Chatham Naval Air Station
Encyclopedia
Chatham Naval Air Station, was an operational United States Navy
airfield from 1917 to 1922. It was first established as a blimp base during World War I
. It was located in Chatham, Massachusetts
.
The base was one of the first operational naval air stations in the country. It helped to patrol the northeast United States coast and even participated in a skirmish off of Orleans. In 1922, the station was closed and the history of the base has largely been forgotten except for a lone marker near where the site used to be.
. The planned station occupied 36 acres (145,687 m²) on Nickerson Neck.
, construction of Chatham Naval Air Station was beginning. The original plans called for building living quarters for officers and enlisted men, hangars, a gas holder, boat house, hospital, pigeon loft, repair shops, garage and assorted storage and maintenance buildings. Pipes were laid in trenches and the nearest fresh water source was 3.5 miles (5.6 km) away. One of the workers died when his trench caved in on him. His name was Patrick Buckley and he left three sons.
By October, the barracks and mess hall were ready for furniture and galley equipment. The resulting structures could handle about 100 men. That same month, the flag pole was placed and 3,000 people were in attendance for its first raising. In November, the United States entered the war. In December, the skeleton of the blimp hangar was finished and wooden slats were soon covering them. Concrete was then set to be poured for the hangar floors. This was complicated by the fact that it was one of the coldest winters that year. As a result, the concrete was poured and protected by tar paper and hot sand. The sliding doors were then installed at the end of that February. The base was commissioned on January 6, 1918.
. They were assembled and the first flight was made by Lt. McKitterick on March 25. In July, four Curtiss HS-1L flying boats were delivered to the depot and trucked to the base. These boats were so urgently needed that they were put into service almost immediately. The addition of these boats increased the time available to patrols from dawn to dusk. Two patrol areas, aptly named Areas A and B were then created. Area A was to the north while Area B was to the south. Planes always went in pairs with one plane carrying a radio transmitter. The plane with the transmitter was required to radio in a location every ten minutes. Both planes carried two homing pigeons for emergency communication with the base, and the birds had been trained for either the north patrol or the south patrol. Thus they could not be transferred from one area to another. Planes were equipped with emergency rations and water for three days, a flashlight, flare pistol with red and green cartridges, a sea anchor, life preservers, signal book and local charts. Patrols took place at 1000 feet (304.8 m) with the purpose to protect the shipping in a defined area. Often the planes would circle around a ship for hours while looking for U-Boats after picking up the vessel in a predetermined location. While the two planes were out on patrol, two other planes and their fliers were on standby at the station, ready to assist should a plane radio in a distress call. If the planes and men could get airborne within seven minutes, they were considered to be within the acceptable range of response time. Eventually blimps were used to help in the patrol process. With their cruising speed of 35 mi/h and a range of 900 miles (1,448.4 km), they were a useful asset in the patrols.
. Nine Curtiss HS-2Ls were dispatched to bomb the submarine that had already sunk five ships and was proceeding to start shelling Orleans, Massachusetts
. Either the resulting bombs were duds or they missed, and the U-boat got away.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
airfield from 1917 to 1922. It was first established as a blimp base during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. It was located in Chatham, Massachusetts
Chatham, Massachusetts
Chatham is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 6,625 at the 2000 census...
.
The base was one of the first operational naval air stations in the country. It helped to patrol the northeast United States coast and even participated in a skirmish off of Orleans. In 1922, the station was closed and the history of the base has largely been forgotten except for a lone marker near where the site used to be.
Plans
As German U-Boats began to get more emboldened by their successes, it became apparent to many that the United States would soon enter a war. As a result, the Department of the Navy planned six new Naval Air Stations on the East Coast. One just happened to be locate next to Pleasant Bay, near Chatham, MassachusettsChatham, Massachusetts
Chatham is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 6,625 at the 2000 census...
. The planned station occupied 36 acres (145,687 m²) on Nickerson Neck.
Construction
Before the United States even entered World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, construction of Chatham Naval Air Station was beginning. The original plans called for building living quarters for officers and enlisted men, hangars, a gas holder, boat house, hospital, pigeon loft, repair shops, garage and assorted storage and maintenance buildings. Pipes were laid in trenches and the nearest fresh water source was 3.5 miles (5.6 km) away. One of the workers died when his trench caved in on him. His name was Patrick Buckley and he left three sons.
By October, the barracks and mess hall were ready for furniture and galley equipment. The resulting structures could handle about 100 men. That same month, the flag pole was placed and 3,000 people were in attendance for its first raising. In November, the United States entered the war. In December, the skeleton of the blimp hangar was finished and wooden slats were soon covering them. Concrete was then set to be poured for the hangar floors. This was complicated by the fact that it was one of the coldest winters that year. As a result, the concrete was poured and protected by tar paper and hot sand. The sliding doors were then installed at the end of that February. The base was commissioned on January 6, 1918.
Patrols
By then, many buildings were ready for occupancy and by mid-March, four Curtiss R-9s were delivered to the Chatham Train StationChatham Train Station
The Chatham Train Station is a former station located on Depot Road in Chatham, Massachusetts that houses a museum. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978, and though it is now home to a railroad museum for the town of Chatham, there has not been a connected...
. They were assembled and the first flight was made by Lt. McKitterick on March 25. In July, four Curtiss HS-1L flying boats were delivered to the depot and trucked to the base. These boats were so urgently needed that they were put into service almost immediately. The addition of these boats increased the time available to patrols from dawn to dusk. Two patrol areas, aptly named Areas A and B were then created. Area A was to the north while Area B was to the south. Planes always went in pairs with one plane carrying a radio transmitter. The plane with the transmitter was required to radio in a location every ten minutes. Both planes carried two homing pigeons for emergency communication with the base, and the birds had been trained for either the north patrol or the south patrol. Thus they could not be transferred from one area to another. Planes were equipped with emergency rations and water for three days, a flashlight, flare pistol with red and green cartridges, a sea anchor, life preservers, signal book and local charts. Patrols took place at 1000 feet (304.8 m) with the purpose to protect the shipping in a defined area. Often the planes would circle around a ship for hours while looking for U-Boats after picking up the vessel in a predetermined location. While the two planes were out on patrol, two other planes and their fliers were on standby at the station, ready to assist should a plane radio in a distress call. If the planes and men could get airborne within seven minutes, they were considered to be within the acceptable range of response time. Eventually blimps were used to help in the patrol process. With their cruising speed of 35 mi/h and a range of 900 miles (1,448.4 km), they were a useful asset in the patrols.
U-boat attack
One of the few known times when the station was utilized for the war was when a report came in of the shelling of nearby Nauset BeachU-Boat Attack on Orleans, Massachusetts
The Attack on Orleans, in July 1918 was a naval and air action during the First World War. An Imperial German U-boat opened fire on the American town of Orleans, Massachusetts and several merchant vessels nearby...
. Nine Curtiss HS-2Ls were dispatched to bomb the submarine that had already sunk five ships and was proceeding to start shelling Orleans, Massachusetts
Orleans, Massachusetts
Orleans is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 5,890 at the 2010 census....
. Either the resulting bombs were duds or they missed, and the U-boat got away.