In 1935, it had been 17 years since the end of World War I. The City had just constructed its “World War” memorial along the Bluff, dedicated to those who had served and those who had lost their lives during the conflict. In those days, World War I was referred to as “The Great War” and as “The War to End All Wars”. Most people sincerely believed that the war had been so destructive and deadly (between 16 and 22 million military and civilian deaths) that there would never again be another war like that. But those naive beliefs were already starting to fade. In Europe, Germany and Italy were already rearming, violating numerous international laws and agreements. In the Far East, Japan was doing the same.
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VIEW A PHOTO GALLERY OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF NAS-CC
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Our own military leaders were concerned enough that they began to petition the President and Congress to enhance our military readiness. As early as 1935, they were calling for increased production of airplanes and warships and increases in our military personnel. In June 1938, Congress called for the spending of $1,156,000,000 to upgrade naval facilities nationwide. No actual money was authorized, but Congress was clearly sending a message. One of our most urgent needs was a solution to a severe shortage of trained naval pilots. A new training base was urgently needed, and Texas was quick to propose that the new base be located along the Texas coast. Houston, Galveston, and Corpus Christi all made bids for the new air training base. Two diligent Texas Congressmen, Rep. Richard Kleberg and Rep. Lyndon Johnson (a close friend of Kleberg), worked tirelessly to bring the new training base to Corpus Christi.
World War II had already broken out in Europe in September 1939. In November 1939, Congress appropriated $26,650,000 for a new naval air training base on the Texas coast. LBJ held a private meeting with President Roosevelt on December 14, 1939, convincing him that Corpus Christi was the logical choice for the new base. Corpus Christi had limitless, uncrowded airspace, ideal year-round flying weather, and a very enthusiastic community willing to cooperate with the Navy in building the new base. LBJ’s meeting with the President was followed by a recommendation from a special naval board that the new base be located in Corpus Christi,
Funding for the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station arrived in June of 1940. Brown and Root was awarded the main construction contract after the government approved the site at Flour Bluff Point. More than 2,000 acres of land would need to be purchased from nearly 160 landowners.
The number of acres needed eventually expanded to 4,653 as auxiliary fields were added to the construction list. The government made it clear that those owners who refused to sell would have condemnation suits filed against them. Navy Commander L.N. Moeller was placed in charge of the construction of the main base. He estimated that some 10,000 men would be needed for the project, which got underway in July 1940. In addition to base construction, the Navy was also dredging a 30-foot-deep by 200-foot-wide channel across the Bay, and the state was constructing a major highway from Corpus Christi to the new air station. Water mains to the new base were completed, and a 19-mile-long railroad spur to the new base was finished in August 1940.
By late November 1940, 7,000 construction workers were working day and night on the NAS project. A huge Administration building was the first structure built on the base. Miles of runways, four hangars for seaplanes, and four hangars for land planes would be built. And barracks on the base for 1,500 enlisted men were under construction.
The City also began construction of “La Armada” on Ayers to house 250 enlisted men and civilian employees of NAS Corpus Christi. Construction of the new air station was in high gear when Captain Alva D. Bernhard arrived in Corpus Christi in October to assume command of NAS Corpus Christi. Bernhard was a graduate of the Naval Academy in 1906. He was a veteran of World War I and was most recently the commanding officer of the U.S.S. Lexington. In January 1941, former heavyweight boxing champion Gene Tunney arrived in Corpus Christi to become head of physical education for student pilots. A first-class Naval Air Station was quickly becoming a reality.
Completion of NAS Corpus Christi construction and arrival of the first student aviators……
Robert Parks is a special contributor to KRIS 6 News. Parks was a history teacher at Carroll High School for 19 years and is now retired. His knowledge of Corpus Christi history makes him a unique expert in the subject.
