Background
Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville is located southeast of the city of Kingsville in Kleberg County, Texas, about 43 miles southwest of Corpus Christi. The station lies 90 miles north of the United States-Mexico border at Brownsville by U.S. Highway 77 and is approximately 35 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico. The Navy purchased the NAS Kingsville property in 1942 and was commissioned on 4 July 1942. During World War II, the base housed four squadrons that taught fighter and bomber tactics along with gunnery training for combat crews. At the end of the war, the demand for pilot and crew member training decreased sharply. During the 1945/1946 time period, the station was closed and it was placed in a caretaker status, eventually being leased to Texas A&I College for use as an agricultural station. It remained inactive until 1 April 1951 which it was recommissioned as an Auxiliary Air Station. The station was reactivated to train aviators in both propeller and jet aircraft. The station was operated as an Auxiliary Air Station from 1951 to 1968. On 9 August 1968 NAS Kingsville was redesignated as a Naval Air Station.