| NAS Lough Foyle | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| US NAS Lough Foyle (UA 557.05 Marian Shippey Cote Collection) | |||
| US NAS Lough Foyle (UA 557.05 Marian Shippey Cote Collection) | |||
| IATA: none – ICAO: none | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military | ||
| Operator | United States Navy | ||
| Location | Lough Foyle, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland | ||
| Built | 1918 | ||
| In use | 1918–1919 | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 3 ft 3 in ft / 1 m | ||
| Coordinates | 55°06′15″N 007°12′47″W / 55.10417°N 7.21306°WCoordinates: 55°06′15″N 007°12′47″W / 55.10417°N 7.21306°W | ||
| Map | |||
 <div style="position: absolute; top: Expression error: Missing operand for *.%; left: 183.3%; height: 0; width: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"> NAS Lough Foyle | |||
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U.S. Naval Air Station Lough Foyle was a seaplane station at Lough Foyle, Northern Ireland which was operated by the United States Navy (USN) and commissioned on 1 July 1918 with Henry D. Cooke, USNRF as the Commanding Officer.[1]
History[]
At the start of United States of America's involvement in the First World War, five sites in Ireland; Queenstown, Wexford, Lough Foyle, Whiddy Island and Berehaven[2] were identified to be operated by the United States Navy in support of allied operations against enemy submarines.
Local Irish labor and American construction teams worked on the site, building a control tower that still stands, accommodation and workshops, and a concrete slipway for beaching the aircraft – this is still in existence.[3]
Aircraft[]
In July 1918, the first Curtiss H-16 flying boats arrived in Londonderry. These had been stripped down and had to be re-assembled, a task completed by 22 August when training began. On 1 September 2018, the base became operational. Between 3 September and 6 November the flying boats completed 27 patrols – flying was possible only on 31 days. The longest patrol, on 24 October, was over six hours.[3]
Operations[]
On 19 October 1918, while escorting a 32-ship convoy in the Lough Foyle sector off Northern Ireland, ENS George S. Montgomery sighted and successfully attacked an enemy submarine stalking the convoy. His bombs hit within 30 feet of the periscope and brought heavy turbulence and oil to the surface. For “probably damaging” the submarine and saving the convoy from attack, he was officially commended.[4]
End of hostilities and closure[]
With the end of the war, the U.S. Naval Air Stations in Ireland were no longer required.[5] The Anti-submarine warfare patrols were discontinued and the aircraft were grounded and disarmed as NAS Lough Foyle closed on 22 February 1919.[6]
See also[]
- U.S. Naval Air Station Berehaven Ireland
- U.S. Naval Air Station Wexford Ireland
- U.S. Naval Air Station Queenstown Ireland
- U.S. Naval Air Station Whiddy Island Ireland
References[]
- ↑ Evans, Mark; Grossnick, Roy (November 2015). "US Naval Aviation 1910-2010 Vol 1, Chapter 2, Page 46". https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/2015/us-naval-aviation-vol1_chapter02.pdf.
- ↑ Sitz, W.H. (1930). A History of U.S. Naval Aviation. Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 27. https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/histories/naval-aviation/pdf/History%20(1).pdf.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Doherty, Richard (11 Nov 2015). "Over Here!". Londonderry Sentinel. https://www.londonderrysentinel.co.uk/news/over-here-1-7052768. Retrieved 5 Dec 2016.
- ↑ Van Wyen, Adrian O. (1969). Naval Aviation News NAVAL AVIATION IN WORLD WAR I. Washington DC: THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS. p. 88. http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/virtual_disk_library/index.cgi/1025775/FID1977/NAVY/WWI.pdf. Retrieved 3 Mar 2013.
- ↑ Tillotson, C.B. (1 January 1919). U.S. Naval Air Station Wexford, Ireland. United States Navy.
- ↑ "World War I Era Naval Aviation Stations". BlueJacket.com. https://bluejacket.com/usn-usmc_avi_ww1_air_fields.html. Retrieved 1 Apr 2018.
The original article can be found at U.S. Naval Air Station Lough Foyle Ireland and the edit history here.