NAS, NARTU and MARTD South Weymouth, MA |
Point of Contact = Squadron Duty Officer (SDO).
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 Provided by John Gabbard |
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Heritage-Patches 1941: facilities purchased. 30 SEP 1997 NAS South Weymouth closed. |
Sources David Weber Gary Verver |
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Commanding Officers No info yet. |
Awards No info yet. |
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Base Tail ID No info yet. |
Hosted Units NARTU, MARTD/p> |
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NAS 8 March 1963- - - - Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk * 14 April 1966 - - - Douglas A4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk * 7 April 1970- - - - Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk * NARTU 30 July 1960- - - - Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk * 15 June 1966 - - - -Douglas A4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk * MARTD 6 May 1970 - - - - -Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk * 6 August 1973 - - - Douglas A4D-5 (A-4E) Skyhawk * 10 February 1974 - -Douglas A-4J Skyhawk * November 30, 1962 The A4D-1 designation was changed to A-4A The A4D-2 designation was changed to A-4B The A4D2N designation was changed to A-4C The A4D5 designation was changed to A-4E For A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to these units see lower in this page: |
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Events 1941: The Navy acquired the site for use a "Lighter than Air" Facility for patroling the North Atlantic during WWII. 1945: South Weymouth facility closed at the end of WWII. 1953: Navy reopened the South Weymouth facility. Nomans Land Island was the bombing range associated with Naval Air Station South Weymouth, Mass. The 628-acre island, located 2.7 miles from Martha's Vineyard, was used for ordinance delivery exercises. July 29, 1963: Lt. Robert Hamft broke both legs and received internal injuries when he ejected from his burning A-4B BuNo 144993 over the Hueco Mountains late yesterday enroute from Lemoore to Dallas. The A4D exploded after he ejected, and the wreckage landed 17 miles east of the Hueco Inn on U.S. Highway 62-180, El Paso, TX El Paso Herald-Post, Tuesday, July 30, 1963 September 12, 1963: Lt. William Gerety, 29, (USNR) of Marshfield, MA ejected safely when his A-4B Skyhawk (A-4B BuNo 142779) plummeted into an open space in the NYC transit authority train yards in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn after a lightning strike at 31,000ft and loss of electrical power over Idlewild. Kingsport Times, Friday, September 13, 1963. March 7, 1965: Lt. William H. Gerety Jr., 31, died late Sunday when his VA-911 A-4B Skyhawk (BuNo 144911) crashed and burned during radar ground control approach landing at NAS South Weymouth after he landed in soft mud 80 feet short of the runway and the nose gear collapsed. The plane skidded across the runway and burst into flames. Bennington Banner, Monday, March 8, 1965. June 3, 1967: Capt. Stephen J. Perlin, 26, (Marine Reserve) pilot was killed Saturday when his A-4B Skyhawk (BuNo 142820) crashed into woods on training maneuvers at East Lyme, CN. Nashua Telegram (30 NE Accidental Deaths Recorded Over Weekend), Nashua, NH, Monday, June 5, 1967. Steve Perlin died when he flew into the ground while doing an Air Support demonstration at West Point. His wingman was Major Curt Osborne. From Anne LeClaire. October 4, 1967: Lt. Walter R. Heins, 31, was killed when his A-4 Skyhawk jet (A-4A BuNo 142202) developed engine trouble shortly after take-off from South Weymouth. Surveying the area, he was flying above on October 4, 1967, Heins saw it contained Holbrook’s Kennedy School along with densely populated neighborhoods. Heins refrained from dropping his fully loaded fuel tanks and remained with his aircraft, instead piloting the disabled craft down to approximately 500 feet, “the suicide level,” guiding the plane into the woods, before releasing his canopy and seat ejector. At that low altitude, Heins’ parachute could not fully deploy. Sheering off treetops and flying just 10 feet above house roofs, the jet crashed in flames just beyond the trailer park, saving hundreds of lives. Patriot Ledger, 11 November 2017. August 18, 1971: Lt. William L. Avrett III (NATOPS Evaluator and instructor pilot for the A-4 program at NAS Glynco) flying A-4C BuNo 147755, 4B-16, as fam chase for 4B-20. On return to NAS Glynco another fam aircraft, 4B-19, joined the flight as #2 with Lt. Avrett as #3. After a right break #1 and #2 called for individual touch-and-go landings and Lt. Avrett, #3, called for a low pass. On wave-off from a low approach #3 added full power and retracted speed brakes at 20 feet AGL. Noting no response to full power and unable to check sink rate the pilot ejected at the east end of runway #25 using the alternate ejection handle passing 50 feet AGL. The aircraft touched down in the grass left of runway 25 and proceeded on the ground approx. 400 feet, It started up a slight incline and became airborne causing evasive maneuvers to be taken by the other two members of the flight. The aircraft executed a climbing right-hand turn to approx. 600 feet AGL them continued in a rapid descent to ground contact at 30 deg. nose down in a 90-deg. right bank at approx. 