Air Station Clearwater Celebrates Centennial of Naval Aviation

The Coast Guard has accomplished much over the past 100 years of naval aviation and established itself as the premiere maritime aviation fleet, due in large part to many of the great aviators that went before us early on. It started with Elmer Stone, Coast Guard Aviator #1. One of his most noteworthy accomplishments was that he served as pilot of the NC-4 on the first ever transatlantic flight in 1919. In addition, Elmer Stone became a pioneer in the use of aircraft for rescue and patrol missions and he basically established the backbone for Coast Guard aviation’s missions. So here we are in 2011, the Centennial of Naval Aviation. The Coast Guard has been involved with naval aviation, and really the first flight, since the very beginning with the Wright Brothers. An awful lot has happened in the last 100 years, and the Coast Guard has been a huge part of that all along the way. In addition to 100 years of naval aviation, this year also marks 60 years since the HU-16 entered service in the United States Coast Guard and 35 years since the Air Station was moved from St. Petersburg to this location here in Clearwater. About a year and a half ago the air station got a call about possibly restoring this HU-16 that you see behind me. And with the help of the Coast Guard Aviation Association, they got the aircraft here to Clearwater and we had a group made up of primarily of the chief’s mess but also a whole bunch of the crew – about 125 crewmembers over the past year - have been working to restore this aircraft in time for both the 100th anniversary of naval aviation with the particular emphasis on Coast Guard aviation over the past 100 years. This aircraft, the HU-16, is particularly noteworthy because it flew for so many years in the Coast Guard inventory. For about, you know, 35 years it was in service with the Coast Guard. So, timing was great to tie it in with the 100th anniversary. I think there will be a need for manned flight for many years to come. I think it will continue to improve and evolve over the years and I think it will continue to do good things for the public.