2013 Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Cold War Context Study

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Final
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
Cold War Historic Context
Proj ect Manager Teresa Rudolph
Principal Investigator Lori Thursby
Authors Lori Thursby Jennifer Bryant
Trina Meiser and Cohn Recksieck
July 2013
Prepared for
Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic
Contract No N44255-08-D-3008- XE55
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ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
ASR Air Surveillance Radar
ASW antisubmarine warfare
BEQs bachelor enlisted quarters
CNO Chief of Naval Operations
COMFAIR Commander Fleet Air
COIVIIVJATVAQWINGPAC Commander Medium Attack Tactical Electronic Warfare Wing U.S Pacific Fleet
CVA carrier attack groups

CVW carrier air wing
DoD Department of Defense
FAETU Fleet Air Electronics Training Unit
FASRON Fleet Aircraft Service Squadron
FAW-4 Fleet Air Wing

GCA Ground-Controlled Approach
HARIVI high-speed anti-radiation missiles
HAT WiNG Heavy Attack Wing Two

iNFADS Internet Naval Facilities Assets Data Store
IUSS Integrated Undersea Surveillance System

LGB laser guided bomb
IVIARTD Marine Air Reserve Detachment
MAWSPAC Medium Attack Weapons School Pacific
IVIWR morale welfare and recreation
NARTU Naval Air Reserve Training Unit
NAS Naval Air Station
NASWI Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NAVAIRRES Naval Air Reserve
NAVCOMIVISTA Naval Communications Station
NAVFAC Naval Facilities Engineering Command

NEX Navy Exchange
NOCD Naval Oceanography Command Detachment
NOPF Naval Ocean Processing Facility
North Korea Democratic Republic of Korea
NRHP National Register of Historic Places
OF Outlying Field
OLF Outlying Landing Field
PAO Public Affairs Office
RATCC Radar Air Traffic Control Center
SALT Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty

SOSUS Sound Surveillance System
South Korea Republic of Korea
SURTASS Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System

UPH unaccompanied personnel housing
U.S United States
U.S.S.R Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

VA Attack Squadron
VAH Heavy Attack Squadron
VAQ Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron
VIVIAQ Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron

VP patrol squadron
V/WIT World War II
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NavalAir Station Whidbey Island Cold War Context Study
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report presents the Cold War Historic Context Study for Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
NASWI in Island County Washington Commissioned in 1942 NASWI comprises two bases
located approximately miles apart in Oak Harbor Ault Field and Seaplane Base This study
also includes two outlying facilities on Whidbey Island Racon Hill and Outlying Landing Field
Coupeville The purpose of this context study is to provide an appropriate Cold War Historic
Context of NASWI for future evaluations of its Cold War-era 1946 to 1989 resources for
eligibility for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places NRHP

Archival research was conducted at numerous regional repositories to gather information on the
missions and activities of the naval and reserve units and major tenant activities based at NASWI
during the Cold War and how they influenced its history The context defines five periods in the
Cold War history of NASWI and identifies the mission-specific property types associated with
these periods
The primary mission of NASWI during the Cold War was military training and operational
support of fleet aviation squadrons As detailed in the Cold War Historic Context NASWI patrol
squadrons supported antisubmarine warfare and its various carrier-based squadrons bomber
medium attack and tactical electronic supported the Pacific Fleet carrier strike force in the
overall effort to deter the spread of Communism by the Soviet Union In addition in 1987 the
tenant activity Naval Ocean Processing Facility NOPF Whidbey Island was commissioned and
added another component to antisubmarine warfare tactics in the late period of the Cold War
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NavalAir Station Wliidbey Island Cold War Context Study
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-i
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1-1
1.1 ProjectDescription 1-1
1.2 Background 1-1
2.0 METHODS 2-1
3.0 GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE COLD WAR 1946 TO 1989 3-1
3.1 Introduction 3-1
3.2 Onset of the Cold War 1946 to 1949 3-1
3.3 The Korean Conflict and the Development of Massive Retaliation 1950
to 1963 3-2
3.4 Vietnam Conflict 1964 to 1972 3-4
3.5 Détente 1969 to 1980 3-4
3.6 Cold War Renewed and Subsequent U.S.S.R Collapse 1981 to 1989 3-6
4.0 NASWI DURING THE COLD WAR 1946 TO 1989 4-1
4.1 Introduction 4-1
4.1.1 Antisubmarine Warfare 4-1
4.1.2 Aircraft CarrierFleet 4-3
4.2 Onset of the Cold War 1946 to 1949 4-4
4.2.1 Immediate Postwar Years at NASWI 4-4
4.3 The Korean Conflict and Eisenhowers Massive Retaliation Policy
Response of NASWI 1950 to 1963 4-6
4.3.1 Establishment of the NASWI Cold War Mission and Infrastructure 4-6
4.3.2 Fortifying the NASWI Cold War Mission and Infrastructure 4-13
4.4 Transition at NASWI During the Vietnam Conflict 1964 to 1972 4-20
4.4.1 Phase Out of the Patrol Squadrons 4-21
4.4.2 The VA Squadrons 4-21
4.4.3 The VAQ Squadrons and Establishment of NASWI as Reserve
Training Center 4-26
4.5 NASWI During Détente 1973 to 1980 4-29
4.5.1 Specialization of the NASWI Cold War Mission 4-29
4.6 Cold War Renewed and Subsequent Soviet Collapse Late Cold War
Operations atNASWI 1981 to 1989 4-32
4.6.1 Continuation of the NASWI Cold War Mission 1981 to 1989 4-33
4.7 Summary and Conclusions 4-40
5.0 ASSOCIATED PROPERTY TYPES 5-1
5.1 Mission-Specific Property Types 5-2
5.1.1 Airfield Facilities 5-2
5.1.2 Waterfront Aviation Facilities 5-2
5.1.3 Communications 5-3
5.1.4 Aviation Training/Education 5-4
5.1.5 Aviation Support Facilities 5-4
5.1.6 Naval Ocean Processing Facility 5-5
5.2 Support Facilities 5-5
6.0 REFERENCES CITED 6-1
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List of Figures
Figure 1-1 NASWI Regional Location 1-3
Figure 1-2 Locations of Ault Field Seaplane Base Racon Hill and OLF Coupeville 1-4
Figure 1-3 NAS Whidbey Island Ault Field and Racon Hill 1-5
Figure 1-4 NAS Whidbey Island Seaplane Base 1-6
Figure 1-5 OLF Coupeville 1-7
Figure 4-1 NAS Whidbey Island Ault Field General Development Plan 1956 4-9
Figure 4-2 Operations Building Building 385 no date Island County Historical Society 4-11
Figure 4-3 Drawings for the Miramar-Type Hangar as shown in Pedrotty eta 20015-40 4-12
Figure 4-4 NAS Whidbey Island Seaplane Base General Development Plan 1953 4-15
Figure 4-5 Hangar Building 410 1957 Prop Wash 1957a 4-18
Figure 4-6 Chapel and Annex Building 960 March 1964 Island County Historical Society 4-19
Figure 4-7 Naval Hospital dedication September 30 1969 NASWI 1969 4-24
Figure 4-8 Schematic design drawing of Hangar Building 2544 Crosswind 1972 4-28
Figure 4-9 Site Plan of Racon Hill 1979 NASWI 1979b 4-36
Figure 4-10 Naval Ocean Processing Facility Whidbey Island U.S Navy 2012c 4-39
List of Tables
Table 5-1 Mission-Specific Airfield Facilities 5-2
Table 5-2 Mission-Specific Water Aviation Facility 5-3
Table 5-3 Mission-Specific Communications Facilities 5-3
Table 5-4 Mission-Specific Aviation Training/Education Facilities 5-4
Table 5-5 Mission-Specific Airfield Facilities 5-5
Table 5-6 Mission-Specific Naval Ocean Processing Facility 5-5
Table 5-6 Support Facility Property Types 5-6
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1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Project Description
The TEC-AECOM Joint Venture was tasked with preparing Cold War Historic Context for
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island NASWI The context provides framework for future
evaluation of buildings and structures extant at the end of the Cold War-era for their eligibility
for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places NRHP as well as their appropriate
Cold War contexts Naval Facilities Engineering Command NAVFAC Northwest contracted
the TEC-AECOM Joint Venture to complete the Cold War Historic Context of NASWI This
work is authorized under Contract Number N62470-1-D-3008 Delivery Order JPO2 The Cold
War Historic Context was prepared by Cardno TEC Cultural Resource Specialists Lori Thursby
M.A.H and Jennifer Bryant M.A and AECOM Architectural Historian Trina Meiser M.A and
Historian Cohn Recksieck B.A Lori Thursby and Trina Meiser meet the Secretary of the
Interiors Professional Qualifications Standards 36 Code of Federal Regulations Part 61 for
Architectural History Jennifer Bryant and Cohn Recksieck meet the Secretary of Interiors
Standards for History Ms Teresa Rudolph served as the Project Manager
NASWI is located on Whidbey Island Island County Washington Figure 1-1 and comprises
two bases Ault Field and Seaplane Base approximately miles apart in Oak Harbor Figure 1-
Additionally NASWI includes three remote facilities on Whidbey Island Washington and
one near Boardman Oregon Racon Hill Outlying Landing Field OLF Coupeville
Lake Hancock Target Range and Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility Boardman
Neither Lake Hancock Target Range because it does not contain any extant buildings or
structures nor the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility Boardman Oregon due to distance
from NASWI are included in this context study
Ault Field is the central operating facility of NASWI Figure 1-3 Bounded on the west by the
Strait of Juan de Fuca Ault Field supports military activities and has two intersecting 8000-foot
runways Seaplane Base is located adjacent to downtown Oak Harbor Figure 1-4 with much of
the Base bordered on the south by Crescent Harbor The Base includes several personnel support
facilities including the commissary Navy Exchange family services and much of the family
housing
On the south side of Ault Field Racon Hill comprises small tract of land with small reservoir
supporting radar equipment and associated military facilities The OLF Coupeville Figure 1-5
about miles south of the town of Coupeville and 10 miles south of Ault Field consists of
5400-foot runway control tower and several associated support buildings
1.2 Background
Prior to the Navys acquisition of land for Seaplane Base and Ault Field in 1942 Whidbey Island
was primarily rural with open pasture lands dirt roads and second-growth forested areas The
landscape was dominated by farms with buildings that included farmhouses barns and other
outbuildings At the time of Navy acquisition roughly 2670 acres supported 85 rural farm lots
The federal government accepted the condemnation of land for use by the Navy as seaplane
base on June 22 1942 Hampton and Gissendanner 2009 The area on North Whidbey Island
along the Saratoga Passage provided suitable site for seaplane takeoffs and landings The well
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drained level land miles north in the Clover Valley provided an ideal site for large airfield
that was accessible from any approach and capable of expansion and on September 25 1942
NASWI was commissioned
The Air Station was originally planned to provide operational buildings and utilities for re
arming seaplanes however the outbreak of World War II WWII increased activity at Whidbey
Island and led to the Station becoming significant training facility Long-range navigation
training missions departed from here to fly over the north Pacific and patrol bombing squadrons
of PV2 Harpoons and PB4Y Privateers as well as F6F Hellcat fighters were based at NASWI
During this period construction at the Station increased significantly to accommodate the
growing Navy mission
During WWII OLF Coupeville was established as training field for NASWI aviation
squadrons The runway was constructed in 1943 control tower and two support facilities were
built in the following year Currently OLF Coupeville remains in use as field landing carrier
practice runway for carrier-based pilots When the wartime fleet was demobilized in 1946
NASWI was placed in reduced operating status however that only lasted until 1949 when
NASWI became the major fleet support station north of San Francisco and west of Chicago
NASWI was home to landplane and seaplane patrol squadrons as well as carrier-based attack
bomber medium attack and tactical electronic squadrons Additional facilities were added to the
installation particularly at Ault Field in the 1950s and again in the late 1970s through the 1980s
and older facilities were rehabilitated in
response to the significance of the installation
The purpose of this context study is to provide an appropriate Cold War Historic Context of
NASWI for evaluating all its Cold War-era resources Although all WWII-era resources on
NASWI have been inventoried and evaluated through previous architectural surveys of the
installation only relatively small number of Cold War-era resources on Ault Field Seaplane
Base Racon Hill and OLF Coupeville were included in these surveys historic context study
for the development of NASWI during the Cold War will provide guidance for base planners and
cultural resource specialists on future investigations of the installations Cold War resources It
will serve as the basis for NASWI and NAVFAC Northwest to evaluate the eligibility of the
Cold War architectural resources for inclusion in the NRHP This in turn will provide NASWI
with the information necessary to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
Act as amended on future projects that are subject to this federal law
This report comprises the Historic Context Study for NASWI It contains six sections The
Introduction Section 1.0 includes description of the project historical background on the
facilities and information on the purpose of the Cold War context study for NASWI The
Methods Section 2.0 describes the methodology for the archival research and for developing
the framework for the Cold War context General Overview of the Cold War 1946 to 1989
Section 3.0 summarizes the major events and political policies that shaped periods of the Cold
War NASWI During the Cold War 1946 to 1989 Section 4.0 presents the Cold War historic
context for NASWI beginning with an overview of two overarching themes that defined
operations at the Station during this era The Associated Property Types Section 5.0 presents
the property types that were identified through the Cold War Historic Context References
Section 6.0 include the references for all materials used in the report preparation
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NAS Whdboy sand
10 Town/City
______
ometers
Figure 1-2 Locations of Ault Field Seaplane Base Racon

Hill and OLF Coupeville
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Figure 1-3 NAS Whidbey Island Ault Field and Racon Hill
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Wetland
Flagpole
Stream
Walerfront Security Earner
Crane Track
Rariroed Track
InstalletiDn Boundary
Fence
Wall
Pedeetnan Trail
Figure 1-4 NAS Whidbey Island Seaplane Base
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Figure 1-5 OLF Coupeville
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NaSAl So Wkiey bland Cold War Catdndy
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2.0 METHODS
historic context is body of information about historic trends and properties related by an important
theme place and time National Park Service 19974 Archival research was conducted to gather
information on the missions and activities of the naval and reserve units and major tenant activities based
at NASWI during the Cold War and how they influenced its history
project kickoff meeting and site visit were held on September 2012 During this time the team
gathered information about the history and setting of NASWI including Ault Field Seaplane Base and
Racon Hill and OLF Coupeville Information gathering included background and archival research
during the week of the kickoff meeting and site visit Additional research was conducted on September 26
and 27 2012
Primary and secondary sources were reviewed and gathered at the following locations NASWI Public
Affairs Office PAO Technical Resource Library at the NASWI Public Works Department NASWI
Command Display and Heritage Center library in Simard Hall at the Seaplane Base Janet Enzmann
Archives and Research Library at Island County Historical Society in Coupeville Oak Harbor Library
and Seattle Public Library Annual installation command histories and the installations newspapers Prop
Wash later renamed Crosswind were reviewed at the PAO Documentation at the Technical Resource
Library included historical site plans and development maps of Ault Field and Seaplane Base from the
mid-1950s 1968 and 1979 and OLF Coupeville from 1975 Books historical photographs and
miscellaneous materials were reviewed at the NASWI Command Display and Heritage Center library
Records examined at the Island County Historical Society included historical photographs and maps
United States U.S naval aviation histories and naval aviation at NASWI command history log
book for OLF Coupeville from 1944 to 1954 local histories and articles from numerous local and
regional newspapers Articles from Seattle newspapers were reviewed at the Seattle Public Library No
relevant information on NASWI was found at Oak Harbor Library
On September 27 2012 Cardno TECs historian interviewed Kenneth Brown an Electronics Technician
who started work at NASWI in 1983 Mr Brown provided information about the radar facilities at Racon
Hill and flight training activities at OLF Coupeville
The background research also included review of the Navy History and Heritage Commands online
publications and collections http//wwwhistorv.navv.mil/index.htmI NASWIs online installation and
command histories http//www.cnic.navv.mil/Whidbey/About/indcx.htm and other online resources as
necessary
After completing the research the Navy-wide context study titled Historic Context Statement The United
States Navy in the Cold War Louis Berger Group 2009 was reviewed to help identify the trends
patterns and themes that shaped the history of NASWI during the Cold War and how the installation may
have fit within the national context The Navy Cold War Historic Context presents thorough discussion
of the Navys strategic responses through its surface aviation and submarine fleets against the Soviet
Union and the spread of Communism within the framework of the major conflicts political strategies and
technological advancements of the Cold War
The framework for the NASWI Cold War Historic Context was then developed to define the periods that
illustrate what occurred at the installation The Navy Cold War Context which divides the Cold War into
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six periods provided starting point for the division of periods Developed for Navy-wide context it
proved to be too broad to be entirely applicable to the specific activities that happened at NASWI To best
demonstrate the major themes and trends that influenced NASWI within the national context the division
of periods was consolidated and refined into the following periods
Onset of the Cold War 1946 to 1949
The Korean Conflict and Eisenhowers Massive Retaliation Policy Response at NASWI
1950 to 1963
Transition at NASWI During the Vietnam Conflict 1964 to 1972
NASWI During Détente 1973 to 1980
Cold War Renewed and Subsequent Soviet Collapse Late Cold War Operations at
NASWI 1981 to 1989
Finally the types of properties that represent the important trends patterns of development and
themes for the NASWI facilities and Cold War periods discussed under the Historic Context are
identified The property types are grouped by functional category and then based on the building
or structure use that demonstrates or exemplifies significant mission or historic theme for the
period or periods of the Historic Context Because there are many classes of property types
found on naval installations from any period of construction this context study identifies only
the property types directly related to the Cold War military mission and operations of NASWI
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3.0 GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE COLD WAR 1946 TO 1989
3.1 Introduction
The Cold War spanning from post-W WIT reconstruction through the fall of the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics U.S.S.R or the Soviet Union was the culmination of long-standing
rivalry between the U.S and U.S.S.R With origins in imperialist competition the antagonism
was exacerbated by diametrically opposed ideologies and race to dominate influence in
worldwide economic and political spheres Louis Berger Group 2009 The end of WWII created
an opportunity and the necessary power for the Allies to remodel the world order Two distinct
and opposing plans to create this new world order emerged one centered on propagating systems
and principles of capitalism and democracy and the other centered on the proliferation of
communism its ideologies and its structures The two superpowers most closely associated with
each plan the pro-capitalist U.S and pro-communist U.S.S.R created power struggle that
would come to define in subsequent decades the course of world history
As tensions developed into the Cold War the U.S aligned its resources to contest the Soviet
totalitarian regime that was supported by massive military threat During the Cold War the
U.S was specifically motivated to moderate the military strength of the U.S.S.R and to exceed it
with its own fortified military capability The nature of the Cold War however shifted over time
and administrations manifesting itself in several proxy wars
3.2 Onset of the Cold War 1946 to 1949
The U.S policy of containment sought to stop or confine Soviet expansion in Eastern Europe
where the U.S.S.R was able to establish strong spheres of influence as result of its occupation
of these countries during and immediately following WWII This policy of opposition to Soviet
expansion stemmed from the creation of the Truman Doctrine named after then-serving
President Harry Truman The Truman Doctrine set precedent for future U.S policy that
centered on aiding politically economically and militarily governments threatened by

communisms spread Louis Berger Group 2009 The ideas outlined by the Truman Doctrine
formed the basis for U.S foreign policy for the next 20 years Kuranda et at 2009 This policy
was first tested in Greece and Turkey where the fear of communist takeover prompted the U.S
government to commit $400 million in aid and military support This gesture signaled to the
world and to the U.S.S.R specifically that the U.S would follow through on any stated
intentions to contest communisms expansion
Borne from the desire to reconstruct and revitalize the European economy after WWII the
Marshall Plan named for Secretary of State George Marshall called for the establishment of
economic ties and relations with independent recuperating countries Strengthened by aid
packages from the U.S and its allies the Marshall Plan originally known as the European
Recovery Program aimed to establish independent economically stable democracies that relied
on the ideals of capitalism and an open market Salmon 2011
The goal of U.S foreign policy during this time period was clear deter Soviet actions and
communisms spread While economic aid helped to serve this

purpose simple monetary aid did
not suffice for all situations In an attempt to safeguard from an increasing Soviet threat
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capitalist countries including Belgium Canada Denmark France Great Britain Iceland Italy
Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Portugal and the U.S signed the North Atlantic Treaty in
1949 With its signing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO was born to provide for
mutual military defense against communism The anti-communist view of NATO precipitated
reaction from many Soviet-influenced Eastern European countries who subsequently formed the
Warsaw Pact in 1955 Kuranda et at 2009 Louis Berger Group 2009
3.3 The Korean Conflict and the Development of Massive Retaliation 1950 to 1963
Now engaged in race for superiority and influence around the world the U.S and U.S.S.R
sought to blunt the others spread through strengthened policies which only served to escalate
tensions By 1950 the increasing tensions between the two superpowers would come to head in
Korea The war in Korea marked the first major armed conflict in the Cold War between
opposed Soviet- and American-supported forces Louis Berger Group 2009
Following WWII in September 1945 the U.S and U.S.S.R sent soldiers to Korea to oversee the
removal of Japanese soldiers from the region At this time the two countries came to an
agreement that divided the country and established two governments split by the 38th parallel
the north consisting of Soviet-backed communist state the Democratic Republic of Korea
North Korea under Kim Il

