Guide to the Quonset Point Naval Air Station collection, 1900-2004

Series I. Subject Files
Box 10
This series contains subject files which outline the wide variety of tasks and functions of the Quonset Point Naval Air Station. There are numerous materials that pertain to the aircraft stationed at Quonset Point during and after World War II, specifically the anti-submarine aircrafts and the Antarctica Development Squadron Six.

In addition, the series includes a wealth of information on the daily responsibilities of the military personnel, the maintenance of the naval base, the utility of the overhaul and repair center, and the role played by civilians in the operation of Quonset Point. Furthermore, the series sheds light on the station’s political, economic, social, and ecological activities in Rhode Island.

Series II. Biographical Data
Box 2
This series contains biographical information on the commanding officers stationed at Quonset Point Naval Air Station. Their naval experiences, personal histories, and contributions to Quonset Point, are documented by a number of biographical sources.

In addition, the series contains biographical material on notable civilians who worked closely with the base, such as President Richard M. Nixon, Secretary of State Dean Rusk, and Rhode Island senators John H. Chaffee and Claiborne Pell. The officers and civilians worked in close conjuncture to facilitate the station's daily operations and to foster relations with the greater Rhode Island community.

Series III. News Clippings and Releases
The press releases in this series detail the daily activities and functions which took place at the Quonset Point Naval Air Station from its inception in 1940 until its final year of operation in 1973. The announcements pertain primarily to the undertakings of the fleets and aircraft, developments made to the station's facilities, and the lives of the naval personnel.

The news clippings focus on the decommissioning of Quonset Point as a Naval Air base in 1974 and the immediate impact this change had on the Rhode Island economy. With the loss of the station came a sharp decline in local revenue, a decrease in federal and state funding for education, and a significant rise in unemployment. These clippings express Rhode Islanders' concerns that the local area would suffer indefinitely without the jobs and opportunities afforded by Quonset Point. The articles also follow the debate concerning what should be done with the former base's land and resources.

Series IV. Scrapbooks
Box 4
This series contains several scrapbooks that were created and maintained during Quonset Point Naval Air Station's years of operation. The scrapbooks include photographs of the base in 1939 when it was first purchased by the United States Navy, and documents its construction and expansion until 1974.

Also of interest are the news clippings, which detail the development of Quonset Point, the daily activities and special events which occurred on the base, the employment of civilians, and information regarding the Navy's personnel, ships, and operations. These scrapbooks record the history of Quonset Point and lend insight into the importance of the base at the local, state, and national level.

Within this series, there are scrapbooks which were created by the Supply Department. The Supply Department was in charge of warehousing, distributing materials, providing dining facilities, and storing the station's computer system. In addition, the department organized charity functions, ceremonial events, entertainment for the naval personnel and their families, and holiday celebrations. These functions and activities are documented in these scrapbooks.

Series V. Naval Air Rework Facility
Box 2
This series contains materials related to the Quonset Point Naval Air Rework Facility (NARF), which was one of the country's largest aircraft overhaul and repair centers. The facility was used primarily for repair, engineering, and fleet training. The items in this series detail the functions of this department, including its budgetary responsibilities, its official orders, and the duties of its employees.

Series VI. Publications and The Quonset Scout
The published works and complete set of The Quonset Scout newspapers that are found in this series, detail the history of Quonset Point Naval Air Station. The Quonset Scout subseries also contain the entire collection of the periodical, The Yardarm, also known as the Davisville Yardarm. Full sets of both the Quonset Scout and The Yardarm are available in microfilm.

Arrangement:

The series is divided into two subseries: Publications and The Quonset Scout. Each subseries is arranged chronologically.

Subseries I. Publications
There are a number of guides and directories dating from 1961 until 1973 which provide information about the various departments and facilities at the station as well as listings for services and businesses that naval personnel could access off the base. Further insight into the lives of the station's officers and enlisted persons is given by the Commanding Officers' Suggestion Log, which documents complaints and commendations about the living and dining conditions at the messes. In addition, the work War and Peace: 1940-1947, describes the role of the George A. Fuller Company in building Quonset Point and other naval bases around the world before, during, and after World War II.

Subseries II. The Quonset Scout
The Quonset Scout, published from 1940 until 1973, was the station's private newspaper. In its early years, the newspaper focused mainly on the undertakings of Quonset Point and the activities of its staff and their families. Later, the periodical broadened its scope and reported on state and national news, with a particular emphasis on events that related to the United States Navy. However, the paper predominantly recounted news that was specific to Quonset Point Naval Air Station. Starting in April of 1973, the Davisville Construction Battalion Center began printing its own weekly newspaper, the Davisville Yardarm, or The Yardarm. This subseries contains both publications in their printed and microfilm formats.

Series VII. Logbooks
This series contains the logbooks which recorded both the routine procedures and the emergencies that occurred at several of the Quonset Point facilities. The Crash and Rescue Station logbooks chronicle the daily happenings at the Naval Air Station runway from 1943 until 1974. Standard events were documented in black ink while urgent situations were noted in red ink so that these reports could be readily differentiated. In addition, there are logs from the Watch Stations, the Alarm and Emergency Stations, the Fire and Emergency Stations, the Public Works Department, and the Quonset Point base store.