Histories
Tuesday, 22 December 2009 23:49
Sampson Naval Training Station / Sampson Air Force Base
Written by Richard Morgan
Prior to [[World War II]] the area within Sampson's boundaries was predominantly farmland but the outbreak of war brought a large need for facilities to train military personnel for the war effort. On May 14, 1942 President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] approved construction of a Naval Training Station. The base was named in honor of a local native, Rear Admiral [[William T. Sampson]], from Palmyra, NY, a hero of the Battle of Santiago during the Spanish-American War.
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[[Farragut Naval Station]] rose almost overnight on wide-open fields and rolling hills that had once served as a seasonal stop for early Indian and pioneer migrations. In late 1941, the U.S. government snapped up the land from private owners, Kootenai County, and a railway company to establish an inland naval base more than 300 miles away from the western coastline, where the nation feared a Japanese invasion. It was named after [[David Farragut]] - who was instrumental in setting up [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]].
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Few people know that the [[Mare Island Naval Shipyard]] was one of the first USMC recruit training camps (later Depots) - one of four set up by Major General [[William P. Biddle]],11th [[Commandant of the Marine Corps]]. The other three locations were at Philadelphia, Norfolk (later at Port Royal, South Carolina), and Puget Sound, Washington. Mare Island became the sole west coast depot during the following year, and east coast recruit training was shifted to [[Parris Island]], South Carolina, in 1915.
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[[Camp Roberts, California]] officially began it mission as a replacement training center in March 1941. At that time it ranked with the world's largest military training facilities. It may still be so in terms of training capacity, and so far as it is known features the largest parade ground (the length of fourteen football fields) on any military facility.
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