Sung and the south consisting of an authoritarian capitalist state
the Republic of Korea South Korea under American-supported Syngman Rhee Louis Berger
Group 2009 At that time it was anticipated that the Korean peninsula could be unified under
one government however the differences in political ideologies would not bring this to reality
Each Korean government claimed legitimacy to control the peninsula with both sides
threatening invasion However without the of the U.S.S.R and China for North Korea
support
and the U.S for South Korea this course of action was not feasible Kuranda et at 2009
The late 1940s and 1950 became marked by an increase in the frequency of border conflicts
between North and South Korea In June 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea after securing
promises of military support from the Stalins Soviet Union and the newly communist China
under Mao Zedong In

response the United Nations voted to aid South Korea committing troops
for combat against the North Kuranda et at 2009 Fearing communist takeover of South
Korea and the implications of Soviet influence in the region the U.S took the lead and swiftly
provided air and sea support along with ground troops to South Korea Louis Berger Group
2009 The U.S Navy provided critical air support to ground forces through its aviation groups
operating from aircraft carriers Pedrotty et at 2001
The war in Korea lasted until 1953 when the Americans Chinese and South and North Koreans
agreed to an armistice The end result was virtually unchanged picture of the peninsula from
before the armed conflicta communist North Korea and capitalist South Korea Kuranda et
at 2009 The idea of either governments legitimacy was lost and the promise of united Korea
was unfulfilled
During the 1950s under President Eisenhower U.S policy regarding the Soviet threat shifted
Whereas the previous strategy of containment under Truman sought to control communisms
spread through direct aid and conventional military support to threatened countries
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Eisenhowers approach termed the New Look strived to deter Soviet hostilities through the
threat of American nuclear action backed by nuclear technological superiority The more nuclear
weapons the U.S had at its disposal the more effectively the U.S could limit its rivals
expansion This reliance on nuclear to achieve foreign policy objectives

weapon superiority
initiated reduction in conventional military personnel numbers Kuranda et at 2009
Massive retaliation was policy adopted by the Eisenhower administration that threatened the
use of nuclear force as deterrent to any Soviet or communist attack on the U.S or its allies
This policy was adopted by NATO in 1956 It was believed that maintaining high levels of
conventional forces did not make sense politically and simply cost too much Marine Corps
University Command and Staff College 1986 Under this policy it was believed that an attack
on the U.S by the U.S.S.R would lead to mutual destruction and the end of civilization in other
words nuclear conflict would only escalate until no one was left The goal of massive
retaliation was to eliminate war as it was in the best interest of all to avoid this inevitable
outcome Kuranda et at 2009 Despite this strategy the arms race between the U.S and
U.S.S.R heightened with both countries developing an excess of nuclear weapons that could
easily obliterate
any enemy and entire civilizations Salmon 2011
Conflict between the U.S and U.S.S.R persisted despite the threat of massive retaliation The
goal of the U.S to halt the spread of communism touched all parts of the world During the Cold
War seemingly every act of foreign policy by either the U.S or U.S.S.R served only to heighten
tensions between the worlds two superpowers Driven by the goal of preventing the spread of
communism and Soviet influence the U.S became involved in Vietnam in the 1950s Original
U.S involvement consisted of assisting the French military colonial administrators of Vietnam
in its fight against communist forces from the north known as the Viet Minh Kuranda et at
2009 Louis Berger Group 2009 Ultimately the French were defeated and abandoned the
country creating vacuum of power What followed next would determine the fate of
communism in the country and Southeast Asia into the 1970s
The French defeat in 1954 precipitated the Geneva Accord 1954 an agreement among
American British Soviet and Chinese leaders that created two governments partitioned at the
17th parallel communist-supported government of North Vietnam led by Ho Chi Minh and
French-supported regime of South Vietnam under the leadership of Ngo Dinh Diem Kuranda et
at 2009 Louis Berger Group 2009 As part of the Geneva Accord elections were to be held in
1956 to decide whether the two countries would be consolidated under one government as re
unified Vietnam The elections never took place leaving divided Vietnam where tensions
between communist and non-communist parties would continue to escalate in subsequent years
Hostilities in the region already at high level increased when the Viet Cong communist
guerrillas in South Vietnam began to attack South Vietnamese authorities during the late 1950s
In
response to these attacks the South Vietnamese government called on the U.S to supply
additional aid Kuranda et at 2009 Under Eisenhower the U.S began providing weapons and
advisers to the South Vietnamese government signaling its commitment to U.S foreign policy
objectives in the region
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U.S involvement in Vietnam continued in the early 1960s Despite escalating friction between
Viet Cong and South Vietnamese authorities President John Kennedy declined to send
combat forces but continued as Eisenhower had to send aid in the form of weapons and advisers
to South Vietnam Louis Berger Group 2009
3.4 Vietnam Conflict 1964 to 1972
Following the North Vietnamese attack on U.S naval vessel in the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964 the
presence of American forces increased dramatically Kuranda et at 2009 Louis Berger Group
2009 The U.S allied with the non-communist South Vietnamese government fearing that
communist takeover of Vietnam would have domino effect and would spread communism
throughout all of Southeast Asia stepped up its support Kuranda et at 2009
Following the Gulf of Tonkin incident the U.S Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
which in effect gave the president broader war power and greater liberty to commit troops to
combat in Vietnam without Congressional approval Kuranda et at 2009 As result President
Lyndon Johnson deployed large numbers of soldiers and initiated an aggressive bombing
campaign against North Vietnamese forces Kuranda et at 2009 Louis Berger Group 2009
U.S military presence in Vietnam expanded throughout the 1960s The U.S Navy quickly
mobilized several carrier groups to augment its fleet Naval aviation forces conducted large-scale
operations throughout Vietnam in

support of U.S and allied ground forces through 1972 Close
air support and interdiction air campaigns were based from four to five aircraft carriers
positioned in the Gulf of Tonkin Pedrotty etat 2001
Between 1964 and 1968 domestic opposition to the U.S presence quickly grew especially
following the Tet Offensive Louis Berger Group 2009 With increasing domestic disapproval
and lack of support for the war in Vietnam President Johnson and subsequently President
Richard Nixon tried to engage in peace negotiations that would keep an anti-communist
government intact in South Vietnam These negotiations failed and in 1973 the U.S agreed to
completely withdraw troops from the region South Vietnam fell to North Vietnam in 1975 and
in 1976 the country was re-united under the communist government known as the Peoples
Democratic Republic of Vietnam Kuranda et at 2009 Louis Berger Group 2009
3.5 Détente 1969 to 1980
The war in Vietnam helped precipitate refocusing of U.S foreign policy regarding
communism The Vietnam Conflict was costly both monetarily and in the number of casualties
and increasingly met with U.S domestic public disapproval By the 1970s the Soviets were
investing in huge defense budgets to keep up with American military and technological
advancement evaporating what had previously been one of the U.Ss major advantages over the
Soviets Slantchev 2009 At the same time the U.S economy was weakening and that meant
that it could no longer rely on its economic military and technological superiority to handle the
Soviet threat and ensure world stability The U.S therefore developed new military and foreign
policy strategies focusing on restructuring and integrating active and reservist forces and
implementing diplomatic efforts for peace
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To address the fiscal and demographic realities of Vietnam the Department of Defense DoD
adopted the Total Force Policy in 1973 which sought to increase reliance on non-active forces
for combat combat support and ongoing peacetime operational missions Paralleled with the
end of selective service and the shift to an all-volunteer force Total Force Policy was creative
response to the need for efficient modernization that looked to capitalize on reservist
manpower
and maximize the distribution of all resources available Total Force comprised an integrated
force of active reserve retired military federal civilian and contractor personnel further
supported by agreements with host nations for added allied military and civilian personnel The
concept required shifting missions from active-duty personnel who were more costly to reserve
and civilian forces After the adoption of the Total Force Policy emphasis on assigning reserve
components freed active force units and personnel for other assignments resulting in significant
cost savings DoD 1990

While the U.S seemed to be entering period of decline and restructuring at least relative to the
U.S.S.R.s progression and thus would be negotiating from position of weakness the
structure of the U.S.S.R prevented the country from taking full advantage of the situation
investment while helping the Soviets catch some ways

Heavy in military spending up and in
surpass the U.S technologically came at the expense of other areas important to Soviet society
One example of this being reduced farming productivity which served to undermine the
countrys position in any negotiations that might have taken place Slantchev 2009 Neither
government could claim the upper hand so stability would have to be achieved mutually rather
than coercively
The first major agreement to achieve such goal occurred in 1972 when President Nixon and
General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev signed Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty SALT This
treaty limited the number of missiles each side could have at any given time and prohibited both
sides from deploying these missiles The goal of SALT was to make each country vulnerable to
attack thus deterring the other from attacking While the settlement seemed to succeed its
attempt to blunt the rapid arms race failed New technologies could be substituted for older ones
and not count against the limit Despite this failed aspect the attempt at peace coupled with the
events of the Moscow summit that strengthened this new peace policy of détente was
immediately thought success peace could be achieved Slantchev 2009 In addition there
were efforts to promote peace by creating strengthened economic ties between the two countries
during the Nixon presidency
The status of any peace and the promise of harmony between the U.S and the U.S.S.R
however remained precarious Nixon caught up in the Watergate Scandal resigned and new
President Gerald Ford who adhered to Nixons policies concerning the U.S.S.R was
ineffective The management of Soviet influence was failing Although no direct conflict
between the two countries occurred during this time strains between the U.S and the U.S.S.R
did not abate and efforts at maintaining détente while not abandoned were severely damaged
Slantchev 2009 These strains would carry over to the next presidential administration under
Jimmy Carter elected in 1976
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When Carter took office he inherited country economically diminished and politically
weakened as result of the costly war in Vietnam For the Soviets as they saw it deteriorated
U.S only served to increase its world power Unencumbered by the constant friction and
violence that marred the 20 years that preceded the U.S.S.R used détente to promote
communism throughout the Third World This created potential allies that could help bring about
the fall of capitalism and maybe the U.S Slantchev 2009 Emboldened by its rise and
increasing spheres of influence the U.S.S.R was turning into the threat everybody had feared
even as its economy waned Action was necessary to deal with this emerging reality Throughout
his term President Carter continued negotiations with the Soviets and further strengthened
economic ties and treated emerging conflicts in the Third World as problems of nationalism
Slantchev 2009
Carter initiated negotiations that would lead to SALT II an agreement that limited development
of new missiles and worked to restrict nuclear arms proliferation Louis Berger Group 2009
Peace however was still elusive as war broke out in Afghanistan following the Soviet invasion
of the country As result of the invasion the U.S Congress refused to ratify SALT II and the
U.S boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow actions that went against détente Further the
U.S provided weapons and aid in

support of Afghan soldiers fighting the Soviet invasion
thereby ending détente
3.6 Cold War Renewed and Subsequent U.S.S.R Collapse 1981 to 1989
While the Carter administration eased out of détente in

response to the Soviet military buildup
the Reagan administration wanted more forceful

response to the fact that the Soviet Union has
enough active forces and reserves to conduct simultaneous campaigns in more than one theatre
Louis Berger Group 2009 In 1980 Ronald Reagan was elected based on campaign that
involved hardline anticommunism and push for American military rearmament to match and
exceed the existing Soviet capabilities During the 1970s the Soviets had spent about $100
billion more than the U.S on arms in the greatest buildup of military power seen in modern
times with six times as many ships twice as many aircraft and six times as many tanks Louis
Berger Group 2009 In his first term in office the Reagan administrations defense policy
focused on aggressively achieving military parity with the U.S.S.R through rearmament of U.S
military forces
To support the military buildup the administration received significant increases in annual
defense appropriations from Congress From 1981 to 1985 annual defense spending increased
from $199 billion to $264 billion Louis Berger Group 2009 Convinced that NATOs forces
were inferior particularly the naval forces the Reagan administrations efforts to strengthen
overall American military forces were expansive Funding for the U.S Navy allowed for total
fleet expansion to an operational force of 15 carrier groups including new Aegis Ballistic
Missile Defense System-capable cruisers and destroyers The result was unparalleled anti
aircraft anti-missile defense and counter-attack capabilities Pedrotty et at 2001 The Navy
also developed the sea-based Tomahawk cruise missile and new class of ballistic missile
submarines giving the U.S equal ability to attack vulnerable Soviet land-based Intercontinental
Ballistic Missiles Louis Berger Group 2009
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In the midst of this significant rearmament the Cold War regressed to political showdown of
nuclear might President Reagan and General Secretary Brezhnev were both ideologically driven
creating increased tension between the superpowers under which President Reagan called the
U.S.S.R an evil empire and renewing early Cold War principles Louis Berger Group 2009
The early Reagan administration reaffirmed the containment policy of the early Cold War by
enforcing sanctions against communist countries as well as deterring communist-leaning
governments in Nicaragua covertly by funding the Contras and Grenada through outright
invasion
Reagan moderated his ideological stance into his second term in the mid-1980s After rapid
succession of Soviet General SecretariesBreshnev died in November 1982 Andropov died in
February 1984 and Chernenko died in March 1985Mikhail Gorbachev attained this position in
March 1985 At the Geneva Summit in November 1985 President Reagan and General
Secretary Gorbachev met and announced their intent to disarm nuclear weapons Salmon 2011
General Secretary Gorbachev was instrumental in modernizing the U.S.S.R through policies of
glasnost and perestroika Glasnost called for more open and public exchange and perestroika
referred to the restructuring of the communist society Both policies were designed to save the
Soviet economy and redefine the communist experience that had been losing relevance in the
modern world In tandem with Gorbachevs policies Reagan stepped back from the aggressive
stance of his first term and agreed to economic and military reforms during his second term As
Cold War tensions eased defense spending stabilized Louis Berger Group 2009
With these underlying changes renewed attempts to eliminate nuclear weapons between the U.S
and U.S.S.R were made in 1986 and 1987 Gorbachev and Reagan developed an amicable
relationship that evoked the changing tides Reagan called for the abolition of nuclear weapons
and increasing freedoms in the U.S.S.R Although he did not initiate revolutionary change
Gorbachev assumed stance of non-violence and disarmament in the face of inevitable change
as well as release of Soviet power over its satellite countries
George H.W Bush succeeded Ronald Reagan in January 1989 during pivotal time in the
political history of communist Eastern Europe Poland and Hungary asserted radical changes in
their governments that the Soviets did not forcibly contest Antigovernment sentiments spread
through East Germany where demonstrations mounted pressure on the communist rulers On
November 1989 the fall of the Berlin Wall heralded the end of Soviet communist rule in East
Germany In rapid succession Bulgaria Czechoslovakia and Romania rapidly converted to
democracy During this political turbulence the U.S recognized that with Gorbachev the
ideological stance of the U.S.S.R was changing In response the military tensions between the
U.S and the U.S.S.R were eased
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4.0 NASWI DURING THE COLD WAR 1946 TO 1989
4.1 Introduction
The Historic Context Statement The United States Navy in the Cold War Louis Berger Group
2009 defines four major subcontexts for the Navys strategic response during the Cold War era
Strategic Deterrence Sea Control Research Development Testing and Evaluation and
Command Control Communication and Intelligence The role of NASWI during the Cold
War largely falls under the subcontext of Strategic Deterrence The Navy implemented
number of platforms in the name of strategic deterrence Louis Berger Group 2009A-8 Of
these NASWI activities and units had role in two of them location and destruction of the
Soviet submarine fleet antisubmarine warfare and maintaining the primacy of the carrier strike
force The development of NASWI as major naval fleet aviation station in

