Naval Air Station Jacksonville From 1907 to Present - CNIC.Navy.mil ...

Department.
Sept. 15, 1939 - CDR Cotter starts Public Works/Contracting functions.
Oct. 25, 1939 - First contract issued for clearing, dredging and filling.
Nov. 11, 1939 - Chief Pharmacist's Mate A. E. Owen reports as first Medical Department
representative.
Jan. 16, 1940 - First aircraft assigned to station, a Grumman J2F-3, arrives in Jacksonville.
April 23, 1940 - Air Station title given to U.S. Government.
June 4, 1940 - First Marines arrive at station.
Sept. 7, 1940 - First plane, an N3N, landed on airfield.
Sept. 17, 1940 – Capt. Mason, first Station commanding officer, arrives in Jacksonville.
Oct. 2, 1940 - Undersecretary of the Navy James Forrestal visits the station.
Oct. 15, 1940 - NAS Jacksonville commissioned at high noon. Capt. Charles Perry Mason first
commanding officer. Squadron VN-13, D-7 established. Adm. Towers in attendance.
Oct. 16, 1940 - Station's first completed building, 110, begins operations.
Nov. 7, 1940 - First class of aviation cadets begins arriving.
Dec. 14, 1940 - First official photos of station taken by Photography Laboratory personnel.
Dec. 24, 1940 - Station's first training aircraft arrive as 10 N2S Stearmans fly in direct from the
factory in St. Louis.
Jan. 2, 1941 - First primary training squadron, VN-11, commissioned.
Feb. 12, 1941 - Undersecretary Forrestal makes second visit to station.
Feb. 15, 1941 - NAS Jacksonville Post Office established.
Feb. 21, 1941 - Site Selection Board approves buying 2,666 acres for $18,786 to establish
Auxiliary Field No. 2 (Cecil Field).
March 1, 1941 - American Red Cross Field Director's Office opened.