Naval Air Station South Weymouth, or SOWEY as it is sometimes known, was an operational United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 airfield from 1942 to 1997. It was first established as a regular Navy blimp base during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. During the postwar era the base became an important component of the Naval Air Reserve Training Command, hosting a diverse and changing variety of Navy and Marine Corps reserve aircraft squadrons and other types of reserve units throughout the years. It is located in South Weymouth

Weymouth, Massachusetts

The Town of Weymouth is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, Weymouth had a total population of 53,743. Despite its city status, it is formally known as the Town of Weymouth...

, Rockland

Rockland, Massachusetts

Rockland is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The 2010 census records its population at 17,489. As of December 31, 2009, there are 11,809 registered voters in the community.-History:...

, and Abington

Abington, Massachusetts

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,605 people, 5,263 households, and 3,747 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,469.1 people per square mile . There were 5,348 housing units at an average density of 538.0 per square mile...

, Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

.

World War II

In 1938, the site was surveyed as a possible location for a municipal airport, which was never built. Construction work on the base began in September 1941 and the base was commissioned as the United States Naval Air Station South Weymouth on March 1, 1942. During WWII the base's primary mission was to provide support for anti-submarine blimp

Blimp

A blimp, or non-rigid airship, is a floating airship without an internal supporting framework or keel. A non-rigid airship differs from a semi-rigid airship and a rigid airship in that it does not have any rigid structure, neither a complete framework nor a partial keel, to help the airbag...

 operations. In its original as-built format South Weymouth's main facilities consisted of two gigantic blimp hangar

Hangar

A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...

s, the earlier (LTA Hangar One or "The Big Hangar") of steel construction and the second (LTA Hangar Two) of the more common World War II standardized design of nearly all-wooden construction employed to conserve rationed metals. The base also had a 2000 feet (609.6 m) Macadam

Macadam

Macadam is a type of road construction pioneered by the Scotsman John Loudon McAdam in around 1820. The method simplified what had been considered state-of-the-art at that point...

ized blimp landing mat, six mooring circles, and a 4500 feet (1,371.6 m) cinder-surfaced turf runway

Runway

According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...

.

Throughout the war with Germany NAS South Weymouth served as the home base of airship patrol squadron ZP-11, which operated up to twelve K class blimps employed on ASW patrols and convoy escort missions in and around Massachusetts Bay and the Gulf of Maine. Some historians and former Navy personnel allege that a ZP-11 blimp, the K-14, which crashed with loss of life off the coast of Bar Harbor, Maine on July 2, 1944 was actually shot down by a German submarine.

In addition to ZP-11, NAS South Weymouth also hosted wartime detachments of airship patrol squadron ZP-12 based at NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey and airship utility squadron ZJ-1 based at Meacham Field in Key West, Florida. ZJ-1 was unique, being the only airship utility squadron in the Navy. ZJ-1's South Weymouth detachment (Detachment 1) flew K and G-class airships in support of electronics research projects conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, performed aerial photography missions, and helped to recover test torpedoes for the Navy torpedo station in Newport, Rhode Island. A sub-detachment operated from Elizabeth Field on Fisher's Island, New York.

In 1944, NAS South Weymouth was the starting point for the first transatlantic crossings of non-rigid airships. United States Navy K-ships (blimps) K-123 and K-130 from Blimp Squadron 14 (also known as ZP-14, Blimpron 14, or "The Africa Squadron") left South Weymouth on May 28, 1944 and landed at Argentia

Naval Station Argentia

Naval Station Argentia is a former base of the United States Navy that operated from 1941-1994. It was established in the community of Argentia in what was then the Dominion of Newfoundland, which later became the tenth Canadian province .-Construction:Established under the British-U.S...

, Newfoundland about 16 hours later. The two K-ships then flew approximately 22 hours to Lagens Field

Lajes Field

Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base , officially designated Air Base No. 4 , is a multi-use air field, home to the Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea Nº4 and Azores Air Zone Command , a United States Air Force detachment , and a regional air passenger terminal located near Lajes...

 on Terceira Island in the Azores. The last leg of the flight was a ~20 hour flight to their destination with Fleet Air Wing (FAW) 15 at Port Lyautey

Kenitra Airport

Kenitra Air Base is a military airport in Kenitra, the capital city of the Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen region in Morocco. It is also known as the Third Royal Air Force Base, operated by the Royal Moroccan Air Force.-History:...