support of both of
these aspects of Strategic Deterrence is detailed in Section 4.2 In summary patrol squadrons
based at NASWI regular naval squadrons in the first half of the Cold War and naval reserve
squadron in the second half carried out antisubmarine warfare ASW missions in the north
Pacific In addition beginning in 1956 and continuing through the end of the Cold War NASWI
was major West Coast flight training and operations center for carrier-based naval aviation
squadrons
Another Navy Cold War subcontext that applies to NASWI is Command Control
Communication and Intelligence Within the last few years of the Cold War the Naval Ocean
Processing Facility Whidbey Island tenant activity was established at the Station as part of the
Integrated Undersea Surveillance System IIJSS which uses arrays of underwater listening
devices to detect and track submarines
The following sections provide general overview of the Navys ASW program and the role of
the aircraft carrier fleet during the Cold War
4.1.1 Antisubmarine Warfare
Following the end of WWII the U.S Navy shifted its attention
away from the surface fleet that
was built
up during the war to concentrate on advancing the countrys ASW capabilities This
shift was motivated by the Soviets heavy investment in developing submarine technologies and
weaponry which were believed to pose the greatest threat to American security The U.S Navy
employed comprehensive strategy of detection and weapons development to combat the rising
Soviet submarine threat The ASW research focused on the internal efficiency of its own fleet
until Soviet nuclear capability was demonstrated in 1949 Shortly after in 1950 conflict in
Korea broke out engaging the U.S and U.S.S.R further in fight for
supremacy As this
unfolded it was reported though unconfirmed by the Central Intelligence Agency that the
Soviets had developed atomic weapons that could be launched via submarine Louis Berger
Group 2009 The U.S Navy quickly realized that the Soviets posed significant threat and that
its ASW strategies needed to shift from simple enhancements and improvements to more
sophisticated overarching program
During the 1950s the U.S greatly increased efforts to combat the emerging Soviet submarine
threat by investing heavily in detection and communications systems to properly manage the
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threat Technologies such as radar and Sound Navigation and Ranging systems were improved
and the integral Sound Surveillance System SOSUS consisting of series of underwater
listening posts were installed to better track Soviet submarines These listening posts used sound
fixing and ranging to monitor low frequency sound waves traveling hundreds of miles The
sound fixing and ranging detected and determined submarine positioning by triangulation over
large ranges of ocean making it easier to locate potential targets before they reached attack
range The posts mounted to the ocean floor were connected by communication cables to shore
facilities and proved effective in accomplishing the U.S Navy ASW goals Tn 1952 SOSUS
the Western Atlantic of North America
arrays were established at nine sites throughout In 1954
three more were added and six more were planned along the Pacific Coast of the U.S Louis
Berger Group 2009 Land-based interpretation and evaluation centers were also developed
during this time period
Airborne ASW operations systems supplemented the underwater detection systems During the
1950s submarine aerial detection systems began using sonobuoys which were ejected from
aircraft and activated upon impact with water Sonobuoys had radio transmitters that remained at
the surface while hydrophone sensors descended to variable predetermined depths The
sonobuoys then relayed information to supporting aircraft using low frequency signal processing
techniques Air detection also included the use of sniffer that functioned by
systems
distinguishing chemicals and pollutants expelled from diesel submarines and communicating
information to supporting aircraft Louis Berger Group 2009 After several recognitions the
aircraft could accurately locate submarine Advancement of these detection technologies
required the parallel progression of aircraft to out the detection task Several specialized
carry
aircraft equipped with sensors and communications to detect the enemy targets and weapons
systems to destroy them were used and developed for the purpose supporting ASW including
the Cl Trader S3 Viking P2 Neptune P3 Orion and the HSS-1N helicopter Air support
became an integral part of the U.S Navys comprehensive ASW strategy
Following rapid technological expansion of ASW during the 1950s the U.S Navy shifted its
attention to better tactics to employ their advanced ASW technologies Louis Berger Group
2009 While the Navy continued to develop its submarine and surface fleets in the 1960s in
response to the ever-improving Soviet submarine technology tactical development included
optimizing the SOSUS systems The U.S Navy began using SOSUS arrays at geographical
chokepoints where both air and submarine patrolling forces could blockade and confront
potential targets Air ASW development centered on enhancing methods for localization of
targets As result the DIFAR buoy systems and the P3 Orion ASW aircraft were created
Together these technologies were increasingly effective in pinpointing target locations more
precisely using narrowband processes
ASW remained an integral part of U.S naval development through the 1980s and the end of the
Cold War The remaining threat of Soviet submarines required continued effort by the U.S Navy
to improve its ASW defenses including the use of satellite technology Tn 1984 the ASW
deployed the Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System SURTASS which allowed surface
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ships to easily identify nuclear and diesel submarines and provided instant surveillance
information by satellite Louis Berger Group 2009
4.1.2 Aircraft Carrier Fleet
Following the end of WWII the role of the aircraft carrier changed with the success of naval
aviation and the advance of jet-powered aircraft Modifications included physical alterations to
the ships themselves and changes in the types of missions performed In order to accommodate
the new jet planes modifications were made to existing outdated carriers in the late 1940s and
the 1950s At this time carriers were split into attack groups CVA and ASW groups In
addition class of new super carriers designed to accommodate planes with the capacity for
ASW airborne early warning air defense attack and air-to-air refueling systems were
constructed in the 1950s The CVA carriers carried three attack squadrons and two fighter
squadrons supported by detachments with specialist roles ASW carriers were retrofitted with
improved equipment to continue missions against the Soviet submarine fleet although most
would become obsolete by the late 1950s and would be decommissioned Louis Berger Group
2009
After WWII focus shifted from the major naval fleets of Japan to the land-based targets
of the
Soviet Union and their submarine fleet The U.S Navys necessity in the new era was questioned
as the Soviets had no surface fleet target however the Navy argued that its carrier forces had the
flexibility to deliver atomic and subatomic weapons where and when they were needed and
under broad spectrum of situations Morris 1991
The goals of President Trumans Containment Strategy were to maintain observance of the
enemy and to contain the spread of Communism beyond their borders These goals would be
accomplished by sustaining defensive barrier around the Soviet Union through the use of U.S
Navy air and water assets In turn the U.S aircraft carriers became target for Soviet naval
operations The importance of maintaining carriers was demonstrated in the naval response to the
opening of the Korean Conflict in July 1950 and helped to convince Congress to support funding
for
super carrier construction Louis Berger Group 2009
During the 1960s relations between the U.S and the Soviet Union were at standstill with
neither country willing to move into direct open conflict The first nuclear-powered aircraft
carrier the USS Enterprise was constructed in Newport News Virginia in 1961 USS
Enterprise and other carriers were present at conflicts such as the Bay of Pigs Invasion the
Cuban Missile Crisis and the Gulf of Tonkin Louis Berger Group 2009
Carriers also proved important through the war in Vietnam where three carriers comprised of
two CVAs and one simple aircraft carrier were stationed in the South China Sea throughout the
entire conflict By the end of the war every carrier in both the Pacific and Atlantic fleets had
been deployed to Vietnam at least once Attempts in the late 1970s by President Carter and
Congress to slash funding for naval construction projects was met by the Navys response that
world political stability would be preserved by the forward deployment of carrier air groups and
Marines to Asia the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean Louis Berger Group 2009
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President Reagans rearmament program in the 1980s authorized the commissioning of
additional nuclear-propelled carriers to continue Americas obligations of containment of
Communism through utilization of an aggressive attack carrier force Reagans Secretary of the
Navy John Lehman Jr argued that strong forward deployed attack carrier force could take the
offensive in general war and provide the president with rapid intervention option in regional
crisis proving mobile and effective enough to deal with range of conflicts Louis Berger
Group 2009168
4.2 Onset of the Cold War 1946 to 1949
4.2.1 Immediate Postwar Years at NASWI
On June 1946 NASWI was placed on reduced operating status NASWI 1959 Postwar
demobilization resulted in significant decreases in the number of personnel and amount of
operations Most NASWI departments operated with skeletal crews and the air traffic control
towers at Seaplane Base and Ault Field were secured to limited navigational aids The stations
Search and Rescue team however was an exception with its crews continuing to be active in the
postwar period NASWI 1946 to 1949
Under the command of Fleet Air Wing FAW-4 NASWI and its units mission was to provide
facilities and support for deployment and training of north Pacific squadrons NASWI 1946
1959 After WWII units at NASWI consisted of four patrol squadrons flying the PB4Y2
Privateer Three other patrol squadrons on temporary support status were also available Chief
of Naval Operations 1947 1948 Fleet support units included Fleet Air Electronics
Training Unit FAETU Pacific Detachment responsible for pilot flight training and two fleet
aircraft service squadrons FASRONs who maintained and overhauled aircraft and associated
equipment NASWI 1946 1947
Patrol squadrons based at NASWI rotated deployments to Alaskas Aleutian Islands the first few
years after the war Their missions involved reconnaissance and ASW CNO 1948 When on
board at NASWI air crews trained to maintain their flight qualifications However the stations
number of training aircraft had been reduced so pilots and crews were often limited to classroom
instruction and operational flight trainers NASWI 1946 to 1949 Nonetheless flight operations
were numerous enough during this period that NASWIs communications and electronics
systems were upgraded Buildings and facilities associated with NASWIs communications and
electronics systems were located at either Ault Field which received new control tower with
improved communications and electronic systems in July 1946 or at Rocky Point located at the
southwest end of Ault Field next to the Strait of Juan de Fuca Installation command histories
from 1948 and 1949 reference both transmitter station and gunnery range at Rocky Point
NASWI 1948 1949 and while there are no further references of gunnery range at Rocky
Point portion of the site continued to be used as radio transmitter facility for the duration of
the Cold War
Commensurate with its reduced operational status little new construction occurred at NASWI
following WWII With fewer personnel and decreased financial allotments NASWIs Public
Works Department mainly performed general maintenance and upkeep of existing infrastructure
4-4 Fina4 July 2013
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buildings and grounds including maintaining the harbor and beach clearances at Seaplane Base
Some new construction and renovation projects did occur however such as at Ault Field where
new dispensary was built unidentified taxiway widened and additions and alterations to
the Public Works Machine Shop Building 124 for aircraft maintenance by the FASRON units
were undertaken and at Rocky Point where nine-hole golf course was dedicated in March
1954 to Captain William Gallery former NASWI Commanding Officer NASWI 1953 and
driving range was developed The Stations inventory of family housing including the WWII-era
Victory Homes at Seaplane Base was supplemented with 12 married enlisted quarters
Buildings 559 through 570 at Ault Field and 18 married officers quarters Buildings 510
through 517 the rest were demolished and 53 married enlisted quarters demolished on Maylor
Point at Seaplane Base NASWI 1946 to 1949 Additionally numerous surplus buildings
primarily at Seaplane Base were removed from NAS WIs inventory NASWI 1948
In 1948 NASWIs landplane squadrons were assigned the P2V Neptune patrol and ASW
bomber aircraft Island County Historical Society 1984 The Neptune was landplane aircraft
serving just minor carrier role Louis Berger Group 2009366 The change to this aircraft
powered both by piston and jet engines highlighted existing NASWI facility deficiencies that
would prohibit the full operational capability of the installation into the future The 1948
installation command hi
story indicates
The limitations of this station for accommodating medium and large multi-
engine aircraft became increasingly apparent with the replacement of Catalina
planes with Neptune aircraft and by the increase in aircraft assignment of fleet
aircraft squadrons based on this station The limited parking area will soon
necessitate great deal of towing of aircraft out of and into the parking spots The
inadequacy of the present hangars and lack of new hangars for the maintenance of
fleet aircraft is working increased hardship on fleet units The lack of office and
shop for fleet units has necessitated the surrendering of normally

space spaces
required for the maintenance and upkeep of station aircraft and associated
projects NASWI 1948
Long-range planning for development of NASWI appears to have begun in the second quarter of
1948 when the Public Works Department completed study of facility deficiencies and
developed preliminary cost estimate to construct the facilities After receiving

necessary
concurrence from the NASWI Commanding Officer on the results of study the Commander of
FAW-4 wrote letter to the Commandant of the Thirteenth Naval District with list of facility
needs at Ault Field including hangars suitable for large planes and properly heated runway
alignment on 080 260 Runway 8/26 be constructed to 060 to 240

6/24 and extended to ten thousand 10000 feet and construction of suitable quarters at Ault
Field to house naval personnel NASWI 1948 By the third quarter of 1948 the Public Works
Departments engineering division in cooperation with District Headquarters and the station
1111 this historic context the use of the term unidentified in parentheses after building name or type means that the building
number was not identified in the reference source and the building number could not be determined through the Internet Naval
Facilities Assets Data Store iNFADS
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Operations Department had begun investigating the feasibility of lengthening the Ault Field
runways NASWI 1948

NASWI returned to full operational status in December 1949 when the Navy chose it to be the
main multi-type aircraft all-weather naval fleet support station in the Pacific Northwest
Crosswind 1982 Whidbey Press Progress 1961 Whidbey Island had then-standard 6000-foot
runways the nearby Seaplane Base approach paths suitable for radar-controlled approaches
under any weather conditions and most importantly area to expand In addition it could also
support Alaska operations Commander Fleet Air Whidbey ca 1964 U.S Navy
2012b At this time Naval Air Station NAS Seattle was the major Northwest naval
installation however its location precluded major physical expansion leading the Navy to
select NASWI as its Pacific Northwest fleet support station and redesignating NAS Seattle
naval reserve training center Bearden 19771011 U.S Navy 2012b
4.3 The Korean Conflict and Eisenhowers Massive Retaliation Policy Response of
NASWI 1950 to 1963
As permanent Pacific fleet support station the primary mission of NASWI-based units and
activities in the early years of the Cold War was antisubmarine defense of the north Pacific
namely the Pacific Northwest and Aleutian Islands The Station became the home base of
landplane patrol squadrons beginning in 1950 During this period the antisubmarine defense
mission of NASWI was reinforced with additional landplane patrol squadrons and beginning in
1956 the introduction of seaplane patrol squadrons
The 1950s are also characterized by the first operations of modern jet aircraft In 1951 NASWI
was designated Master Jet Station which expanded its mission to include jet aircraft training
and operations of carrier-based squadrons Coinciding with the Massive Retaliation defense
policy formed after the Korean Conflict the Navy assigned heavy attack squadrons to NASWI
beginning in 1956 to provide long-range nuclear-capable strategic bombers from forward-based
Pacific fleet aircraft carriers These squadrons flew the A3 Skywarrior the first fully jet-powered
aircraft assigned to NASWI The Pacific Heavy Attack Wing arrived in 1957 and associated
subordinate squadrons at NASWI formed critical element of the U.S nuclear deterrent
4.3.1 Establishment of the NAS WI Cold War Mission and Infrastructure
As Pacific Fleet aviation support station the mission of NASWI units under FAW-4 was ASW
and long-range search operations in the Pacific Northwest and Aleutian Islands and for
deployment to fleet air wings operating in forward areas The units of FAW-4 one of five Fleet
Air Wings in the Pacific Fleet also trained for and provided operational activities in
support of
bombing mining and cooperative tactics with surface and sub-surface forces Prop Wash
1951
The onset of the Korean Conflict resulted in mobilization of additional activities at NASWI by
the end of 1951 and included six patrol squadrons VP VP-i and 931 flying P2V
Neptunes two FASRONs FAETU Pacific Detachment FAW-4 operational training unit
and the command headquarters of FAW-4 NASWI 1953 Prop Wash 1951a Two reserve
patrol squadrons and two reserve FASRONs were also based at NASWI during their active-duty
4-6 Fina4 July 2013
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training periods NASWI 1953 In addition to NASWIs VP squadrons the FAW-4 also
commanded two VP squadrons based at NAS Alameda California The FAW-4 squadrons
rotated duties at Naval Air Stations in Kodiak Alaska Barbers Point Hawaii and the Western
Pacific CNO 1953
To support the training and operational tempo of NAS WIs patrol squadrons new runway at
Ault Field was approved for construction sum of $4 million was authorized for the 8000-foot
runway which began construction in July 1951 Constructed by Peter Kiewit and Sons of
Seattle the 200-foot wide and 11 inches thick steel mesh reinforced concrete runway was
oriented on 060 to 240 as recommended in 1948 This alignment allowed for the extension of
the eastern end to 10000 feet NAVFAC Northwest 2007 Prop Wash 1951e Congressman
Henry Jackson spoke at the dedication ceremony for the opening of Runway 6/24 on August
1952 Prop Wash 1952
Additional appropriations of $2.7 million were secured for 300 housing units known as
Whidbey Apartments under Title VIII of the National Housing Act Wherry housing This was
needed to accommodate the housing shortage in the local area caused by the influx of personnel
to NASWI Crosswind 1982 NASWI 1951 1953 Prop Wash 1951e The housing was erected
on 30-acre tract south of the runways and main operations area at Ault Field Buildings 900
through 945
Other facility work at this time primarily consisted of improvements to existing infrastructure
such as resurfacing the existing taxiways installing security fencing and upgrading telephone
service at Ault Field and renovations to existing buildings at Ault Field and Seaplane Base
including exterior painting or re-siding Prop Wash 1951b 1951c 1951d
Master Jet Station
The Stations history changed in 1951 when NASWI was designated Master Jet Station The
Master Jet Station system was developed in 1949 by Navy Captain Woods as part of
his Woods Plan The Plan comprised eight existing air stations on the east and west coasts that
were identified for expansion to provide long-range base development Naval Aviation News
195314 Under the Woods Plan Master Jet Station must be in proximity to major naval base
and population center for easy logistical support yet isolated enough to allow for safe jet aircraft
operations and the ability to expand NASWI was one of the four original Master Jet Stations
selected two on the east coast and two on the west coast to accommodate increased jet aircraft
operations Pedrotty et al 2001 5-29
Its designation as Master Jet Station meant major military construction program would be
initiated to achieve operational readiness Congressional appropriations for Master Plan station
construction totaled $11.47 million Prop Wash 1951e This amount was separate from the
previous appropriations for the 8000-foot runway housing and facility improvements
Development of the installation as well as military operations shifted from Seaplane Base to
Ault Field as much of the funded construction was for expanding Ault Field with new facilities
including hangar Hangar Building 386 operations building Building 385 seven barracks
Buildings 373 to 379 3000-man mess hall Admiral Nimitz Hall Building 382 jet fuel
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storage and distribution system fuel supply system central heating plant Building 384 supply
warehouse Building 369 Public Works shop unidentified gatehouse Torpedo Road
entrance demolished and certain utilities and public works facilities Construction of most of
these facilities was completed by 1954 Figure 4-1 With few exceptions these facilities as well
as subsequent new facilities were oriented parallel to the WWII-era Runway 12/30 and parking
apron In comparison WWII-era facilities at Ault Field including the hangars were aligned on
an orthogonal axis which was at an angle to Runway 12/30 as well as Runway 8/26
4-8 Fina4 July 2013
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LEGEND
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4-1
Figure Whidbey Island Ault Field General Development
NaSAl Soi Wkiey bland Cold War Catdndy
4-10 FInal 14 2013
GRR0006IOO5
The hangar operations building barracks and mess hall were reinforced concrete buildings
Figure 4-2 Seattle Times 1956 This included Hangar Building 386 which was erected
west of Hangar Building 112 at cost of $2.4 million Prop Wash 1951d It is Miramar
type hangar which features two arched hangar bays separated by an open shop area Figure 4-3
NASWI 1953 Pedrotty et al 20015-29 Other Ault Field facilities construction included the
replacement of the entire parking apron between 1951 and 1956 NASWI 1956 Surplus
buildings including the old operations building Building 111 and three nose hangars
Buildings 142 255 and 256 were demolished NASWI 1955
Figure 4-2 Operations Building Building 385 no date Island County Historical Society
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MH
DOO Ho1r
SECTION
MRAMAR HAHGAR
L14H40
SECOND FLOOR PLAN

OfFKE SPACE ONLY
tkl4Q
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
Figure 4-3 Drawings for the Miramar-Type Hangar as shown in Pedrotty eta 20015-40
4-12 Fina4 July 2013
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Almost no new construction occurred at the Seaplane Base Figure 4-4 and some surplus WWII
buildings located on the Base were demolished NASWI 1950 The only facility improvement
of note at Seaplane Base was installation of receiving sleeve antenna at the Seadrome Tower
receiving site Building 27 in December 1953 NASWI 1953

In the midst of all the Master Plan construction and development local and transient fleet
squadrons were training at and operating from the installation as hostilities in Korea continued
Patrol bomber squadrons patrolled U.S shores during the war in Korea NAVFAC Northwest
2007 When not on patrol NASWIs pilots maintained their readiness and flight proficiency
through combination of flight training and use of flight simulation training devices including
two celestial navigational trainers2 and operational flight trainers for the P2V Neptune NASWI
1948 1950 Flight training took place initially at Ault Field and then also at Outlying Field
OF3 Coupeville by the end of 1950 NASWI 1950 This landing field was first established as
training field for NASWIs flying squadrons during WWII Its 5400-foot runway was
constructed between April and September 1943 by the Austin Company the same company that
built Ault Field and Seaplane Base The runway included an escort aircraft carrier-type steel
deck equipped with catapult and arresting gear The following year Navy Construction
Battalion added launching platform and runway shoulders cleared wooded area built
control tower Building fire house unidentified and water tower as well as installed water
facilities NASWI 1945 1959 Prop Wash 1951a Like other existing WWII-era facilities OF
Coupeville received improvements in the early 1950s These included repairs to and lengthening
of the taxiways Prop Wash 195 ic Between 1950 and 1954 squadrons practiced landings
takeoffs touch-and-goes and full

stops Island County Historical Society 1954
The number of patrol squadrons under FAW-4 at NASWI remained at six in the couple of years
after the end of the Korean Conflict They included VP-i 17 29 and 57 VP-931 had been
redesignated VP-57 in 1953 NASWI 1955 Whidbey News-Times 1964 The
fleet support units of FASRON 112 and FAETU Pacific Detachment were also on board VP-i
accomplished significant feat in Navy aviation history when on May 1955 it returned to
NASWI after the first round-the-world trip by Navy squadron The VP-i squadron with 168
men and 12 P2V Neptunes returned to NASWI from tour of duty in the Far East by way of
Asia Europe and North Africa Grossnick 1997 NASWI 1955
4.3.2 Fort jfying the NAS WI Cold War Mission and Infrastructure
Not surprisingly as Master Jet Station NASWI gained squadrons and aircraft in the latter half
of the decade While operations expanded the overall role of the installation was somewhat
refined during this time as result of few changes in NASWI fleet activities and assigned
aircraft couple of the changes fortified the mission of NASWI as the center of ASW defense
in the Pacific Northwest but one of the changes the assignment of new attack aircraft defined
new role for NASWI as West Coast training and operations center for carrier-based aviation
squadrons
The celestial navigation buildings Buildings 180 and 220 were demolished in 2012
OLF Coupeville was originally called an Outlying Field OF
GRR00061 008
With regard to the former the ASW defense mission was reinforced in 1956 with the arrival of
two variants of the Neptune aircraft and the return of the seaplane 11 years after the end of
WWII NASWI once again had both landplane and seaplane squadrons The newest Neptune
aircraft the P2V7 was the first to arrive at NASWI in February 1956 VP-i and VP-2 were
assigned the P2V7 which was equipped with jet pods to assist their conventional piston and
propeller-type engines NASWI 1956 second variant of the Neptune the P2V5F was
assigned to VP-17 Used for mine-laying the P2V5F also had combined jet and conventional
propulsion engines In accordance with the function of the aircraft VP-17 was redesignated
Heavy Attack Mining Squadron HM 10 in July 1956 COMFAIR Whidbey ca 1964

