Naval Air Station Whidbey Island

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"Ault Field" redirects here. For the census-designated place, see Ault Field, Washington.

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NAS Whidbey Island Ault Field
FAA diagram of runway area.
IATA: NUW – ICAO: KNUW – FAA: NUW
Summary
Airport type		Military: Naval Air Station
Operator		United States Navy
Location		Oak Harbor, Washington
In use		1942 - present
Commander		CAPT Syd Abernethy
Elevation AMSL		47 ft / 14 m
Coordinates		48°21′07″N 122°39′21″W / 48.35194, -122.65583
Website		naswi.ahf.nmci.navy.mil
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
7/25	8,000	2,438	Concrete
13/31	8,001	2,439	Concrete
Sources: FAA^[1], official site^[2].

Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) (IATA: NUW, ICAO: KNUW, FAA LID: NUW) is a naval air station located in two sections around Oak Harbor, Washington, USA. It was commissioned as an active U.S. Navy installation on 21 September 1942.

Aerial view of NAS Whidbey Island in the mid-1940s

The main portion of the base is called Ault Field in memory of Commander William B. Ault, who was listed 'missing in action' during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Ault Field is located approximately three miles north of Oak Harbor.

The other section of the air station is known as the Seaplane Base. Originally home to PBY Catalina flying boats, the air station's main Navy Exchange and DeCA Commissary are located here, as is most of the Navy housing on the island.

A lightly utilized satellite airfield, Naval Outlying Landing Field (NOLF) Coupeville, is located on central Whidbey Island at 48°11′24″N 122°37′48″W / 48.19, -122.63, roughly nine miles south of Ault Field. Primarily utilized for Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) by carrier-based jet aircraft, this field has no permanently assigned personnel and falls under the command of the Commanding Officer of NASWI.

NASWI currently supports EA-18G Growler, EA-6B Prowler, P-3C Orion, EP-3 ARIES II and C-9 Skytrain aircraft.

HISTORY

From Pistons to Prowlers

On 17 Jan 1941, almost 11 months before the U.S. entered World War II, the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations asked the Commandant of the 13th Naval District to find a location for the re-arming and refueling of Navy patrol planes operating in defense of Puget Sound, should such defense be necessary. Lake Ozette, Indian Island, Keystone Harbor, Penn Cove and Oak Harbor were considered and later rejected because of mountainous terrain, bluff shore front, inaccessibility, absence of sufficient beaches and lee shores. But within 10 days, the commanding officer of Naval Air Station Seattle recommended the site of Saratoga Passage on the shores of Crescent Harbor and Forbes Point as a base suitable for seaplane takeoffs and landings under instrument conditions. A narrow strip of land tied Oak Harbor to what is now Maylor’s Capehart Housing. Dredging, filling, and running water and power lines to the city was under way when at the end of November came the word to find a land plane site.

Clover Valley

On 8 Dec, three workers started a topographic survey of what would become Ault Field, about four miles to the north. The crew would soon grow to 17. None of them were engineers, but with the attack at Pearl Harbor, everyone went to work. Regardless of the weather, there were 175 men on the job at the peak of survey work. Bewildered citizens, caught up in the war effort, signed up for jobs to build the station. There were approximately 20 farms on 4,325 acres. Farmers turned over the titles to their ancestral lands, known for growing some of the finest wheat in the country, to the government for runways and hangars. They quietly moved to other farms in Skagit County. Clover Valley - level, well drained and accessible from any approach - was tailor-made for a landing field. The strategic location, commanding the eastern end of the Straits of Juan de Fuca, guarded the entrance to Puget Sound. It was far enough from populated areas to carry on operational training flights with live loads. The area experienced visual flying conditions about 89 percent of the time and there was plenty of room to grow.

Actual construction of Ault Field started on 1 March 1942. The first plane landed there on 5 Aug, when LT Newton Wakefield, a former civil engineer and airline pilot, who later became the air station's Operations Officer, brought his SNJ single-engine trainer in with little fanfare. Everyone was busy working on the still-incomplete runway.

Commissioning Day

On 21 Sep 1942, from the steps of Building 12, the air station's first Commanding Officer, CAPT Cyril Thomas Simard, read the orders and the watch was set. U.S. Naval Air Station Whidbey Island was duly commissioned. There were 212 people present for the ceremony.

A year later, on 25 Sep 1943, the land plane field was named Ault Field, in memory of CDR William B. Ault, missing in action in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Following the recommendation of the Interdepartmental Air Traffic Control Board, an area 2 1/2 miles southeast of Coupeville was approved as an auxiliary field to serve NAS Seattle. Survey work began in February 1943, and work started in March. Outlying Field (OLF) Coupeville was in use by September. Crews surveyed the Rocky Point area in the summer of 1943 and it became the transmitter and machine gun range, training air gunners for the fleet.