, French Morocco (now Kenitra

Kenitra

Kenitra is a city in Morocco, formerly known as Port Lyautey. It is a port on the Sebou River, has a population in 2004 of 359,142 and is the capital of the Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen region. During the Cold War Kenitra's U.S...

, Morocco). Blimps K-123 & K-130 were followed by K-109 & K-134 and K-112 & K-101 which left South Weymouth on June 11 and 27, respectively, in 1944. These six blimps initially conducted nighttime anti-submarine warfare operations to complement the daytime missions flown by FAW-15 aircraft (PBYs and B-24s) using magnetic anomaly detection to locate U-boats in the relatively shallow waters around the Straits of Gibraltar. Later, ZP-14 K-ships conducted minespotting and minesweeping operations in key Mediterranean ports and various escort missions including that of the convoy carrying Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill to the Yalta Conference in early 1945.

Post-war demobilization and Cold War use

South Weymouth was downgraded from a naval air station to a naval air facility on August 9, 1945 after Germany surrendered, thus ending the U-Boat threat to the east coast, and was thereafter used to store surplus naval aircraft that were awaiting final disposition. Many of these aircraft, especially Eastern/Grumman TBM/TBF Avengers, were subjected to elaborate cocooning and preservation methods in the two huge blimp hangars. During this period of South Weymouth's history the base was known as a naval aircraft parking station or "NAPS". Naval Air Facility South Weymouth was placed into caretaker status on June 30, 1949 and downgraded again to an auxilliary landing field or "ALF".

In 1950 the Navy decided to close Squantum Naval Air Station, traditionally the focus of Navy and Marine Corps reserve aviation training in New England, and move the reserve program to ALF South Weymouth. The decision to close NAS Squantum resulted from increasing incidents of airspace conflicts with Boston's commercial airport (modern-day Logan International Airport) in nearby East Boston and due to the fact that Squantum's relatively short and landlocked (waterlocked?) runways were not capable of supporting high-performance jet aircraft.

Between 1952 and 1953 NAAF South Weymouth was rebuilt to make it more suitable for supporting conventional aircraft operations. In its original WWII format, the base was not really intended for regular use by heavier-than-air aircraft. Its cinder-covered turf runways were only intended for transient aircraft, the station's Beech GB Traveler, and other light utility aircraft. During the 1952–1953 reconstruction effort LTA Hangar Two (the wooden blimp hangar) was torn down, three new paved runways (7000 feet (2,133.6 m) north–south runway 17/35, 2000 feet (609.6 m) east–west runway 08/26, and 5000 feet (1,524 m) diagonally aligned runway 02/20) were built, and a CPN-4 ground-controlled-approach facility and modern control tower (the wartime base's control towers were located on top of LTA Hangar One) were established. South Weymouth was reactivated as a reserve training base and fully-fledged naval air station on December 4, 1953.

Though officially a reserve base, NAS South Weymouth hosted an unusual regular Navy unit between 1953 and 1961. This was a secretive research and development outfit called the Naval Air Development Unit, known as "NADU" for short. The NADU, which derived in a way from Special Project Unit (SPU) CAST based at Squantum Naval Air Station during WWII, was tasked with providing flight testing support for research projects associated with the MIT Lincoln Laboratories and other defense contractors. Mainly, these research projects involved experimental electronic equipment such as radars associated with air defense and anti-submarine warfare systems. The NADU operated a very diverse aircraft fleet over the years that included among other things Lockheed WV-2 Warning Stars, Douglas F4D Skyrays, Douglas F3D Skyknights, Lockheed P2V Neptunes, and the ZPG-2W, which were the world's largest blimps.

In December 1956 a new hangar, Hangar #2, was completed adjacent to runway 17/35 to support the fixed-wing ASW and attack squadrons. Runway 08/26 was lengthened to 6,000 feet during 1959. The construction work required on the eastern end of this runway permanently severed Union Street, which had served as a major thoroughfare connecting the towns of Rockland and Weymouth. Blimp operations were discontinued at NAS South Weymouth in July 1961 in advance of the disestablishment of the Naval Air Development Unit on October 1st.

