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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Naval Air Station Anacostia (District of Columbia)
Facilities Data: World War II

Installation Data
Buildings Data


Installation Data

  1. GENERAL

    1. Naval Activities: Naval Air Station, including Naval Radio Station

    2. Location: Latitude 38°51'30" N, longitude 77°00'45" W

    3. Date Established: Commissioned 18 January 1918.

    4. Officer in Charge: Commanding Officer

    5. Post Office: Naval Air Station, Anacostia 20, D.C.

    6. Telegraph Office; Communications Office, leased line to Navy Department, 24 hour service.

    7. Radio Office; Naval Radio Station on station.

    8. Railroad Connections: Baltimore & Ohio R.R. freight spur on station. All railroads entering Washington, D.C., 31/2 miles NW.

    9. Steamship Connections: River and coastwise shipping t Washington, D.C., 41/2 miles NW.

    10. Airport Connections: Field on station. Washington National Airport, Washington, D.C., 9 miles W.

    11. Passenger, Baggage, Express & Freight Service: Navy and commercial bus service. Railway Express. Commercial trucking facilities and freight spur on station.

    12. Climatological Data: Same as Naval Gun Factory, Washington, D.C.

    13. Tides: Average tide range 2.9 ft., extreme high 15.098 ft., extreme low -1.42 ft. based on M.L.W.

    14. Datum Plane: Elevation 0.0 is 3.64 ft. below M.L.W.

    15. Land: Navy owned: hard 308.5 acres.

  2. BUILDINGS

    1. Total No., of Bldgs.: 62 (including 4 Quonset Huts)

    2. Floor Area and Volume:

        Classification Gross Floor Area Gross Volume
        Administration 146,305 sq. ft.; 1,517,343 cu. ft.
        Quarters 129,955   2,255,000  
        Storehouses 109,800   1,862,240  
        Shops 53,902   942,408  
        Hangars 169,304   5,510,092  
        Laboratory 126,276   2,633,488  
        Miscellaneous   18,200       299,877  
        Total 753,742 sq. ft. 15,020,448 cu. ft.

    3. Barracks Capacity: 50 officers, 1,272 enlisted men

    4. Housing: 1 family unit

    5. Messing Facilities: 100 officers, 1,500 enlisted personnel, 45 civilians

    6. Dispensary Facilities: 32 beds

  3. AIRCRAFT FACILITIES

    1. Aircraft Landing Field: 3 concrete runways; (3-21) 5,005'x140'; (18-36) 3,320'x100'; (11-29) 2,415'x100'. Taxiways: concrete, 8,500 lin. ft., width 50 ft. Seaplane landing beach, width 328 ft.

    2. Aircraft Parking Area; Concrete, 86,000 sq. yds.

  4. WATERFRONT FACILITIES

    1. Berthing Space: 100 lin. ft., depth 6-13 ft. at M.L.W. (Also 1 seaplane pier capable of landing and berthing 1 Morstype plane.)

  5. UTILITIES

    1. Telephone Service: Connected to Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co. Trunk Lines: 10 to Washington, D.C. Direct line: 1 to Bolling Field (Army). Tie lines: 9 to Navy Department; 2 Naval Gun Factory; 2 to Government switchboard. 38 pay stations. Switchboard: 200 extensions (140 in use), dial, 2=position, multiple, leased. Station underground system 15,800 lin. ft. 1 TWC circuit.

    2. Electric Power: Main source: Potomac Electric Power Co., 5,250 kva capacity available. Auxiliary and standby source; Navy generators. Distribution system 4,100/220/208/110 volts, 3 and 4 wire, 1 and 3 phase, 60 cycle. Station underground system 18,050 lin. ft.

