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Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
Ault Field
Oak Harbor, Washington in the United States
Aerial NAS Whidbey.jpg
An aerial view of NAS Whidbey Island
NAS Whidbey Island Emblem.svg
NAS Whidbey Island is located in the United States
NAS Whidbey Island
NAS Whidbey Island
Location in the United States
Coordinates 48°21′07″N 122°39′21″W / 48.35194°N 122.65583°W / 48.35194; -122.65583
Type Naval Air Station
Site information
Owner Department of Defense
Operator US Navy
Controlled by Navy Region Northwest
Condition Operational
Site history
Built 1942 (1942)
In use 1942 – present
Garrison information
Current
commander
Captain Eric Hanks
Airfield information
Identifiers IATA: NUW, ICAO: KNUW, FAA LID: NUW, WMO: 690230
Elevation 14.3 metres (47 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
7/25 2,438.4 metres (8,000 ft) Concrete
13/31 2,438.4 metres (8,000 ft) Concrete
Whidbey Island NAS Airport Diagram
FAA diagram of the runway area
NAS Whidbey Island NAN12-47
Aerial view of NAS Whidbey Island in the mid-1940s

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) (IATA: NUWICAO: KNUWFAA LID: NUW) is a naval air station of the United States Navy located on two pieces of land near Oak Harbor, on Whidbey Island, in Island County, Washington.

The main portion of the base, Ault Field, is about three miles north of Oak Harbor. The other section, called the Seaplane base for the PBY Catalina flying boats once based there, holds most of the island's Navy housing as well as the air station's main Navy Exchange and DeCA Commissary. The NASWI commanding officer also has command of a satellite airfield, Naval Outlying Landing Field (NOLF) Coupeville, on central Whidbey Island at 48°11′24″N 122°37′48″W / 48.19000°N 122.63000°W / 48.19000; -122.63000 (Naval Outlying Landing Field Coupeville), roughly nine miles south of Ault Field. Primarily used for Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) by carrier-based jets, this field has no permanently assigned personnel.

NASWI supports the EA-18G Growler, MH-60S Seahawk, P-8 Poseidon, EP-3E ARIES, and C-40 Clipper aircraft.

History

1940s

On 17 January 1941, almost 11 months before the United States entered World War II, the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations asked the Commandant of the 13th Naval District to find a location to re-arm and refuel U.S. Navy patrol planes defending Puget Sound. Lake Ozette, Indian Island, Keystone Harbor, Penn Cove and Oak Harbor were considered and rejected because of mountainous terrain, bluff shore front, inaccessibility, the absence of sufficient beaches, and lee shores. Within ten days, the commanding officer of Naval Air Station Seattle recommended the site of Saratoga Passage on the shores of Crescent Harbor and Forbes Point as a base suitable for seaplane takeoffs and landings under instrument conditions. A narrow strip of land tied Oak Harbor to what is now Maylor's Point Capehart Housing. Dredging, filling, and running water and power lines to the city were underway at the end of November when the word came to find a land plane site.

On December 8, three workers started a topographic survey of what would become Ault Field, about 4 miles (6.4 km) to the north. Construction of Ault Field started on 1 March 1942. The first plane landed there on 5 August, when Lieutenant Newton Wakefield, a former civil engineer and airline pilot, who later became the air station's Operations Officer, brought his SNJ single-engine trainer in with little fanfare. Everyone was busy working on the still-incomplete runway.

On 21 September 1942, the air station's first commanding officer, Captain Cyril Thomas Simard, read the orders placing the field in use as a Navy facility. U.S. Naval Air Station Whidbey Island was duly commissioned. A year later, on 25 September 1943, the land plane field was named Ault Field, in memory of Commander William B. Ault, missing in action in the previous year's Battle of the Coral Sea. Following the recommendation of the Interdepartmental Air Traffic Control Board, an area 2.5 miles (4.0 km) southeast of Coupeville was approved as an auxiliary field to serve NAS Seattle. Survey work began in February 1943, and work started in March. Naval Outlying Landing Field (NOLF) Coupeville was in use by September.

At Ault Field, the earliest squadrons of aircraft were Grumman F4F Wildcats, which came aboard in 1942, followed by Grumman F6F Hellcats. Later that year, Lockheed PV-1 Venturas arrived for training. By the end of 1943, all Wildcats were gone, replaced by the Hellcat. In 1944, Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bombers became the predominant aircraft at Ault Field, while at the Seaplane Base, several Consolidated PBY Catalina and Martin PBM Mariner seaplanes were aboard in the summer of 1944, augmented by a few land-based Martin B-26 Marauders that arrived earlier that year to be used for towing targets.

After World War II, operations slowed and the station was placed on reduced operating status. Many naval air stations across the United States were closing because they could not meet the requirements on post-war naval aviation; 6,000 feet (1,800 m) runways were now the minimum standard and approach paths had to be suitable for radar-controlled approaches in any weather. Lockheed P2V Neptune patrol bombers, which arrived in the late 1940s, would eventually make up six patrol squadrons at NAS Whidbey.

