Naval Auxiliary Air Facility Lewiston

Naval Auxiliary Air Facility Lewiston, located at Lewiston, Maine, is a closed facility of the United States Navy, and was established as one of five air facilities to support Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine, during World War II.

History

A municipal airport opened in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States, in 1935. It is located four nautical miles (7 km) southwest of the cities of Auburn and Lewiston, both of which own and operate the airport, although it is located solely in the city of Auburn. From late 1942, during World War II, the airfield was under the control of the United States Navy for use as a base for anti-submarine patrols by Squadron VS-31.

The U.S. Navy established Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine, on 15 April 1943, to train American, Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm,[1][2] and Royal Canadian Air Force torpedo bomber pilots and radar operators[3] until 1945. Five auxiliary landing fields were used in support of this facility, at Bar Harbor, Casco Bay, Lewiston, Rockland, and Sanford.[4]

The aerodrome at Lewiston was established as a Naval Auxiliary Air Facility in April 1943. It was redesignated a Naval Auxiliary Air Station in August 1945, and disestablished on 1 December 1945 during the first round of postwar base closings,[5][6] with the site being declared surplus to the Navy's requirements in 1946, and handed back to the cities of Auburn and Lewiston in 1947/1948.

Units

Torpedo Squadron 153 (VT-153) was established at NAAF Lewiston on 26 March 1945, transferring to Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, on 1 June 1945.[7]

Current day

The former naval facility operates as Auburn/Lewiston Municipal Airport.

References

  1. ^ Lewiston, Maine, "Brunswick and Lewiston Air Stations Observe First Anniversary", Lewiston Evening Journal, Magazine Section, Saturday 15 April 1944, page 1.
  2. ^ "Lewiston Evening Journal - Google News Archive Search".
  3. ^ "Maine History Online - 1920-1945 Countryside at Midcentury". Mainememory.net. Retrieved 2013-10-13.
  4. ^ Roberts, Captain Michael D., MSC, USNR, "Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons, Volume 2", Appendix 6, Patrol Squadron Shore Establishments, Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy, Washington, D.C., 2000, Library of Congress card 94-35647, page 740.
  5. ^ Roberts, Captain Michael D., MSC, USNR, "Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons, Volume 2", Appendix 6, Patrol Squadron Shore Establishments, Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy, Washington, D.C., 2000, Library of Congress card 94-35647, page 744.
  6. ^ history.navy.mil, Appendix 6 Patrol Squadron Shore Establishments
  7. ^ "VA-155 | A-4 Skyhawk Association". A4skyhawk.org. Archived from the original on 2013-10-20. Retrieved 2013-10-13.

44°02′55″N 70°17′03″W / 44.0485°N 70.2842°W / 44.0485; -70.2842