Rebecca Smith

Naval Air Station Monterey, California, was originally established during World War II to support the U.S. Navy’s expanding aviation training and coastal defense requirements. Constructed in 1943, the station played a critical role in pilot training, aircraft maintenance, and anti-submarine patrols along the Pacific coast. After the war, the air station’s mission evolved, and in 1951, it was transferred to the Department of the Army and became part of the Presidio of Monterey, supporting the Defense Language Institute. While no longer an active naval air station, its legacy endures as a testament to Monterey’s contribution to U.S. military aviation history.