A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Welcome to "EXCITING FLYING WHITING", the Navy's best kept secret. NAS Whiting Field is the busiest Naval Air Station in the world, responsible for an estimated 46 percent of the Chief of Naval Air Command's total flight time and over 10 percent of Navy and Marine Corps total flight time. Over 1,200 personnel complete their essential flight training yearly. NAS Whiting Field and Training Air Wing Five have an outstanding and unmatched safe flying record. Commissioning ceremonies for Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAS) Whiting Field were held on July 16, 1943, in the South Field Hanger. At 11:00 in the morning, Rear Admiral George D. Murray, Commandant of the Naval Air Training Center, welcomed some 1,500 persons and introduced Mrs Kenneth Whiting, widow of the Naval hero Captain Kenneth Whiting, for whom the base was named. On July 12, 1945, Detachment THREE 1470 SCU was established. Detachment THREE, a prisoner-of-war (POW) camp for German soldiers, was operated through the efforts and cooperation of Naval authorities at NAS Pensacola and Army authorities at Camp Rucker, Alabama. After the war, Whiting converted to a Naval Air Station and by 1949 Milton residents became accustomed to the sight of heavy and medium bombers in the skies. Whiting Field was known as the backbone of the Navy's flight program. In 1955-56 Whiting adopted a new aircraft, the Beechcraft T-34B Mentor, a trainer with tricycle landing gear. In 1956, the instruments tactics phase of basic flight training was moved from NAS Saufley Field to Whiting. During this time, the T-28 Trojan was brought to Whiting Field to augment student training. On 1 May 1960, Primary Training Squadrons TWO (VT-2),THREE (VT-3) and SIX (VT-6) were established. VT-2 and VT-6 were located at North Field; VT-3 at South Field. In January 1972, as a result of a major reorganization of the Naval Air Training Command, Whiting Field became the home of Training Air Wing FIVE. Also in 1972, Helicopter Training Squadron EIGHT (HT-8) came under the command of TRAWING-FIVE and was later split to form Helicopter Training Squadron EIGHTEEN (HT-18). Academic and simulated flight-trainer instruction are also provided. In April 1977, the T-34C Procedure Training Cockpit was accepted into the syllabus and in the fall of that year, the station began its transition to the T-34C Turbo Mentor as the primary trainer. In August 1980, the new simulator building was completed. The building houses numerous flight simulators for instructor-student and self-paced instruction and familiarization. In the spring of 1983, the T-28 was phased out and a static display was presented to the station. In the fall of 1983, the UH-1 was also phased out. It was the end of an era...." http://www.militarycity.com/ins/site1060.rlc.html

Circa 1945

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...POW Camp--On July 12, 1945, Detachment THREE 1470 SCU was established. Detachment THREE, a prisoner of war (POW) camp for German soldiers, was operated through the efforts and cooperation of Naval authorities at NAS Pensacola and Army authorities at Camp Rucker, Alabama...Certified documents indicate that the purpose of Whiting Field's POW camp was "...to furnish manual labor details necessary for construction and soil erosion projects at the field."...The first officer in charge of the POW camp was Army Captain Robert H. Fuller. He arrived on July 7, 1945. Two days later, he returned to Camp Rucker to escort the first group of 100 German POWs to Whiting. Assisting him were 19 enlisted soldiers who were assigned to Whiting to guard the prisoners and help run the camp...On August 3, an additional 125 prisoners were sent to Whiting. The labor for construction of the prisoners' barracks was provided by the POWs. Other construction projects included rebuilding a storage shed for a barber's shop and erecting buildings to house the canteen and reading room for the prisoners. All construction was completed with salvaged materials. No new construction was necessary...A small dispensary also was provided as hospital quarters for the minor illnesses among the prisoners...With the end of the war came numerous victory celebrations. German POW's were returned to their homeland. Training flights for cadets and aviation pilots were suspended for several days so the men could decide whether to remain in the Navy or return to civilian life. The entire country breathed a sigh of relief...Milton residents became accustomed to the sight of heavy and medium bombers in the skies...By 1949, Whiting Field was known throughout the Naval Air Basic Training Command as the backbone of the Navy's flight program. ..." http://www.navy.mil/vt6/history.html

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Circa 1943

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...Before the field was officially commissioned, personnel were already beginning to train "the world's best aviators." Squadron 3-B of Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Saufley Field, Pensacola, Florida, began operations on July 1, 1943. Squadron 3-B was later joined by Squadron 3-A of Chevalier Field to form Training Squadron THREE. In only 14 weeks, Whiting Field came into being to fulfill the need for pilot training commands in WWII. Commissioning ceremonies for Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Whiting Field were held on July 16, 1943, in the South Field Hanger. At 11 a.m. that day, Rear Admiral George D. Murray, Commandant of the Naval Air Training Center, welcomed some 1,500 persons and introduced Mrs. Kenneth Whiting, the widow of Naval hero, Captain Kenneth Whiting, for whom the station was named. The commissioning of Whiting Field took place at a crucial time in American history. Only six days before the commissioning, the invasion of Sicily had occurred. Throughout World War II, Whiting's mission was to train aviators for the fleet..." http://www.navy.mil/vt6/history.html

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Circa 1942

A BIT OF HISTORY: "21JUN42--"BATTLE OF MIDWAY-RESCUES PERFORMED BY PBYS (by Jim Sawruk) VP-23 PPC LTJG John E. White - rescued VT-6 MACH Arthur W. Winchell and RM3 Douglas M. Cossitt..." VP-91 Newsletter

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Circa 1941

A BIT OF HISTORY: "...USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6) On 7 Dec 41 - Torpedo Squadron Six (VT-6) with 18 Douglas TBD-1 Devastators and 2 North American SNJ-3s..." http://www.bluejacket.com/ww2_12-07-41_carriers.html [10JUN2004]

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"VT-6 Summary Page"

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