The P5M Marlin seaplane arrived on June 1956 when VP-SO was transferred to NASWI from
NAS Alameda California Additionally to support the operations of VP-SO the seaplane tender
USS Kenneth Whiting AV-14 was assigned to NASWI in December 1956 the first ship
assigned to the station NASWI 1956 Prop Wash 1957b She arrived at Seaplane Base in
March 1957 On July 1957 smaller seaplane tender USS Floyds Bay AVP-40 was also
assigned to NASWI and arrived in late August NASWI 1957

According to the 1959 installation command history NASWIs patrol squadrons were actively
engaged in ASW operations and training in the northern sector of the Western Sea Frontier and
the Canadian area of responsibility NASWI 1959 Other missions of NASWIs landplane and
seaplane patrol squadrons included mine-laying VA HM-iO aerial photography and
supply transportation NASWI ca 1957 Available sources indicated deployments by landplane

and seaplane squadrons with seaplane tender through the early 1960s were to Alaska and the
Far East Japan in particular for missions COIVIIFAIR Whidbey ca 1964 NASWI 1959 Naval
Aviation News 196220 21 Only one seaplane tender USS Floyds Bay was homeported at
Seaplane Base after July 1958 when the USS Kenneth Whiting was mothballed in the Pacific
reserve fleet NASWI 1958

Not all of NASWIs five VP squadrons in 1956 were designated to receive the Neptune aircraft
In 1955 after returning to NASWI from deployment in the Pacific VP-29 was assigned the A3D
Skywarrior and consequently redesignated Heavy Attack Squadron VAH becoming the first
VAH squadron on the West Coast However VAH-2 was transferred to NAS North Island in
San Diego later that year to transition to the A3D It was in the following year 1956 when
NASWI was assigned the A3D Skywarrior the first fully jet-powered aircraft at the Station In
July of that year VP-57 was redesignated VAH-4 and began transitioning to the A3D More
heavy attack units soon followed newly formed VAH-8 squadron was commissioned on May
1957 and on July 1957 VAH-2 was transferred back to NASWI from NAS North Island
along with Heavy Attack Wing Two HATWING VAH-6 and Heavy Attack Training Unit
Pacific to form the nucleus of the Navys Pacific Fleet heavy attack program COMFAIR
Whidbey ca 1964 U.S Navy 2012b Whidbey News-Times and Crosswind 1989 Thus at the
time of the 15th anniversary of the Air Stations establishment in September 1957 NASWI was
the home base of the following Pacific Fleet units Commander FAW-4 VP-i VP-2 VP-SO VA
MH-iO HATWTh1G VAH-2 VAH-4 VAH-6 VAH-8 FAETU Detachment and
FASRON 112
GRR00061 009
clD
clD
GRR00061O1O
NaSAl on Wkiey Island Cold War Cot ndy
4-16 FInal 14 2013
GRR0006IOI
The A3 Skywarrior was long-range carrier-based heavy jet bomber powered by two turbojet
engines and equipped with radar navigation for all-weather capabilities Caron 19617 It was
introduced into the Navys inventory of attack aircraft in 1956 Louis Berger Group 2009361
Coinciding with the Massive Retaliation defense policy the A3 provided the Navy with nuclear
capable aircraft from forward-based attack carriers The two Heavy Attack Wings one for the
Pacific Fleet based at NASWI and one for the Atlantic Fleet based at NAS Sanford Florida
were critical element in the Navys U.S nuclear deterrent until 1960 when the Polaris program
was activated Thereafter the A3 served in conventional role as bomber and in mine-laying in
Vietnam until 1967 Louis Berger Group 2009362
The heavy attack squadrons along with the patrol squadrons had regular deployments
Typically three different squadrons would be deployed at time NASWI 1960 to 1966 There
is general paucity of information from available sources on the locations of the deployments of
NASWIs VAH squadrons Other than deployment to the Western Pacific on board the USS
Bon Homme Richard by VAH-2 in April 1959 Naval Aviation News 195929 all other
information on VAH deployments concerns VAH-4 during the early 1960s Several different
detachments of VAH-4 were deployed at sea at any given time while the parent squadron
remained at NASWI training replacement detachments The detachments supported the Pacific
Fleets small Essex-class carriers e.g USS Bon Homme Richard Caron 19606 Caron
19617 The deployments included operational missions or training exercises in Japan Taiwan
the Philippines Hawaii and Alaska For instance VAH-4 detachment deployed to the Far
East on board the USS Hancock provided bombing radar reconnaissance high-altitude radar
bombing low-level attack pathfinder escort for other aircraft and long-range precision
navigation Caron 19617
With the addition of the P5M Marlin and A3D Skywarrior and their squadrons to NASWI the
physical development of the Master Jet Station continued at brisk pace To accommodate the
seaplanes several facility improvement projects were initiated in 1956 at the Seaplane Base
They included building 550-foot long mooring pier unidentified into Crescent Harbor for the
seaplane tenders repairs to seaplane ramps and into Crescent Harbor and Oak Harbor
respectively extensive renovations to the mess hall and modifications to the Seadrome Control
Tower facilities NASWI 1956 1957 VAQ-132 2013 The Seadrome reopened in 1959 and
included remote receiver equipment that operated in conjunction with the transmitter station at
Rocky Point Building 135 and the Operations Building Building 385 at Ault Field Additional
upgrades to Whidbeys communications systems including long-range ship-to-shore and air-to-
ground communications were also made to support ASW missions NASWI 1959
few new buildings were constructed at Ault Field in the late 1950s in support of operations for
the VAH squadrons They included Hangar Building 410 new Brunswick-type hangar with
double angular roof which opened in 1957 and cost $3 million to build Figure 4-5
Crosswind 1982 Prop Wash 1957a jet engine test cell facility unidentified built in 1957
NASWI 1957 combat training tank and swimming pool unidentified which opened in June
1958 and was used for swimming classes for military personnel when it was not in use for
GRR00061O12
survival training and classified training building unidentified built in 1962 NASWI 1956
1958 1962
Figure 4-5 Hangar Building 410 1957 Prop Wash 1957a
shortage of local housing continued to be an issue as more units were based at NASWI In
1957 Senator Jackson secured funding for housing to be built at NASWI Construction of 550
Capehart housing units on Maylor Point at the Seaplane Base began in August 1959 and was
completed in early 1961 for cost of $10 million NASWI 1961 Seattle Post Intelligencer 1964
Whidbey News-Times and Crosswind 1989 Upon its completion NASWI had total of 1460
housing units at Seaplane Base and Ault Field NASWI 1961 The Capehart housing is still
extant
few personnel support facilities were built in the early 1960s They included new 500-man
Commissioned Officers Mess Building 962 which opened on December 31 1963 the station
chapel and two recreational facilities NASWI 1963 1964 The 400-seat chapel Building 960
opened for worship for the 1963 Christmas holiday and is composed of the main chapel an
annex and breezeway-attached educational wing Figure 4-6 The 1964 installation command
history indicated the building was patterned after standard Chapel design NASWI 1964
however according to nationwide historic context of support facilities at DoD installations the
Department of the Navy did not develop standardized chapel plans during the Cold War era
Smith et al 2006 The development of recreational facilities and activities at NASWI was
considered to be important for maintaining high level of morale among personnel attached to
this isolated command NASWI 1950 Recreational facilities were constructed at Rocky Point
and included the Can-Do Inn Building 873 an enclosed picnic shelter with restrooms that was
built at Rocky Point in 1961 and the expansion of the nine-hole golf course to 18 holes These
facilities augmented those already existing at Ault Field which included theater hobby shop
and baseball and softball fields as well as bowling alley at Seaplane Base
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Figure 4-6 Chapel and Annex Building 960 March 1964 Island County Historical
Society
building and expansion program by NASWIs Air Operations Department provided several
changes to Ault Fields airfield In the mid-1950s the Navy acquired 973 acres of land adjacent
to Ault Field to grade and construct overruns for its two runways which required rerouting
Highway 10 NASWI 1955 1956 Seattle Times 1956 Final plans for replacing the 7050-foot
WWII-era north-south runway 12/30 were started in 1957 the runway had become inadequate
in length and load bearing for modern jet aircraft such as the A3 Skywarrior Congressional
appropriations in the Fiscal Year 1958 budget included $9.43 million to acquire property and
construct new 8000-foot runway 13/3 NASWI 1957 1958 Prop Wash 1957c
Construction of the runway which intersects near the middle of the east-west Runway 6/24
completed in 1952 began in 1961 The opening ceremonies for Runway 13/3 were held on
March 1962 Upon its completion NASWI was considered to have one of the most modern
aircraft landing facilities in the country NASWI 1962 The Western Contracting Corporation of
Sioux City Iowa constructed the runway which included high-speed taxiway approach
lighting and runway lights for $5445 million NASWI 1962

Also included in the NASWI air operations expansion program was new Radar Air Traffic
Control Center RATCC with Ground-Controlled Approach GCA radar system and an Air
Surveillance Radar ASR installation to better manage flight operations in and around NASWI
The Air Traffic Control division controlled and still does the military and civilian flight
GRR00061O14
operations at Ault Field OF Coupeville and the routes into and around several regional airports
U.S Navy 2013 The RATCC with GCA radar was commissioned in 1961 NASWI 1961
The GCA radar allows an air traffic controller to assist pilot in landing under weather
conditions approaching zero visibility and ceiling CNO 1962 The ASR installation was
established at Racon Hill south of Ault Field because of it being the highest point in the area
and providing clear area for communications between NASWI and aircraft NASWI 2012
Like GCA radar ASR search radar was used by controllers to assist pilots in landing under
weather conditions of reduced visibility as well as helping to identify aircraft but was used
primarily for Seadrome approaches CNO 1962 With ASR-5 at Racon Hill NASWI air traffic
controllers had control of the airspace within certain distance from Seattle to Vancouver
NASWI 2012
The ASR-5 radar tower radome was erected at Racon Hill in 1961 NASWI 1961 The
associated Medium Range Radar building Building 858 which contained associated equipment
and electronics had been completed in late 1958 NASWI 1958 The site also contained
covered water reservoir Facility 388 and water treatment plant Building 390 both were
constructed in 1954 Internet Naval Facilities Assets Data Store
There were few changes to NASWI units at the end of the 1950s In June both HAT WING
and FASRON 112 were decommissioned Other changes in 1959 included the redesignation of
Heavy Attack Training Unit Pacific to VAH-123 in July although it remained the training unit
of the VAH squadrons the redesignation of VA HM-10 to VP-17 landplane squadron and
the transfer of VP-SO seaplane squadron to Marine Corps Air Facilities Iwakuni Japan in
December COMFAIR Whidbey ca 1964 NASWI 1959 Commander Fleet Air COIVIFAIR
Whidbey assumed command of the VAH squadrons in October 1960 and the functions of the
FASRON were immediately transferred to the NASWI aircraft maintenance department
Seaplanes remained NASWI however as the seaplane

at squadron VP-47 flying the P5M2
Neptune transferred from NAS Alameda California in 1960 COIVIIFAIR Whidbey ca 1964
Two more heavy attack squadrons were added to NASWI in 1961 for total of seven VAH
10 commissioned on May and VAH-13 transferred from NAS Sanford Florida on August
COMFAIR Whidbey ca 1964 By 1963 there were 20 units and 1627 men based at NASWI
The fleet units included COMFAIR Whidbey seven heavy attack squadrons VAH-2 10
13 and 123 Commander FAW-4 three landplane squadrons VP-i and 17 and one
seaplane squadron VP-47 FAETU Detachment Commander Naval Air Bases Thirteenth
Naval District which moved from NAS Seattle to NASWI in June 1960 and five tenant
activities CNO 1963 NASWI 1963
4.4 Transition at NASWI During the Vietnam Conflict 1964 to 1972
At the beginning of this period NASWI was the home for the Navys long-range carrier-based
nuclear bomber aircraft and the nucleus of the north Pacifics antisubmarine defense However
as U.S involvement in Vietnam begins so too does gradual transition of NASWI and its
aviation squadrons As Master Jet Station NASWI was assigned new high-performance
airframe the A6 Intruder in 1965 Then in 1971 NASWI received another high-performance
GRR00061O15
aircraft the EA6B Prowler and became the home base of tactical electronic warfare squadrons
role that continues to the present day Both A6 and EA6B squadrons operated from Seventh
Fleet carriers in the Western Pacific during the Vietnam Conflict In addition NASWI took on
greater role in supporting Navy Reserve aviation units beginning in 1970
4.4.1 Phase Out of the Patrol Squadrons
In the first years of U.S naval involvement in the Vietnam Conflict operations at NASWI
continued as normal with its patrol and heavy attack squadrons on regular deployments to
Alaska and the Far East In June 1964 the seaplane squadron VP-47 deployed to Cold Bay
Alaska and then after brief return to the Seaplane Base deployed again to the Western Pacific
in August The seaplane tender USS Salisbury Sound AV-13 which was assigned to NASWI in
June 1963 supported the squadrons operations in Alaska and operations of other seaplane
squadrons at two other times in 1964 NASWI 1963 1964 By late 1964 the landplane
squadron VP-17 flew missions during the Gulf of Tonkin incident near the end of its five-month
tour in the Western Pacific NavalAviation News 196426
In 1965 it was announced that NASWI would receive the new A6A Intruder the first all-
weather attack bomber The DoD requested $3.7 million from Congress to prepare NASWI for
basing up to eight A6 squadrons by 1969 transforming NASWI as the sole training and
operations center of all A6 Intruder squadrons operating from Seventh Fleet aircraft carriers in
the Pacific Seattle Times 1966 U.S Navy 2012b Whidbey News-Times 1976 The Neptune
and Marlin squadrons would be phased out at NASWI bringing the Stations role in the ASW
mission to an end at least for now
The transfer or decommissioning of NASWIs patrol squadrons occurred over the next five
years Whidbeys lone seaplane squadron VP-47 was transferred to NAS Moffett Field
California in 1965 and the seaplane tender USS Salisbury Sound left in 1967 Crosswind 1982
U.S Navy 2012b Consequently the seaplane search radar was decommissioned and removed
from Maylor Point at Seaplane Base NASWI 1967 The landplane patrol squadrons were either
deactivated or transferred to other naval installations Patrol operations at NASWI ended on
March 1970 with the transfer of VP-i to NAS Barbers Point Hawaii NASWI 1969 U.S
Navy 2012b In April 1970 FAW-4 was deactivated U.S Navy 2012b
The Air Station continued to support heavy attack squadrons in the late 1960s but few
squadrons were either deactivated or transferred to other naval installations The remaining
squadrons transitioned to the EKA3B modified version of the A3 Skywarrior with dual
electronic countermeasures and aerial refueling capabilities Available sources indicate that
VAH-2 VAH-4 and VAH-8 deployed to Vietnam in the late 1960s and provided electronic
warfare and in-flight refueling support to carrier aviation units of the Seventh Fleet at Yankee
Station in the Gulf of Tonkin NavalAviation News 1968b VAQ-131 2013 VAQ-132 2013
4.4.2 The VA Squadrons
Ceremonies were held marking the arrival of the new A6A Intruder aircraft at NASWI on
August 17 1966 NASWI 1966 The first squadron to receive the A6A was Attack Squadron
VA 196 on November 15 1966 In 1967 three aviation squadrons were transferred from other
GRR00061O16
naval bases to NASWI to transition from the Al Skyraider to the A6 Intruder These included
VA-145 and VA-165 in January and VA-52 in July Seattle Times 1966 U.S Navy 2012b By
July 1970 fifth A6 squadron VA-l 15 was based at NASWI CNO 1970 Additionally an
A6A fleet replacement squadron designated VA-128 was commissioned at NASWI on
September 1967 after splitting from VAH-123 U.S Navy 2012b fleet replacement
squadron is complement of aircraft and instructors used to train pilots newly designated Navy
pilots other pilots returning to flight status after non-flying assignments or pilots transitioning to
new aircraft for fleet squadrons The VA-128 was the first fleet replacement squadron for
Commander Naval Air Force Pacific Fleet U.S Navy 2012b COMFAIR Whidbey assumed
command of all the A6 squadrons which was projected to include total of eight squadrons and
80 aircraft Burner 196711
The A6 Intruder was developed as the first Navy all-weather medium attack aircraft The twin
turbojet-engine attack bomber was equipped with advanced airborne attack radar complex and
accurate electronics equipment and electronic countermeasures Mulquin 19676 The
aircrafts weapons systems included combination of nuclear and conventional weapons

including missiles in which to destroy identified
targets The Navy used the A6 for close-air
support interdiction and deep-strike missions and because of its all-weather capabilities as
pathfinder to lead other attack aircraft to their missions Introduced at the beginning of the
Vietnam Conflict the A6 would serve Navy and Marine Corps aviation for more than 30 years
Louis Berger Group 2009363
The Air Station was selected as the home base because it allowed A6A squadrons to deploy
directly from the West Coast to Pacific Fleet carrier forces in the Pacific Up until mid-1967 all
A6A squadrons serving the Seventh Fleet Pacific Fleet carriers in Vietnam came from Atlantic
Coast bases Burner 196711 However the VA-196 was the first A6A squadron from NASWI
to see combat action in Vietnam The squadron flew more than 1100 combat missions during its
seven-month tour on board the USS Constellation Naval Aviation News 1968a2 In total the
VA squadrons performed numerous strike operations in Vietnam during the late 1960s from
Seventh Fleet carriers Mulquin 19677-8
Effects on NASWI operations with the arrival of the A6A were almost immediate as the VA
squadrons trained for their deployments to Southeast Asia The A6A training program included
celestial and other navigational training radar navigation and bombing special weapons
employment and bombing and day/night carrier qualifications Burner 196711 Air operations
at Ault Field increased 31 percent from 1966 to 1967 and the Boardman Bombing Range was
used for bombing practice by the A6A aircrews Hampton and Burkett 2010 NASWI 1967
Furthermore in 1967 after several years of inactivity the airfield at Coupeville now called an
outlying landing field OLF was reactivated for field carrier landing practice Crosswind 1982
Sources do not indicate how long OLF Coupeville had been inactive but one 1966 newspaper
article states the field had been idle for few years Seattle Times 1966 Consequent to its
reactivation its runway was repaired and improvements made to its power water and lighting
Additionally ground-to-air communications equipment was removed from the radar tower at
GRR00061O17
Seaplane Base Building 27 and installed at OLF Coupeville in August NASWI 1967 OLF
Coupeville officially reopened for use on October 31 1967 NASWI 1967 In 1968 total of
23004 operations occurred at OLF Coupeville approximately 16 percent of all air operations at
NASWI that
year NASWI 1968 year later the number of operations climbed to 39842 to
comprise more than 26 percent of NASWI air operations NASWI 1969 Other facility changes
at the OLF included the demolition of water tower and pumphouse in 1969 NASWI 1969
NASWI expanded its capabilities in weapons handling after the arrival of the A6 In 1968
Commander Naval Air Force U.S Pacific Fleet directed COMFAIR Whidbey to establish air-to-
air guided missile capability at the installation The Weapons Department was charged with
providing this initial capability by July 1969 NASWI 1968 This capability was actually
achieved prior to July 1969 in April 22 1969 when VA-128 aircraft was the first to fire an air-
to-air missile AIM9B Sidewinder NASWI 1969 Additionally NASWI attained aerial mine
training capability in June 1969 NASWI 1969