First Catalina

Patriotic fervor ran high in the early 1940s and the need to train America’s fighting force in a hurry was readily evident at NAS Whidbey Island. In December 1942, LT J.A. Morrison brought in the first PBY Catalina to land at the Seaplane Base. He was forced to land about five miles out because there were too many logs in the harbor, so a log boat helped clear his path.

Wildcats and Hellcats

Over at Ault Field, the earliest squadrons of aircraft were F4F Wildcats, which came aboard in 1942, followed by F6F Hellcats. Later that year, PV-1 Venturas arrived for training. By the end of 1943, all F4Fs were gone, replaced by the F6F Hellcat. In 1944, SBD Dauntless dive-bombers became the predominant aircraft at Ault Field, while at the Seaplane Base, several PBM Mariner seaplanes were aboard in the summer of 1944, augmented by a few land-based B-26s that arrived earlier that year to be used in towing targets.

Like big flying boats, PBY Catalina and PBM Mariner patrol bombers took off with a churning of water and a roar of engines for their practice runs in Saratoga Passage, then returned, skimming the hill above the hangar and settling into the bay to repeat the maneuver. Residents of Oak Harbor soon became accustomed to the circling bombers training for the real thing in the Aleutian Islands. And with the attack by the Japanese there, a very real concern gripped Alaska and the Pacific Northwest regarding the potential for Japanese invasion. Wartime training continued at a furious tempo as patrol planes flew long-range navigation training missions over the North Pacific and fighters and bombers made bombing, rocket and machine gun attacks on targets in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

World War II Ends

Originally commissioned as a temporary station, operations slowed at war’s end and it was almost certain that NAS Whidbey Island would be earmarked for decommissioning. Many naval air stations across the United States were closing because they couldn’t meet the requirements of the post-war Naval Aviation; 6,000-foot runways were now the minimum standard and approach paths had to be suitable for radar-controlled approaches in any weather.

In December 1949, the Navy decided that while NAS Seattle, the major pre-war naval installation in the Northwest, was suitable to train Naval Air Reserve forces and support a moderate number of aircraft, it could not be expanded as a major fleet support station. Thus, NAS Whidbey Island was chosen as the only air station north of San Francisco and west of Chicago for this all-type, all-weather Navy airfield to support Pacific Fleet and Alaskan activities.

Neptunes and Marlins

Taken out of reduced operating status, NAS Whidbey had a new lease on life and expansion and construction accelerated with the Korean conflict. P2V Neptune patrol bombers, which arrived in the late 1940s, would eventually make up six patrol squadrons at NAS Whidbey. Patrol Squadron FIFTY (VP-50) moved from NAS Alameda, California in June 1956, returning seaplanes to NAS Whidbey. Flying the P5M-2 Marlin, patrol squadrons dominated the base until the 1960s.

Heavy-Attack Aircraft and Aerial Refueling Tankers

During the Korean War, patrol plane activity was stepped up again with several Naval Air Reserve units being called up and redesignated as active duty squadrons. By the end of the war, there were six VP (Patrol) squadrons and two Fleet Air Support squadrons based at Whibdey. In 1955, VP-29 returned from deployment to the Pacific and was redesignated as Heavy Attack Squadron TWO (VAH-2), the first heavy attack squadron on the West Coast, the "heavy" designation reflecting its concentration on nuclear weapons delivery. Later that year, it moved to NAS North Island in San Diego in order to transition to the A3D Skywarrior.

In December 1956, the first A3D Skywarrior was delivered to NAS Whidbey to eventually be flown by Heavy Attack Squadron 4 (VAH-4). Heavy Attack Squadron EIGHT (VAH-8) was later commissioned at NAS Whidbey on 1 May 1957.

In July 1957, Heavy Attack Wing TWO (HATWING TWO), Heavy Attack Squadron TWO and Heavy Attack Training Unit, Pacific (HATTUPAC), were transferred from NAS North Island to NAS Whidbey to form the nucleus of the Navy’s Pacific Fleet heavy attack program. Heavy Attack Squadron SIX (VAH-6) arrived from NAS North Island on 15 Jan 1958 and became the first heavy attack unit to deploy to the Far East with the A3D. HATTUPAC was later redesignated as Heavy Attack Squadron ONE TWENTY-THREE (VAH-123) and became the A-3 fleet replacement squadron (FRS) for the Pacific Fleet.

