Beverly Roberts Dawson - Glenview Naval Air Station

It has been one of the greatest privileges of my life to make the acquaintance of many of the men and women who served at Naval Air Station Glenview (NASG). I am indebted to Bill Christensen, one of the original station keepers at Glenview, who introduced me to the story of the base and provided expert assessment of the manuscript. Eric Lundahl, A. C. Ace Realie, and Charles Downey shared their recollections and photographs. To Leslie Coker, editor of The Last Salute , goes a huge vote of thanks for facilitating preservation of volumes of NASG photographs and written materials, which were of immeasurable help in researching this book. NASG veterans Jack Witten, Ted Koston, Bill Schoewe (and members of the Glenview Survivors Association), Bill McConnell, Mary Fenoglio, Frederick C. Durant, and John Larson (along with the men and women of VP-90) contributed a wealth of information. Therese Gonzales, curator of the Great Lakes Naval Museum, provided rare vintage photographs. NASG daughters Debbie Poynter Gust and Linda Schram Welsh shared family photographs and anecdotes. Glenview Area Historical Society volunteers Marge Marcquenski, Dorothy Murphy, and Virginia Peterson, along with Irving Danneil and Bob Coffin of the Glenview Hangar One Foundation, devoted hours of assistance. Dick Zander and Don Long shared their recollections of growing up in Glenview before and during World War II.

I would like to thank Arcadia editor Jeff Ruetsche for recognizing that this book needed to be writtenand then allowing me to do it. The technical aspects of putting together a book of this nature are formidable. A tremendous vote of thanks goes to my husband, Dr. Bill Dawson, for spending hours scanning and archiving the photographs herein. I am indebted to my daughter, Susan Dawson-OBrien, journalist par excellence, who provided encouragement and professional advice. Perhaps I owe the greatest vote of thanks to my grandson Evan James OBrien, who is an ongoing source of inspiration. It is my hope that he and his generation will carry forward the superior performance demonstrated by those who served at NASG.

Beverly Roberts Dawson

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One

IN THE BEGINNING

Although flying machines proved themselves during World War I, there remained a great deal of skepticism. In the same way many Americans could not see much of a future for the motorcar several decades earlier, a majority of navy brass could not envision a time when airplanes would be an asset to the fleet. The Naval Militia Act of 1920 ended the historic volunteer naval militias and called for the formation of Navy and Marine Corps Reserves. Rear Adm. William A. Moffat became the first chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics in 1921; with his enthusiastic support, reserve aviation programs were organized.

In September 1923, the United States NRAB Great Lakes, Illinois, was established under the command of Lt. Richard E. Byrd, U.S. Navy (later Admiral Byrd, of arctic exploration fame). The training program at Great Lakes primarily used seaplanes and, later, a few land-based aircraft. The program was poorly funded and would not have been possible at all during the Great Depression without the support and cooperation of the civilian community. P. K. Wrigley, head of Chicagos vast Wrigley empire, and other wealthy civilians donated planes to the Great Lakes program. Those who served in the reserve were primarily men who lived in the Chicago area; most of the pilots flew for commercial airlines. Drill pay for reservists was unknown in that era, and pilots often had to reach into their own pockets to pay to fuel their training planes.

As heavier and faster planes were designed and built, the short runway at Great Lakes was unable to accommodate the next generation of naval aircraft. An exhaustive survey was undertaken to determine which locations in the Chicago area might be suitable for relocation of the NRAB. On November 1, 1939, word was received at Great Lakes that the Navy Department had approved a lease on Glenviews Curtiss Reynolds Wright Airport.

Written on the back of the picture is, This aerial view shows the original location of (squadron) VN-16 RD-9 at Naval Training Center Great Lakes. The hangar can be seen left center in the photograph with concrete apron in front. The large structure is the aviation mechanics school. Remnants of old streets, sidewalks, and buildings of World War I vintage are in the visible surrounding area. Note the lone aircraft parked near the hangar. The photograph was originally owned by Charlie Swasas.

Pilots prepare for a training flight in these FBC-4 fighter/bombers. Note the sailor / mechanic (in the background) inspecting the gun mount. (Courtesy of Great Lakes Naval Museum.)

One aspect of training for Great Lakes aviation personnel was the parachute drill. (Courtesy of Great Lakes Naval Museum.)

The caption on this 1920 photograph indicates that the building on the right is the Machinist Mate School. The men of Company G are troubleshooting on motors.

This picture postcard scene from around the early 1930s shows the seaplane basin on the shore of Lake Michigan at Great Lakes Naval Training Center. (Courtesy of Great Lakes Naval Museum.)

(Courtesy of Great Lakes Naval Museum.)

Sailors tow an N3N seaplane out of Lake Michigan onto the beach at Great Lakes. (Courtesy of Great Lakes Naval Museum.)

On this roster of Great Lakes personnel, dated 1934, photograph owner Carl Garisso wrote, These people reflect the original personnel at Great Lakes who supported the squadrons which came out on weekends. We were called the Stationkeepers or Active Duty Personnel.