Beeville in Bee County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

NAS Chase Field

Photographed by Dave W, November 29, 2025

1. NAS Chase Field Marker

Inscription. In 1942, Beeville's municipal airport was offered to the U.S. Navy for training naval pilots who would serve in WWII. Naval Auxiliary Air Station Chase Field (NAAS Chase Field) first opened in 1943 as a training facility for U.S. Navy aviators. The base was named for Lt. Commander Nathan Brown Chase (1889-1925), a naval aviator killed in pilot training. The base closed on July 1, 1946, only to reopen on August 14, 1952, with the Navy purchase of the land from the city as a result of the Korean War. The site was officially designated a Naval Auxiliary Air Station in 1953. In 1968, Chase Field was redesignated as a Naval Air Station (NAS) with two auxiliary bases, one in Goliad and the other near Tilden. NAS Chase Field was beneficial for the economy of Beeville. When the station opened, local businesses began to flourish with the arrival of military families.

Chase Field was vital to the success of the United States Navy. Numerous naval pilots received their wings at Chase Field including several who would become astronauts. NAS Chase Field instructors also trained more than half of the Navy and Marine pilots who flew

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in the Vietnam War as well as those who flew in operation Desert Storm. The base helped keep the city of Beeville thriving for decades. However, in 1993, NAS Chase Field closed and the site developed into Chase Field Industrial Complex, managed by the Beeville Development Agency. Although the closure led to an economic downturn in Beeville and some businesses began to close as the military families began to leave the city, the heritage of NAS Chase Field remains. In addition to aiding the U.S. military, Chase Field helped shape the community of Beeville into what it is today.

Erected 2019 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 22572.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Industry & Commerce • War, Korean • War, World II. A significant historical year for this entry is 1943.

Location. 28° 24.095′ N, 97° 44.931′ W. Marker is in Beeville, Texas, in Bee County. It is at the intersection of West Corpus Christi Street and S Washington St, on the left when traveling west on West Corpus Christi Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 105 W Corpus Christi

Photographed by Dave W, November 29, 2025

2. NAS Chase Field Marker

Marker seen in front of the A-4 Skyhawk on the grounds of the Bee County Courthouse.

St, Beeville TX 78102, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in South Texas.

It is also in the American South.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Douglas A4 Skyhawk (a few steps from this marker); First Brick Building on Square (within shouting distance of this marker); Beeville Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Bee County Courthouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Beeville on the Poesta (within shouting distance of this marker); Barnard E. Bee, Sr. (within shouting distance of this marker); Praeger Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Commercial National Bank (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Beeville.

Photographed by Jeff Leichsenring, April 12, 2026

3. NAS Chase Field Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on April 14, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 30, 2025, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. This page has been viewed 84 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 30, 2025, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. 3. submitted on April 13, 2026, by Jeff Leichsenring of Garland, Texas. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.