Nuclear weapons capability was also gained around 1969 at NASWI with Weapons Officer
Lieutenant Commander OBrien attending Nuclear Safety Officers School at the Nuclear
Weapons Training Center Pacific in March 1969 In the fall of that same year nuclear
biological and chemical defense training courses were conducted at NASWI NASWI 1969
new activity was established at the Station to work with the Avionics Division in managing the
requirements of the sophisticated electronics and weapons delivery systems of the A6A The
Calibration Laboratory was established on June 1966 as separate division in NASWIs
Intermediate Maintenance Department The Calibration Laboratory was the calibration and
repair unit for precision test and measuring equipment for all fleet aircraft on the Station and the
Avionics Division performed all intermediate maintenance of avionics equipment NASWI

1964 1966 NASWI PAO ca 199721 For both units to manage the increased workload
efficiently avionics shops in Hangars and were moved into Hangar Building 410 and
consolidated with the Calibration Laboratory NASWI 1966 However the Calibration
Laboratory eventually expanded and moved into its own new building unidentified at NASWI
in
January 1969 NASWI 1969 The Calibration Laboratory became tenant activity of NASWI
when its command was transferred to the control of Naval Air Systems Command
Representative Pacific on July 1970 NASWI 1970 Its area of responsibility subsequently
included naval aviation activities in Washington and Alaska in addition to the stations aircraft
squadrons NASWI PAO ca 19972
Surprisingly few other major new buildings related to A6 squadrons operations were built at
NASWI in the late 1960s In addition to the aircraft electronics maintenance shops added to
Hangar cost was $608723 an Aviators Survival Equipment Shop Building 985 and Air
Systems Training Building Building 976 were built in 1967 NASWI 1967
One other major new facility of note built at Ault Field during this period included the Station
hospital On September 1966 Senator Henry Jackson and Representative Lloyd Meeds
Although ground-to-air communications equipment was removed from Building 27 at this time other radar
equipment remained in place until 2005 NASWI 2013
GRR00061O18
participated in the hospitals ground-breaking ceremony NASWI 1966 The new hospital
consolidated all of NAS WIs medical and dental services in permanent building OH-Atwater
Inc of Seattle started construction of the $1.63 million hospital and dental clinic in April 1968
The reinforced concrete structure was clad on the exterior with precast concrete panels with
exposed aggregate finish Figure 4-7 NASWI 1969 The command Naval Hospital Whidbey
was commissioned on July 1968 and on September 30 1969 the Naval Hospital Building
993 was dedicated NASWI 1968
Figure 4-7 Naval Hospital Building 993 dedication September 30 1969 NASWI 1969
Although the number of officers and enlisted personnel on board NASWI actually decreased
after the transition of aviation squadrons from 1037 in 1961 to 745 in 1968 the Station still did
not have sufficient housing for unaccompanied and married personnel new 150-person
bachelor officers quarters with mess unidentified was dedicated on June 12 1965 NASWI
1965 and two new bachelor enlisted quarters BEQs one for 504 men Building 380 and the
other for 302 men Building 381 were opened at Ault Field in 1966 and 1969 respectively
NASWI 1966 1969 Construction of new housing at Seaplane Base for married officers and
enlisted men and their families began in July 1968 NASWI 1968 Senator Henry Jackson
dedicated the 248 new housing units on June 1969 Called Saratoga Heights the $4.5 million
housing area located adjacent to the WWII-era Victory Homes consisted of 64 separate
buildings of nine different types including single-family detached units duplexes four-plexes
and six-plexes Designed by Robert Durham of the Seattle firm Durham Anderson and Freed
Architects the housing featured grooved cedar siding and brick exteriors concrete patios and
GRR00061O19
outdoor storage areas NASWI 1969 Houser 2009 The first group of units opened on the
occasion of the dedication ceremony with additional ones opened throughout that summer
Saratoga Heights exemplified the development of military family housing in the Cold War era
subsequent to the Capehart-Wherry housing program post-1962 which was financed
exclusively with Congressional appropriations Baldwin 1996 The Navy under the auspices of
the Bureau of Yards and Docks until mid-1966 and then NAVFAC thereafter contracted private
firms to design and build family housing when shortages or critical needs were apparent
NAVFAC oversaw planning and construction Additionally NAVFAC ensured the contracted
firms adhered to Navy design standards which were routinely updated with current design trends
NAVFAC 1974741-742 Thus military family housing was typically designed by local private
architecture firms using repetitive buildings plans and constructed by local builders using local
materials and methods Wilson 1969354 355 The designs however reflected regional
variations of period architectural design such as the ranch- and contemporary-style house
Family housing consisted of multifamily dwellings to economize construction costs while still
providing higher quality home with more amenities NAVFAC 1974743-744
Driven by the phase out of the patrol squadrons more support services and facilities for military
personnel and families were established or relocated to Seaplane Base during this period
However no other new construction occurred at Seaplane Base as its existing facilities were
adapted for personnel support functions For example an office and warehouse Building 21
was renovated for the new Navy Exchange NEX in 1966 and $650000 renovation to an
existing warehouse Building 22 to provide significantly larger commissary was completed in
early 1969 NASWI 1966 1969 On March 31 1969 the City of Oak Harbor annexed the
approximately 2673-acre Seaplane Base which increased the citys population by 3610
NASWI 1969
Naval Communications Station Puget Sound
major activity that was not directly related to the operations of the carrier-based aviation units
at NASWI was added in the early part

of this period however it was short-lived On July
1966 the U.S Naval Communications Station NAVCOIVIIMSTA Puget Sound was established
at NASWI as the major military communications facility in the Pacific Northwest NASWI
1966 It was established two years after Joint Army/Navy communications team inspected
NASWI and other communications facilities in the northwest and reviewed planned
communications capabilities to recommend more effective communications facility network in
the region for the Defense Communications Agency NASWI 1964 Up to this time the Naval
Security Group Activity Marietta Washington had been the landline communications tributary
of NAS WIs Communications Department remotely controlling two power transmitters and two
special antennas that had been installed at the Rocky Point transmitter facility between 1963 and
1965 NASWI 1963 to 1965 NAVCOIVIIIVISTAs provided essential communications services
including relay functions radio transmitting and receiving and fleet support activities for
specific geographic area Naval Security Groups were tasked with special communications
functions Best et at 199723 NAVCOMMSTA Puget Sound comprised personnel from
NASWIs Communications Department and Rocky Point transmitter facility as well as
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transmitter station at Bainbridge Island Washington and message center at NAS Seattle The
headquarters of the command were located in the Administration Building Simard Hall
Building 12 at Seaplane Base NASWI 1966

On June 30 1970 NAVCOIVIIIVISTA Puget Sound was disestablished after only four years in
operation at NASWI The reason for its disestablishment is not provided in available sources
The Communications Department of NASWI was reestablished at that time and resumed
operational control of the Rocky Point transmitter facility as well as receiving facility at
Polnell Point east of the Seaplane Base and the COMFAIR Whidbey ASW/Operational
Control Center at Ault Field located in the Operations Building Building 385 NASWI 1970
detachment of NAVCOMMSTA Puget Sound would be reestablished at NASWI in 1984
refer to Section 4.5
4.4.3 The VAQ Squadrons and Establishment of NAS WI as Reserve Training Center
The Navy began to phase out the A3 Skywarrior from air operations at NASWI after 1967 and
replaced it with the newest carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft the EA6B Prowler in the
early 1970s The EA6B is long-range twin-engine all-weather aircraft with fully integrated
electronics systems
and advanced electronic countermeasures capabilities The aircraft is
equipped with avionics systems for jamming communications and evaluating and jamming threat
radar Designed for carrier and forward base operations the mission of the EA6B Prowler is to
support and protect strike aircraft ships and ground forces by jamming enemy electronic
weapons systems interrupting enemy electronic communications and obtaining tactical
electronic intelligence in the combat area McDonell 197115 U.S Navy 2009
In 1971 NASWI was officially established as the home base of tactical electronic warfare
squadrons VAQs for naval aviation forces of the U.S Naval Fleet The Navy projected basing
total of nine VAQ squadrons at NASWI which would be the only shore installation to support
EA6B training and operations Thus NASWIs VAQ squadrons would support both the Pacific
and Atlantic Fleets McDonell 197115 NavalAviation News 19714
In January 1971 the first EA6B was delivered to NASWI while the last A3 Skywarrior was
retired The last A3 squadron at NASWI VAH-10 had been redesignated VAQ-129 in
September 1970 becoming the Navys first EA6B squadron and serving as the replacement
training squadron for all Navy EA6B flight crews and maintenance personnel Naval Aviation
News 19714 Four more squadrons VAQ-131 132 133 and 134 were established at the
installation by 1972 VAQ-132 was the first squadron to fly the EA6B in Vietnam VAQ-132
2013 Thus by the time naval aviation operations in Vietnam ended in 1972 NASWI was home
to five electronic warfare squadrons and with the activation of VA-95 in March 1972 NASWI
1972 seven medium attack squadrons VA-52 95 115 128 145 165 and 196
Beginning in 1970 NASWI took on the additional role as the center for Navy and Marine Air
Reserve training in the Pacific Northwest as reserve aviation activities at NAS Seattle were
ending Previously NASWI had hosted reserve units during active-duty training periods but this
marked the first time that the Station would serve as the permanent full-time home of reserve
units The Naval Air Reserve Force was restructured in 1970 The restructuring resulted in
GRR00061 021
establishing Naval Air Reserve Training Units NARTU5 at selected naval air stations of the
Atlantic and Pacific Fleets The NARTUs were responsible for conducting readiness training of
Navy and Marine Air Reserve squadrons and associated support units
The NARTU from NAS Seattle was transferred to NASWI in 1970 and physically moved there
between April and July of that same year NASWI 1970 NARTU Whidbey Island was
subsequently commissioned on June 27 1970 Crosswind 1972 NARTUs at three other naval
air stations on the West Coast were also established at Alameda North Island and Point Magu
California CNO 1972 With NARTU Whidbey Island on board three naval reserve squadrons
were subsequently commissioned and based at NASWI Air Antisubmarine Squadron 83 VS

83 commissioned in August Patrol Squadron 69 VP-69 November and Fleet Logistics
Support Squadron 51 VR-51 Unit November Crosswind 1972 NASWI 1970 VP-69
comprised the smaller naval air reserve units that had been based at NAS Seattle Crosswind
1972 With the establishment of VP-69 ASW operations returned to NASWI At the time
VP-69 was one of four naval reserve patrol squadrons for the Pacific Fleet and one out of 12
total in the Naval Air Reserve CNO 1972 Crosswind 1972 The squadron flew the SP2H
Neptune ASW patrol aircraft before it was replaced by the P3 Orion CNO 1972 1977 The
VR-5 squadron had an air transportation mission conveying personnel and cargo and flew the
Cl 18 transport aircraft CNO 1972
Along with the NARTU the Marine Air Reserve Training Detachment MARTD was also
transferred from NAS Seattle to NASWI in spring 1970 The MARTD had been activated at the
naval air reserve base in Seattle in 1939 to administer the training and coordinate the
mobilization planning of the Marine air reserve units stationed there It retained this mission
when the detachment moved to NASWI NASWI PAO ca 199718
Despite the large number of aviation squadrons now based at NASWI maj or facility additions or
changes were few Only one new hangar was constructed to house the naval reserve aircraft In
January 1972 the DoD allocated just over $3 million to NARTU Whidbey Island for
construction of new maintenance hangar at Ault Field and an additional $111000 to renovate
an existing building unidentified for the commands administrative headquarters The
Hedreen Company of Seattle began construction of the modular external steel truss hangar in
March 1972 Figure 4-8 Crosswind 1972 This type of hangar represented standard design
that was adopted by the Navy and Marine Corps beginning in the mid-1960s and was used
throughout the Cold War Pedrotty et at 20016-16 Hangar Building 2544 was completed
the following year with dedication ceremony held on July 14 1973 The hangar was the home
of VP-69 and provided all of the reservists stationed at NASWI with an up-to-date facility to
better prepare if called to active duty NASWI 1973
GRR00061 022
Figure 4-8 Schematic design drawing of Hangar Building 2544 Crosswind 1972
Only couple of other facilities integral to flight operations at Ault Field were added to the flight
line including new aircraft fire and crash station demolished in 1971 and an RATCC
addition at the Operations Building Building 385 in 1972 NASWI 1972 iNFADS
Additionally an existing parking apron was repaired
and new aircraft parking apron
built in
1970 for cost of $2.2 million NASWI 1970 Other facilities associated with aircraft
operations included several ground support equipment facilities Buildings 995 and 995A995C
built in 1969 and fixed type turbo fan jet test cell Building 2525 which was constructed
between March 1970 and October 1971 and cost just under $620000 NASWI 1970 1971
iNFADS Only one training facility an aircraft systems training building unidentified was
built in the early 1970s it was completed in 1971 for $797000 NASWI 1970 1971
Only couple of recreational facilities were constructed during this period The Can-Do Inn was
expanded and new playground equipment was installed at the Rocky Point picnic area in 1972
These projects were completed by CBU-417 Navy Construction Battalion or Seabee which
was established at NASWI on August 15 1971 and is presently still based at NASWI CBU-417
provides construction services for the station and tenant commands conducts disaster
recovery
and contingency operations and is prepared for rapid mobilization and deployment NASWI
1971 NASWI PAO ca 199721 CBU-417 also built the stations new rifle and pistol range in
1974 NASWI 1974

The only new construction at Seaplane Base comprised additional housing total of 100 family
housing units were completed in 1970 for cost of $1.39 million NASWI 1971 The housing
was built as infill in the Capehart housing at Maylor Point and in the housing at Saratoga Heights
which was opened just the previous year The only housing built at Ault Field during this time
was for unaccompanied personnel as new $1.6 million bachelor officers quarters
unidentified with mess for 22 senior officers and 50 junior officers and opened in March 1972
NASWI 1971 1972
GRR00061 023
4.5 NASWI During Détente 1973 to 1980
During the period of Détente when geo-political tensions between the U.S and U.S.S.R eased
training and operations at NASWI continued largely as they had at the end of the previous
period Nonetheless the Stations position as key base for Pacific Fleet carrier aviation forces
was solidified during this period With the activation of new command over the VA and VAQ
squadrons in 1973 NASWI was formally established as Functional Specialty Center
responsible for the training and operations of all medium attack squadrons of the Pacific Fleet
and all the Navys tactical electronic squadrons This led to couple of major changes in Fleet
aviation squadrons and aircraft based at NASWI the VA squadrons transitioned to newer
version of the Intruder the A6E which had upgraded avionics and attack systems and four
additional VAQ squadrons were established at the station
4..5J Specialization of the NAS WI Cold War Mission
In 1973 COMFAIR Whidbey was deactivated and new command Commander Medium
Attack Tactical Electronic Warfare Wing U.S Pacific Fleet COMMATVAQWINGPAC
assumed the administrative and operational control of the carrier medium attack and tactical
electronic warfare squadrons COIVIIIVIATVAQWINGPAC was one of five functional specialty
naval aviation centers of the Pacific Fleet Consequently NASWI became the functional
specialty center of medium attack for the Pacific Fleet and for all tactical electronic warfare
squadrons COMMATVAQWTh1GPAC reported to Commander Naval Air Force U.S Pacific
Fleet CNO 1973
One A6 squadron VP-115 was transferred to Yokosuka Japan in July 1973 NASWI 1973
otherwise NASWIs complement of medium attack squadrons stood at six during this period
VA-52 95 128 145 165 and 196 Between 1972 and 1977 the VP squadrons transitioned
from the A6A to A6E NASWI 1973 1977 This variant of the Intruder had improved avionics
and weapons release systems and navigation radar that increased the bombing accuracy and
overall reliability of the aircraft Bearden 197712 NavalAviation News 19703 The A6E was
also equipped to carry high-speed anti-radiation missiles HARIVI and Harpoon air-to-surface
missiles Louis Berger Group 2009363 Both missiles use active radar homing HARMs detect
attack and destroy radar antenna and equipment associated with enemy surface-to-air missile
radar systems Louis Berger Group 20094 13

While the number of A6E squadrons held steady during this period the number of VAQ
squadrons doubled from five VAQ-129 131 132 133 and 134 to 10 The five additional
EA6B squadrons commissioned between 1973 and 1976 were VAQ-136 April 1973 VAQ
137 December 14 1973 VAQ-135 July 19 1974 VAQ-130 March 1975 and VAQ-138
February 27 1976 NASWI 19731976 However in 1978 VAQ-136 was transferred to
Yokosuka Japan and assigned directly to the USS Midway and Carrier Air Wing CVW
VAQ-136 2013
Deployments of the VAQ squadrons during this period were with several different Carrier Air
Wings on board aircraft carriers operating in the Mediterranean Sea the Indian Ocean and the
Western Pacific For example VAQ-131 deployed with CVW-3 to the Mediterranean in 1976
GRR00061 024
and CVW-6 to the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean in 1980 VAQ-131 2013 The earliest
deployments of VAQ-138 were to the Mediterranean Sea in the late 1970s VAQ-138 2013
VAQ-135 had deployments to all three operating areas in the late 1970s as the squadron had an
eight-month tour to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean with CVW-2 on board the USS
Ranger in 1976 an eight-month tour with CVW-8 on board the USS Nimitz in the Mediterranean
in late 1977 to mid-1978 and deployment in mid-1979 to the Western Pacific VAQ-135
2013 Available sources do not provide information on the deployments of Whidbey Islands
A6E squadrons during this period
Between deployments operations of the Intruder and Prowler squadrons consisted of readiness
training of both classroom instruction and flight operations Instructional training was provided
through variety of methods including flight simulations weapons systems and flight trainers
and visual aids such as films and videos The instructional training was administered by
detachment of Fleet Aviation Specialized Operations Training Group Pacific which was
established atNASWI in 1972 to conduct readiness training of Pacific Fleet aviation personnel in
specialized aviation operational systems and equipment CNO 1972 Still an activity of NASWI
today Fleet Aviation Specialized Operations Training Group Pacific also provides Survival
Evasion Resistance and Escape training to designated personnel CNO 1972 NASWI PAO ca
1997
Aircrews performed flight exercises at Ault Field OLF Coupeville Boardman Bombing Range
bombing practice by A6 crews and beginning in 1972 Admiralty Bay Mining Range In July
1972 the stations Weapons Division was tasked with manning and operating the Admiralty Bay
Mining Range located off the southwest coast of Whidbey Island NASWI 1972 The Weapons
Division provided one safety observer and two range spotters to spot and score aircraft runs on
target on the days the range was used Station personnel were no longer required for these tasks
when an instrumented scoring system was installed at the range in April 1981 NASWI 1981
Carrier landing practice for NAS WIs aviation squadrons was enhanced when the first remotely
operated automatic carrier landing system

in the Navy inventory was installed at NASWI and
commissioned for use on April 1975 The system includes antennas and various electronics
equipment to control aircraft carrier landings in

poor weather conditions NASWI 1975 1977
OLF Coupeville continued to support field carrier landing practice including arrested landings
An annual average of 19018 operations were conducted at OLF Coupeville between 1973 and
1977 figures were not available for 1978 and 1979 NASWI 1973 to 1977 Arrested landings
were also practiced at Ault Field In fall 1979 the existing arresting gear units on Runway 6/24
were overhauled and two new arresting gear units were installed on Runway 13/31 NASWI
979a
There were no changes to the naval reserve units based at NASWI during this period until Air
Antisubmarine Squadron 83 VS-83 was disestablished in the mid-1970s with the removal of
this squadron type from the Naval Air Reserve Force CNO 1977 However another reserve
aviation unit later joined the existing reserve squadrons of VP-69 and VR-51 that had been
operating from Ault Field since 1970 VAQ-309 was commissioned on December 1979
becoming the Navys first Tactical Electronic Warfare Reserve Squadron on the West Coast
GRR00061 025
NASWI PAO Ca 1997 18 With the addition of this unit aviation units based at NASWI in
1980 included six VA squadrons nine VAQ squadrons and three naval air reserve squadrons
NASWI also supported Navy and Marine Corps reserve training units numerous naval and non-
naval units and tenant activities CNO 1980 All told the installation employed 1783 military
and civilian personnel NASWI 1980

