Barracks: The History Behind Those Names - Part 3

continued from Parts I and 2

In the last two installments, we discussed the history behind the names of those US Army and Air Force Bases and Barracks specifically named after individuals.  It is important, though, to note that there are many others that are geographically or otherwise named.  In the USAF abroad these include Aviano Air Base in Italy, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, Lakenheath and Mildenhall RAF Bases in the UK etc.  In the USAF on the continental US they include Little Rock Air Base Arkansas, Los Angeles Air Base California, Columbus Air Base Mississippi, Grand Forks and Minot Air Bases in North Dakota, Charleston Air Base in South Carolina etc.  In the US Army they include Aberdeen Proving Ground Maryland, White Sands Missile Range New Mexico, etc.

This week we shall discuss US Naval and Marine Barracks and Bases.

As I observed before, most US Naval Bases in the continental US and abroad are geographically and technically named - meaning their names reflect what they do and where they are located. It is US Naval Ships that tend to be named after individuals and States.

Examples of geographically named bases abroad include Bahrain, Chinhae, Sasebo, Atsugi, Diego Garcia, Keflavik, Sigonella, Guantanamo Bay,  Rota, Gaeta, La Maddalena, Naples and Yokosuka.

On the continental US, bases that are either technically named or rarely named in honor of individuals include:

CALIFORNIA

PACIFIC FLEET ANTISUBMARINE WARFARE TRAINING CENTER

PACIFIC FLEET COMBAT TRAINING CENTER

POINT MUGU NAVAL AIR WEAPONS STATION

PORT HUENEME NAVAL CONSTRUCTION BATTALION CENTER

SAN DIEGO NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER

SAN DIEGO NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE

SAN DIEGO NAVAL STATION 

SANTA CLARA NAVAL AIR RESERVE

MIRAMAR NAVAL AIR STATION

MONTEREY NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL

NORTH ISLAND NAVAL AIR STATION

CORONADO NAVAL AMPHIBIOUS BASE

EL CENTRO NAVAL AIR FACILITY

CHINA LAKE NAVAL AIR WEAPONS STATION was named after a large dry lakebed nearby.  The Lake itself is named for Chinese mine laborers who worked in the area during the 1880s. 

The LEMOORE NAVAL AIR STATION contains Reeves Field, which is named after Admiral Joseph M. "Bull" Reeves. He served on the USS OREGON during operations against Admiral Cervera's fleet in Santiago Harbor in 1898. During World War I, he was Commanding Officer of the battleship USS MAINE and was awarded the Navy Cross. Between the World Wars he commanded the USS KANSAS, PITTSBURGH and NORTH DAKOTA.  At the age of 52 he volunteered to become a Naval Aviator.   He later became Commander Aircraft Squadron, Battle Fleet, served on the experimental aircraft carrier, USS LANGLEY and developed revolutionary Fleet Air Tactics. He retired in 1936 but was recalled for the Second World War during which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.  He eventually retired with numerous citations at age 74 in 1946 as an Admiral and died two years later.  The foresight and strategic genius of Admiral Reeves and Rear Admiral William Moffett is said to be the basis for modern US carrier striking forces.

CONNECTICUT

NEW LONDON NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

NAVAL SECURITY STATION

WASHINGTON NAVY YARD

WASHINGTON NAVAL STATION

DAHLGREN NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER

FLORIDA

CECIL FIELD NAVAL AIR STATION

JACKSONVILLE NAVAL AIR STATION

KEY WEST NAVAL AIR STATION

MAYPORT NAVAL STATION

ORLANDO NAVAL TRAINING CENTER

PANAMA CITY COASTAL SYSTEMS STATION

PENSACOLA NAVAL AIR STATION

PENSACOLA NAVAL HOSPITAL

CORRY STATION is named after Lieutenant Commander William M. Corry, past winner of a Medal of Honor.  He died as the result of serious burns acquired while attempting to rescue a fellow officer from a burning aircraft which had crashed. He was a naval aviation pioneer and was among the first to receive Navy "Wings of Gold."

WHITING FIELD NAVAL AIR STATION was named after Captain Kenneth Whiting, a pioneer military aviator originally taught by Orville Wright himself.

GEORGIA

ATLANTA NAVAL AIR STATION

KINGS BAY NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE

HAWAII

PEARL HARBOR NAVAL COMPLEX was named for the English translation of "wai momi", an ancient Hawaiian name for the area.  "Wai momi" refers to the pearl oysters which used to be very common there.

