Naval Air Station Willow Grove
Encyclopedia
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove or NASJRB Willow Grove was a Naval Air Station
owned by the U.S. Navy and located in Horsham Township
, Montgomery County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
four miles (6 km) northwest of the central business district
of Willow Grove
, which is north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The installation was changed to the Horsham Air Guard Station after the U.S. Navy left in the Spring of 2011.
constructed a hangar
and a grass airstrip in Horsham, Pennsylvania
. The name "Willow Grove
" came from the nearest town. At the time, Horsham was a rural township
with little significance. From 1926 to 1942 Pitcairn used the airfield for design, construction and testing of a number of aircraft, including the Mailwing which was used by the United States Postal Service
.
After the start of World War II
, the United States
purchased the grounds, and launched a classified anti-submarine warfare
program at the base. Following World War II and into the Cold War
, it became an operational and training bases for aviation activities of the Naval Reserve
, Marine Corps Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard
, Army Reserve
and Army National Guard
, a duty it continues to this day. As part of its joint recruitment efforts, the base was an annual host to one of the largest air show
s on the East Coast until 2006.
Willow Grove was most recently home to the following military aviation units:
commission recommended that this base be closed as part of the 2005 BRAC round
, that the tenant Air Force Reserve Command
airlift wing be deactivated and that Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve flying units relocate to McGuire Air Force Base
in New Jersey as tenant units. This may be subject to change by the President of the United States
and the United States Congress
.
On September 30, 2007, pursuant to direction of BRAC 2005, the Air Force Reserve Command
disestablished the 913th Airlift Wing
at Willow Grove ARS, redistributing its C-130 Hercules
aircraft to other active duty Air Force and Air Force Reserve units.
On February 29, 2008, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania released a report detailing a plan for a joint interagency installation (JII), with a mission of national defense, homeland security and emergency preparedness. However, on November 13, 2009, Pennsylvania dropped the plan for the JII based on the gradual removal of the 111th Fighter Wing. Future plans for the base include using a portion for the National Guard and reserve troops.
The airfield shut down on March 31, 2011; VR-64, VR-52, and a C-12 detachment were transferred to McGuire Air Force Base
.
Currently, the 111th Fighter Wing
, operating the A-10 Thunderbolt II
, has lost all its aircraft to other ANG Squadrons under BRAC; the unit will take on a new role (so far undecided) in the near future. The unit will no longer operate aircraft.
Final closure of NAS JRB Willow Grove will occur on September 15, 2011. The Pennsylvania Air National Guard
is expected to take custody, and the facility will be designated Willow Grove Air National Guard Base. A handful of National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers will remain, and the Air Force will maintain administrative offices on the property. The surplus land containing the runways will be turned over to Horsham Township for redevelopment; Horsham and other adjoining townships in Montgomery
and Bucks Counties
are currently debating the nature of this redevelopment.
Naval Air Station
A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...
owned by the U.S. Navy and located in Horsham Township
Horsham Township, Pennsylvania
Horsham Township is a home rule municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Although it retains the word "Township" in its official name, it has been governed by a home rule charter since 1975 and is therefore not subject to the Pennsylvania Township Code...
, Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
four miles (6 km) northwest of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Willow Grove
Willow Grove, Pennsylvania
Willow Grove is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. A community in Philadelphia's northern suburbs, the population was 15,726 at the 2010 census. It is located in Abington Township and Upper Moreland Township...
, which is north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The installation was changed to the Horsham Air Guard Station after the U.S. Navy left in the Spring of 2011.
History
It began in 1926 when Harold Frederick PitcairnHarold Frederick Pitcairn
Harold F. Pitcairn was an American aviation inventor and pioneer. He played a key role in the development of the autogyro and founded the Autogiro Company of America...
constructed a 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...
and a grass airstrip in Horsham, Pennsylvania
Horsham, Pennsylvania
Horsham is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,842 at the 2010 census. Horsham is located entirely within Horsham Township, and it is home to Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove.In 2007, Horsham was named the 15th best...
. The name "Willow Grove
Willow Grove, Pennsylvania
Willow Grove is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. A community in Philadelphia's northern suburbs, the population was 15,726 at the 2010 census. It is located in Abington Township and Upper Moreland Township...
" came from the nearest town. At the time, Horsham was a rural township
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
with little significance. From 1926 to 1942 Pitcairn used the airfield for design, construction and testing of a number of aircraft, including the Mailwing which was used by the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
.
After the start of 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...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
purchased the grounds, and launched a classified anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
program at the base. Following World War II and into the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, it became an operational and training bases for aviation activities of the Naval Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
, Marine Corps Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
, Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
and Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
, a duty it continues to this day. As part of its joint recruitment efforts, the base was an annual host to one of the largest air show
Air show
An air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
s on the East Coast until 2006.