By the end of 1958, heavy attack squadrons outnumbered patrol squadrons at NAS Whidbey by five to four. That number continued to grow with the commissioning of Heavy Attack Squadron TEN (VAH-10) on 1 May 1961, and the transfer of Heavy Attack Squadron THIRTEEN (VAH-13) from NAS Sanford, Florida.

The A3Ds, later redesignated as A-3 Skywarriors were also coloquially referred to as “Whales” and were the backbone of naval attack aviation until the arrival of the A-6A Intruder in August 1966. The original "heavy" mission, i.e., strategic nuclear attack from aircraft carriers, actually disappeared in the early 1960s when the Navy's portion of the strategic nuclear mission was transferred to the Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) submarine force. At the time, Atlantic Fleet A-3 squadrons at NAS Sanford, Florida had been transitioning to the supersonic A-5 Vigilante attack aircraft. With the demise of the nuclear strike mission for the A-5, the east coast A-3 and A-5 VAH squadrons were redesignated as Reconnaissance Attack squadrons (RVAH) and transitioned to the RA-5C Vigilante. Pacific Fleet A-3 squadrons continued in a combination of tactical bombing, aerial refueling and electronic warfare, the latter which would lead to the EA-3 squadrons becoming the predecessors of later squadrons that would fly the EA-6B Prowler. This was reflected in the decommissioning of VAH-8 on 17 Jan 1968 and a change of homeport for VAH-2 and VAH-4 to NAS Alameda, California on 13 Sep 1968. On 1 Nov 1968, they became Tactical Electronic Warfare (VAQ) squadrons ONE THIRTY-ONE (VAQ-131) and ONE THIRTY-TWO (VAQ-132), respectively. The majority of remaining A-3 airframes found their way to the two Fleet Air Reconnaissance (VQ) squadrons in Guam and Spain, the Fleet Electronic Warfare Systems Group (FEWSG) and Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron THIRTY-THREE (VAQ-33) at NAS Norfolk, Virginia, or to Naval Air Reserve Air Refueling (VAK) squadrons at NAS Alameda, California. The need for a dedicated A-3 FRS became redundant and a decision was made to disestablish VAH-123. During its 12-year history, VAH-123 trained 555 pilots, 625 bombardier/navigators, 464 crewmen/navigators and 9,277 maintenance personnel for the A-3 Skywarrior before its disestablishment on 29 Jan 1971.

Patrol squadrons began to leave NAS Whidbey in early 1965; VP-47 transferred to NAS Moffett Field, California and VP-17 to NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii. In July 1969, the patrol community appeared to be reviving with the delivery of the P-3 Orion as a replacement for the venerable P-2 Neptune, but in September 1969, VP-2 and VP-42 were deactivated. On 1 March 1970, VP-1 transferred to NAS Barbers Point, ending patrol operations by active forces at NAS Whidbey Island. This also brought Fleet Air Wing Four to an end on 1 April 1970, leaving Patrol Squadron SIXTY-NINE (VP-69), a Naval Air Reserve squadron, as the sole remaining maritime patrol squadron at NAS Whidbey.

Medium Attack and the Flying Workhorse

The Grumman A-6 Intruder served the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps as their primary all-weather attack aircraft for over 30 years. Brought into service as the A-6A just prior to the Vietnam Conflict, the Intruder saw action in every major crisis through the first Gulf War in 1991. Exemplified in later versions such as the A-6, A-6C and A-6E attack aircraft and KA-6D refueling aircraft, the Intruder developed a reputation for reliability, durability and accuracy that persisted over its long years of service. The Marine Corps phased the Intruder out of its inventory shortly after Operation Desert Storm, while Navy Intruders continued in service until 1995. In all, 16 Navy squadrons maintained and operated this flying workhorse.

Whidbey was the West Coast training and operations center for these all-weather, medium-attack bomber squadrons. Attack Squadron 196 (VA-196) became Whidbey’s first medium squadron slated to receive the A-6A on 15 Nov 1966, while VA-165 and VA-145 reported aboard NAS Whidbey on 1 Jan 1967 to transition from the A-1 Skyraider to the A-6. VA-52 reported aboard on 1 July 1967, and VA-128, the A-6A fleet replacement squadron (FRS) for Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMNAVAIRPAC), was commissioned after splitting from Heavy Attack Squadron ONE TWENTY-THREE (VAH-123) on 1 Sept 1967. On 1 Jan 1970, VA-115 came to Whidbey, bringing the total number of A-6 squadrons at NAS Whidbey to six.

In May of 1970, the first Naval Reservists from NAS Sand Point/NAS Seattle arrived as air activities ended there. Naval Air Reserve Training Unit and Marine Air Reserve Detachment were officially welcomed aboard on 14 May 1970, signaling NAS Whidbey Island's additional role as a Naval Air Reserve and Marine Air Reserve training and operations center in the Northwest.

