Vernam Field: Difference between revisions

Vernam Air Force Base
Vernam Air Force Base
Part of Sixth Air Force
Located in Clarendon Parish, Jamaica
Coordinates	17°53′26.75″N 077°18′07.68″W / 17.8907639°N 77.3021333°W
Type	Military Airfield
Site information
Controlled by	United States Air Force
Site history
Built	1941
In use	1941-1949

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Revision as of 05:06, 23 February 2009

Vernam Air Force Base is a former World War II United States Army Air Forces airfield located in in Clarendon Parish, Jamaica.

History

The base was named in honor of First Lieutenant Remington de Bremont Vernam (March 24, 1896 - December 1, 1918) was an American pilot who entered the French air service during World War I. Vernam was shot down behind German lines on October 30, 1918. After the Armistice he was found by American forces in a hospital in Longwey, France, with another wounded aviator, Lt. Arthur C. Dineen. Vernam died of his wounds on December 1. He is buried in the American cemetery at St. Mihiel in Thiaucourt, France. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (United States).

Vernam Field was established in November 1941 to house a bomber squadron. A force of 200 officers and enlisted men arrived on 17 November as a survey party to establish the airfield. The field had three runways: a 6000-foot concrete runway and two shorter asphalt runways. When officially activated on 21 November 1941, the station was assigned to Sixth Air Force.

The mission of Vernam Field was antisubmarine patrols in the Northern Carribean. In addition, the Florida-based Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics would send student groups to Vernam for advanced base operations training in combat tactics, returning to Florida after completion. On 30 June 1944, Eleanor Roosevelt visited the station.

In 1945, Vernam Field became the destination for many B-29 Superfortress aircraft from Second Air Force training flights originating in Nebraska. The B-29s would land at the airfield, be refueled and have turnaround maintenance performed if necessary before returning to the midwest.

Units assigned

4th Antisubmarine Squadron, Caribbean Sea Frontier (United States Navy) (B-18 Bolo)

14 Sep-6 Oct 1942, 16 Oct-5 Nov 1942

35th Bombardment Squadron, 25th Bombardment Group (B-25 Mitchell)

7 Oct 1943-7 Feb 1944

417th Bombardment Squadron, 25th Bombardment Group, 24 Sep 1942-29 May 1943 (B-18 Bolo)

Postwar use

With the end of the war, Vernam Field was reduced in scope to a skeleton staff. By the end of 1946 only two aircraft, a C-45 and a C-47 were assigned to the station with both aircraft being down for parts and minimal maintenance being undertaken. It was placed under the command of the 24th Composite Wing, Headquartered at Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico. The base was redesignated Vernam Air Force Base on March 26, 1948, by Department of the Air Force General Order Number 10. President Harry S. Truman visited the base on 30 June 1948 during a tour of the Caribbean.

Vernam AFB closed on 28 May 1949 due to budgetary cutbacks.

An automobile racetrack known as Vernamfield occupies the Vernam AFB site today.

References

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

External Links

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-'''Vernam Air Force Base''' is a former [[World War II]] [[lend-lease]] air base in Clarendon Parish, Jamaica.
+'''Vernam Air Force Base''' is a former [[World War II]] [[United States Army Air Forces]] airfield located in in [[Clarendon Parish]], [[Jamaica]].
+==History==
-The base was named in honor of First Lieutenant Remington de Bremont Vernam (March 24, 1896 - December 1, 1918) was an American pilot who entered the French air service during [[World War I]]. Vernam was shot down behind German lines on October 30, 1918. After the Armistice he was found by American forces in a hospital in Longwey, France, with another wounded aviator, Lt. Arthur C. Dineen. Vernam died of his wounds on December 1. He is buried in the American cemetary at St. Mihiel in Thiaucourt, France. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (United States).
+The base was named in honor of First Lieutenant Remington de Bremont Vernam (March 24, 1896 - December 1, 1918) was an American pilot who entered the French air service during [[World War I]]. Vernam was shot down behind German lines on October 30, 1918. After the Armistice he was found by American forces in a hospital in Longwey, France, with another wounded aviator, Lt. Arthur C. Dineen. Vernam died of his wounds on December 1. He is buried in the American cemetery at St. Mihiel in Thiaucourt, France. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (United States).
-Vernam AFB was built to house a bomber squadron and had three runways: a 6000-foot concrete runway and two shorter asphalt runways.
+Vernam Field was established in November 1941 to house a bomber squadron.  A force of 200 officers and enlisted men arrived on 17 November as a survey party to establish the airfield.  The field had three runways: a 6000-foot concrete runway and two shorter asphalt runways.   When officially activated on 21 November 1941, the station was assigned to [[Sixth Air Force]].
+The mission of Vernam Field was antisubmarine patrols in the Northern Carribean.  In addition, the [[Florida]]-based [[Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics]] would send student groups to Vernam for advanced base operations training in combat tactics, returning to Florida after completion.  On 30 June 1944, [[Eleanor Roosevelt]] visited the station.
-Units assigned to Vernam were:
+In 1945, Vernam Field became the destination for many [[B-29 Superfortress]] aircraft from [[Second Air Force]] training flights originating in [[Nebraska]].  The B-29s would land at the airfield, be refueled and have turnaround maintenance performed if necessary before returning to the midwest.
+==Units assigned==
 * 4th Antisubmarine Squadron, Caribbean Sea Frontier (United States Navy) (B-18 Bolo)
 : 14 Sep-6 Oct 1942, 16 Oct-5 Nov 1942
 * [[35th Bombardment Squadron]], [[25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing|25th Bombardment Group]] (B-25 Mitchell)
 : 7 Oct 1943-7 Feb 1944
+* [[417th Bombardment Squadron]], [[25th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing|25th Bombardment Group]], 24 Sep 1942-29 May 1943 (B-18 Bolo)
+==Postwar use==
+With the end of the war, Vernam Field was reduced in scope to a skeleton staff.  By the end of 1946 only two aircraft, a C-45 and a C-47 were assigned to the station with both aircraft being down for parts and minimal maintenance being undertaken.  It was placed under the command of the 24th Composite Wing, Headquartered at [[Ramey Air Force Base]], [[Puerto Rico]].   The base was redesignated Vernam Air Force Base on March 26, 1948, by Department of the Air Force General Order Number 10.  [[Harry S. Truman|President Harry S. Truman]] visited the base on 30 June 1948 during a tour of the Caribbean.
-The base was redesignated Vernam Air Force Base on March 26, 1948, by Department of the Air Force General Order Number 10. Vernam AFB closed in 1949 due to budgetary cutbacks.
+Vernam AFB closed on 28 May 1949 due to budgetary cutbacks.
 An automobile racetrack known as Vernamfield occupies the Vernam AFB site today.