Naval Air Station Chase Field

Naval Air Station Chase Field
IATA: NIR – ICAO: KNIR
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]

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 conflict. Jet training began there in 1954.[1][2][4] 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.[5]

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 which is home to The Texas Mile, an annual land speed race event for automobiles, motorcycles and land speed racers.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Naval Air Station Chase Field.

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. ↑ "Naval Air Station, Beeville". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  5. ↑ Disposal and reuse of Naval Air Station Chase Field: Environmental Impact Statement. United States. Navy. 1995. p. 3-1. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
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