Evening star., 1941-07-13
Naval Ceremonies
Open Huge Air Base
In Rhode Island
u. S. Must Have Defense
Against Combination
Of Powers, Bard Worms
By CLAUDE A. MAHONEY,
Star Staff Cnrrespondent.

QUONSET POINT, R. l., July
12-Uncle Sam commissioned his
new naval air station here today.
the strongest link in the chain OF
protective bases reaching from New
Foundland to Trinidad.
Illustrative of the spaclousnesS OF
the station was action of officials
in moving the ceremonies inside
one of the hangers when 1t began
to rain. The hangar is large enough
to hold a regulation football field
and a sizable crowd of spectators
along the edge. There are many
similar hangers on this l,200-acre
base, and an assembly and repair
shop covering 6i2 acres.
High Navy officials participated
In the commissioning ceremonies
and heard Assistant Secretary
Ralph A. Bard warn that the United
States is threatened by a combina-
ton of powers so distributed over
the globe that we must be prepared
to meet simultaneous attacks COM
ing from different directions. and
If necessary, to meet them alone.
He also declared that the United
States must not continue to feel
secure" behind the strength Of the
sea power of Great Britain.
Hepburn on Program.
Also appearing briefly on the
commissioning program were Rear
Admiral A. j. Hepburn, chief of
the Bureau of Public Relations and
senior member of the Naval Board
that recommended creation Of the
QuonSet base: Rear Admiral Ben
Morell. chief of the Bureau of Yards
and Docks; Rear Admiral J. H,
Towers, chief of the Bureau of
Aeronautics; Senator. Green of
Rhode Island, Gov. j. Howard Nc
Grath and Representative Fogarty.
Commissioning of the base with
In one year from the time it was
begun is considered by Navy Off
cials high tribute to construction
ingenuity and speed. Peat bogS and
one whole section of the field was
pumped from the bed of Narragan-
sett Bay and filled behind bulk
heads. This last operation COM
pleted a 35-foot channel approach,
a huge turning basin and at the
same time filled the section Of the
airport, making 1t almost square.
Engineers from the George A.
Fuller Co. and Merritt Chapman G.
Scott Co. have figured that if the
more than a million and sixth
square yards Of concrete and as
phalt paving were laid on a road
way 90 feet wide it would extend
100 miles. Much of this paving
was laid throughout the winter
months by special means devised to
cheat the colo that usually pro-
hibits grading and paving in Rhode
Island winter climates.
When the Navy decided to take
over the site for an air station, it
made the lob complete. What was
once a fashionable beach was pur-
chased and some parts condemned.
Summer cottages were purchased,
cut up and moved INTO the post 1or
officers quarters. The Navy is
proud of its rows of officers houses
here. all former fashionable sum-
mer homes.
Constructed in Midwinter.
Barracks. administration building
and bachelor officers quarters have
concrete floors and brick veneer
walls, and were constructed in mid
winter. AS soon as the two-Story
steel frames were erected they were
surrounded by scaffolding which was
inclosed in tarpaulin. AT the same
time the permanent roof was put
on, and then the interior was heated
by salamanders swung by cradles
above the heads of the Workmen.