EASTERN PACIFIC NAVAL COMPUTER TELECOMMUNICATIONS AREA MASTER STATION 

ILLINOIS

GREAT LAKES NAVAL TRAINING CENTER

LOUISIANA

NEW ORLEANS NAVAL AIR STATION AND JOINT RESERVE BASE is also known as Callender Field. It was named after Alvin Andrew Callender, an indigene and WW1 hero who died in combat as a Royal Air Force Pilot less than two weeks to the end of World War I.  At age 25, he already had 14 official and 10 probable 'kills' of enemy aircraft - even though he originally graduated as an Architect.

NEW ORLEANS NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY

MARYLAND

ANNAPOLIS NAVAL STATION

BETHESDA NATIONAL NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER

PATUXENT RIVER NAVAL AIR STATION

U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY

MAINE

BRUNSWICK NAVAL AIR STATION

MISSISSIPPI

GULFPORT NAVAL CONSTRUCTION BATTALION CENTER

MERIDIAN NAVAL AIR STATION

PASCAGOULA NAVAL STATION

NEW HAMPSHIRE

PORTSMOUTH NAVAL SHIPYARD

NEW JERSEY

EARLE NAVAL WEAPONS STATION

LAKEHURST NAVAL AIR ENGINEERING STATION

NEVADA

FALLON NAVAL AIR STATION

NEW YORK

SCOTIA NAVAL ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT

PENNSYLVANIA

WILLOW GROVE NAVAL AIR STATION AND JOINT RESERVE BASE is named after the nearest Post Office - the traditional method for naming Naval Air Stations

RHODE ISLAND

NEWPORT NAVAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTER

SOUTH CAROLINA

BEAUFORT NAVAL HOSPITAL

CHARLESTON NAVAL HOSPITAL

TENNESSEE

MEMPHIS NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY

TEXAS

CORPUS CHRISTI NAVAL AIR STATION

DALLAS NAVAL AIR STATION

FORT WORTH NAVAL AIR STATION AND JOINT RESERVE BASE

INGLESIDE NAVAL STATION

KINGSVILLE NAVAL AIR STATION

VIRGINIA

DAM NECK FLEET COMBAT TRAINING CENTER, ATLANTIC

LITTLE CREEK NAVAL AMPHIBIOUS BASE

NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD

NORFOLK NAVAL BASE

NORTHWEST NAVAL SECURITY GROUP ACTIVITY

OCEANA NAVAL AIR STATION

PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER

YORKTOWN NAVAL WEAPONS STATION

WASHINGTON

BANGOR NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE

BREMERTON NAVAL HOSPITAL

EVERETT NAVAL STATION

PUGET SOUND NAVAL SHIPYARD

WHIDBEY ISLAND NAVAL AIR STATION

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US MARINES

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ARIZONA

YUMA MARINE CORPS AIR STATION

CALIFORNIA

BARSTOW MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE

SAN DIEGO MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT

TWENTYNINE PALMS MARINE CORPS AIR-GROUND COMBAT CENTER

CAMP PENDLETON is named after Maj. Gen. Joseph Pendleton the soldier who initiated Marine Corps activities in San Diego

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

MARINE BARRACKS

GEORGIA

ALBANY MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE

HAWAII

CAMP SMITH was named after WW2 Lt. General Holland M. "Howling' Mad" Smith, U.S. ground forces commander at Iwo Jima and first Commanding General of the Fleet Marine Forces Pacific.

KANEOHE BAY MARINE CORPS BASE

NORTH CAROLINA

CHERRY POINT MARINE CORPS AIR STATION

NEW RIVER MARINE CORPS AIR STATION

CAMP LEJEUNE was named after General John Archer Lejeune.  Lejeune, a one time superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute, was the first Marine officer to command an Army division in combat. He later became the 13th Commandant of the Marine Corps and is credited with making scarlet and gold the Marine Corps colors.   

SOUTH CAROLINA

BEAUFORT MARINE CORPS AIR STATION

PARRIS ISLAND MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT

VIRGINIA

HENDERSON HALL

QUANTICO MARINE CORPS COMBAT DEVELOPMENT COMMAND was named after an Indian word "Quantico" meaning "by the large stream".  The so called "stream" in this case is the Potomac River.

CONTINUE