1950s

The Korean War restored NAS Whidbey to life and expansion and construction accelerated. Throughout the early 1950s, Whidbey's primary land based patrol aircraft was the Lockheed P2 Neptune.

During the Korean War, patrol plane activity was stepped up again with several Naval Air Reserve units being called up and redesignated as active duty squadrons. By the end of the war, there were six VP (Patrol) squadrons and two Fleet Air Support squadrons based at Whidbey. In 1955, VP-29 returned from a deployment to the Pacific and was disestablished with its crews forming the nucleus of Heavy Attack Squadron Two (VAH-2), the first heavy attack squadron on the West Coast, the "heavy" designation reflecting its concentration on nuclear weapons delivery. Later that year, it moved to NAS North Island in San Diego to switch to the Douglas A-3D Skywarrior.

In 1958, the Heavy Attack Squadron Six (VAH-6), moved from NAS Moffett Field, California, where they had been the Navy's second nuclear attack squadron. As part of CVG-61/CVW-6, the squadron then made several WestPac deployments aboard the USS Ranger prior to transferring to CVW-8 for operations in the Mediterranean aboard the USS Forrestal. The squadron was transferred to Naval Air Station Sanford, Florida, in September 1965.

1960s

In the first quarter of 1960 a search and rescue (SAR) team was started at NAS Whidbey Island. Two Sikorsky HRS-2 helicopters, more commonly referred to as H-19 Chickasaws, were assigned to the SAR team soon to be replaced by two HRS-3's. The aircrewmen assigned to SAR were initially told this would be a two-year trial period during which time it would be decided if it would be permanent. If it didn't work it would be shut down.

In early 1965, patrol squadrons began to leave NAS Whidbey; VP-47 transferred to NAS Moffett Field and VP-17 to NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii. In July 1969, the patrol community appeared to be reviving with the delivery of the Lockheed P-3 Orion as a replacement for the venerable Lockheed P-2 Neptune, but in September 1969, VP-2 and VP-42 were deactivated.

1970s

On 1 March 1970, VP-1 transferred to NAS Barbers Point, ending seaplane patrol operations by active forces at NAS Whidbey Island. This also brought Fleet Air Wing Four to an end on 1 April 1970, leaving Patrol Squadron Sixty-nine (VP-69), a Naval Air Reserve squadron, as the sole remaining maritime patrol squadron at NAS Whidbey Island. Then in the 1970s and beyond, 16 Grumman A-6 Intruder squadrons were based at NAS Whidbey Island. Whidbey was now the West Coast training and operations center for these all-weather, medium attack bomber squadrons. In October 1970, Heavy Attack Squadron 10 (VAH-10) was redesignated Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 129 (VAQ-129), the Navy's first Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler squadron and the sole fleet replacement squadron for Navy and United States Marine Corps Prowler crews. With the exception of a forward deployed EA-6B squadron at NAF Atsugi, Japan and a sole Naval Air Reserve EA-6B squadron (VAQ-209) at Andrews AFB / NAF Washington, Maryland, NAS Whidbey Island supported all of the U.S. Navy's Prowler squadrons.

1990s

In late 1993, with the pending closures of NAS Moffett Field and NAS Barbers Point, additional P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft came aboard NAS Whidbey Island, along with the associated staffs of Commander, Patrol Wings, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMPATWINGSPAC) and Commander, Patrol Wing TEN (COMPATWING 10). With the closure of Naval Air Station Agana, Guam, Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron ONE (VQ-1) also arrived at NAS Whidbey Island in 1994 with its Lockheed EP-3E Aries II aircraft. VQ-1 was placed under the clemency of COMPATWING 10 and the wing was redesignated Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing TEN (COMPATRECONWING 10). With the disestablishment of Reserve Patrol Wing, VP-69 was also placed under COMPATRECONWING 10.

In 1997, the last Pacific-based A-6E Intruder squadron, VA-196 was disestablished after a lengthy deployment for WESTPAC 1996.

2000s

In January 2009, VAQ-129 accepted its first Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft which replaced the Navy's EA-6Bs.

2010s

Patrol Squadron 4 (VP-4) became the first squadron at NAS Whidbey Island to convert to the P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft in October 2016. On October 31, 2016 the new P-8A training center at NAS Whidbey Island opened.

Present day

In all, there are 20 active duty U.S. Navy squadrons and three U.S Navy Reserve squadrons based at NAS Whidbey Island. The air station also maintains a search and rescue unit that flies two Sikorsky MH-60S Nighthawk helicopters, providing 24-hour day and night maritime, inland and mountainous rescue support for Department of Defense personnel and the greater Pacific Northwest community. The SAR Unit provides 15-minute alert coverage Monday through Thursday from 0800–0200 or last plane on deck, Friday 0800-2200 or last plane on deck and 30-minute alert coverage at all other times of the year. Additionally, SAR has organic SAR Medical Technicians on all missions it performs. NASWI SAR primarily serves military aircrews, but missions to help civilians in distress are often approved and executed.

