The City of DeLand had begun to build a municipal airport in the 1920s, and paved the first asphalt runway around 1936. In 1941, as war approached, officials of the U.S. Navy came to DeLand and persuaded the city to play an active role as home to a Naval Air Station. The city donated the airport to the Navy, and the Navy bought additional property around it, encompassing what is now the DeLand Municipal Airport.

A Navy base was opened on the airport in November 1942. Bomber squadrons patrolled the coast of Florida for submarines. Trained pilots came to DeLand to team with gunners and train together to dive bomb, using the SBD Douglas Dauntless aircraft. The men were shipped out after a three-month training period. The SBDs are credited with sinking four Japanese aircraft carriers, and helped to win the war at Midway.

The DeLand Naval Air Station was officially closed in March of 1946, and the Navy returned ownership of the entire airport to the City of DeLand.

Find out more about DeLand's role in the war at www.delandnavalairstation.org

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