Two reserve anti-submarine squadrons were activated at NAS South Weymouth during the Berlin Crisis. VS-915, which was based at NAS South Weymouth, was activated on October 1, 1961. It was joined by VS-733 transferred from NAS Grosse Ile, MI on November 1st. Both squadrons flew operational ASW patrols from NAS South Weymouth and detachment sites such as Key West and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for nearly a year.

During the 1960s the station hosted a pair of unique Anti-Submarine Warfare Operational Flight Trainers. These consisted of two retired aircraft fuselages, a Grumman S-2A Tracker (crash damaged) and a Lockheed SP-2E Neptune (fire damaged), that were placed on the flat roof of the so-called "lean-to" on the southern side of LTA Hangar One. The radar scopes and other ASW sensors positioned at the tactical crew positions in these two aircraft fuselages were connected to signal generating devices located in the ASW Training Department spaces in the hangar, allowing them to serve as fixed tactical training simulators for reserve aircrewmen.

Steel blimp hangar LTA Hangar One, a local landmark, was torn down during late 1966 and replaced with a much smaller concrete arch hangar (Hangar #1). The new hangar was not completed until November 1970, due in large part to a disaster on August 18, 1967 when several concrete arches collapsed, killing two civilian crane operators. The base had target ranges at the nearby Nomans Land Island and the Liberty Ship

Liberty ship

Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...

 . The base hosted the Navy Weymouth Aero Club from 1961 until the club's closure in 1984.

BRAC 1991

The Base Realignment and Closure Commission decided to close the base in its recommendations. It was decided against because of the community's objections.

BRAC 1993

The Base Realignment and Closure Commission decided to close the base in its recommendations. The community argued that it was important and was ranked higher than other bases scheduled for realignment. This argument was acknowledged as well as the fact that the commission did not include demographics in its decision. The base remained open for the time being.

BRAC 1995

The Base Realignment and Closure Commission of 1995 recommended that South Weymouth close in 1997 and its last remaining squadrons be realigned. VP-92

VP-92

VP-92, Patrol Squadron 92 is a former United States Navy patrol squadron that was based at Brunswick Naval Air Station It was disestablished in 2007 after being active for 37 years.-History:...

, which flew P-3 Orion

P-3 Orion

The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. The aircraft is easily recognizable by its distinctive tail stinger or...

s and VR-62, which flew C-130 Hercules transports, went to Brunswick NAS before the base was officially deactivated and closed by order of the 1995 BRAC.

Redevelopment

There are currently plans to put movie studios, shops, housing, a wildlife park, and a golf course at the site of the former air station. The U.S. Coast Guard also maintains a buoy maintenance facility near the old railroad spur to the station. An A-4 Skyhawk

A-4 Skyhawk

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...

 jet mounted on a pedestal in a small park called the "Shea Memorial Grove", named for Squantum reservist CDR John "Jack" Shea who was killed in action when the aircraft carrier USS Wasp was sunk during WWII, remains as a perpetual reminder of the site's naval heritage. The jet, the park, and a small Navy museum (the Shea Field Naval Aviation Historical Museum) located in the former base gymnasium building (The Shea Fitness Center) are maintained by a local veterans' organization called the Association of Naval Aviation Patriot Squadron.http://www.anapatriotsquadron.org The museum, which serves as a repository of photographs, documents, and other artifacts pertaining to NAS Squantum and NAS South Weymouth, is open from 9 AM to 11 AM on the last Saturday of the month. Admission is free.

In December 2008, a deal was reached to build a movie studio complex on the site. The $100 million complex, to be called SouthField Studios, is planned to include 11 sound stages, production offices and other office space. Construction was set to begin in August 2009, but has been stalled due to financing difficulties.

The base also features a planned condominium community development called 'SouthField'.http://www.southfield.com/ Construction work began on the first residential development on SouthField during December 2010 and the first homes were sold and occupied by the summer.

Units Hosted

United States Marine Corps

• MARTD (1953-1980) Marine Air Reserve Training Detachment
• MGCIS-21 (1953-1954) Marine Ground Controlled Intercept Squadron
• VMF-217 (1953-1958) “Max’s Wild Hares”
• VMF-322 (1953-1958) “The Cannon Balls”
• MACS-21 (1954-1967) Marine Air Control Squadron, formerly MGCIS-21
• MARG-4 (1957-1969) Marine Air Reserve Group
• VMA-217
  VMA-217
  Marine Attack Squadron 217 was a fighter squadron of the United States Marine Corps that was activated and fought during World War II. Known as “Max’s Wild Hares”, they fought in many areas of the Pacific War including the Battle of Iwo Jima. Following the surrender of Japan, the squadron was ...
  
