Naval Air Station Norfolk was commissioned on August 8, 1918, and became the birthplace of naval aviation. It initially supported operational and experimental flights but quickly grew into a major seaplane base. During World War II, renewed interest in shipboard operations led it to develop and test catapult and arresting gear systems for the Navy, and it also provided anti-submarine patrols to help clear the vital seaways of the Mid-Atlantic seaboard. Keeping pace with naval aviation, it became one of the foremost air stations in the world, and Chambers Field became one of the world’s busiest airports, conducting over 119,000 flight operations per year. Naval Air Station Norfolk was disestablished on February 5, 1999, and Chambers Field continues to operate as a detachment of Naval Air Station Oceana.
