NAS Will Become Harbor

December 1941

Ships under 30-foot draft bearing cargoes destined for NAS may not come directly to the station as a result of the completion this week of dredging operations in the turning basin near the north gate.

Completion of the channel leading to the turning basin, dredged under the direction of Army engineers since the station was first built, means that first steps have been taken to make NAS a port in itself. Time and effort will be saved by short-cutting Port Aransas.

The channel itself if nine miles long, 200 feet wide, and 30 feet deep, according to local engineer Ridenour. It extends from the ship channel at Ingleside, on the Aransas channel, to the turning basin.

The basin contains approximately 2,000 square feet in all. Docks and wharves will be built therein by the Navy.

Section base is opened

Commissioning Will Protect Gulf Coast Shipping

Forming the third link in a chain of Navy bases protecting Gulf coast shipping, the Corpus Christi section base at NAS was placed into commission Thursday by Comdr. R.D. Lyon, ceremony was broadcast over KRIS.

Lt. Joseph O. Schwartz of New Orleans is now Commanding Officer of the new section base, primary purpose of which is to act as a supply base for servicing coastal patrol boats, torpedo boats, mine sweepers, and other Naval craft standing guard over valuable Gulf shipping areas.

The Corpus Christi base is being duplicated at Galveston, Tex.; Sabine, Tex.; Burrwood, La.; and Mobile, Al., to insure the safety of the coast against attack by enemy submarines, airplanes, or other machines of destruction. Sabine’s section base was placed into commission two weeks ago and the one at Burrwood was commissioned last Monday.