NAS Olathe, KS

Naval Air Station Olathe (NAS Olathe), located near Gardner, Kansas, was commissioned in October 1942 as a Naval Reserve Air Base during World War II. Its primary mission was to provide advanced flight training to naval aviators and facilitate operations for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, including training for carrier landings using nearby auxiliary fields. After the war, NAS Olathe became a key center for Naval Air Reserve and Marine Air Reserve units, supporting both Cold War readiness and active training missions. The station continued operations until its closure in 1969, after which the site transitioned to civilian use as the New Century AirCenter.