Over 50 tenant commands are at NAS Whidbey Island to provide training, medical and dental, and other support services, including a United States Air Force (USAF) squadron (390th ECS) which is an administrative unit supporting USAF officers assigned to some U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler squadrons. The base also continues its longstanding role as a center of activity for Naval Air Reserve operations and training in the region.

Tenant squadrons

Insignia Squadron Code Callsign/Nickname Assigned Aircraft Operational Assignment Administrative Assignment
VAQ-129 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 129 VAQ-129 Vikings EA-18G Growler Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-130 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 130 VAQ-130 Zappers EA-18G Growler Carrier Air Wing Three Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-131 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 131 VAQ-131 Lancers EA-18G Growler Forward/Expeditionary Deployments Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-132 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 132 VAQ-132 Scorpions EA-18G Growler Forward/Expeditionary Deployments Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-133 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 133 VAQ-133 Wizards EA-18G Growler Carrier Air Wing Nine Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-134 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 134 VAQ-134 Garudas EA-18G Growler Forward/Expeditionary Deployments Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-135 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 135 VAQ-135 Black Ravens EA-18G Growler Forward/Expeditionary Deployments Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-136 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 136 VAQ-136 Gauntlets EA-18G Growler Carrier Air Wing Two Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-137 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 137 VAQ-137 Rooks EA-18G Growler Carrier Air Wing Eleven Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-138 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 138 VAQ-138 Yellowjackets EA-18G Growler Forward/Expeditionary Deployments Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-139 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 139 VAQ-139 Cougars EA-18G Growler Carrier Air Wing Seventeen Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-140 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 140 VAQ-140 Patriots EA-18G Growler Carrier Air Wing Seven Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-142 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 142 VAQ-142 Grey Wolves EA-18G Growler Carrier Air Wing Eight Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-144 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 144 VAQ-144 Main Battery EA-18G Growler Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC) until move to Carrier Air Wing One Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
VAQ-209 Emblem.svg
Electronic Attack Squadron 209 VAQ-209 Star Warriors EA-18G Growler Commander, Tactical Support Wing (TSW) Commander, Tactical Support Wing (TSW)
390th ECS Emblem.svg
USAF 390th Electronic Combat Squadron 390th ECS Wild Boars EA-18G Growler 366th Operations Group 366th Fighter Wing
Patrol Squadron 1 (US Navy) insignia 2015.png
Patrol Squadron 1 VP-1 Screaming Eagles P-8A Poseidon Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10) Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10)
VP-4 Emblem.svg
Patrol Squadron 4 VP-4 Skinny Dragons P-8A Poseidon Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10) Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10)
VP-9 Emblem.svg
Patrol Squadron 9 VP-9 Golden Eagles P-8A Poseidon Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10) Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10)
VUP-11 Emblem.svg
Unmanned Patrol Squadron 11 VUP-11 Proud Pegasus MQ-4C Triton Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10) Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10)
VP-40 Emblem.svg
Patrol Squadron 40 VP-40 Fighting Marlins P-8A Poseidon Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10) Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10)
VP-46 Emblem.svg
Patrol Squadron 46 VP-46 Grey Knights P-8A Poseidon Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10) Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10)
VP-47 Emblem.svg
Patrol Squadron 47 VP-47 Golden Swordsmen P-8A Poseidon Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10) Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10)
VP-69 Emblem.svg
Patrol Squadron 69 VP-69 Totems P-8A Poseidon Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10) Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10)
TOCRON-10 Squadron Insignia 1.jpg
Tactical Operations Control Squadron 10 TOCRON 10 Kraken Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10) Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10)
VQ-1 Emblem.svg
Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 1 VQ-1 World Watchers EP-3E Aries II Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10) Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten (COMPATRECONWING 10)
VR-61 Emblem.svg
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 61 VR-61 Islanders C-40A Clipper Commander, Fleet Logistics Support Wing (COMFLELOGSUPPWING) Commander, Fleet Logistics Support Wing (COMFLELOGSUPPWING)
NASWI SAR Emblem.svg
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Search and Rescue NASWI SAR MH-60S "Knighthawk" Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI)
U.S. Navy Electronic Attack Weapons School.svg
Electronic Attack Weapons School EAWS EA-18G Growler Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC) Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC)
FRCNW Emblem.svg
Fleet Readiness Center Northwest FRCNW Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers (COMFRC)

Demographics

Island County Washington Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Ault Field Highlighted

Whidbey Island Station is also a census-designated place (CDP); The population was 1,541 at the 2010 census. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.6 square miles (17.2 km2), of which 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2), or 0.30%, are water.

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