        Quan. Navy Owned Equip. AC
        or DC
        KVA or KW Volt Phase
        2 Transformers AC 1,500 kva (ea.) 13,200 3
        3 " AC 750 kva (ea.) 13,200 3
        1 " AC 200 kva (ea.) 4,100 3
        3 " AC 150 kva (ea.) 4,100 1&3
        5 " AC 100 kva (ea.) 4,100 1&3
        8 " AC 75 kva (ea.) 4,100 1&3
        3 " AC 50 kva (ea.) 4,100 3
        3 " AC 371/2 kva (ea.) 4,100 3
        4 " AC 25 kva (ea.) 4,100 3
        1 " AC 25 kva (ea.) 240 1
        3 " AC 10 kva (ea.) 240 1
        1 Generator AC/DC 311/2 kw (ea.) 220 3
        1 " AC/DC 10 kw (ea.) 110 1
        1 Alternator AC/DC 25 kw (ea.) 220/110 3-1

    3. Water Supply: Main source; from District of Columbia Water System through 3 pipe lines, 12'-6", pressure 50 psi. Station mains: fresh water 3"-16", 24,800 lin. ft.

    4. Sewage Disposal: Method: connected to District of Columbia disposal system. Capacity: 2,500 persons. Station sanitary sewers: 4"-16", 12,230 lin. ft. Station storm sewers: 4"-36", 52,500 lin. ft., emptying into Anacostia River.

    5. Gas Supply: Source: Washington Gas & Light Co. Station mains: 4", 100 lin. ft.

    6. Heating System and Steam Mains: 3 central heating plants: steam, 11 boilers, total 2,060 B.H.P., 72,370 lbs. of steam generated per hour, pressure 5-100 psi. Steam mains: 2"-8", 5,040 lin. ft. Condensate returns: 2"-6", 5,450 lin. ft. Individual heating plants: 4 oil-fired auto-burners. Also 1 heating plant with one 50 BHP hot water boiler. HW mains 11/2"-21/2", 300 lin. ft.

    7. Fuel Supply: Fuel oil: tank capacity 1,380 bbl. Aviation gasoline: tank capacity 88,904 gal. Motor gasoline: tank capacity 9,943 gal.

    8. Compressed Air Supply: 500 cfm of free air at 100 psi. Mains: 2", 18,50 lin. ft.

  6. RAILROAD, MOTOR & OTHER EQUIPMENT

    1. Railroad Tracks: Standard gauge, .12 mile.

    1. Passenger Vehicles: 18 station wagons, 11 sedans, 1 coupe, 1 limousine.

    2. Motor Trucks: 20 stake, 21 pickup, 4 express, 10 dump, 3 canopy, 1 trash truck, 12 panel, 2 van, 3 trailer tractors, 1 Metro truck

    3. Mobile Fire Apparatus: 3 fire trucks (750 gpm each), 1 fire truck (500 gpm), 6 trailer pumps (500 gpm each), 2 pumpers (60 gpm each), 1 foam truck (500 gpm)

    4. Motor Ambulances: 5 ambulances (5 stretchers)

    5. Special Motorized Equipment: 3 truck cranes (21/2 ton), 1 truck crane (20 ton), 1 truck crane (6 ton), 1 crawler crane (5 ton), 2 truck cranes (5 ton), 11 farm tractors, 3 bulldozers, 8 lift trucks, 1 sweeper, 2 roller, 1 field lighting truck, 1 crash truck (1,000 lbs. CO2, 1 crash truck (converted to foam), 2 sound vans), 1 snow plow.

  7. OTHER MISCELLANEOUS STATION FACILITIES

    1. Streets & Roads:
        Material Length (mi.) Avg. Width (ft.) Area (sq. yds.)
        Concrete 1.94 25 22,750
        Asphalt 2.69 20 31,550
        Total 4.63 54,300

    2. Sidewalks: Concrete, length 9,550 ft., average width 5 ft.

    3. Automobile Parking Area: Slag and composite, 9,000 sq. yds.

    4. Outdoor Assembly, Repair or Working Space: 15,000 sq. yds.

    5. Fire Protection: (For water supply, see Item E-32; for mobile fire apparatus, see Item F-43.) Fire Department manned by civilian and enlisted personnel under civilian FIre Marshal. Autocall Fire Alarm System, including 24 fire alarm and 4 crash alarm boxes. 10 buildings equipped with sprinkler systems. 26 hydrants, normal pressure 50 lbs., boosted to 200 lbs. by pumps. Washington, D.C. Fire Department on call.