With the large number of aviation squadrons based at NASWI several repairs and improvements
to the flight line at Ault Field were undertaken in the 1970s These included three separate repair
projects of existing parking aprons and taxiways in 1973 1977 and 1979 and construction of
new aircraft parking apron cost

of $2.5 million in 1973 and 1974 NASWI 1973 1974 1977
1979a In 1976 tactical air navigation building Building 2596 was constructed northwest of
where Ault Fields runways intersect iNFADS

There was moderate buildup of facilities for supporting the operations and training of the A6E
and EA6B squadrons at Ault Field during this period The existing hangars adequately
accommodated the Prowlers until the late 1970s when funding for new $8 million EA6B
maintenance hangar at Ault Field was secured Construction of Hangar Building 2642 was
completed between March 1979 and November 1980 NASWI 1979a 1980 couple of
training facilities were built including building for an ejection seat trainer unidentified
completed in 1974 for $55000 and Medium Attack Trainer Building Building 2593
completed in 1976 at cost of $1.38 million NASWI 1974 1976 Other aircraft operations
facilities consisted of chaff build-up facility Building 2561 completed in 1973 iNFADS and
an Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department Avionics facility Building 2547 which
opened in February 1974 and cost $2.7 million to build NASWI 1974
Additionally number of aircraft and squadron support facilities were constructed such as
several ground support equipment facilities Buildings 995 and 995A995C two wash rack
control buildings Buildings 2557 and 2558 an air start compressor building Building 2581
pump house as the aircraft rinse facility Building 2635 and small arms range training facilities
Buildings 2580 2933 and 2934 iNFADS

couple of construction and renovation proj ects were undertaken to provide needed facilities for
the reserve units at NASWI They included an approximately two-year remodeling of BEQ
Building 379 which was completed in May 1976 for use by the naval reserve and the
construction of training building Building 2631 for VP-69 in 1978 NASWI 1976 iNFADS
Provision of suitable housing recreational and bachelor and family support facilities gained
greater importance
after 1973 when the Nixon administration ended conscription Thereafter
proportionate amount of military construction at DoD installations was earmarked to housing and
morale welfare and recreation MWR facilities to positively influence morale and reenlistment
of an all-volunteer force This was also the case at NASWI as evidenced by the significant
amount of construction and renovation projects completed at NASWI during this period for
bachelor and family housing and personnel support facilities For instance existing
unaccompanied personnel housing were enlarged or modernized including $4.36 million
modernization of six mid-1950s BEQs Barracks through which was completed in June
1975 NASWI 1973 1975
GRR00061 026
Numerous MWR and personnel support facilities were developed during this period Ault Field
added two automotive hobby shops Buildings 2548 and 2549 in 1974 fleet and family
information center Building 2556 in 1975 and fast food eatery opened in Admiral Nimitz
Hall Building 382 in April 1978 NASWI 1978 The grand opening for the new enlisted mens
club Building 2556 called Norwester Club was held on April 14 1975 at cost of $1.1
million to build NASWI 1974 1975 Additional recreational facilities were built or existing
ones improved Two new softball fields were built in 1975 and new football field in 1978
NASWI 1975 1978 and restroom facilities were built at Cliffside Park Building 2560 the
softball fields Building 2583 and the Gallery Golf Course Buildings 2578 and 2579 at Rocky
Point between 1973 and 1975 iNFADS Additionally an expansion of the Whidbey Lanes
bowling alley Building 2510 which had been built in 1969 from 16 to 24 lanes was completed
in
January 1976 and alterations repairs and improvements to the lanes and equipment was
undertaken in 1976 NASWI 1976

One of the more prominent MWR facilities the NEX was located on Seaplane Base In March
1977 the retail store opened in the former seaplane hangar Building 17 Crosswind 1982 An
associated garden shop Building 17A and storage facility Building 2630 were constructed in
1977 and 1978 respectively in support of the NEX An auxiliary NEX store in Building 100 at
Ault Field was renovated in 1979 NASWI 1979a The only other major construction that
occurred at Seaplane Base during this period was sewage treatment plant Building 2615
which opened in 1977 as part of $1.3 million improvement project of the sewage treatment
system NASWI 1977

Little new construction was planned at Seaplane Base as future facility development there would
be restricted largely to maintaining or improving existing buildings and structures In fact the
Navy disposed of excess land and associated facilities at Seaplane Base during this period to
reduce its maintenance and operations costs In 1973 the Navy conveyed 8.62 acres along Oak
Harbor on the west side of Seaplane Base that included former seaplane ramp and the parking
apron to the City of Oak Harbor This area was later developed into the city marina The Navy
also deeded Building 11 the former Seaplane Base dispensary and 2.5 acres of land to the State
of Washington for use as the Whidbey branch of the Skagit Valley College NASWI 1973 The
Navy also disposed of excess land at Ault Field In 1974 the Navy conveyed 112 acres of land at
the far southwestern corner of Ault Field to the Washington State Park and Recreation
Commission NASWI 1974 The land which today forms Joseph Whidbey State Park is
southwest of NAS WIs Gallery Golf Course and radio transmitter facility at Rocky Point
4.6 Cold War Renewed and Subsequent Soviet Collapse Late Cold War Operations at
NASWI 1981 to 1989
NASWI remained the home base and center of operations and training for Pacific Fleet medium
attack and electronic warfare squadrons during this period As result of the military buildup
during Reagans first term the number of medium attack and electronic warfare squadrons at
NASWI each increased in the 1980s Other activities and units at the Station remained largely
unchanged from the previous period However three major naval tenant activities were
commissioned during this late period of the Cold War
GRR00061 027
4.61 Continuation of the NAS WI Cold War Mission 1981 to 1989
In 1981 NASWI included five A6E squadrons VA-52 95 145 165 and 196 and one training
squadron VA-128 One new medium attack squadron VA-155 was stood up at NASWI in
1987 NASWI 1987 Another A6E squadron VA-185 was established at NASWI in 1986 but
was reassigned to Yokosuka Japan the following in order to be permanently deployed on

year
the aircraft carrier USS Midway NASWI 1987 No information was found on the deployments
of the stations VA squadrons in the 1980s
The number of EA6B squadrons at NASWI in 1981 stood at nine eight deployable units VAQ
130 131 132 133 134 135 137 and 138 and one training squadron VAQ-129 The Navy
planned to home base 14 EA6B squadrons at NASWI Whidbey News-Times 1985 By 1987
three more EA6B squadrons were established VAQ-139 in 1983 VAQ-140 in 1985 and VAQ
141 in 1987 NASWI 1983 1985 1987 The Navys thirteenth EA6B squadron VAQ-142 was
activated at NASWI on June 1988 By the late 1980s the VAQ squadrons were equipped with
the EA6B ICAP II version of the Prowler which was equipped to carry HARIVI missiles VAQ
129 2013
Operations of U.S naval forces increased under the Reagan Administration which sought to
strengthen the U.S military During the 1980s NASWI squadrons completed regular
deployments with Carrier Air Wings to provide electronic warfare support to U.S naval forces
operating around the world Besides the Western Pacific the majority of the deployments were
to the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea The carrier force provided rapid intervention at
times of crisis within region For example VAQ-13 completed four deployments to the
Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean with CVW-6 supporting operations for the American
hostage crisis in Iran in 1981 multinational peacekeeping forces in Lebanon in 1982 and in
1983 an operation in Grenada and strikes against Syrian positions in Lebanon VAQ-131 2013
During deployment in the spring of 1986 VAQ-135 provided close air support tactical
jamming during strikes on the Benina/Benghazi airfield in Libya and in 1988 the squadron
participated in operations against Iranian naval surface fleets VAQ-135 2013 VAQ-138
participated in operations in Central America in 1985 and in Libya in 1986 while deployed with
carrier air wings VAQ-138 2013
When not deployed NASWIs fleet carrier squadrons were intensively training with live and
inert munitions at designated training fields and ranges The squadrons primarily used high
explosive and inert MK8O series bombs However laser guided bombs LGBs were added to the
training arsenal of the A6 squadrons in 1980 and LGBs were part

of the Prowlers weapons
systems The VA-uS and VA-128 squadrons were the first of NASWIs A6E squadrons to use
LGBs NASWI 1980 The Sidewinder air-to-air missile and few air-to-ground missiles such
as the Shrike and Skipper were also used by the squadrons NASWI 19801989 Both the A6E
and EA6B squadrons used the Naval Weapons Systems Testing Facility Boardman formerly
Boardman Bombing Range for air-to-ground bombing training laser target was added to the
range in 1985 for Prowler aircrews to practice accuracy in firing lasers Hampton and Burkett
2010 Fleet squadrons also conducted target practice at Admiralty Bay Mining Range NASWI
1981
GRR00061 028
OLF Coupeville continued to be the site for field carrier landing practice Carrier approaches and
touch and goes were practiced at the OLF Additionally the runway included catapults to train
pilots for carrier launches NASWI 2012 Between 1980 and 1989 annual air operations at OLF
Coupeville ranged between 6200 and 12100 NASWI 1980 to 1989
Two major fleet training activities for A6E and EA6B personnel were established at NASWI in
the 1980s affirming the installations role as the functional specialty center of both types of
squadrons The first of these activities was field unit of the Naval Training Systems Center
The unit which was established at NASWI by late 1983 provided engineering and technical
support for improving modifying or replacing existing trainers with flight and weapons systems
simulations that emulated those of existing A6E and EA6B systems CNO 1983 NASWI PAO
ca 199722 Within few years after the establishment of the training center activity at NASWI
building to house new flight simulator Building 2738 was under construction and completed
in 1989 for cost of $4.3 million NASWI 1989 Whidbey News-Times and Crosswind 1989
On June 1986 the Medium Attack Weapons School Pacific MAWSPAC was commissioned
at NASWI as separate shore command Grossnick 1997 The Navy established MAWSPAC to
provide the training of Navy and Marine Corps A6E and EA6B personnel in medium attack
warfare tactics and weapons systems from single location The MAWSPAC training programs
consisted of both seminar courses and flight exercises As combat readiness training school
A6E and EA6B squadrons conducted training at MAWSPAC during their work-up cycle prior to
deployment MAW SPAC officer and enlisted personnel operated out of Hangar NASWI PAO
ca 199719 An aircrew academic training Building 2740 for MAWSPAC was constructed at
Ault Field in 1988
Navy and Marine Corps Reserve forces continued to be an important component of NASWI
operations and activities in the latter stage of the Cold War There was continued integration of
the reserve into the Total Force structure as new and existing air reserve squadrons received the
same airframes as the regular Navy and Marine aviation forces Supervising and coordinating the
readiness training and mobilization of reservists was still the responsibility of NARTU Whidbey
Island which like the other six NARTUs in the Navy was redesignated Naval Air Reserve
NAVAIRRES on April 1983 Grossnick 1997 NAVAIRRES Whidbey Island oversaw
Navy and Marine Corps reservists assigned to or reporting for duty at NASWI Naval air reserve
squadrons included VP-69 which continued its ASW mission flying the P3 Orion Whidbey
News-Times 1987 On October 22 1982 the reserve Fleet Tactical Support Squadron 61
VR-61 was activated NASWI 1982 available sources do not indicate whether VR-5 which
had been commissioned at NASWI in 1970 was decommissioned or transferred to another
installation Equipped with the C9B Skytrain II to carry out its air transport mission VR-61 was
responsible for transporting passengers and cargo for regular and reserve forces worldwide at
any time U.S Navy 2012a VAQ-309 originally assigned the EA6A Prowler when it was stood
up at NASWI in December 1979 was equipped with the EA6B Prowler in December 1989
VAQ-309 was the first reserve squadron to operate the same version of the electronic warfare
aircraft that was being flown by regular naval aviation squadrons Grossnick 1997
GRR00061 029
NAVAIRRES Whidbey Island also supervised MAG-42 Detachment formerly MARTD and
its subordinate units NASWI PAO ca 199720 The Marine Corps Reserve units included one
flying squadron Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron VIVIAQ-4 which was activated
at NASWI on November 1981 NASWI 1981 The VIVIAQ-4 was assigned the EA6A
Intruder the first Marine Corps Reserve squadron to fly this aircraft Grossnick 1997 Another
Marine Reserve unit the Marine Aviation Training Support Group Whidbey Island was
established at NASWI on September 1986 NASWI 1986 This unit provided administrative
and limited logistical support to Marines reporting for duty and training with the A6 and EA6B
fleet replacement squadrons VA-128 and VAQ-129 and Naval Air Maintenance Training
Group Detachment Whidbey Island NASWI PAO ca 199717
Four new hangars the most since NAS WIs development during WWII were built at Ault Field
to accommodate the reserve squadrons and additional EA6B squadrons and their aircraft Hangar
Building 2681 was completed in 1984 as reserve hangar It cost $6.3 million to construct
NASWI 1984 One month later construction of Hangar 10 began NASWI 1985 Hangar 10
Building 2699 became the home of two squadrons when it was completed in July 1986
NASWI 1986 Hangar 11 Building 2733 opened in 1988 at cost of $5.2 million to build
NASWI 1988 Construction of the fourth hangar in five years at Ault Field Hangar 12
Building 2737 was completed in late August 1989 This hangar home for EA6B squadrons
cost $6 million to construct NASWI 1989 Whidbey News-Times and Crosswind 1989
With the addition of four more hangars three of WWII-era hangars at Ault Field were
demolished They included Hangar Building 141 demolished in 1980 Hangar Building
140 in January 1985 and Hangar Building 139 in early 1989 NASWI 1980 1985 1989
However two of the 1950s hangars Hangars and were renovated to suit the contemporary
needs of the aviation squadrons The 1957 Hangar Building 410 was made ready
presumably retrofitted to accommodate second squadron in October 1985 NASWI 1985

Two years later $2.4 million rehabilitation of both Hangars and was completed NASWI
1987 The rehabilitation of Hangar likely included renovations to accommodate facilities for
the MAWSPAC as the formal dedication of the schools facility in

Hangar occurred on
January 1988 NASWI 1988

Other new facilities that directly supported the training and operations of the A6E EA6B and
reserve squadrons were built during this period at Ault Field new EA6A support facility
unidentified opened in 1980 and an Aircraft Systems Training Building Building 976 was
completed in 1981 NASWI 1980 1981 Construction of new aviation academic training
building Building 2740 for the A6 squadrons was completed in December 1988 NASWI
1989 Construction of Naval Reserve administration and training building Building 2739
was in progress in the summer of 1989 the building was completed in 1990 Whidbey News-
Times and Crosswind 1989 iNFADS Additionally two existing buildings were modified the
Calibration Laboratory unidentified received an addition as well as alterations in 1980 and
Avionics Building 2547 was modified in 1981 NASWI 1980 1981
Changes to the Ault Field airfield were varied The existing ASR-5 search radar at Racon Hill
was replaced with new search radar the ASR-8 Installation of ASR-8 radar tower Building
GRR00061 030
2664 and associated prefabricated operations building Building 2665 was completed in 1979
NASWI 1980 Figure 4-9 the radar was commissioned for use on September 1982
NASWI 1982 2012 In 1985 12 new ammunition storage magazines unidentified were added
near the flight line In 1985 and 1986 major three-phase project was undertaken on the aircraft
parking apron to
install new electrical
system and make necessary pavement repairs so it could
serve both A6E and P3 Orion flown by reserve squadron VP-69 aircraft NASWI 1985
Additional construction work on the aircraft parking apron occurred in 1987 1988 and 1989 for
total cost of $9 million NASWI 1987 to 1989 Air traffic control service at Ault Field was
also improved with major equipment upgrade in the Air Traffic Control Tower executed in
1986 One other change occurred at Ault Field during this period but it did not involve any
construction Runways 6/24 were redesignated Runways 7/25 due to magnetic variation change
NASWI 1982
22 225
250
275
275
FA
Figure 4-9 Site Plan of Racon Hill 1979 NASWI 1979b
At OLF Coupeville the overruns of Runway 14/32 were expanded in 1983 with the clear cutting
and grading of leased land at the ends of the runway NASWI 1983 There were runway repairs
in 1985 and 1986 and several improvements to the landing fields facilities including installing
new roof and painting storage building Building installing new roof on the landing
signal offices presumed to be the Aircraft Operations Tower erecting new crash
GRR00061 031
barn Building 2709 with construction completed in 1986 and moving the caretakers house
unidentified NASWI 1985

