mark W. (2009). The faces behind the bases : brief biographies of those for whom our military bases were named. New York: iUniverse. p. 127. ISBN 9781440137129.
  2. 1 2 Wolff, Jr., Henry (October 2, 1992). "Missing Noise of Jets from Chase Field". The Victoria Advocate. Victoria, Texas. p. 6A.
  3. ↑ "Memorial for Nathan B. Chase 1945". West Point Association of Graduates. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  4. ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  5. ↑ David Moore, Terri Myers,Matt Goebel, and Diana Nicklaus (March 30, 1994). "National Register of Historic Places Multiple Properties Documentation: Historic and Architectural Resources of Naval Air Station Chase Field, Beeville Vicinity, Bee County, Texas". Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Naval Air Station, Beeville". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  7. ↑ Disposal and reuse of Naval Air Station Chase Field: Environmental Impact Statement. United States. Navy. 1995. p. 3–1. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  • Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Chase Field
  • "National Register of Historic Places, Multiple Property Documentation Form, Historic and Architectural Resources of Naval Air Station Chase Field" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
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