   (1958-1964) Formerly VMF-217
• VMA-322
  VMA-322
  Marine Attack Squadron 322 was a fighter squadron in the United States Marine Corps. The squadron, also known as the “Fighting Gamecocks”, fought in World War II and later became a part of the Marine Forces Reserve based out of Naval Air Station South Weymouth, Massachusetts.-History:Marine...
  
   (1958-1992) “The Fighting Gamecocks”, formerly VMF-322
• HMR-771 (1958-1963) “The Hummingbirds”
• VTU-11 (1960-1979) Marine Voluntary Training Unit
• HMM-771 (1963-1971) Formerly HMR-771
• MATCU-76 (1967-1975) Marine Air Traffic Control Unit, formerly MACS-21
• MASS-6 (1967-1985) Marine Air Support Squadron, formerly MACS-21
• 24th Staff Group (1969-1981)
• MWFS-5 (1969-1971) Marine Wing Facilities Squadron, formerly MARG-4
• HML-771 (1971-1994) Formerly HMM-771
• MWFTS-410 (1971-1979) Marine Wing Facilities Training Squadron, formerly MWFS-5
• MACG-9191 (1977-1978) Marine Air Control Group
• WES-47 (1977-1979) Marine Wing Engineer Squadron
• DET E 4th FSSG (1977-1985) Marine Force Service Support Group
• DET A MABS-42 (1978-1985) Marine Air Base Squadron
• DET B HAMS-42 (1978-1982) Marine Headquarters & Maintenance Squadron
• DET C HAMS-49 (1978-1981) Marine Headquarters & Maintenance Squadron
• WES-47 DET A (1979-1985) Formerly WES-47
• MAG-49 DET A (1980-1994) Formerly MARTD
• DET A HAMS-49 (1981-1985) Formerly DET C HAMS-49
• MASS-4 DET A (1981-1983) Marine Air Support Squadron Detachment
• DET D HAMS-42 (1978-1982) Formerly DET B HAMS-42
• MEDMAG-49 (1983-1997) Marine Medical Unit
• NR 4 MAW DMG 49 DET (1983)
• SSE (1994-1996) Marine Corps Site Support Element replacing MAG-49 DET A
• 4th MARDIV 1/25 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• MWSS-473
• Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 49

