Naval Air Station Whiting Field

Coordinates: 30°42′45″N 87°01′06″W / 30.7125°N 87.01833°W / 30.7125; -87.01833

Naval Air Station Whiting Field is a United States Navy base located near Milton, Florida, in central Santa Rosa County, and is one of the Navy's two primary pilot training bases (the other being NAS Corpus Christi, Texas). NAS Whiting Field also provides training for U.S. Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force student pilots, as well as those of several allied nations. NAS Whiting Field is home to Training Air Wing FIVE (TRAWING 5).

NAS Whiting Field is actually two airfields sharing a common support base. Primary Flight Training student aviators fly the T-34C Turbo Mentor and the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II from North Whiting Field (KNSE) while Advanced Helicopter Training takes place utilizing the TH-57 Sea Ranger at South Whiting Field (KNDZ). TRAWING 5 is transitioning from the T-34 to the T-6 for primary pilot training and the changeover should be complete in a few years.

Namesake

Whiting Field is named for Kenneth Whiting, who was commissioned from the United States Naval Academy on 25 February 1908. Whiting qualified in submarines, commanding USS Porpoise (SS-7), USS Shark (SS-8), USS Tarpon (SS-175), and USS Seal (SS-183). In 1914 he learned to fly under Orville Wright and was designated Naval Aviator number 16. He assumed command of the 1st Naval Air Unit in France following America's entry into World War I and was subsequently assigned to command Naval Air Stations 14 and 15 at Killingholme, England. He was awarded the Navy Cross "for exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility." After the war he was partially responsible for the conversion of collier Jupiter into the Navy's first aircraft carrier USS Langley (CV-1). He subsequently commanded Langley and USS Saratoga (CV-3), and various air squadrons prior to his retirement as Captain in June 1940.

Squadrons

T-34C Turbo Mentor/T-6 Texan II	TH-57 Sea Ranger
VT-2 Doerbirds VT-3 Red Knights VT-6 Shooters	HT-8 Eightballers HT-18 Vigilant Eagles HT-28 Hellions

Outlying Fields

• OLF Barin (Primary Student Solo Field: Area 1)
• OLF Brewton (Secondary Student Solo Field: Area 2)
• OLF Choctaw
• OLF Evergreen (Primary Student Solo Field: Area 2)
• OLF Harold
• OLF Holley
• OLF Pace (Helicopter Field)
• OLF Santa Rosa (Helicopter Field)
• OLF Saufley Field
• OLF Silverhill (Area 1)
• NOLF Spencer Field (Helicopter Field)
• OLF Summerdale (Area 1)

History

Jet trainers first arrived at Whiting Field in early August 1949 when eight TO-1 Shooting Stars transferred from NAS Corpus Christi, Texas as part of a new transitional jet training squadron to commence operations in September 1949, commanded by Lt. Cmdr. V. P. O'Neil, USN.^[1]

See also

• NAS Whiting Field - North (T-34C fixed wing training only)
• NAS Whiting Field - South (TH-57 helicopter training only)

References

1. ^ Fort Walton, Florida, "Jets Arrive At Whiting", Playground News, Thursday 4 August 1949, Volume 4, Number 27, page 7.

External links

• NAS Whiting Field (official site)
• Training Air Wing FIVE (official site)
• NAS Whiting Field page at Pensacola Chamber of Commerce
• NAS Whiting Field page at GlobalSecurity.org