Category

2006 Annual Meeting

To veterans of the Naval Air Station Glenview (“NASG”), and to many long-time residents of Glenview, the decision in April 1993 to close NASG was devastating news. Over its 58-year history, NASG played important military roles in four major wars and in peacetime readiness, provided homeland security, and was part of shaping the culture of Glenview. NASG was home base for many of Chicago’s annual air and water shows, and when the Blue Angels, Thunderbirds or any number of high-tech military aircraft were stationed here, the ultimate air performances were over the skies of Glenview.

NASG hosted its own Air Expos, featuring dogfights between fighter planes, precision flying by Team America, and static displays of vintage and state-of-the-art aircraft. The last NAS Glenview Air Expo was held in August of 1993, and attracted over 70,000 visitors who honored such NASG alumni as George Bush, Gerald Ford, Butch O’Hare and Neil Armstrong.

NASG was a rare Naval Air Station, it was the only one to include stationed personnel from five branches of the US Military: Navy, Marines, Army, Coast Guard and Air Force. The Navy, Marines and Seabees had the largest representation, the Coast Guard and Army had permanent units there for many years, and even the Air Force had a small contingent for a time. NAS Glenview served as the only military carrier pilot training location in the US during World War II, here and on the USS Sable and USS Wolverine, both located on Lake Michigan. More than 17,000 carrier pilots were trained at NASG during World War II. NAS Glenview remained one of the premier Naval and Marine carrier pilot training air bases during the remainder of its history.

A September 9, 1995 ceremony closed the military log on NASG and ended a glorious chapter in the proud history of Glenview’s role in Naval Aviation.

For a detailed history of NASG, including pictures, please refer to the "Naval Air Station Glenview History", the official USN publication, U.S. Naval Air Station Glenview -The Final Salute (11.8 Mb), and the related links located at the Hangar One website including "Heritage", and "VIP Servicemen"".