NAS Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach International Airport
FMSF#: VO06617 - 21
Daytona Beach, Florida
Volusia County
904-248-8030
This site is located in the EastCentral region of the state.
DIRECTIONS
Daytona Beach International Airport is located east of Daytona International Speedway and south of International Speedway Boulevard in Daytona Beach.
With the assistance of U.S. Senator Claude Pepper, the Daytona Beach town fathers were able to convince the U.S. Navy to locate flight training at the Daytona Beach Municipal Airport. Commissioned in December 1942, SBD Dauntless scout-dive bombers and SNC-1 Falcons were the first airplanes deployed at this site. Later in the war these planes were replaced by F4F and FM-1 Wildcats, and F6F Hellcats.
Four outlying fields were employed at New Symrna Beach, Ormand Beach, Bunnell and Spruce Creek. The New Symrna field included a launch catapult and arresting gear equipment to accommodate basic carrier training. In addition, an air-sea rescue crash boat facility operated from the New Symrna Yacht Club. Nearly 1,500 officers and men were stationed at NAS Daytona Beach at any one time.
With the end of hostilities, the field reverted back to the local municipality to eventually become the present day Daytona Beach International Airport. A memorial plaque is located at the central approach to the terminal.
