WPLA.NET
presents:
This page is dedicated to my Father, Darnell F. Harris Sr., a survivor of IWO JIMA, GUADALCANAL, KOREA, and six kids. He was one of the first two Marines at what was to become Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida NAS JAX. Dad passed away October 2005. SEMPER FI !!
FLORIDA TIMES UNION, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1940
First detail of Marines reaches city.
Restricted visits to U.S. Navy Reservation to Be Effective July
First.
The Marines have arrived to police the 3250 -acre Navy reservation south of the city where the Navy's $20,000.00 major air station is under construction.
Until about July 1, the detail will only consist of 10 men, but on or about that date 22 others will come in from the Paris Island, S.C. station. Restrictions as to visits to the reservation will go into effect July, 1 it has indicated by Comdr. Carl H. Cotter Navy engineer detailed here as officer in charge of construction.
Yesterday two men were on duty. Corp. Stephen F. King of the quartermasters division and Private Darnell F. Harris of the motor transport division. They came south in a Marine truck which has been assigned to the station and were busy during the day preparing the two-story brick residence in Yukon for the arrival last night by train of eight other men, including a Sergeant. Corporal King brought his wife and child to Jacksonville.
Work began June 1 on renovating the two story brick building in Yukon so that it may be used after July 1 as the barracks for the men who have the responsibility of policing the reservation.Maj. Erwin Mehlinger, who will be in command of the Marine detail is due in Jacksonville next Monday. He will be accompanied by his Wife and Son and they will live in the city proper.
When the station is commissioned a full company of marines will be on duty here with the permanent barracks on the former military reservation at Black and Piney Points.
PICTURE CAPTION READS:
The first two of a detail of 10 Marines who have been assigned here to police the major station of the Southeastern Naval Air Base are shown as they set up cots yesterday at a temporary barracks in preparation for the arrival of the other eight members who arrived last night. Corporal Stephen F. King (left) and Private D.F. Harris are shown making the preparations. The detail is from the U.S. Marine Corps, Paris Island, S.C. (Times Union Staff Photo)
Thirty years later in 1970, the N.A.S. JAX newspaper ran a story on the 30th anniversary of the opening of Jacksonville Naval Air Station Jacksonville.
This page was last edited 08/02/2014 04:56 PM