Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-27
ANACOST|A FORCES
AHEAD AS AIR BASE
Station to Be Host in May to
Greatest Review Ever
Held in East.


which is to be the scene next month OF
the greatest aeronautical event yet held
in the Eastern United States, has forged
ahead steadily in importance as q Navy
aviation base since its establishment,
during the last year of the World War.
The station has been the scene of the
Curtiss marine trophy race, annual sea-
plane and flying boat classic, for sew
eral years. On May "a, in addition to
the races, which will be flown with q
larger entry list than ever before. the
station will be the scene of the great
est aerial review ever held on the At
lantic Seaboard, according to present
plans of the Navy.
The three Navy airplane carriers,
Lexington, Saratoga and Langley. are
to be in Hampton Roads next month,
and the Navy is planning to send all
the squadron from the carriers, totallng
approximately 100 planes to this city
for the races. This will be more than
three times as great as the largest
number Of planes ever seen in review
here, and will be one of the largest
reviews ever flown in the United States.
The local station will act as host to
the general public during the races,
and it is anticipated that seating ar
rangementS will be made available at
the station for nearly 10000 spectators:
Established IL Years Ago.
The Anacostia station was born in
1918, when the War Department granted
the Navy Department permission to
construct landing beach for seaplanes
at the lower end of Boiling Field, which
had then just been established on
the Potomac River for park purposes.
At that time the present site of the
naval station was nothing but marsh,
and was used by the Army as target
range for small arms practice.
In 1919 Lieut.. Comdr. George Murray,
u. S. NJ, became the first commanding
officer of the station, with compile
ment of about $50 men. A single sea-
plane hangar was constructed, and 1t
housed the then standard types of Navy
seaplanes-HS-1 HIS and No types.
No land planes are used there, except
one or two experimental types under
test.
From this small beginning the sta
ton has grown into a splendidly
equipped establishment for both land
and sea planes, with complete weather,
radio and night-lighting equipment. =.
The radio test section was organized
in December, 1918, to permit the test
ing of experimental and service type
flight conditions. This type of work
has been continued without Interrupt
ton, and is regarded as Of ever-increas-
ing importance.
The first radio broadcasting. In the
light of preSent-day standards, to be
conducted here was done through the
Anacostia station. The first presi-
Dental message ever to be broadcast was
sent out from this station. according to
the records.
Flight Test Section in 1927.
In January, 1927. the Navy flight test
section was established at the local
station, and the work of this section
today is regarded as one Of the most
important functions of the station. The
flight test section is charged with all
fight testing, including the interpreta-
ton and reduction of all data and the
publication Of reports thereon. The
work requires the maintenance of q
large amount Of equipment especially
constructed for the accurate determine
ton of data concerning airplane per-
Torrance.
It is the duty of the flight test sec
ton to determine the maximum and
minimum speeds of aircraft, their cell
ing Cor maximum) altitude range, and
other flight performance data which
determine their general suitability for
use by the Navy.
The station also includes an aerologi-
cal laboratory, especially equipped for
obtaining weather information by local
observation and by communication
from other points as q basis for dis
semination of weather information over
all airways out Of the National Capital.
Transmission of information now Is &C
compliShed by means Of teletype syS-
TEN which gives instantaneous commu-
nication to all points brought in on the
circuit. This service Is of value not
only to the Navy but to all aviatorS
flying in the territory covered by the
system.
Commanding Officers.
Commanding officers Of the station
since Comdr Murray, who served dur
ing 1919, have been Lieut.. Rufus H.
Busch, who served from 1919 to 1922:
Lieut.. Comdr. Marc A. MitScher, 1922;
Lieut.. William D. Thomas. 1925;
Lieut.. Comdr. Homer c. Wick, 1925-28;
and Lieut.. Comdr. Dewitt G. Watson,
1928-29.
The present commanding officer is
Comdr. Archibald H. Douglas, who as
sumed command last Summer. Comdr.
douglas was graduated from the UnlCeo
States Naval Academy in 1908, and en-
tered naval aviation in 1918. During
the World War he was attached to the
naval bombardment group in France.
He then commanded the Naval Air Sta
ton at Rockaway, N. Y, and later the
u. s. S. Aroostook, naval aircraft ten
der. He was captain of the yard at
the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla,
for five years, and for two years was
operations officer and aide to COM
airons, the aircraft organization Of the
scouting fleet. He spent wear In the
Naval War College at Newport, r. l.,
before assuming command at Anacostia
on July last. Comdr. Douglas Is q
noted athlete, starring In foot ball and
base ball while at Annapolis. He was
awarded the Thompson Trophy for gen.
eral excellence in athletics during his
Naval Academy career.