[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 182 (Wednesday, November 8, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1530-E1531]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF MAYPORT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN H. RUTHERFORD

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 8, 2017

  Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Naval Station 
Mayport as it marks 75 years of service to the United States Navy and 
our nation. This base was born of necessity during World War II and has 
served the United States Navy and our country almost continuously 
since. Today, it is one of the Navy's most valued and utilized military 
bases and is the country's third-largest naval surface fleet 
concentration area in the United States.
  In April 1939, hearing that the Navy was looking to establish an 
aircraft carrier base on the East Coast of the United States, citizens 
of Duval County promised to purchase the land that would become home to 
Naval Station Mayport and give it to the Navy. In July of that year 
they passed a bond that enabled them to solidify the purchase. In 
December

[[Page E1531]]

1939, the Mayport area was selected for the new base.
  Lt. Commander Maynard R. Sanders assumed command of the new U.S. Navy 
Base in October 1940. Construction began immediately and Building 1, 
the Administration Building, was opened on Nov. 4, 1941. Although the 
plans for Mayport being a carrier base were put on hold, the base 
became a vital crash and patrol boat training facility.
  When the war began in earnest, the Atlantic Fleet was dispersed 
leaving the shipping lanes along the East Coast vulnerable to attack 
from German submarines. The Porgy Patrol, named after the foul-smelling 
porgy fertilizer processing plant in the Village of Mayport, went on 
constant patrol hoping to spot submarines and reporting those findings 
to the radio tower so aircraft could be launched. Then, on April 10, 
1942, with citizens watching from the shore in Ponte Vedra, the S.S. 
Gulf of America was sunk by the German U-boat U-123. Once again, the 
civilian population stepped up and the Porgy Patrols expanded to 
include shrimp boats, trawlers and yachts, which were converted by the 
Gibbs Shipyard, now BAE Systems.
  The marine side of the base with its protected harbor was 
commissioned as Naval Station Mayport in December 1942. On April!, 
1944, Mayport's air facility, the Admiral David L. McDonald Field, was 
commissioned as Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS). After the war, both 
the marine base and the airfield were decommissioned. The United States 
Coast took over the base and operated small boot camps until 1947. 
Because its location is so pivotal, less than a year later Naval 
Station Mayport was reactivated, and within three years, its land area 
was expanded and its runway extended. Several name changes occurred 
over the years and during the Cold War, Mayport became the East Coast 
home for the Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) squadrons and 
in 1988 the base was re-designated as a naval air station.
  Naval Station Mayport began teeming with life once again. Investments 
continued and growth in land area, activities and command importance 
enhanced its value. As Mayport expanded, it began to accommodate more 
ships and sailors with their families. Its role was crucial during the 
Cuban Missile Crisis, providing logistical support as well as an 
advanced staging area for the Second Marine Division. The base has also 
received visits from Presidents Nixon and Reagan.
  The first carrier to be stationed at Mayport was the USS Tarawa (CVS-
40) and the last carrier to call Mayport home was the USS John F 
Kennedy (CV-67) was decommissioned on March 23, 2007. The Navy 
continues to entertain the idea of Mayport as a second carrier site on 
the East Coast but funding is not available.
  Today, Naval Station Mayport has undergone major developments in 
technology, services and infrastructure, making it well positioned to 
act at a moment's notice. The station's protected harbor can 
accommodate 34 ships and its runway is capable of handling most 
aircraft in the military's inventory. It is host to the Navy's United 
States Fourth Fleet, and is home to the USS Iwo Jima, the USS New York 
and the USS Fort McHenry. On November 7, 2014, Naval Station Mayport 
became the East Coast home port for the Navy's newest ships, the 
littoral combat ships. Mayport has become an asset not just to 
Northeast Florida, but to country.
  I salute the 75th Anniversary of Naval Station Mayport, which 
continues to be a major employer and economic stimulator. More 
importantly, its personnel continue to contribute through their hard 
work and dedication to the important missions of our nation's defense. 
Naval Station Mayport has a long history of supporting both the local 
community and the country and will continue to do so for years to come. 
I rise today to congratulate them on 75 successful years and hope 
Mayport sailors continue to keep their home anchors in Northeast 
Florida.

                          ____________________