This page is dedicated to Florida historical markers near Sanford Naval Air Station – Sanford. There are many historical markers in Florida. This marker in Seminole County is an excellent example.
Naval Air Station – Sanford
This Florida Historical Marker is entitled Naval Air Station – Sanford and is located in Sanford in Seminole County, Florida. When traveling north, the marker is on Red Cleveland Boulevard on the right.
Inscription on the Marker
The inscription reads:
Naval Air Station – Sanford. . In November 1942, NAS Sanford was commissioned to meet the need for additional naval aviation training facilities. Originally planned for bomber training, it converted to fighter plane training within a year. A major portion of fighter pilots that served on aircraft carriers in the Pacific during world war two trained in the field. “Touch and Go” training simulated aircraft landings at the airfield at Osceola and other nearby fields. Fifty-three pilots lost their lives in plane crashes in the surrounding area during this time.
At the end of world war two, the airfield was decommissioned and turned over to the city. In 1947, the NY Giants constructed eight baseball fields for their spring farm teams. Other activities using the facilities included apartments, motels, a seminary, a Bible College, and the county hospital in the old dispensary.
In 1951, with the start of the Korean War, the air station was reactivated. Its mission changed several times, but it always supported fleet carrier aircraft. This time training and refresher courses were given to both reserves and experienced pilots. , NAS Sanford, in 1957, was one of the first to receive a squadron of A3D Skywarriors, a long-range jet bomber. In the 1960s, these were replaced by the Vigilante. Originally designed as a nuclear bomber, the aircraft was later used for photographic reconnaissance missions. During the Vietnam War, Sanford was home to the families of many POWS and MIAS from Vigilante squadrons. , In 1968 Congress closed the base and returned the airport back to the city. This caused a major economic setback to the area. Slowly the area and the airport recovered, thus bringing international flights to Sanford.
Marker Sponsor and Install Date for Naval Air Station – Sanford
Placed by Seminole County Historical Commission.
Maps & Location Views
Using mapping services from Google, we can show detailed location maps and street views if they are available.
Sometimes you can see the Naval Air Station – Sanford Marker in Google Maps. A 360-degree view of the area near the marker is available on the link below. You can see the marker or monument and read it in many cases.
The History of Sanford

More than a century before the Pilgrims set foot at Plymouth Rock, in 1513, Florida began its modern-day history, of which Orlando is a part.
During this period, Florida was still part of the United States Territory and not yet a state; therefore, many Native American tribes occupied land throughout Central Florida, including Seminole Indians who had migrated there from Georgia during the First Seminole War (1817-1818).
In 1838, the U.S. Army built Fort Gatlin south of the present-day Orlando City limits to protect settlers from attacks by Indians during the Second Seminole War. During the Civil War, Orlando’s role included supplying the Confederacy with food, cattle, and horses from the vast plantations in the region.
Today Orlando is recognized as a global tourist attraction and entertainment city
About the Florida Historical Marker Program
One of the most well-known and noticeable public history initiatives of the Division of Historical Resources is the Florida Historical Marker Program. It is intended to increase residents’ and visitors’ enjoyment of Florida’s historic places and to increase public knowledge of the state’s rich cultural past.
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