The influx of personnel associated with the additional A6E squadron and four EA6B squadrons
led to the construction of another barracks and improvements to Capehart and Wherry family
housing neighborhoods new 600-bed BEQ Building 2701 opened in August 1988 for female
personnel who had been residing in Barracks Building 378 The BEQ cost $12 million to
construct NASWI 1988 In 1981 the Seattle architectural firm Mann Millegan Morse and
Ramsey began the design for major whole house repair project of 160 officer Capehart
housing units at Seaplane Base and 71 other public quarters NASWI 1981 Construction
work on the $4.2 million rehabilitation project began in late April 1982 and was completed in
March 1983 NASWI 1982 1983 Repairs to the Wherry housing units at Ault Field were
completed in 1983 and carports built in 1987 NASWI 1983 iNFADS Additionally the
WWII-era Quarters Building 3295 at Ault Field was remodeled in 1985 to provide new
Executive Officers quarters NASWI 1985
Only two personnel support facilities of note were added to Ault Field in this decade They
included an Arts and Crafts Center Building 2641 which opened in July 1980 and
McDonalds restaurant Building 2848 which opened on September 25 1985 after four months
of construction NASWI 1980 1985 Otherwise several existing personnel support facilities
were renovated or expanded during this period For instance renovations to the Station theater
Building 118 and Commissioned Officers Mess Building 962 were completed in 1980 and
1984 respectively Whidbey Lanes Building 2510 was expanded for second time with
another eight lanes and the now 32-lane bowling alley reopened on February 13 1981 NASWI
1980 1981 1984 CBU-417 constructed new entrance enclosure to Admiral Nimitz Hall
Building 382 in 1980 and replaced the roof and installed picnic shelter Building 2747 at the
Can-Do Inn Building 873 at Rocky Point in 1989 NASWI 1980 1989 Finally construction
of $13.5 million addition to the Naval in May 1988 and was in

began progress in
still
Hospital
the summer of 1989 NASWI 1988 Whidbey News-Times and Crosswind 1989
Little new construction occurred at the Seaplane Base The only major new facility was Child
Care Center Building 2679 located at the edge of the Saratoga Heights neighborhood The
center was dedicated on January 1984 NASWI 1984 Construction of new commissary
store Building 2742 was in
progress in the summer of 1989 the building was completed in
1990 Whidbey News-Times and Crosswind 1989 iNFADS In October 1987 CBU-417 began
building permanent guard shacks unidentified at Seaplane Base which had just established
manned gates at West Pioneer Way and Torpedo Road less than two months earlier NASWI
1987 Other new construction at the Seaplane Base included an explosives storage locker
Building 2663 built in 1981 an oil spill boom storage building Building 2706 erected in
1984 an office for Crescent Harbor Adventures Building 2735 and finished in 1987 and
fuel pier sentry house Building 2741 built in 1988 iNFADS In May 1980 the Navy leased
an unspecified area of land at the Seaplane Base to the City of Oak Harbor for additional marina
parking and removal of nearby dangerous traffic intersection NASWI 1980 The Navy had
conveyed the land for the marina to the City in 1973 In 1989 the Navy disposed of excess land
GRR00061 032
and facilities at Seaplane Base by transferring another 7.47 acres and two buildings 10 and
2628 to Skagit Valley College NASWI 1989
Separate Naval Commands at NASWI
Three detachments of other naval commands of West Coast shore activities were established at
NASWI during the 1980s On January 20 1984 the NASWI Communications Department was
reestablished as tenant activity and designated Naval Communications Station Puget Sound
Detachment Whidbey Island under the command of NAVCOIVIIIVISTA Puget Sound located at
Bangor Washington NASWI 1984 NASWI PAO ca 199719 NAVCOMIMSTA Puget Sound
had been tenant activity at NASWI from 1966 to 1970 Naval Communications Station Puget
Sound Detachment Whidbey provided communications services and operational and technical
maintenance on assigned communications equipment for COMIMATVAQWINGPAC NASWI

tenant activities and other assigned units This unit also operated message center in the
Operations Building Building 385 and operated and maintained the Rocky Point transmitter
facility and receiver site at Polnell Point NASWI PAO ca 199719
IIJSS was added to NASWI in 1987 Naval Facility Whidbey Island was commissioned in July
1987 as part
of the IIJSS which is composed of SOSUS and SURTASS NASWI 1987
NASWI PAO ca 199722 The primary mission of the activity which comprises U.S and
Canadian officers and enlisted personnel is to detect classify and track submarines NASWI
PAO ca 199722
As part of its overall ASW tactical

program the Navy developed SOSUS in 1949 for tracking
and detecting Soviet submarines The SOSUS consisted of large underwater array
of
hydrophones connected to terminal processing facility on shore It was long-range early-
warning listening system capable of tracking submarines thousands of miles away The Navy
established network of SOSUS facilities on the East and West coasts in the Caribbean and in
England and Argentina during the 1950s Detections made by SOSUS were relayed to patrol
squadrons to track and strike the target The need for SOSUS arrays had decreased by the end of
the Cold War as the Soviets developed quieter submarines that evaded the SOSUS Louis
Berger Group 2009377-379 390 Sackett 201220-21 In 1984 the Navy deployed SURTASS
long acoustic array that is towed from surface ship to detect submarines too quiet for other
acoustic surveillance systems Naval Facility Whidbey Island was one of five Pacific SURTASS
land data readout sites Commander Undersea Surveillance and Naval Meteorology and
Oceanography Command 2010 Naval Ocean Processing Facilities NOPF were established in
Virginia and Hawaii in 1979 and 1980 as the land-based processing facilities of data from land
sites and SURTASS ships scanning the Atlantic and Pacific respectively After the facility in
Hawaii was decommissioned in 1994 all Pacific SURTASS operations were transferred to Naval
Facility Whidbey Island which was redesignated NOPF Whidbey Island Louis Berger Group
2009391-392 The NOPF is housed in Building 2700 Figure 4-10 which was built in 1986
iNFAD
GRR00061 033
Figure 4-10 NOPF Whidbey Island Building 2700 U.S Navy 2012c
The NOPF Building 2700 is also the home to the Naval Oceanography Command Detachment
NOCD Whidbey Island This tenant activity began operations on January 1987 Whidbey
News-Times 1987 Its mission is to provide the Navy with information about the ocean
environment NASWI 1987 More specifically the NOCD is responsible for providing
meteorological and oceanographic services to all military activities units staffs and to all
transients at NAS Whidbey Island In addition they issue warnings of storms high winds and
other hazardous or destructive weather phenomena for Puget Sound the Strait of Juan de Fuca
and the Columbia River from its mouth to the Port of Portland NASWI PAO ca 199719
NOCD Whidbey Island is under the command of Naval Oceanography Command San Diego
located at NAS North Island NASWI PAO ca 199719
By the closing stage of the Cold War the fleet support activities on board NASWI consisted of
seven VA squadrons 13 VAQ squadrons four reserve squadrons one VAQ one Marine VAQ
one fleet logistics support squadron one patrol squadron and numerous
naval and non-naval tenants NASWI 1989 The number of aircraft on NASWI included 62
A6Es and 20 KA6Ds for the VA squadrons 60 EA6Bs for the VAQ squadrons 16 five EA6As
nine P3As and two DC9s for the reserve squadrons and six three SH3Ds and three UC12Bs
for the Naval Air Station for local training logistics support and search and rescue missions
CNO 1989 NASWI 1989 The population of NASWI was 10363 1108 officers 7395
enlisted and 1860 civilians NASWI 1989
GRR00061 034
4.7 Summary and Conclusions
This section summarizes the operational history of NASWI for each Cold War period and
identifies whether NASWI may have significance under that context period This section
considers the potential significance of NASWI as whole rather than individual buildings and
structures For the latter refer to Chapter Associated Property Types which identifies the
types of properties at the installation that may possess significance under the Cold War Historic
Context
Onset of the Cold War 1946 to 1949
NASWI does not possess significance under this period of the Cold War Historic Context The
Station was on reduced operational status during this period of the Cold War supporting the
flight training of patrol squadrons Its service to the aerial training operations of patrol squadrons
at the time is not associated with events of nationwide impact in U.S Cold War history Little
development occurred at Ault Field and Seaplane Base and none occurred at Racon Hill and
OLF Coupeville
The Korean Conflict and Eisenhowers Massive Retaliation Policy Response of NASWI
1950 to 1963
This was period of significant change and expansion of NASWI As part of the Navys ASW
program additional landplane squadrons and one seaplane squadron were based at NASWI to
defend the Pacific Northwest from Soviet submarine-launched attack Furthermore the Navy
designated NASWI Master Jet Station capable of handling jet flight training and fleet
operations for peacetime or for mobilization With the subsequent assignment of the first jet
aircraft A3 Skywarrior and corresponding VAH squadron in 1956 NASWI henceforth served
as major Pacific Fleet flight training center for carrier-based aviation squadrons To handle the
operations of Master Jet Station the Navy invested in major construction program at NASWI
during this period building two 8000-foot runways aviation and administration facilities
housing and infrastructure at Ault Field Flight control radar was installed at Racon Hill
Additionally OLF Coupeville was reactivated for training
NASWI does not possess significance under this period of the Cold War Historic Context In this
period of the Cold War NASWI operations included training of ASW aviation units and flight
and aerial weapons proficiency of carrier-based squadrons for combat support These training
functions were important to the combat readiness of naval aviation units but they were not part
of specialized Navy training program that was organized around specific combat mission or
conflict in this period of the Cold War In particular the training functions performed at NASWI
did not directly affect the outcome of conflict of nationwide impact in the Cold War such as
the Korean Conflict NASWI is not associated with the life of person who made significant
contributions to ASW or naval aviation during this period of the Cold War Designation as
Master Jet Station established NASWI as permanent fleet support and aviation training center
providing for its expansion While the planning and construction of much of the airfield and
flight line area occurred as result of this designation the context demonstrates that facility
GRR00061 035
development from this period largely represents common military building types of standard
construction materials and methods and did not employ or house cutting-edge technologies
Transition at NASWI During the Vietnam Conflict 1964 to 1972
NASWIs mission in aviation training and fleet support continued during this period but the
types of squadrons and aircraft based at the installation changed entirely within this eight-year
span Both landplane and seaplane VP squadrons left Ault Field and Seaplane Base by 1970 and
by January 1971 the VAH squadrons had been phased out In their place were carrier-based VA
beginning late 1966 and VAQ squadrons beginning in 1971 flying all-weather aircraft
equipped with advanced avionics and weapons systems A6A Intruder and EA-6B Prowler
respectively NASWI-based VP VAH VA and VAQ squadrons deployed regularly to the
Western Pacific and flew missions for the Pacific Fleet in the war in Vietnam Between
deployments NASWI operations supported the readiness training of these units through tactical
flight training and aerial weapons proficiency primarily at Ault Field but also at Seaplane Base
until the seaplane squadrons left OLF Coupeville and other remote facilities Also during this
period Naval and Marine Air Reserve units were permanently based at NASWI for the first
time Despite the numerous changes and transitions that occurred in this period relatively few
new mission-related buildings were constructed at the installation
Under this period of the Cold War Historic Context which extends to less than 50 years ago
NASWI has not achieved exceptional significance Even with the fluctuations in squadrons and
conversion to different aircraft the mission of the installation remained as before training center
and support base for Pacific Fleet air units The emphasis of operations continued to be tactical
flight training and associated logistic support for the aviation units i.e maintenance and repair
supply and communications The role of NASWI in aviation training of carrier-based units was
not exceptionally significant within U.S Cold War history Although the readiness training that
occurred here during this period of the Cold War was important to maintaining strong forward
deployed carrier strike force in Southeast Asia the training was in support of the frontline
combat The training functions performed at NASWI did not directly affect the outcome of the
Vietnam Conflict or other missions of nationwide impact in this period of the Cold War NASWI
is not associated with the life of person who made exceptionally important contributions to
naval aviation operations during this period of the Cold War Installation development from this
context period is not likely to exceptionally valuable architectural engineering or

possess
technological type period style or method of construction
NASWI During Détente 1973 to 1980
At the beginning of this period NASWI was established as the Functional Specialty Center of
the Pacific Fleets VA squadrons and the entire Fleets VAQ squadrons Additional VAQ
squadrons were based at NASWI during this period and the VA squadrons transitioned to
newer version of the Intruder the A6E The VAQ squadrons made regular deployments to
aircraft carriers operating in several areas of the world Nonetheless training and operations at
NASWI continued largely as they had at the end of the previous period Most training
instructional and flight occurred at Ault Field with carrier landings practiced at OLF
GRR00061 036
Coupeville Personnel support functions were located at both Ault Field and Seaplane Base
Development of the installation during this period was modest and included few training and
support facilities for both groups of aviation squadrons
NASWI has not achieved exceptional significance The air station supported combat-readiness
training of pilots and their crews of fleet carrier VA and VAQ squadrons The role of NASWI in
aviation training of carrier-based units was not exceptionally significant within U.S Cold War
history Although the readiness training that occurred here during this period of the Cold War
was important to maintaining strong forward deployed carrier strike force the training was in
support of the frontline operations The training functions performed at NASWI did not directly
affect the outcome of conflict or mission of nationwide impact in this period of the Cold War
NASWI is not associated with the life of person who made exceptionally important
contributions to naval aviation operations during this period of the Cold War Installation
development from this context period is not likely to possess exceptionally valuable
architectural engineering or technological type period style or method of construction
Cold War Renewed and Subsequent Soviet Collapse Late Cold War Operations at
NASWI 1981 to 1989
NASWI remained the home base and center of operations and training for Pacific Fleet VA and
VAQ squadrons in this late stage of the Cold War Nevertheless it was period of growth at
NASWI which coincided with the U.S military build-up under the Reagan administration The
installation gained seventh VA squadron and four more VAQ squadrons for total of 13 and
became the home of the Medium Attack Weapons School Pacific In addition two more reserve
aviation units one Naval and one Marine Corps were assigned to the Station As was the case in
the previous period VAQ squadrons regularly deployed to U.S naval carrier forces around the
world performing combat support missions or supporting operations at times of crisis Three
major naval tenant activities were commissioned at NASWI during this late period of the Cold
War the most notable being NOPF Whidbey Island component of the IIJSS and the Navys
ASW tactical program
Accommodating the additional units and activities resulted in several major construction and
improvement projects at the installation Several new facilities directly supporting the training
and operations of the VA VAQ and reserve squadrons were built at Ault Field including four
hangars Additionally new building for the NOPF Whidbey Island was built at Ault Field The
existing radar at Racon Hill was replaced with the latest version and improvements were made
at OLF Coupeville Existing housing at Seaplane Base received major rehabilitation
NASWI has not achieved exceptional significance The Station supported combat-readiness
training of pilots and their crews of fleet carrier VA and VAQ squadrons The role of NASWI in
aviation training of carrier-based units was not exceptionally significant within U.S Cold War
history Although the readiness training that occurred here during this period of the Cold War
was important to maintaining strong forward deployed carrier strike force the training was in
GRR00061 037
support of the frontline operations The training functions performed at NASWI did not directly
affect the outcome of conflict or mission of nationwide impact in this period of the Cold War
NASWI is not associated with the life of person who made exceptionally important
contributions to ASW or naval aviation operations during this period of the Cold War The
context demonstrates that facility development from this period largely represents common
military building types which are not likely to possess exceptionally valuable architectural
engineering or technological type period style or method of construction
Because NOPF Whidbey Island is tenant activity and is housed in single facility at NASWI
its potential significance under this period of the Cold War Historic Context is discussed in
Chapter Associated Property Types
GRR00061 038
GRR00061 039
5.0 ASSOCIATED PROPERTY TYPES
This section draws upon the Cold War Historic Context of NASWI and identifies the categories
of property types associated with the significant Cold War missions and themes of NASWI This
information can be used for subsequent formal inventories and evaluations of NASWIs
buildings or structures to determine whether any meet both the significance and integrity criteria
for NRHP eligibility
The Cold War operational history of the Station as presented in Section 4.0 is divided into five
periods the immediate post-war period 1946 to 1949 the Korean Conflict and the years that
followed under Eisenhowers Massive Retaliation policy 1950 to 1963 the Vietnam Conflict
era 1964 to 1972 the period of Détente 1973 to 1980 and the final stages of the Cold War
under Reagans military buildup 1981 to 1989 The pattern of development at Ault Field began
in the early 1950s and continued through these periods of the Cold War Its development was
related to the primary mission of NASWI during the Cold War military flight training and
operational support of fleet aviation squadrons either patrol or various carrier-based squadrons
In contrast development of the Seaplane Base was mainly for personnel support facilities related
to the Cold War expansion of NASWI and specifically Ault Field At OLF Coupeville existing
WWII-era facilities and infrastructure were repeatedly repaired and upgraded for use during the
Cold War era Development at Racon Hill was limited to flight control radar and couple of
associated radar support facilities in 1959 with upgrades in 1986
Property types related to the mission of NASWI as military flight training center include
airfield facilities aviation training/education facilities flight communications/navigation
facilities and aviation support facilities It is these resource types that possess some potential for
historic significance within the Cold War-era context of the installation Properties directly
related to the context of military flight training merit closer evaluation to determine if they may
be associated with missions operations or technological advancements of significant impact in
the Cold War Properties less than 50 years old at the time of the evaluation likely would not rise
to the level of exceptional significance particularly if common military building type e.g
hangars control towers jet engine test cell Properties only indirectly related to the flight
training mission likely would not have significance
In addition to military aviation training the Historic Context also identified one property on
NASWI the NOPF Building 2700 that is associated with IIJSS critical component of the
Navys tactical ASW program in the late period of the Cold War This property is associated
with the Command Control Communication and Intelligence theme of the Navy Cold War
Historic Context Louis Berger Group 2009 It is this type of resource that has the highest
potential for historic significance under the Cold War Historic Context provided it retains
integrity to the identified period of significance
The following section presents the mission-specific property types associated with the NASWI
Cold War Historic Context The property types are classified or grouped according to their
function of each functional class is provided followed by list of specific

summary property
types The summary also indicates which of the four NASWI facilitiesAult Field Seaplane
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GRR00061 040
Base Racon Hill OLF Coupeville contains associated property types and which periods of
the Cold War context they represent The list of property types associated with the NASWI Cold
War Historic Context may include WWII-era facilities that were retrofitted for new uses during
the Cold War era
5.1 Mission-Specific Property Types
51.1 Airfield Facilities
Airfield Facilities are those properties essential to the function of naval air station and
specifically as related to NASWI its Cold War mission of military aviation training and
operations They include the airfield operational headquarters and the fleet aviation command
and squadron operations headquarters These properties are generally within the airfield itself or
situated along the flight line Airfield Facilities are found at Ault Field and OLF Coupeville and
may represent all five periods of NASWIs Cold War history Table 5-1 These properties
include
Hangar
Runway system runways taxiways lighting and parking apron
Aviation Command/Squadron Operations headquarters
Air terminal
Ault Field Hangar 112 1942
Ault Field Aircraft Operations Building 385 1954
Ault Field Hangar Haviland Hangar 386 1954
Ault Field Taxiway Lighting Vault 368 1954
Ault Field Maintenance Hangar 410 1957
Ault Field Chaff Build-Up Facility 2561 1973
Ault Field Maintenance Hangar 10 2699 1986
Ault Field Air Passenger Terminal 2734 1988
OLF Coupeville Runway Lighting Vault 10 1967
Waterfront Aviation Facilities
These properties are specifically related to the seaplane patrol squadrons and seaplane tenders
that were based at and operated from the Seaplane Base between 1956 and 1967 Like Airfield
Facilities for the landplane squadrons at Ault Field Waterfront Aviation Facilities were central
to the military training and operations of NASWIs seaplane squadrons during the Cold War
These properties are found only at the Seaplane Base and represent periods and of the Cold
War era at NASWI Table 5-2 These properties include
5-2 Fina4 July 2013
GRR00061 041
Seaplane hangar
Seaplane ramp
Mooring pier
Navy Exchange former Seaplane
Hangar
51.3 Communications
This category of properties comprises communication technology and the buildings that house or
perform communications functions All installations

possess communications facilities for
internal and external communication For naval air station such as Whidbey Island
communications facilities associated with flight communications and air traffic control such as
air surveillance radar and ground control approach radar were necessary for station and transient
aircraft to conduct flight operations within the range of NASWIs air traffic control center
Communications properties are located at Ault Field Seaplane Base Racon Hill and OLF
Coupeville and may represent all five periods of the Cold War context for NASWI Table 5-3
These properties include
Control tower
Flight control radar
Radar facilities
Transmitter facility
Ault Field Radio Transmitter Building 135 1942
Ault Field Air to Ground Communication 856 1959
Ault Field Radio Transmitter Building 874 1961
AN/SPN 42T3 Generator

Ault Field 2524 1970
Building
Ault Field Tactical Air Navigation Building 2596 1976
Seaplane Base EW Radar Simulator Building 27 1942
Racon Hill Medium Range Radar Building 858 1959
Racon Hill ASR-8 Radar Building 2665 1982
Racon Hill Radar Tower 2664 1982
Aircraft Operations Tower