200 knots and exploded 2500 feet north of the center of runway 25 at NAS Glynco, GA. AAR-1-72A. December 7, 1975: Capt. Andrew James Ley ejected safely when his Marine A-4 Skyhawk jet (A-4E BuNo 150135) crashed in a wooded area near Colebrook, NH, Sunday. Des Moines Register, Monday, December 8, 1975. It was a 4 plane (Hallett, Bradstreet, Wetzel and moi) for 2 v 2 ACM, a Sunday morning, Dec 7 (!!). Seemed prudent indeed passing 7,000 and still out of control (unrecoverable spin), tho with periodic negative G and head against the canopy figured my neck could take a hit. Still think I've got an accounting credit for the F-4 I saved in '69. From Andrew Ley. Bruce the " Drew punching out " flight was a 4 plane ACM flight. My recollection was that Bernie was leading. The four fighter pilots were me, Drew, Bernie, and Warren. I was in a vertical with everyone aft when Warren comes up on the radio " Holy S*** Drew just ejected "! All of us then hung around probably longer than we should have. Observed Drew walking down some Cow Hampshire logging road holding his parachute, I think. Warren and I then hightailed it for Pease and landed on fumes. I think Bernie ended up tanking from one of the Pease air guard tankers and returned to Weymouth. Not totally confident in my recollections. I'm sure Drew, Bernie, and Warren can fine tune them. I'm with you - can't remember any accidents in the 1971-time frame! Dave Davhal. - Hi Dave and all. Good recall Dave. Pretty close. I was the lead, and we were doing ACM (I was ACTI) - defensive turns - Drew boy and BFB defending - Dave and Warren attacking - We forced overshoot - Dave and Warren went vertical - Dave over the top - with enough energy at start - Drew and I followed - not enough V for Drew and Warren - slice turn for me. We had double falling leaves (Drew and Warren)- fire out the intakes and all. Quite a frightening site. Drew came out of post stall gyrations in spin - Warren came out stable - We did see Drew and aircraft hit the ground - small fire ball - big hole. Drew was very lucky and avoided pine trees all around and landed in farmers field near small road (I'd say 1/100 odds. On second pass - very low - two cars facing each other in the road - Drew in the road waving holding his chute. All very near the Balsams which we could see on pull off also lucky landed in US very close to the Canadian Border. Warren and Dave were low fuel and bingoed into Pease. I refueled with Air force Tanker out of Pease that was on station for another unit with a drogue - retuned to site - and then back to Weymouth to explain. Drew has more takeoffs than landings but is here to tell the story. I was also ODO went Framer taxied to a one wire at NZW. As I said to both - "the important thing is you're here and the rest is all academic now, besides those A/C are fully depreciated anyway." Bern Bradstreet. March 25, 1977: Capt. Bob Frame (A-4E BuNo 150083) landed short of the runway at NAS South Weymouth in snow fog in the late winter of 1977. Pilot uninjured. May 29, 1980: R.W. Reid ... 4th MAW HAMS-49 A-4E BuNo 151095 was destroyed at S. Weymouth after aircraft departed end of runway on landing rollout, struck trees/chain link fence. 0 fatalities. Naval Safety Center via Jim Winchester. Apparently repaired as it was returned to service with NFWS 06 March 1985. July 31, 1983: Maj. Tom Turner (USMC Reserve) ejected after his A-4M (BuNo 158183) hit the runway 4 and burst into flames while making a refueling stop at El Paso (Texas) International Airport about noon Sunday. Turner's plane was one of at least four A-4Ms enroute from South Weymouth, MA, to Yuma, AZ. According to Turner the jet lost power moments before landing. Santa Fe New Mexican, Monday, August 1, 1983. 4th MAW, MAG-49, Det A, S Weymouth, A-4M BuNo 158183 was destroyed at El Paso when aircraft caught fire after landing gear broke off on emergency landing. 31 July 1983. Pilot ejected. Naval Safety Center via Jim Winchester. November 25, 1986: Capt. Scott Moore, 31, and GSgt. Ron Daignault, 30, ejected safely from their TA-4 (BuNo 155079) after it exploded, burst into flames and trailed wreckage for about 2,000 feet upon landing at NAS South Weymouth Tuesday. European Stars and Stripes, Thursday, November 27, 1986. 4th MAW, MAG-49, Det A, S Weymouth, TA-4J BuNo 155079 was destroyed at South Weymouth when aircraft lost power and struck runway during low approach. 25 November 1986. Aircrew successfully ejected. Naval Safety Center via Jim Winchester. July 14, 1991: Maj. John Rufo (USMCR) ejected safely when his A-4 Skyhawk (TA-4J BuNo 154622) plunged into Cape Cod Bay four to five miles off the mouth of the Cape Cod canal Sunday. The pilot was picked up by the fishing vessel Tigger Two. The Intelligencer Record Monday, July 15, 1991. 4th MAW, MAG-49, Det. A, S. Weymouth, TA-4J BuNo 154622 was destroyed at MA when aircraft crashed into water after engine failure on PMCF. 14 July 1991. Pilot ejected successfully, 0 fatalities. Naval Safety Center via Jim Winchester. September 30, 1997: Base is closed due to the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (BRAC), Public Law 101-510; as part of the BRAC Commissions 1995 Base Closure List (BRAC IV). Nov.13, 2003: The 1,442-acre base is located in Weymouth, Abington, and Rockland MA. and is currently being considered for civilian development.
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Photos Webmaster note: Prior to 1970, reserve aircraft belonged to the local NARTU or Reserve Naval Air Station. Except for those squadrons on active duty, as in Korea, no reserve squadron "owned" their aircraft, as they were assigned to the NARTU/Station. In 1970, during that reorganization of the reserves into the "Reserve Force" concept, each new squadron was made independent of NARTU (later called NAR), and assigned either to CVWR-20 or CVWR-30. All squadrons were then made in the image of active duty units, with the reserve unit Commanding Officer owning the aircraft and reporting to the CAG. NAS South Weymouth Hanger. Gary verver Collection. Sunset over New England. TV-2 Seastar. Gary Verver Collection. 17 DEC 1968: A-4A 142151 from NART South Weymouth, MA, at Hanscomb Field, MA, (Hanscomb AFB), 17 Dec. 1968. Photo by John E. Winterbottom from Ron Picciani Collection. Off-Duty Photos 1974: BuNo 151064, VMA-322, QR-56. See VMA-322 page. |
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