    6. Recreational Facilities: Outdoor: 1 handball court, 1 baseball diamond, 2 softball diamonds. Indoor: 8 ping-pong tables, 6 pool tables, 2 auditoriums, 2 squash courts, 1 billiard table.
Source: US Navy, Bureau of Yards and Docks, Public Works of the Navy Data Book: General Information, (Washington, DC: The Bureau, July 1947): 268-271.


Buildings Data

Bldg.
No.
Building designation Temporary,
permanent
or leased
Material Dimensions Capacity Year
built
Cost
Found-
ation
Super-
structure
Roof Length
(feet)
Width
(feet)
No. of
stories
Height
(feet)
Floor
space
(sq. feet)
Cubic
space
(cu. feet)
2 Post office P C HU I 60 30 1 11 1,715 25,200 1924 $2,605
9 Fire engine house P C HU K 101 65 1 12 4,176 87,516 1919 5,000
12 Magazine P C C N 21 13 1 12 233 4,100 1938 1,500
29 Hangar
    Addition
P CP I I 142 164 1 27 22,651 747,062 1920
1943
23,000
10,000
37A Pump house P C HU N 20 15 1 9 250 3,390 1931 1,017
44 Shop, automotive repair P CP SI SI 102 62 1 17 6,000 159,464 1921 33,182
44A Shop, uniform & tailor
    Alterations
P C U WI 55 29 1 17 1,512 34,791 1931
1944
6,960
18,000
47 Hangar, double
    Addition
P CP SI SI 223 118 1 24 26,968 1,015,828 1923
1945
65,728
13,200
48 Squash courts T C W N 73 20 2 19 1,440 30,093 1933 4,500
49 Office &classrooms, educational T C W A 62 52 2 25 4,555 108,000 1923 14,257
54 Hangar
    Addition
    Addition
P CP SI A 141 113 1 22 15,933 348,000 1937
1942
1943
61,000
12,200
3,500
56 Boathouse P C HU N 25 15 1 11 336 5,100 1930 1,530
57 Storage, line gear, & dark room
    Addition
P C SI I 56 30 1 11 1,650 24,696 1924
1944
4,000
600
65 Boat shed P P W N 68 40 1 9 2,295 40,766 1926 31,860
72 Barracks, enl. men,
administration & recreation bldg.
    Addition
    Alterations
P CP BC L 408 207 21/2 31 115,500 1,946,000 1932