Units
Willow Grove is home to the following:- The Liberty Bell Squadron of the United States Naval Sea Cadet CorpsUnited States Naval Sea Cadet CorpsThe United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps is a congressionally chartered, U.S. Navy-based organization that serves to teach individuals 13 to 17 years old about the sea-going military services, U.S. Naval operations and training, community service, citizenship, and an understanding of discipline and...
and - Group 3 Headquarters of Pennsylvania Wing Civil Air PatrolPennsylvania Wing Civil Air PatrolThe Pennsylvania Wing of the Civil Air Patrol is the highest echelon of CAP in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Wing headquarters are located near Harrisburg, PA at Fort Indiantown Gap....
.
Willow Grove was most recently home to the following military aviation units:
- 111th Fighter Wing111th Fighter WingThe United States Air Force's 111th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard fighter unit located at NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.-Mission:To maintain highly trained, well-equipped, and motivated military forces in order to provide combat-ready OA-10/A-10 aircraft and support elements in response to...
, which no longer operates the A-10 Thunderbolt IIA-10 Thunderbolt IIThe Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
and is slated to acquire a new non-aviation mission. - 270th EIS; Marine Aircraft Group 49Marine Aircraft Group 49Marine Aircraft Group 49 is a United States Marine Corps reserve aviation unit based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, Pennsylvania that is currently composed of one CH-46 Sea Knight, one CH-53E Super Stallion, three AH-1W Super Cobra, one KC-130 and a maintenance and logistics...
headquarters and HMH-772HMH-772Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772 is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH-53E Super Stallion transport helicopters...
operates the CH-53E Super StallionCH-53E Super StallionThe Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion is the largest and heaviest helicopter in the United States military. It was developed from the CH-53 Sea Stallion, mainly by adding a third engine, a seventh blade to the main rotor and canting the tail rotor 20 degrees. Sailors commonly refer to the Super...
and - Navy Fleet Logistic Squadrons 52 (VR-52) and 64 (VR-64), operating the C-9 Skytrain II and C-130T Hercules, respectively. Both VR-52 and VR-64 relocated to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in March 2011.
- 913th Airlift Wing913th Airlift WingThe 913th Airlift Wing was a wing of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command and operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command. It was based out of the Willow Grove Air Reserve Station at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, Pennsylvania...
. Deactivated 30 September 2007.
Base Realignment and Closure
On May 28, 2006, the Base Realignment and ClosureBase Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
commission recommended that this base be closed as part of the 2005 BRAC round
Base Realignment and Closure, 2005
The preliminary 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list was released by the United States Department of Defense on May 13, 2005. It is the fifth Base Realignment and Closure proposal generated since the process was created in 1988. It recommends closing 33 major United States military bases and...
, that the tenant Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
airlift wing be deactivated and that Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve flying units relocate to McGuire Air Force Base
McGuire Air Force Base
JB MDL McGuire is a United States Air Force base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. McGuire is under the jurisdiction of the USAF Air Mobility Command...
in New Jersey as tenant units. This may be subject to change by the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
and the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
.
On September 30, 2007, pursuant to direction of BRAC 2005, the Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
disestablished the 913th Airlift Wing
913th Airlift Wing
The 913th Airlift Wing was a wing of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command and operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command. It was based out of the Willow Grove Air Reserve Station at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, Pennsylvania...
at Willow Grove ARS, redistributing its C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
aircraft to other active duty Air Force and Air Force Reserve units.
On February 29, 2008, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania released a report detailing a plan for a joint interagency installation (JII), with a mission of national defense, homeland security and emergency preparedness. However, on November 13, 2009, Pennsylvania dropped the plan for the JII based on the gradual removal of the 111th Fighter Wing. Future plans for the base include using a portion for the National Guard and reserve troops.
The airfield shut down on March 31, 2011; VR-64, VR-52, and a C-12 detachment were transferred to McGuire Air Force Base
McGuire Air Force Base
JB MDL McGuire is a United States Air Force base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. McGuire is under the jurisdiction of the USAF Air Mobility Command...
.
Currently, the 111th Fighter Wing
111th Fighter Wing
The United States Air Force's 111th Fighter Wing is an Air National Guard fighter unit located at NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.-Mission:To maintain highly trained, well-equipped, and motivated military forces in order to provide combat-ready OA-10/A-10 aircraft and support elements in response to...
, operating the A-10 Thunderbolt II
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
, has lost all its aircraft to other ANG Squadrons under BRAC; the unit will take on a new role (so far undecided) in the near future. The unit will no longer operate aircraft.
Final closure of NAS JRB Willow Grove will occur on September 15, 2011. The Pennsylvania Air National Guard
Pennsylvania Air National Guard
The Pennsylvania Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is, along with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, an element of the Pennsylvania National Guard. It is considered a part of the United States Air Force, as well as of the state.-Overview:The...
is expected to take custody, and the facility will be designated Willow Grove Air National Guard Base. A handful of National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers will remain, and the Air Force will maintain administrative offices on the property. The surplus land containing the runways will be turned over to Horsham Township for redevelopment; Horsham and other adjoining townships in Montgomery
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
and Bucks Counties
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
are currently debating the nature of this redevelopment.