The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-01-24
AIR ANNAPOLIS
AT PEAK ON 3OTH
ANNIVERSARY

Pensacola, Fla, Jan. 24-(UP)-
Ever since the q. s. s. Mississippi
docked January 20. 1914. at the
abandoned Navy yard at Pensacola
and unloaded eight kite-like sea-
planes, the Annapolis Of the Air"
has been busy making naval avia-
ton history.
Observing its SOth birthday, the
sprawling training center in the
Gulf omitS the celebration and
continues turning out Navy flyers
at the rate of $4,000 each year.
History of the establishment, en-
bracing the main station and six
auxiliary stations located in two
Florida counties and one In Ala
bama, records the expanding of
personnel from three instructors
and IL mechanics in 1914 to $4,000
officers and men responsible for
an uncomfortable number Of oper-
alton and training planes in the air
today.
The threc-decade history of the
naval air station is colorful, both
in material development and fa-
miliar names Of today's aviation
leaders and heroes who won their
gold wings at Pensacola. Those
original eight seaplanes. represent
ing total Navy air power in 1914,
were housed in tents erected on
the beach and scared into the wild
Gulf blue from wooden ramps rum
ming to the waters edge. The yard
buildings were used for repair shops.
The initial flight from the infant
station was made February q 1914,
by 1t. John T. Towers and Ensign
Godfrey Cheyalier and lasted 20
minutes. Towers is now vice adj
miral in command of the Pacific air
forces and Chevalier Field at the
main station was named for his CO.
pilot on the flight.
Naval academy graduates who
comprised the first training class
at the station were pioneers of
naval aviation in action. Their
training was interrupted in April
when all planes and pilots were
dispatched to Vera Cruz to assist
in the occupation Of that city. Naval
aviators secuted enemy lines and
the harbor 43 days. A plane piloted
by 1t: Patrick N. L. Bellinger was
hit by the first enemy fire from rifle
bullets. Bellinger is now vice adj
miral. commanding air forces in the
Atlantic.
Outbreak of the first World War
in Europe stimulated a rapid ex-
pansion of the facilities at Pensa-
cola and the increasing of the sta
TONS personnel to 538 officers and
$3.50 men. From 1914 to 1919 the
naval air station had trained 921
seaplane pilots. SO dirigible pilots
and is free balloonistS.
Aviation continued to develop and
by the year 1922 Pensacola was
training pilots for land-based and
carrier-based planes. Naval airmep
were taking of from the u. S. 8.
Langley, converted from a collier, in
the experimental phase Of the new
hat-top fleets.
pilots In the present war, the Navy
Department on October IL, 1912,
created the Naval A i9rTnrginai33
created the Naval Air Training CEN
ter and commissioned the outlying
fields as naval auxiliary stations.
Rear Adm. G. D. Murray, Naval
Aviator No. 90 wren he won his
wings at Pensacola In 1915, was the
first commandant Of the Center.
Recently appointed Chief of Naval
Air Training, Admiral Murray COM
manded the q. S. s. Enterprise In
the Pacific until after the Battle
Of Midway and was task force COM
mander aboard the U. S. s. Hornet
when the carrier was sunk in the
Battle of Santa Cruz.
Seven of the original Is aviators
to receive their wings at the sta
ton still are on active duty. Nine
lost their lives in plane crashes,
three died Of natural causes and
four have resigned or are retired.