Hitchcock Naval Air Station
Encyclopedia
Hitchcock Naval Air Station was a Naval Air Station
built by the United States Navy
during World War II
to accommodate lighter-than-air aircraft, more commonly known as blimps. It was located in the small town of Hitchcock
, Texas
, about fifteen miles (24 km) northwest of Galveston. Construction began in 1942 and the base was commissioned on May 22, 1943. The most prominent feature of the base was the 1000 feet (304.8 m) long, 200 feet (61 m) tall largely wooden blimp hangar. The blimp hanger, which held six aircraft was built at a cost of $10 million. The purpose of the base and its aircraft was to search for Axis power
submarines in the Gulf of Mexico
. Beside the hanger there were auxiliary buildings including barracks, warehouses, a mess hall, gymnasium, auditorium and an Olympic-size swimming pool which was used to teach swimming and water-rescue.
The base was sold as war surplus in 1949 for $143,777 to John W. Mecom, Sr.
, who leased the building during the Korean War to remanufacture half-track vehicle and WWII tanks for use in the Korean War. Because of damage sustained from Hurricane Carla
in 1961, the wooden parts of the hangar were demolished in 1962. The only parts of the hangar still standing are the four tall concrete corner supports and the concrete foundation.
Camp Wallace, a U.S. Army World War II training center for antiaircraft units, was located adjacent to the base.
Naval Air Station
A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...
built by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to accommodate lighter-than-air aircraft, more commonly known as blimps. It was located in the small town of Hitchcock
Hitchcock, Texas
Hitchcock is a city in Galveston County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,386 at the 2000 census.-History:Hitchcock was created as a station of the railroad between Galveston and Houston in 1873 and around the turn of the 20th century became a vegetable shipping center...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, about fifteen miles (24 km) northwest of Galveston. Construction began in 1942 and the base was commissioned on May 22, 1943. The most prominent feature of the base was the 1000 feet (304.8 m) long, 200 feet (61 m) tall largely wooden blimp hangar. The blimp hanger, which held six aircraft was built at a cost of $10 million. The purpose of the base and its aircraft was to search for Axis power
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
submarines in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. Beside the hanger there were auxiliary buildings including barracks, warehouses, a mess hall, gymnasium, auditorium and an Olympic-size swimming pool which was used to teach swimming and water-rescue.
The base was sold as war surplus in 1949 for $143,777 to John W. Mecom, Sr.
John W. Mecom, Sr.
John W. Mecom Sr was an American businessman.John Whitfield Mecom Sr found success as an independent oilman by acquiring abandoned oil wells and then making them profitable. He also developed new fields from Louisiana to Saudi Arabia.He was once ranked as one of the top oil independents; however,...
, who leased the building during the Korean War to remanufacture half-track vehicle and WWII tanks for use in the Korean War. Because of damage sustained from Hurricane Carla
Hurricane Carla
Hurricane Carla was one of two Category 5 tropical cyclones during the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season. It struck the Texas coast as a Category 4 hurricane, becoming one of the most powerful storms to ever strike the United States. Hurricane Carla was the second most intense storm to ever...
in 1961, the wooden parts of the hangar were demolished in 1962. The only parts of the hangar still standing are the four tall concrete corner supports and the concrete foundation.
Camp Wallace, a U.S. Army World War II training center for antiaircraft units, was located adjacent to the base.
External links
- Henck, Harrold, Then and Now: NAS Hitchcock, Texas, Texas Flyer website
- Images of Hitchcock Naval Air Station, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
- Hitchcock Naval Air Station, Abandoned and Little Known Airfields website
- The Hitchcock Naval Air Station, Camp Wallace, Hitchcock, Texas, Texas Escapes website