United States Navy

• ZP-11 (1942-1945)
• BLIMPHEDRON-1-11 (1943-1945) DET 11 of BLIMPHEDRON-1 based at NAS Lakehurst, NJ
• ZJ-1-1 (1944-1945) DET 1 of ZJ-1 based at Meacham Field, FL
• ZP-12-1 (1945) DET 1 of ZP-12 based at NAS Lakehurst, NJ
• BLIMPHEDRON-1-12-1 (1945) Replaced BLIMPHEDRON-1-11
• VU-5 Drone Unit (1949) Detachment of VU-5 based at NAS Quonset Point, RI
• AAU-911 (1953-1957) Auxiliary Aviation Unit
• AAU-912 (1953-1957) Auxiliary Aviation Unit
• AAU-913 (1953-1956) Auxiliary Aviation Unit
• AAU-914 (1953-1957) Auxiliary Aviation Unit
• AAU-915 (1953-1957) Auxiliary Aviation Unit
• AGU(L)-911 (1953-1959) Large Aviation Ground Unit
• AWS-91 (1953-1958) Air Wing Staff Unit
• FASRON-911 (1953-1956) Fleet Aircraft Service Squadron
• HU-911 (1953-1958)
• VA-911 (1953-1955)
• VA-912 (1953-1955)
• VA-913 (1953-1955)
• VF-911 (1953-1955)
• VF-914 (1953-1955)
• VF-915 (1953-1955) “The Fighting Beavers”
• VF-917 (1953-1955)
• VP-911 (1953-1968)
• VR-911 (1953-1968)
• VR-912 (1953-1967)
• VS-911 (1953-1962)
• VS-912 (1953-1967)
• ZP-911 (1953-1958)
• Naval Air Development Unit (1953-1961)
• GCA Unit #48 (1954-1974) Ground Controlled Approach Unit
• VFJ-911 (1955-1958) Formerly VF-911
• VFJ-912 (1955-1958)
• VFJ-914 (1955-1958) Formerly VF-914
• VFJ-915 (1955-1958) Formerly VF-915
• VFJ-917 (1955-1958) Formerly VF-917
• BARTU-911 (1955-1958) Bureau of Aeronautics Reserve Training Unit
• VS-913 (1955-1962) “The Down-Easter Squadron”
• CVFASRON-911 (1956-1958) Carrier Fleet Aircraft Service Squadron, formerly FASRON-911
• HU-912 (1956-1958)
• VP-912 (1956-1968)
• VP-913 (1956-1968)
• VR-913 (1956-1968)
• VR-914 (1956-1963)
• VS-914 (1956-1968)
• AIRTU-911 (1958-1962) Air Intelligence Reserve Training Unit
• AIRTU-912 (1958-1962) Air Intelligence Reserve Training Unit
• AWS-91(L) (1958-1967) Large Air Wing Staff Unit, formerly AWS-91
• BARTU-911(L) (1958-1961) Bureau of Aeronautics Reserve Training Unit, formerly BARTU-911
• CVFAS-911 (1958-1959) Carrier Fleet Aircraft Service Squadron, formerly CVFASRON-911
• HS-911 (1958-1968) Formerly HU-911
• HS-912 (1958-1968) Formerly HU-912
• HS-913 (1958-1959)
• VP-914 (1958-1965)
• VS-915 (1958-1965)
• VS-916 (1958-1962)
• ZW-1 (1959-1960) Detachment of squadron based at NAS Lakehurst, NJ
• CFAS-911 (1959-1960) Carrier Fleet Aircraft Service Squadron, formerly CVFAS-911
• NARMU-911 (1960-1968) Naval Air Reserve Maintenance Unit
• AIRTU-913 (1960-1962) Air Intelligence Reserve Training Unit
• VS-733 (1961-1962) Temporarily transferred from NAS Grosse Ile, MI for Cuban Missile Crisis
• NAIRU-911 (1961-1968) Naval Air Intelligence Reserve Unit
• WEPTU-911 (1961-1968) Weapons Training Unit
• WEPTU-912 (1961-1967) Weapons Training Unit
• WEPTU-913 (1961-1962) Weapons Training Unit
• VAJ-911 (1962) “The Blackhawks”
• VAJ-912 (1962) “The Old Pros”
• VA-911 (1962-1968) Formerly VAJ-911
• VA-912 (1962-1968) Formerly VAJ-912
• VP-915 (1962-1968)
• VP-916 (1962-1963)
• VP-917 (1962-1963)
• Navy Exchange (1966-1996) One regular Navy officer assigned to base Navy Exchange
• NQRU-91 (1966-1977) National Quota Reserve Unit
• NWSED (1966-1980) Naval Weather Service Environmental Detachment
• NARDIV-911(FA)(L) (1967-1968) Large Fleet Air Naval Air Reserve Division
• NARS-91(L) (1967-1968) Large Naval Air Reserve Staff Unit, formerly AWS-91(L)
• HS-62Z1 (1968-1969) Formerly HS-911
• HS-62Z2 (1968-1969) Formerly HS-912
• NAIRU-Z1 (1968-1974) Naval Air Intelligence Reserve Unit, formerly NAIRU-911
• NARDIV-Z1 (1968-1975) Naval Air Reserve Division formerly NARDIV-911(FA)(L)
• NARMU-Z1 (1968-1970) Naval Air Reserve Maintenance Unit, formerly NARMU-911
• NARS-Z1 (1968-1975) Naval Air Reserve Staff Unit, formerly NARS-91(L)
• NASRU-Z1 (1968-1974) Naval Air Systems Command Reserve Unit
• VA-2Z1 (1968-1970) Formerly VAJ-911
• VA-6Z2 (1968-1970) Formerly VAJ-912
• VP-63Z1 (1968-1970) Formerly VP-911
• VP-63Z2 (1968-1970) Formerly VP-912
• VP-63Z3 (1968-1970) Formerly VP-913
• VP-11Z4 (1968-1970) Formerly VP-915
• VR-62Z1 (1968-1970) Formerly VR-911
• VR-1Z2 (1968-1970) Formerly VR-912
• VS-62Z1 (1968) Formerly VS-912
• VS-1Z2 (1968) Formerly VS-914
• RSAND-Z1 (1968-1974) Reserve Systems Analysis Division
• OPCON-Z1 (1968-1970) Operational Control Unit
• OPCON-Z2 (1968-1970) Operational Control Unit
• OPCON-Z3 (1968-1970) Operational Control Unit
• VS-70Z1 (1968-1970) Formerly VS-62Z1
• VS-27Z2 (1968-1970) Formerly VS-1Z2
• HS-70Z1 (1969-1970) Formerly HS-62Z1
• HS-66Z2 (1969-1970) Formerly HS-62Z2
• HS-5Z3 (1970)
• NARDIV-4Z1 (1970) Naval Air Reserve Division
• NARMU-23Z1 (1970) Formerly NARMU-Z1
• OPCON-4Z1 (1970-1974) Formerly OPCON-Z1
• OPCON-4Z2 (1970-1974) Formerly OPCON-Z2
• OPCON-13Z1 (1970) Operational Control Unit
• OPCON-13Z3 (1970-1974) Formerly OPCON-Z3
• VA-210
  Attack Squadron 210 (U.S. Navy)
  Attack Squadron 210 was an aviation unit of the United States Naval Reserve active between 1970 and 1971. VA-210 aircraft wore CVWR-20's tail code "AF", the squadron's nickname was Black Hawks.-History:...
  
