Closed By BRAC After 68 Years, Ready For Civilian Use
Naval Air Station Brunswick (NASB) in Maine held its
disestablishment ceremony May 31, ending 68 years of service to the
Navy.
NASB, situated on 3,200 acres in along Maine's mid-coast,
originally opened in 1943, and was primarily used as a training
base for the British Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. With the end of
World War II, the base was put into caretaker status until it
re-opened in 1951. In 2005, the base was tapped for final closure
by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.
"The Sailors, civilians, and contractors of Naval Air Station
Brunswick have done a remarkable job," said Jackalyne Pfannenstiel,
the Assistant Secretary for Energy, Installations &
Environment. "This is a major milestone, and I'm extremely
impressed with everyone's efforts to prepare the base for
redevelopment. This station has consistently met the deadlines and
surpassed standards for redevelopment. It is my hope that the
Navy's departure will pave the way for future development and job
growth in this area. If this can't be a Naval Air Station, then it
can be a business opportunity for the community."
During the closing ceremony, other speakers also saluted the
long years of service by Sailors and civilians, and highlighted the
tight bonds that grew between base personnel and the local
community over the decades. "We have been part of the community
here," said Capt. William A. Fitzgerald, the base's 36th and final
commanding officer. "But that is only because the community
embraced us. You welcomed us into your neighborhoods and schools.
You allowed us to become part of the woven fiber of this area."
In a nod to the base's history, Capt. Fitzgerald honored several
former commanding officers in attendance, presenting them with
Naval Air Station Brunswick ballcaps and nametags. Fitzgerald also
presented plaques to representatives of the local communities and
the state of Maine for their support over the years.
P3 Orion
At its height, NAS Brunswick employed some 4,000 Sailors and
civilians to support the mission of patrol reconnaissance. Many
alumni returned to goodbye to the base where they flew and serviced
the P-2 "Neptunes" and P-3 "Orions" that made up the bulk of patrol
reconnaissance history. VP-26, now stationed in Pensacola, FL, sent
a lone P-3 "Orion" as a silent witness to the historic
ceremony.
In addition to speeches – including the keynote by retired
Rear Adm. Harry Rich - the ceremony included history displays of
the squadrons that had called NAS Brunswick home, a slide-show of
photographs, and other walks down memory lane. Rich, a Maine
native, reminisced about the powerful influence a childhood
experience at NASB had on his decision to seek a commission as a
naval aviator. He further shared recollections of his tour at
Brunswick later in his career and the way the people of Brunswick
welcomed and supported his family and command.
The final touch was the lowering of the American flag for the
final time at the installation. The ceremony was immediately
followed by a reception held by the Mid-Coast Regional
Redevelopment Authority, which is charged with writing NAS
Brunswick's next chapter.
"The Mid-Coast Regional Redevelopment Authority has done a
wonderful job lining up businesses for the Brunswick Landing, which
is the new facilities name," said Rear Adm. Robin Braun, of
Brunswick and currently mobilized as the Deputy Director of
Operations at U.S. European Command. "We can move from one era into
another, and bring more jobs to the area to replace those Navy jobs
lost."
"The (informal) state motto is 'the way life should be,' and
Brunswick epitomizes that," continued Braun. "It is a great town to
raise a family, it has been a great Navy town, and a wonderful
place to come home. This place has had a huge impact on thousands
of sailors over the years and will definitely be missed."
Kestrel
One of the new civilian tenants at the former NAS is Alan
Klapmeier, who plans to
build the composite Kestrel aircraft at
the facility.
ANN Salutes Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Ty
Connors, Naval Air Station Brunswick Public Affairs