Electronic Attack

With the departure of Whidbey-based A-3 Skywarriors, the EA-6B Prowler came into prominence. In October 1970, Heavy Attack Squadron 10 (VAH-10) was redesignated Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 129 (VAQ-129), the Navy’s first EA-6B squadron and the sole fleet replacement squadron for Navy and Marine Prowler crews. Since its initial deployment to Southeast Asia in 1972, the Northrop-Grumman EA-6B Prowler has assumed the primary mission of strike aircraft and ground troop support. Through employment of the Prowler’s highly specialized electronic intelligence receivers and jamming equipment, the EA-6B degrades or destroys enemy radar and command and control capability, enabling safe passage of friendly strike aircraft. Capable of carrying the AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM), the Prowler brings a formidable depth to its Electronic Attack (EA) arsenal. In addition to jamming pods and HARM, the Prowler also carries externally mounted chaff pods and fuel tanks. In the EA role, the Prowler usually carries a mix of five of the stores listed above, tailored to specific mission requirements. In view of the increasing importance of the armed EA role, all tactical electronic warfare squadrons were redesignated as electronic attack squadrons in 1999 while retaining their historic VAQ designation. The functional wing for the Prowler community at NAS Whidbey was also concurrently redesignated as Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC).

With the exception of a forward deployed EA-6B squadron at NAF Atsugi, Japan and a sole Naval Air Reserve EA-6B squadron (VAQ-209) at Andrews AFB / NAF Washington, Maryland, NAS Whidbey Island supports all of the U.S. Navy’s Prowler squadrons. It supports 15 Prowler squadrons, 10 of which deploy to aircraft carriers, four expeditionary squadrons not assigned to carrier air wings and VAQ-129, the Whidbey-based training squadron. Even though VAQ-128, VAQ-133, VAQ-134 and VAQ-142 do conduct carrier training, their mission set is to actually deploy in support of joint forces from land bases in the Mediterranean and Middle East/Southwest Asia areas. As the U.S. Air Force EF-111A Raven fleet was phased out of service, Air Force personnel from that program integrated into these expeditionary squadrons and at VAQ-129.

NAS Whidbey Island also previously supported two Reserve EA-6B squadrons, VAQ-309, a Naval Air Reserve squadron that was assigned to Carrier Air Wing Reserve THIRTY (CVWR-30), and VMAQ-4, a Marine Air Reserve squadron that was assigned to the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing. VAQ-309 and CVWR-30 were disestablished in the late 1990s, while VMAQ-4 was transitioned to an active duty squadron and reassigned to the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, joining the Marine Corps' other three EA-6B squadrons at that location during the same period.

In 2006, VAQ-129 accepted its first EA-18G Growler aircraft. Based on the F/A-18F Super Hornet, the Grolwer will eventually replace all EA-6B Prolwers in the U.S. Navy's inventory.

Maritime Patrol and Fleet Reconnaissance

In late 1993, with the pending closures of NAS Moffett Field, California and NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii additional P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft came aboard NAS Whidbey Island, along with the associated staffs of Commander, Patrol Wings, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMPATWINGSPAC) and Commander, Patrol Wing TEN (COMPATWING 10). With the closure of NAS Agana, Guam, Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron ONE (VQ-1) also arrived at NAS Whidbey Island in 1994 with its EP-3E Aries II aircraft. VQ-1 was placed under the claimancy of COMPATWING 10 and the wing was subsequently redesignated Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing TEN (COMPATRECONWING 10). With the disestablishment of Reserve Patrol Wing, VP-69 was also placed under COMPATRECONWING 10 claimancy.

NAS Whidbey Island Today

In all, there are 19 active duty squadrons and two reserve squadrons currently based at NAS Whidbey Island. The air station also maintains a Search and Rescue Unit, flying the UH-3H Sea King helicopter, as well as two UC-12 Huron aircraft for operational support airlift and fleet logistic support.

Over 50 tenant commands are also located at NAS Whidbey Island, providing training, medical and dental, and other support services, including a Marine Aviation Training Support Group (MATSG) for Whidbey’s staff and student Marine Corps personnel. The base also continues its long-stading role as a center of activity for Naval Air Reserve operations and training in the region.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Eleven (EODMU-11) members perform a static jump from the ramp of a C-130 "Hercules" at Outlying Landing Field Coupeville, south of NAS Whidbey Island, on central Whidbey Island, at coordinates 48°11′24″N 122°37′48″W / 48.19, -122.63.