   (1970-1971) "The Blackhawks"
• VP-92
  VP-92
  VP-92, Patrol Squadron 92 is a former United States Navy patrol squadron that was based at Brunswick Naval Air Station It was disestablished in 2007 after being active for 37 years.-History:...
  
   (1970-1996) “The Minutemen”
• RTU-92 (1970-1974) Replacement Training Unit for VP-92
• IMSU-23Z1 (1971-1974) Intermediate Maintenance Support Unit
• NARDIV-Z2 (1971-1974) Naval Air Reserve Division
• NARDIV-Z3 (1971-1974) Naval Air Reserve Division
• BTU-Z1 (1972-1977)
• OPCON-9Z4 (1972-1974) Operational Control Unit
• OPCON-14Z5 (1972-1974) Operational Control Unit
• HS-74 (1973-1985) “The Big Mothers” from NAS Quonset Point, RI
• RTU-74 (1973-1974) Replacement Training Unit for HS-74
• AAU-101 (1974-1977) Area Analysis Unit
• AAU-201 (1974-1977) Area Analysis Unit
• AFGEN-103 (1974-1977)
• AIRSYSTEMS T&E-101 (1974-1975) Air Systems Test and Evaluation Unit
• AMO-1001 (1974-1977) Aviation Material Office Group
• ATTACHE SYS-101 (1974-1977) Attaché Systems Unit
• Branch Dental (1974-1977)
• Branch Dispensary (1974-1977)
• CONTGROUP-503 (1974-1977)
• DEFINT-101 (1974-1977) Defense Intelligence Unit
• FASO DET (1974-1977) DET of Fleet Aviation Specialized Operational Training Group from NAS * * Brunswick, ME
• HS-1001 (1974-1977) Replacement Training Unit replacing RTU-74
• HS-1101 (1974-1977) Replacement Training Unit replacing RTU-74
• IMA-1001 (1974-1977) Intermediate Maintenance Augmentation Unit
• INVESTOPS-101 (1974-1977) Investigative Operations Unit
• NAS-1201 (1974-1977) Naval Air Station Augmentation Unit
• Navy Courier Service (1974-1977)
• NISC-203 (1974-1977) Naval Intelligence Support Center Unit
• NAS-301 (1974-1977) Naval Station Augmentation Unit
• NWS-101 (1974-1980) Naval Weather Service Unit
• OPCON-6Z1 (1974) Operational Control Unit
• OPCON-1201 (1974-1975) Operational Control Unit
• OPCON-1301 (1974-1975) Operational Control Unit
• OPCON-1901 (1974-1975) Operational Control Unit
• OPCON-2001 (1974-1975) Operational Control Unit
• OPCON-3101 (1974-1975) Operational Control Unit
• OPCON-3201 (1974-1975) Operational Control Unit
• PATWINGLANT-401 (1974-1979) Patrol Wings Atlantic Fleet Unit
• RMCB-12-1-7 (1974-1996) Sub-Detachment of Reserve Mobile Construction Battalion Unit 12 DET 1 based in Boston and drilling at NAS South Weymouth
• VP-3001 (1974-1977) Replacement Training Unit replacing RTU-92
• VP-3101 (1974-1977) Replacement Training Unit replacing RTU-92
• ASWSU-2501 (1975-1977) ASW Support Unit
• ASWSUMOBVAN-7001 (1975-1977) Mobile ASW Support Unit
• NAWS-101 (1975-1977) Naval Air Weapons Station Unit
• IRU-5101 (1975-1977) Individual Reinforcement Unit
• RRU-5101 (1975-1976)
• TSU-1201 (1975-1977) Technical Support Unit
• TSU-1301 (1975-1977) Technical Support Unit
• IVTU-101 (1976-1985) Intelligence Volunteer Training Unit
• VTU-5101 (1976-1977) Volunteer Training Unit
• AIRMATOFFDET-291 (1977-1983) Air Material Office Detachment
• CONTGROUP-302 (1977) Contracts Group
• DEF DOCUMENT-0102 (1977-1988) Defense Documentation Unit
• FASOTRAGR-491 (1977-1980) Fleet Aviation Specialized Operational Training Group
• FIRSTEURLANT-0191 (1977-1991) Fleet Intelligence Response Team Atlantic
• FIRSTEURLANT-0291 (1977-1991) Fleet Intelligence Response Team Atlantic
• HS-1191 (1977-1980) Replacement Training Unit replacing HS-1001
• HS-3291 (1977-1978) Replacement Training Unit replacing HS-1101
• NAS Brunswick-4291 (1977-1997) NAS Brunswick Base Support Unit
• NAS Oceana DET-296 (1977-1982) NAS Oceana Base Support Unit
• NAS South Weymouth-1291 (1977-1997) NAS South Weymouth Base Support Unit
• NAVAIRWEPSUP-0191 (1977-1983) Naval Air Weapons Support Group
• NAVCURSERVDET-B (1977-1988) Naval Courier Service Detachment
• NISCPROD-0202 (1977-1988)
• NISRO-0301 (1977-1994) Naval Investigative Service Reserve Office Unit
• NISRO-0491 (1977) Naval Investigative Service Reserve Office Unit
• NRDC Branch Clinic (1977-1997) Formerly Branch Dental
• NRMC Branch Clinic (1977-1997) Formerly Branch Clinic
• NS ROTA-0391 (1977-1997) NS Rota Base Support Unit
• TSC or ASWOC-0191 (1977-1997) Tactical Support or ASW Operations Center
• VP-0810 (1977-1985) RTU replacing VP-3001 and VP-3101
• VTU-9191 (1977-1997) Voluntary Training Unit
• WEPSYS-0191 (1977) Weapons Systems Unit
• MTU (AUN-11) (1978-1983) Mobile Training Unit
