Glenview Naval Air Station

Images of America: Illinois

by Beverly Roberts Dawson

In 1923--just 20 years after the Wright brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk--a Naval Reserve aviation training program was established at Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Originally, sea planes and a few small land-based planes were used for primary flight instruction. With the development of heavier, faster military aircraft, the Great Lakes facility became inadequate. Under Rear Adm. John Downes, commandant of the 9th Naval District, the search for a suitable new location was undertaken. Curtiss-Reynolds-Wright Airfield was deemed ideal for relocation of the aviation training program. From humble beginnings as Naval Reserve Aviation Base Chicago, Naval Air Station Glenview (the official U.S. Navy designation) went on to play a vital and unique role during World War II. Until closure in 1995, the base was home to thousands of Navy and Marine Reserve pilots, aircrews, and support personnel--proudly known as weekend warriors."

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 10, 2007

Reviews

[Ted]

As a Hospital Corpsman stationed at Great Lakes Naval Hospital in 1970 I received 8 hrs of "EMI" (extra military instruction) for failing to make an emergency air evacuation run to Glenview Naval Air Station. My punishment was raking leaves outside the Chief Petty Officers barracks. After 4 hours of doing so I asked "Chief, what do I do with these pile of leaves?" Response: "Leave them there and come back and rake the grounds for another 4 hours tomorrow." Since I was never again scheduled for another air evac I never had the opportunity to visit GVAS so this book filled me in on what I missed.