U.S. Naval Air Station Wexford Ireland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
NAS Wexford
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Cover of a book about NAS Wexford
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| Summary | |
| Airport type | Military |
| Operator | United States Navy |
| Location | Ferrybank, Wexford, County Wexford, Ireland |
| Built | 1918 |
| In use | 1918–1919 |
| Elevation AMSL | 3 ft 3 in ft / 1 m |
| Coordinates | 52°20′42″N 006°27′18″W / 52.34500°N 6.45500°W |
| Map | |
 NAS Wexford
Location in Ireland
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U.S. Naval Air Station Wexford was a special base for seaplanes in Ferrybank, Wexford, Ireland. The United States Navy (USN) opened it on May 2, 1918. Its main job was to fly Curtiss H-16 seaplanes. These planes looked for and attacked German submarines (called U-boats). The submarines were sinking ships near Queenstown during World War I. The base commander, LCDR Victor D. Herbster, arrived on March 28, 1918.
Contents
Building the Base
When the United States joined World War I, five places in Ireland were chosen for US Navy bases. These bases would help fight enemy submarines. Wexford was picked to cover the area south of NAS Lough Foyle. It also covered areas east of NAS Whiddy Island, NAS Berehaven, and NAS Queenstown.
Work on NAS Wexford began in March 1918. US Navy engineers were in charge of the building. On February 25, 1918, USN Radio Officer Charles A. Rogers arrived with eight men. More US Navy men came from NAS Queenstown over time. By July 1, 1918, there were 232 men and 13 officers at the base. By August 1, there were 15 officers and 298 men. By the end of October 1918, the base had 20 officers and 406 men.
Why Wexford Was Important
The base was in a very important spot. It was right at the southern entrance of the Irish Sea. It was also close to Tuskar Lighthouse. For over four years, Tuskar Rock was a key landmark for ships. The area became known as the "Graveyard of Ships." This was because many ships were sunk by enemy submarines very close to the lighthouse.
Many Allied ships traveled through these waters. Enemy submarines also used the Irish Sea as a shortcut. This made the Wexford area very busy with anti-submarine activity. Before the seaplanes from this base started flying, submarines were very bold in the Wexford patrol area. The naval air station was built along the Slaney River, across from Wexford town. It was safe from wind and waves because the harbor was almost completely surrounded by land. It was also easy to get to for supplies and transport.
Starting Construction
The British Admiralty had started some work before the US forces arrived. They had laid part of the concrete foundations for the hangars. Roads were marked, and some were dug out for the rock base. Civilian workers had also started draining the field behind the hangar area. But at that time, it was not certain that a Naval Air Station would be built there.
The US Navy men spent their first week cleaning up. They fixed up the officers' living quarters, called Ely House and Bann Aboo. These were formerly large houses. It seemed a bit strange to see American sailors doing housework during a war in Ireland. But no unnecessary work was done. Soon, the ground was marked out, holes were dug, posts were set, and building began.
Facing Challenges
The US Naval Airmen faced problems. Supplies and warm clothing, like coats and rubber boots, had not arrived yet. It rained all the time, and the building site was a field of mud. Work hours were long, from 5 AM to 9 PM. Everyone took turns working night watches. Beds were makeshift and laid on cold, damp wooden floors. Many times, the men did not get enough sleep. They started the next day's work feeling tired.
Plans for the station were made before March 15, 1918. But when Commander Herbster arrived on March 28, many changes were made. The whole station was planned to be very organized. Each building was placed close to where the work would happen. They also tried to fit everything into the smallest possible space. Barracks were being built very quickly, almost one a day. At the same time, civilian workers were building roads. They also worked on concrete hangar foundations, drainage systems, and water tanks. They were also putting up the first hangar.
Civilian Workers' Strike
At one point, the civilian workers went on strike because of a problem. This happened while the first hangar was being built. But the strike was quickly settled. By August 1, 1918, there was still a lot of small work to do. It was also getting close to the time for the seaplanes to arrive. The first hangar was finished by the civilian contractors. The water tanks and most of the roads were also done. The civilian workers were let go on August 15. The building of the second hangar started right away and went very fast.
Aircraft at the Base
Four Curtiss H-16 seaplanes arrived from Queenstown on September 18, 1918. By then, almost all the building work was done. The base was ready for them. The arrival of the seaplanes meant the base was now ready for action. The very next day, planes went out on their first patrol. They flew patrols every day after that, as long as the weather was good. They stayed in touch with the base using their radios.
In October 1918, another plane was sent to the base. One of the first four had been damaged before it arrived. This meant four planes were ready for duty. On November 6, 1918, another plane arrived, making five available for anti-submarine patrols. This Naval Air Station was supposed to have 18 Curtiss H-16s in total. The planes would patrol as many hours as possible during the day. They would be fixed and checked at night. Often, the men worked 18 hours straight for days. This Naval Air Station had no accidents or problems during its time.
Base Operations
Just three days after patrols started, on September 21, 1918, a German submarine called UB 104 was bombed. This happened near Lyme Bay, England. The NAS Wexford aircrew successfully bombed it. The pilot, Herbert McLean Purdy, received the Navy Cross award for this action.
On October 11, 1918, the day after the RMS Leinster ship was sunk, a US plane saw and bombed an enemy submarine. This submarine looked like it was in serious trouble. It had difficulty going underwater. Thick, dark oil was seen on the surface for about a week after the bombing.
On October 13, another submarine was bombed by a plane from NAS Wexford.
Then, on October 16, 1918, an H-16 plane from Wexford dropped bombs on a submarine. The crew included Ltjg John F. McNamara, LTjg George Shaw, and LTjg James Roy Biggs. The submarine disappeared underwater, leaving behind pieces and oil. It seemed destroyed, but it was officially called "probably seriously damaged."
Carrier pigeons were also used sometimes to test things. In a few cases, they were used in emergencies.
Operations at NAS Wexford only lasted for eight weeks. This was because the war ended. But the planes from this base made 98 patrol flights. They spent a total of 312 hours in the air. The flights were mostly patrols and convoy escorts. A few were training flights. Most of the second pilots became first pilots after training on regular patrols.
The Intelligence Department helped by mapping out flight paths. These maps already accounted for compass errors and wind. This, along with good weather information, allowed planes to fly on days that might have been missed otherwise.
End of the War and Closure
When the news of the Armistice (the end of the war) arrived, the planes had to be disarmed. All building and flying had to stop. Within 12 days, the first group of men left the base. 200 men were on their way back to the USA, and the rest were almost ready to leave.
With the war over, the U.S. Naval Air Stations in Ireland were no longer needed. The anti-submarine patrols stopped. The planes were grounded and disarmed. The base closed on February 15, 1919. The slipway, which was used to launch and pull in the seaplanes, can still be seen today. One of the officers' living quarters, Ely House, and its walls still stand. It has been changed to support the St John of God Hospital. The second living quarters, Bann-a-boo House, has been turned into a hotel. It still has parts of the original building.
See also