1942
1943

305,920

701,500
14,780

73 Boiler plant, switch gear &
substation
    Addition
P CP BC A 87 37 1 25 2,970 71,000 1932

1941

24,998

47,495

75 Escort house P C B N 15 10 1 10 110 1,650 1933 495
82 Greenhouses
    Relocation
P C S -- 100 58 1 7 5,800 54,454 1937
1943
5,800
13,430
82A Heating plant P C HU A 16 22 1 11 280 2,800 1938 1,500
83 Latrine & locker bldg. T C W N 70 30 1 16 200 26,013 1937 7,000
84 Storage, floodgate P C HU A 51 48 1 13 2,254 29,302 1938 4,509
85 Storage, floodgate P C HU A 52 47 1 13 2,205 28,665 1938 4,500
86 Mess, officers P CP B L 80 30 2 28 4,370 62,756 1938 34,000
87 Shops & storage P CP HU N 70 41 1 14 2,691 48,428 1939 13,000
88 Sentry house P C B A 33 12 1 12 314 4,920 1940 4,000
89 Shop, shipfitters P C C A 62 20 1 16 1,130 21,820 1941 7,200
90 Public works bldg. P CP C A 101 61 2 24 11,680 143,000 1942 86,100
91 Hangar, check
    Addition
P CP SI A 250 188 1 39 51,250 1,956,000 1942
1943
343,500
27,200
92 Operations bldg. P CP C CA 168 108 2 30 19,200 287,000 1942 350,500
93 Quarters, B.O.
    Alterations
P CP CB CA 160 50 2 31 14,800 245,000 1942
1943
200,000
25,000
94 Storehouse, general P CP CB CA 204 104 3 47 68,200 998,700 1942 456,618
95 Storage, paint & oil P CR U A 80 30 1 16 2,180 41,400 1942 14,500
96 Magazine, detonator P C I I 10 20 1 10 200 1,770 1942 3,000
97 Garage
    Relocation
P C I I 116 99 1 18 10,800 227,300 1927
1943
34,553
37,569
150 Administration bldg., WAVES
    Addition
P CP W N 206 185 21/2 27 60,900 825,740 1941
1942
178,360
186,365
151 Hangar
    Alterations
    Alterations
    Addition
P C SI I 241 112 1 21 30,500 855,000 1928
1941
1943
1944
32,800
32,988
11,000
16,000
152 Hangar & shops
    Alterations
    Addition
P C SI I 202 112 1 17 22,000 588,200 1928
1941
1943
23,600
19,200
10,600
153 Shops & storage, P.S.L.
    Alterations
    Addition
P C SI I 202 112 1 17 22,000 588,200 1928
1941
1943
23,600
1,000
10,000
154 Shop
    Alterations
P C SI I 141 67 1 15 9,240 184,800 1928
1940
7,000
10,000
155 Boiler house
    Alterations
P C CB A 30 26 1 19 670 17,900 1928
1940
15,000
35,850
156 Studio, motion picture
    Addition
P C BC A 48 26 1 19 1,100 26,400 1928
1944
30,000
6,700
157 Storage, oil & spare parts P C HU I 23 20 1 12 410 6,600 1928 3,500
158 Shop, paint
    Alterations
P C HU I 62 53 1 14 2,300 40,000 1928
1941
10,000
16,420
159 Storage, paint P C C A 21 16 1 15 300 6,070 1941 2,200
160 Storage, gardeners P C H N 18 14 1 10 200 2,850 1928 2,000
162 Switching station P C C CA 24 17 1 14 340 6,140 1941 12,000
164 Gasoline & oil house P C B A 12 6 1 8 72 648 1942 1,000
165 Pump house, sewage P C H N 15 14 1
{ 14
8
}170 3,040 1928 15,000
166 Shop & offices
    Addition
P C HU N 140 18 1 12 2,200 33,100 1928
1941
8,000
10,100
167 Barracks, WAVES P CP W N 195 155 2 28 45,000 770,000 1942 322,000
168 Laboratory, photographic science
    Repairs & alterations
P CP BC A 307 153 3 51 120,270 2,495,360 1943 1,975,000
169 Heating plant P CP BC A 44 42 2 28 3,360 30,900 1943 25,000
251 Transmitter bldg. P CR CB A 69 47 2 27 4,580 60,020 1942 70,000
252 Garage & tool house P CR B A 35 25 1 12 750 12,640 1942 6,000

Source: US Navy, Bureau of Yards and Docks, Public Works of the Navy Data Book: Buildings (Washington, DC: The Bureau, July 1945): 233-234.


Building Material Code

A = Asphalt or tar and gravel built up roofing
B = Brick
C = Concrete
D = Cinder or concrete block
E = Earth covered
F = Adobe or clay
G = Gypsum or fibreboard
H = Tile
I = Corrugated sheet metal
J = Stone
K = composite shingles
L = Slate
          M = Metal, asbestos protected
N = Asbestos shingles or siding
O = Prepared roll or composition roofing
P = Piles
Q = Piers and posts
R = Spread footing
S = Steel
T = Transite
U = Stucco
V = Wood shingles
W = Wood
X = Tin or copper
Y = Tarpaper


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2008