OLF Coupeville 1944
Building
In addition this category of properties also includes facilities associated with the Naval
Communications Station Puget Sound This separate command activity operated at NASWI
between 1966 and 1970 and again beginning in 1984 and is still active today Unrelated to
flight control communications NAVCOIVIIMSTA Puget Sound provides then and now strategic
Fina4 July 2013 5-3
GRR00061 042
communications services for naval activities at NASWI and in the Pacific Northwest Properties
associated with NAVCOMMSTA Puget Sound include those housing the commands operations
or the communications technology it controls
NAVCOMIMSTA Puget Sound
51.4 Aviation Training/Education
Aviation Training/Education properties are associated with the training and education of the
flight crews and maintenance personnel of aviation squadrons They include both classrooms and
specialized flight training facilities The Historic Context indicates this type of property is
located at Ault Field records are less clear as to whether or not flight training facilities were
once at the Seaplane Base Aviation Training/Education properties were established during every
one of the Cold War periods at NASWI except the first Table 5-4 These properties include
Academic/classroom building
Flight trainer/simulator facilities
Ault Field Applied Instruction Building 126 1942
Ault Field Aircraft System Training Building 976 1966
Ault Field Electronic Attack Simulator 2593 1976
Ault Field VP AW Training 2631 1978
Ault Field Aviation Academic Training 2740 1988
Ault Field Flight Simulator Building 2738 1989
Aviation Support Facilities
Aviation Support Facilities are related to testing maintenance and repair of aircraft aircraft
systems or aircraft components and equipment The routine maintenance performed in facilities
of this type was necessary for continuous operations and training of the fleet aviation squadrons
These properties are found at Ault Field Table 5-5 While they represent all five periods of the
Cold War Aviation Support Facilities may not be considered mission critical under the later
three periods of the NASWI Cold War context as they are types of properties that are found at
all naval air stations and were not directly connected to the installations Cold War military
mission The one exception may be the Calibration Laboratory which may require further study
to determine its role in the military operations at NASWI as it developed into separate tenant
activity in 1970 The Aviation Support Facilities include
Avionics shop
Calibration Laboratory
Aircraft maintenance shop
Jet engine test cell
5-4 Fina4 July 2013
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Fuel supply
Wash rack
Ground support equipment shop
Ault Field Survival Equipment Shop 985 1967
Ground Supply Equipment

Ault Field 995 1969
Building
Ground SupportEquipment
Ault Field 995A 1969
Holding
Ground Support Equipment
Ault Field 995B 1969
Holding
Ground Support Equipment
Ault Field 995C 1969
Powder Coat Facility
Ault Field Air Start Building 2528 1970
Ault Field Aircraft Turbo Jet Test Cell 2525 1971
South Wash Rack Control

Building
North Wash Rack Control

Building
POD ADM/Avionics and

Storage
Ault Field Air Start/Compression Building 2581 1975
Ault Field LOX Facility 2621 1978
51.6 Naval Ocean Processing Facility
The Naval Ocean Processing Facility including the one at Whidbey Island was identified in the
Navy Cold War Historic Context as property type associated with the Command Control
Communication and Intelligence theme for its role in ASW Louis Berger Group 2009A-19
Table 5-6 Established at NASWI in 1986 this facility processed SURTASS data to detect and
track Soviet submarines in the late stages of the Cold War The Naval Ocean Processing Facility
Whidbey Island is located at Ault Field Building 2700
Ault Field Naval Ocean Processing Facility 2700 1986
5.2 Support Facilities
The majority of the buildings and structures at NASWI comprise administration infrastructure
storage ordnance and non-ordnance personnel support and residential facilities Table 5-7
While these properties were important to the daily operations of the installation they were not
directly related to the Cold War military mission of NASWI NRHP Criterion With the few
Fina4 July 2013
GRR00061 044
exceptions noted below it is recommended that Support Facilities greater than 50 years old be
evaluated for NRHP eligibility to determine whether any may be associated with an important
person NRHP Criterion or significant type period or method of construction or the work
of master NRHP Criterion Support Facilities less than 50 years old would rarely rise to the
level of importance to be considered eligible for listing on the NRHP for exceptional significance
NRHIP Criteria Consideration therefore it is recommended that they be evaluated only when
they reach 50 years of age
Uffices exclusive of separate administrative headquarters Lr aviation

Administration
commands and squadron operations gatehouse security fire station
Water supply/storage water/sewage treatment power plant electric

Infrastructure
substations water/sewage pumping roads
Storage Ordnance Ammunitions storage/magazines
Storage Non- Supply warehouse flammable/chemical/hazardous storage shed

ordnance open storage
Hospital chapel officers club enlisted club mess hall food
Personnel Support
services NEX commissary gas station theater bowling alley
swimming pool athletic fields and courts golf course indoor
recreational facility stables
Executive officers quarters officers family quarters
Residential garages/carports bachelor officers quarters barracks bachelor
enlisted quarters barracks
In 2004 the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation issued Program Comment addressing
Capehart-Wherry family housing which was constructed on DoD installations between 1949 and
1962 In 2008 the Advisory Council issued additional Program Comments addressing two more
classes of resources or property types on DoD installations They included ammunition storage
facilities constructed from 1939 to 1974 and unaccompanied personnel housing UPH
constructed from 1946 to 1974 Each of the three Program Comments provides the DoD
including the Department of the Navy with an alternative
way in addressing its Section 106
responsibilities under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended Any of
NASWIs ammunition storage facilities dating 19391974 UPH officers and enlisted barracks
dating 19461974 and both its Wherry and Capehart housing areas dating to 1952 and 1961
respectively do not need to be surveyed or evaluated for NRHP eligibility because they are
classified as Eligible for

purposes of Programmatic Alternative As Support Facilities
ammunition storage facilities and UPH at NASWI that post-date 1974 as well as family housing
areas constructed after the end of the Capehart-Wherry program in 1962 likely would not meet
the threshold of exceptional significance for properties less than 50 years old when assessed
within the framework of the NASWI Cold War Historic Context Therefore it is recommended
that they be evaluated only when they reach 50 years of age
5-6 Fina4 July 2013
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6.0 REFERENCES CITED
Baldwin William 1996 Four Housing Privatization Programs History of the Wherry
Capehart Section 801 and Section 802 Family Housing Programs in the Army U.S
Army Corps of Engineers Office of History October
http//www.acq.osd.mil/housing/docs/four.htm Accessed July 13 2012
Bearden Bill 1977 Prowlers Intruders and NAS Whidbey NavalAviation News November
912
Best Brooke Katherine Grandine and Stacie Webb 1997 Navy Cold War Communications
Context Resources Associated with the Navys Communication Program 19461989

Prepared for Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic Norfolk Virginia by
Christopher Goodwin and Associates Frederick Maryland
Burner Tom 1967 Intruder Base at Whidbey Island NavalAviation News June 11
Caron Gary 1960 Pathway Over the Pacific NavalAviation News July 610
_____
1961 Last Plane in the Groove NavalAviation News September 68
Chief of Naval Operations CNO 1947 Naval Aeronautical Organization for Fiscal Year 1948
Washington D.C Department of the Navy Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
_____
1948 Naval Aeronautical Organization for Fiscal Year 1949 Washington D.C
Department of the Navy Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
_____
_____
_____
_____
1970 Naval Aeronautical Organization for July 1970 Washington D.C Department of
the Navy Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
_____
_____
1977 Naval Aeronautical Organization for October 1977 Washington D.C Department
_____
of the Navy Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
_____
_____
Fina4 July 2013 6-1
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_____
Commander Fleet Air COIVIIFAIR Whidbey ca 1964 History of Commander Fleet Air
Whidbey/Commander Naval Air Bases Thirteenth Naval District and Command Fleet Air
Wing Four On file Janet Enzmann Library and Archives Island County Historical
Society Coupeville Washington
Commander Undersea Surveillance and Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command 2010
Integrated Undersea Surveillance System IIJSS Electronic document available at
http//www.iusscaa.org/history.htm Accessed November 27 2012
Crosswind 1972 Ground Breaking for NARTU Hangar set March 10
______
1982 The First 15 Years.. NAS Whidbey 40 years of Progress September 17
Department of Defense DoD 1990 Total Force Policy Report to the Congress Washington
D.C DoD
Grossnick Roy 1997 United States NavalAviation 19101995 Washington D.C Naval
Historical Center Department of the Navy
Hampton Roy and Maria Burkett 2010 Inventory and Evaluation of Naval Weapons Systems
Training Facility Boardman Boardman Morrow County Oregon Prepared for
NAVFAC Atlantic Norfolk Virginia by Hardlines Design Company Columbus Ohio
Hampton Roy and Maria Gissendanner 2009 Phase Architecture Survey of Naval Air Station
Whidbey Island Island County Washington Prepared for NAVFAC Atlantic Norfolk
Virginia by Hardlines Design Company Columbus Ohio
Houser Michael 2009 Robert Durham Project List
http //www dahp wa gov/sites/default/files/Durham Proj ect ii St pdf Accessed April 25

2012
Island County Historical Society Miscellaneous historical photos of NASWI and facilities
Record Group Military Records Janet Enzmann Library and Archives Island County
Historical Society Coupeville Washington
Island County Historical Society 1954 Log Record Coupeville Log Coupeville Outlying
Field N.A.S Whidbey Island Log entries between 1944 and 1954 Record Group
Military Records Janet Enzmann Library and Archives Island County Historical
Society Coupeville Washington
1984 Forty-two years of naval aviation history Article from unidentified periodical
_____
Record Group Military Records Janet Enzmann Library and Archives Island County
Historical Society Coupeville Washington
Kuranda Kathryn Kathryn Dixon Dean Doerrfeld Rebecca Gatewood Kirsten Peeler
Christine Heidenrich and Katherine Grandine 2009 Army Ammunition and Explosives
Storage During the Cold War 19461989 Prepared for U.S Army Environmental
6-2 Fina4 July 2013
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Command Aberdeen Proving Ground Maryland by Christopher Goodwin and
Associates Frederick Maryland May

Louis Berger Group 2009 Historic Context Statement The United States Navy in the Cold
War Prepared for Headquarters Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington
D.C by Louis Berger Group Morristown New Jersey July
Marine Corps University Command and Staff College 1986 NATOs Strategy of Flexible
Response and the Twenty-First Century Quantico Virginia Marine Corps University
Command and Staff College
McDonell Michael 1971 Cramming for Jamming NavalAviation News August 1417
Morris James 1991 Americas Armed Forces History Englewood Cliffs New Jersey
Prentice Hall Inc
Mulquin James 1967 The Amazing Intruder Aircraft Proves Itself in Vietnam Naval
Aviation News June 69

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island NASWI 1946 History of U.S Naval Air
Station Whidbey Island Washington On file Public Affairs Office NASWI

Washington
_____
1947 History of U.S Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Washington On
file Public Affairs Office NASWI Washington
_____

_____
_____
_____
1953 History of U.S Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Oak Harbor
_____
Washington On file Public Affairs Office NASWI Washington
_____
_____
_____
_____ ca 1957 Whidbey Island Historical Summary N.p On file Janet Enzmann
Library and Archives Island County Historical Society Coupeville Washington
Fina4 July 2013 6-3
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_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
1967 History of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Oak Harbor

_____
_____
_____

_____
_____

_____

_____
_____
6-4 Fina4 July 2013
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_____
_____

_____
_____
1979a History of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Oak Harbor
1979b U.S Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Ault Field General Development Map
_____
On file Technical Resource Library Public Works Department NASWI Oak Harbor
Washington
_____
_____
1981 Hi story of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Oak Harbor

_____
_____
_____

_____
_____
1986 Command History Report for Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Oak Harbor
_____
_____
_____
_____
2012 Personal communication conversation between Kenneth Brown NASWI
Electronics Technician Oak Harbor Washington and Jennifer Bryant Cardno TEC
Denver Colorado September 27
Fina4 July 2013 6-5
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_____
2013 Personal communication Kendall Campbell NASWI Archaeologist and Cultural
Resources Program Manager Oak Harbor Washington to Lori Thursby Cardno TEC
Columbus Ohio June
NASWI PAO ca 1997 NavalAir Station Whidbey Island San Diego Blake Publishing
Company
National Park Service 1997 National Register Bulletin 16A How to Complete the National
Register Registration Form Washington D.C U.S Government Printing Office
NavalAviation News 1953 Naval Air Station Types February 1315
1959 Navigation Made Easier April 29

_______
1962 Warm-up Cruise for Currituck September 2021

______
______
1964 On Patrol with Pacific Air Wings December 2627
1968a Intruder Squadron Returns VA-196 Completes Vietnam Tour February

______
______
1968b Heavy Attack Eight Retires March
______
1970 First Flight of A-6E Prototype Schedule for Delivery in 71 June
1971 VAQ-129 Gets Latest Intruder April

______
Naval Facilities Engineering Command NAVFAC 1974 Family Housing Chap 13 in
Command History 19651974 Naval Facilities Engineering Command Department of
the Navy Report OPNAV 5750-1
NAVFAC Northwest 2007 Historic Assessment of Existing Hangar Building 386 Ault Field
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Island County Washington
Pedrotty Michael Julie Webster Gordon Cohen and Aaron Chmiel 2001
Historical and Architectural Overview of Military Aircraft Hangars Prepared for United
States Air Force Headquarters Air Combat Command Langley Air Force Base Virginia
by United States Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory Champaign

Illinois September
Prop Wash 1951a brief summary of Air Station History May 19
195 lb Work on Runway expected to get underway at once June 13

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1951c Construction Tempo Whidbey Speeded Construction Notes July

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1951d Whidbey Expansion Project Moves with 24 Contracts active New Legislation
OKd July 25
1951 Congress Grants 11 Million for Master Plan Construction October 31

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1952 New Runway Officially Opened Turnpin Center Club to be rededicated July 29
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1957a Brunswick Hangar Expected to be Completed Feb Heavy Attack Squadron

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Four Flying Whidbeys first Jet Bomber January
6-6 Fina4 July 2013
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1957b USS Kenneth Whiting Here Welcomed by Man Nature March 12
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1957c Senate Group Passes NAS Budget Defense Department OKs Capehart
Housing August 13
Sackett Russell 2012 Inventory and Evaluation the Navys Pacific Beach Facilities Pacific
Beach Washington Prepared by Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest
Silverdale Washington May
Salmon John 2011 Protecting America Cold War Defensive Sites National Historic
Landmark Theme Study Washington D.C U.S Department of the Interior
Seattle Post Intelligencer 1964 Whidbey Island Long Strong Defense arm for the Pacific
September 27
Seattle Sunday Times 1951 Oak Harbor Air-Base Location April 22
Seattle Times 1956 Oak Harbor Happy with Navy Base Booming September 15
1966 Navys newest attack planes due Wednesday at Whidbey August

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Slantchev Branislav 2009 National Security Strategy The Rise and Fall of Détente 197
1980 University of California San Diego December
Smith Adam Sunny Stone Megan Weaver Looker and Bruce MacAllister 2006 DoD
Installation Support Facilities Historic Context Chapels Legacy Project Number 06-
296 Flash Media product Prepared by U.S Army Corps of Engineers Engineer
Research and Development Center Champaign Illinois
U.S Navy 2009 United States Navy Fact File EA-6B Prowler Electronic Warfare Aircraft
http//www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_di splay asp cid 11 00tid900ct Accessed
April 23 2013
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2012a Fleet Logistics Support VR CNIC/Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
http//www.cnic.navy.mil/Whidbey/About/AviationCornm ands/FleetLogi stics Support/md
ex.htm Accessed November 27
2012b Air Station Whidbey Island History CNIC/Naval Air Station Whidbey
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Island http//www.cnic.navy.mil/Whidbey/About/History/index.htm Accessed
September
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2012c Naval Ocean Processing Facility Whidbey Island
http //noDfwi ahfnmci navy mill Accessed November 27
2013 Air Operations

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http //www cnic.navy mil/Whidbey/OperationsAndManagement/Operations/AirOperatio
ns/index.htm CNIC/Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Accessed April 26
VAQ-129 2013 VAQ-129 Over the Years Some History on the Squadron
http//www.vag129.navy.mil/history.htm1 Accessed April 25
Fina4 July 2013 6-7
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VAQ-131 2013 VAQ-131 Lancers Command History Short Version

http //www vag 131 .navy.mi1/homeage%2Oindexhtm Accessed April 25
VAQ- 132 2013 Electronic Attack Squadron VAQ- 132 Scorpions

http//www.vag132.navy.mil/ Accessed April 25
VAQ-135 2013 Electronic Attack Squadron 135 World Famous Black Ravens Command
History http//wwwv135navy.mi1/ Accessed April 25
VAQ-136 2013 Team Ironclaw Command History

http//www.vag136.navy.mil/historyhtm1 Accessed April 25
VAQ-138 2013 VAQ-138 Yellow Jackets http//www.v138navy.mi1/ Accessed April 25
Whidbey News-Times 1964 21 year old station survives stormy year May 14
Whidbey News-Times 1976 NAS Whidbey and Oak Harbor 34th Anniversary happy one
October 14
1985 Patriots stand up become permanent Whidbey Squadron October

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1987 Soviet Subs off Whidbey April

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Whidbey News-Times and Crosswind 1989 Naval Air Base bustle with activities in the 1950s
EA-6B plays critical role in Naval Missions Navy Skippers Squadron nicknames
Senator praises Grunman A-6
Whidbey Press Progress 1961 Naval Air Whidbey has one big role in aviation now in golden
year June
6-8 Fina4 July 2013
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2013 Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Cold War Context Study

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2013 Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Cold War Context Study

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GRR00060969

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island

Cold War Historic Context

Proj ect Manager Teresa Rudolph

Principal Investigator Lori Thursby

Authors Lori Thursby Jennifer Bryant

Trina Meiser and Cohn Recksieck

Contract No N44255-08-D-3008- XE55

ASR Air Surveillance Radar

ASW antisubmarine warfare

BEQs bachelor enlisted quarters

CNO Chief of Naval Operations

COMFAIR Commander Fleet Air

CVA carrier attack groups

FAETU Fleet Air Electronics Training Unit

FASRON Fleet Aircraft Service Squadron

FAW-4 Fleet Air Wing

HAT WiNG Heavy Attack Wing Two

IUSS Integrated Undersea Surveillance System

MAWSPAC Medium Attack Weapons School Pacific

IVIWR morale welfare and recreation

NARTU Naval Air Reserve Training Unit

NAS Naval Air Station

NASWI Naval Air Station Whidbey Island

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NAVAIRRES Naval Air Reserve

NAVCOMIVISTA Naval Communications Station

NAVFAC Naval Facilities Engineering Command

NOPF Naval Ocean Processing Facility

North Korea Democratic Republic of Korea

NRHP National Register of Historic Places

OLF Outlying Landing Field

PAO Public Affairs Office

RATCC Radar Air Traffic Control Center

SALT Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty

SURTASS Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System

U.S.S.R Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

VIVIAQ Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron

eligibility for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places NRHP

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ES-2 Fina4 July 2013

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ES-i

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1-1

1.1 ProjectDescription 1-1

1.2 Background 1-1

2.0 METHODS 2-1

3.0 GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE COLD WAR 1946 TO 1989 3-1

3.1 Introduction 3-1

3.2 Onset of the Cold War 1946 to 1949 3-1

3.4 Vietnam Conflict 1964 to 1972 3-4

3.5 Détente 1969 to 1980 3-4

4.0 NASWI DURING THE COLD WAR 1946 TO 1989 4-1

4.1 Introduction 4-1

4.1.1 Antisubmarine Warfare 4-1

4.1.2 Aircraft CarrierFleet 4-3

4.2 Onset of the Cold War 1946 to 1949 4-4

4.2.1 Immediate Postwar Years at NASWI 4-4

4.3 The Korean Conflict and Eisenhowers Massive Retaliation Policy

Response of NASWI 1950 to 1963 4-6

4.4.1 Phase Out of the Patrol Squadrons 4-21

4.4.2 The VA Squadrons 4-21

4.4.3 The VAQ Squadrons and Establishment of NASWI as Reserve

Training Center 4-26