Ninigret Navy air field during World War II. For great photos of old Rhode Island air fields, click here. |
"GERMAN ARMY
ATTACKS POLAND" was the New York Times headline on September 1, 1939. Those words set the stage for what would soon
become World War II.
In our country, every
city and town has its own story of heroism and sacrifice given by their
citizens during that time. Charlestown Rhode
Island was among them as it played an important role
in our nation's success to defeat the threat from overseas.
The attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, brought
Although the
construction of the Naval Auxiliary Air Field (NAAF), now Ninigret Park ,
wouldn't take place until 1943, many citizens were enlisting in volunteer
service during the war effort. Local Charlestown resident Mrs.
Yvonne Behneke was one of them.
In the summer of 1941
and under the direction of the Ground Observer Station located in Boston Massachusetts ,
Mrs. Behneke led a group of Charlestown
citizens in the instruction of aircraft recognition. The Aircraft Recognition School, for the
Charlestown Beach Observation Post, held its first meeting at the Charlestown
Community Center (now, Oyster Works architectural firm) .
At this meeting, Mrs. Behneke instructed
over thirty residents on the principles of the "WEFT" method of
recognition which was to master various points of an aircraft and what to look
for in wing (W), engine (E), fuselage (F) and tail (T) assembly. The class had representatives from Carolina , Kenyon, Green
Hill, Arnolda Colony, Tockwotten and Hill Pasture.
At that time, the names
of the volunteers were like the "who's who" of Charlestown .
Names like Noyes, Tomey, Browning, Ennis, Knudsen, Jackson, Clarke,
Mook, Bliven, Kelley, Mageau, Burdick, Hazard, Rathbone, Hoxsie, Grinnell,
Arnold, Greene, Link and Johnson just to name a few.
After passing the six
week course, a pair of spotters would staff the Pond Street observation tower (off Charlestown Beach Road )
in four hour shifts. Two of the
volunteer spotters, both from Charlestown ,
were Mildred Link and Genevieve Johnson.
They would work their shifts from 11:00 - 3:00 AM with no electricity or
heat, just two stools and a desk to write on.
A crank-phone was connected directly to the Civil Defense unit in Boston in case an enemy
plane was sighted. During the cold
winter nights, these volunteers would layer themselves with extra clothing,
wrap themselves in wool blankets to stay warm, drink hot coffee from a thermos
and maybe, just maybe take a sip of brandy from a flask.
Late August of 1943, the
Naval Auxiliary Air Field (NAAF) in Charlestown
began operation and was offering citizen employment to local residents. Childhood friends, Millie and Gen jumped at
that opportunity and took work as a clerk and bookkeeper. A result of this career move, these young
ladies met their future husbands, LCDR Glenn (Bud) F. Godden and LCDR Bernard
(Jim) J. Glista as they each served and trained at NAAF Charlestown.
Naval aviator George H.W. Bush |
Night Fighter Training
became a specialty at the air base. Men
were trained to ignore their senses and basic instincts and to rely totally on
their instruments.
Night Fighters lived "on the back side of the clock", training every available hour in all weather. Ultimately, casualties occurred. Sixty-two pilots died in training while NAAF Charlestown was in operation through 1973, over forty perished during WWII alone.
Night Fighters lived "on the back side of the clock", training every available hour in all weather. Ultimately, casualties occurred. Sixty-two pilots died in training while NAAF Charlestown was in operation through 1973, over forty perished during WWII alone.
Dedicated night Air
Groups were trained as cohesive units and deployed as units on aircraft
carriers dedicated to Night Air Combat.
From "Charlietown" to Hawaii ,
the aviators who trained here served on the Carriers Independence, Saratoga , Hornet, Enterprise
and Franklin .
PART
2 - NAVAL AIRFIELD MEMORIAL