• ROICC (1978-1997) Resident Officer in Charge of Construction
• TSC or ASWOC-0791 (1979-1997) Tactical Support or ASW Operations Center
• PSD DET (1979-1997) Detachment of Personnel Support Activity based at NS Newport, RI
• VTU AIRSYSCOM-0591 (1979-1997) Air Systems Command Voluntary Training Unit
• HS-1197 (1980-1984) Formerly HS-1191
• NAVOCEANCOMDET (1980-1997) Naval Oceanography Command Detachment
• VRF-31 COMP 291 (1981-1987) Aircraft Ferry Squadron
• CV-67 0191 (1983-1997) Aircraft Carrier Support Unit
• MMF-191 (1983-1988) Mobile Maintenance Facility Unit
• NAVAIRSYSCOM-0891 (1983-1997) Naval Air Systems Command Unit
• MED DEN-091 (1984-1997) Medical and Dental Unit
• NAVHOSP Lemoore (1984-1988) Naval Hospital Unit for NAS Lemoore, CA
• VP-MAU (1984-1991) “The Northern Sabers”, Patrol Squadron Master Augment Unit, based at NAS * Brunswick, ME but administratively supported by NAS South Weymouth
• NORA-1091 (1985-1994)
• HSL-74 (1985-1994) “The Demon Elves”, formerly HS-74
• NAVAIRSYSCOM-1391 (1985-1997) Naval Air Systems Command Unit
• NAVPRO Lynn (1987-1994) Naval Plant Representative Office (GE)
• VR COMP 691 (1987-1997)
• DCS Station Boston (1988-1997) Defense Communications System Station
• NAVPRO STRAT (1988-1994) Naval Plant Representative Office (Sikorsky)
• NAVMED Brunswick (1988-1992) Naval Medical Unit
• NIAC-0391 (1988-1992) Naval Intelligence Automation Center Unit
• NTIC-0202 (1988-1992) Navy Technical Intelligence Center Unit
• IVTU-6508 (1988-1997) Intelligence Volunteer Training Unit
• CV-67 0291 (1989-1997) USS John F. Kennedy Reserve Unit
• AIC-0191 (1991-1997)
• AIC-0291 (1991-1997)
• NAVOPINTCN-0101 (1991-1992)
• NISRO-0502 (1991-1994) Naval Investigative Service Reserve Office Unit
• NTIL-102 (1991-1992)
• NAVMIC-0391 (1992-1994) Naval Maritime Intelligence Center Unit
• NAVMIC-2401 (1992-1994) Naval Maritime Intelligence Center Unit
• NISRO-0201 (1992-1994) Naval Investigative Service Reserve Office Unit
• NCIS-0201 (1994-1997) Navy Criminal Intelligence Command Unit
• NMORA-1091 (1994-1997) Meteorology & Oceanography Reserve Activity
• DCMC/DPRO-0291 (1994-1997) Defense Contract Management/Procurement Office
• DCMC/DPRO-0391 (1994-1997) Defense Contract Management/Procurement Office
• DCMC/DPRO-0591 (1994-1997) Defense Contract Management/Procurement Office
• ONI-0391 (1994-1997) Office of Naval Intelligence Unit
• ONI-2401 (1994-1997) Office of Naval Intelligence Unit
• VR-62 (1994-1996) “The Nor’ Easters” from NAF Detroit, MI
• ABFC H14 AVTKFM 101 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• COMSUBGRU-2 DET 101 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• COOPMINEUNIT 2230 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• DCMD Boston A 101 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• DDD Norfolk HQ A 901 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• LSO Newport 201 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• MARDEZLANT SEC 1A (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• MSCCF North Sea 101 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• NCSO North Europe 301 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• NDCL Newport 401 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• NH Long Beach P 0145 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• NMCB 27 DET 1627 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• SECGRU Quincy 401 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• SSF NLON DET 201 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• SUBLANTREL (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• NAVHOSP Long Beach 301 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• SPAWAR HQ 101 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• NR ONRSCI 201 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• NR COMCSEUR 101 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• FFG SUPP 1010 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• NAVHOSP Portsmouth 301 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• NR SIMA Newport 1001 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• DPRO Sikorsky 0291 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• DPRO Lynn 0591 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA
• DPRO Grumman 0591 (1995) From Naval Reserve Center Quincy, MA

