Naval Auxiliary Air Facility Martha's Vineyard
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Naval Auxiliary Air Station Martha's Vineyard was a
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
facility located in Edgartown and
West Tisbury, Massachusetts West Tisbury is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,555 at the 2020 census. Along with Chilmark and Aquinnah, West Tisbury forms "Up-Island" Martha's Vineyard. History West T ...
operational from 1943 to 1946. It existed as an auxiliary air facility of
Naval Air Station Quonset Point A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includ ...
.


History

The facility was commissioned within the borders of
Manuel F. Correllus State Forest Manuel F. Correllus State Forest is a Massachusetts state forest located on Martha's Vineyard. The forest borders Martha's Vineyard Airport on three sides and is chiefly in the New England town, towns of West Tisbury, Massachusetts, West Tisbury ...
on 26 March, 1943 on land donated to the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Three 3,700 foot runways were built on the land, and were paved with asphalt. A crash boat and crew were based in Vineyard Haven, and a rocket firing range was set up in Katama near
Edgartown Airfield Edgartown is a tourist destination on the island of Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States, for which it is the county seat. It was once a major whaling port, with historic houses that have been carefully preserved. Tod ...
, which was closed during the war. Five targets for gunnery and bombing were also set up at the Nomans Land Range. Carrier Air Service Unit 22 was stationed at the airfield to operate, service aircraft, and train personnel as well as tow target aircraft. It was renamed Naval Auxiliary Air Station in 1945. 21 Navy and Marine Corps squadrons passed through the station during the war, before it was decommissioned on 27 May, 1946. The state was immediately placed in caretaker status and leased to the county for civil aviation, and was eventually disposed of in 1959. Today, the field operates as Martha's Vineyard Airport.


See also

*
List of military installations in Massachusetts This is a list of current and former military installations in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Current military installations in Massachusetts Joint facilities ;Bases * Joint Base Cape Cod (state designation, not federally recognized)


References

{{Airports in the Cape and Islands Area Installations of the United States Navy in Massachusetts Military installations closed in 1946 Edgartown, Massachusetts West Tisbury, Massachusetts Defunct airports in Massachusetts Martha's Vineyard Closed installations of the United States Navy