Hitchcock Naval Air Station

A United States Naval Air Station better known as "the Blimp Base"existed in Hitchcock during World War II.  The station was commissioned  May 22, 1943 and was closed in October, 1944.  It was located in Hitchcock because of its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, where submarines called “wolf packs” of the German Navy were believed to be lurking.  The blimp hanger was 1000 feet long, 300 feet wide and 200 feet high.  The Blimp Base was purchased by John Mecom in the late 1950's. The hangar was torn down after Hurricane Carla hit the Texas Coast in 1961. The four massive pillars remain today and have been a local landmark for years. The library has a history of the "Blimp Base" in its archives.