Other Services

• USCG Detachment (1954-1959) USCGR unit flying USNR PBYs and P4Y-2s
• 704th AA Battalion (1954-1959) Battery C of 704th Mass National Guard Anti-Aircraft Battalion
• 6520th Test Support Wing (1955-1957) DET of USAF unit based at Hanscom Field in Bedford, MA

External links

• http://www.airfields-freeman.com/MA/Airfields_MA_Boston_SE.html#weymouth
• http://www.anapatriotsquadron.org
• http://www.bluejacket.com/usn_avi_insig_airsta.html
• http://www.bracpmo.navy.mil/bracbases/ma/south_weymouth/default.aspx
• http://www.epsilonassociates.com/site/index.php/item/292
• http://www.skyhawk.org/2e/marine.htm
• http://www.vermontel.net/~tomh/VP92/VP92History.html
• http://www.verslo.is/baldur/p2/southweym.htm
• http://www.vpassociation.org
• http://www.vpnavy.org/nassw_1997.html
• http://www.vp92.com/index.html
• http://www.weymouth.ma.us/history/index.asp?id=1128
• http://yosemite.epa.gov/r1/npl_pad.nsf/f52fa5c31fa8f5c885256adc0050b631/90F777815E5B7F468525691F0063F6F9?OpenDocument