A U.S. Navy Grumman C-1A Trader carrier onboard delivery aircraft at Naval Air Station Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.
Activity at Willow Grove Naval Air Station began nearly 100 years ago, in 1926, when Harold Frederick Pitcairn opened a hangar and a grass runway on the site. Over the next sixteen years, Pitcairn tested various aircraft at the location, including the Mailwing, which was used by the U.S. Postal Service for air transport.
In the spirit of defense and military innovation during wartime, the U.S. Military acquired the base in 1942, during the World War II era. One of the first initiatives undertaken was a submarine warfare program.
Over the following six decades, the base expanded its capacity to include reserves from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Pennsylvania National Guard, Air National Guard, and U.S. Army. It eventually became known as Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove.
Among the many units stationed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove were the 111th Fighter Wing, operating the A-10 Thunderbolt II, and Detachment I of the 201st Red Horse Squadron.
For years, the base hosted the annual Naval Air Show, one of the largest on the U.S. East Coast. The show even welcomed appearances by the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels. However, during the 2000 air show, an F-14 Tomcat lost an engine during a turn and crashed into a forested area near the base.
Environmental concerns arose in 1995 when contaminated groundwater was identified on the site. Further testing revealed the presence of PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances) in 2011, and these contaminants were found in the base’s public drinking water by 2014. Additional analyses showed that both soil and natural water sources were also contaminated.
In 2005, the Commission for Base Realignment and Closure recommended the closure of Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove. This involved the inactivation of tenant units and the relocation of others to nearby bases. Six years later, just six months after the airfield closed, the entire base ceased operations.
A portion of the land was subsequently transferred to Horsham Township, which proposed developing a commercial airport on the site. However, that proposal was not pursued.
Today, if you drive along Route 611 past the former Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, you will see the backdrop of runways that operated daily for decades, dating back to the original airstrip Harold Frederick Pitcairn used to test the Mailwing almost a century ago. Dormant former military housing still stands, serving as a silent, yet unmistakably impressive display of American naval base history.
http://www.historyisnowmagazine.com/blog/2025/11/8/one-great-last-stand-of-aviation-history-in-pennsylvania
