Evening star., 1947-01-27
By J. B. Zotmon


1.-THE Navy could use Kent Islane
off the Eastern Shore across Chesa.
peake Bay" Mr.. Strong said. There
also is an unused airport in Anna.
polls, besides existing naval facili.
ties at Pensacola, Fla, and Cedar
Point, Md.
We're not opposing the Sandy
Point site because we don't wan
the Navy to have an airfeld but
because construction of field there
would be waste of money"
Cut In Values Seen.
Under the present plan, he said
Gibson Island would be in the direct
path of planes taking off and land.
ing on Sandy Point. He declared
the noise would reduce property
values and force the residents te
sell their homes at a loss.
He pointed out that the approx.
mately 120 homes DIN the islane
range in value from $4,000 te
$4,000. %
Echoing Mr.. Strong's arguments
was Melville B. Grosvenor, 290l
Woodland drive NV. Mr.. Grosve.
nor is assistant editor of the Ma
tional Geographic Magazine. 4.
He pointed out that most of the
homes on the island are about II
years old and that they represent
substantial investments.
A leader in the fight is William H
Labrot, owner of 1,100-acre farm
part of which would be taken over
for the airf1eld.
Whitehall in Runway Path.
Mr.. Labrot charged that about
$50 homes in the area would be
torn down and similar number
would be made "unlivable" by the
roar Of airplanes.
He said historic Whitehall, built
in 1760, home of the last royal Gov
ernor of Maryland, would be in the
direct path of one of the runways
although it would not be included
in the land desired by the Navy.
He charged that the airf1eld would
be "ohtmoded before It is COM
pleted" because of new technical de-
velopments in flying, such as jet pro-
pulsion and supersonic aircraft.
'"These things cannot be taught
in an airfield such as the Navy con-
templates building here" MIR. Labrot
declared. "They must be taught in
air centers where facilities are more
adequate. The Navy admits il
merely wants to indoctrinate its
midshipmen in flying here, so why
build a huge airfield for such a
purpose?"
On the other hand, approval OF
the project has been voiced by the
Annapolis Chamber Of Commerce.
Held Asset to Annapolis.
William R. Wiley, secretary, sale
the organization feels expansion Of
the Naval Academy's functions
would be an economic asset to An
napolis He added that the airf1ele
would increase business in the area
and result in more income to loca,
merchants.
The Anne Arundel County Boarc
of Commissioners also has voted ir
favor of the project.
Many officials believe the Navy
might move the academy from An.
napolis if it does not get the airport
site it wants. Vice Admiral A. w
Fitch, recent academy commandant
cited such a possibility last summer
The Navy point of view was ex.
planned by Capt. R. B. Pirie, head o!
the Department of Aviation at thu
academy.
Tracing the background of tht
plan, Capt. Pirie said that in 1874:
a board was appointed by the chic
of the Bureau of Naval Aeronautics
to select site for an airf1eld al
which midshipmen could be giver
preliminary aircraft training.
He said the purpose of such field
was to indoctrinate midshipmen ir
the problems involved in flying.
Several Sites Surveyed.
I'VE wanted to train them for all
in the same way we train them fol
sea operations" Capt. Pirie ex-
planned. More extensive air train
ing could be given at existing Navy
fields elsewhere, but they do not
have facilities to give preliminary
training"
After surveying several proposed
sites, including Beltsville and An
drews Field in Prince Georges
County and areas near Baltimore
the board selected Sandy Point
about eight miles from Annapolis
Capt. Pirie said the selection was
made because Of Sandy Points prox-
unity to the Naval Academy and
because it also could be used by sea-
planes to supplement the academy's
present seaplane base.
A $10000,000 appropriation was
made by Congress in 1943 to start
work on the airfield, but Admira
King, then chief of naval operations
decided against it on the ground II
would divert materials needed IN the
war effort, Capt Pirie said.
In l945, surveys again were made
for a site and again Sandy Point