During World War II, the U.S. Navy stationed eight large blimps at the Tillamook Naval Air Station on the northern Oregon Coast. The Blimps were used for anti-submarine coast patrol and convoy escort.

U.S. Navy Blimps regularly patrolled Clatsop Beach at Seaside.

The Blimps were effective because they could go slow enough to see enemy submarines that patrolled the northern Pacific waters.

Ground breaking ceremonies at the Naval Air Station at Tillamook on December 7, 1942.

Ground breaking ceremonies for the hangars at Tillamook on December 7, 1942.

View of construction of an airship hangar at the Naval Air Station in 1943.

Construction progresses as the interior trusses go up on each side while the doorway is built with surrounding scaffolding on July 28, 1943.

An exterior view of Hangar A under construction as seen from the top of Hangar B on July 28, 1943.

Maintenance crew atop a hangar on July 6, 1945.

 Eight blimps are shown inflated inside Hangar B.

Two of the largest wood structures in the world were built at Tillamook’s Naval Air Station as hangars to house the  Blimps. Hangar B can be seen on the left and Hangar A is on the right. The hangars were two of 17 built by the Navy.

A plane flys through Hangar B which was completed in 1943.

A fire destroyed Hangar A on August 22, 1992. Today, Hangar B houses Tillamook’s Naval Air Station Museum.

A special word of thanks to Christian Gurling, Museum Curator at the Tillamook Air Museum.

Last updated 10-27-16

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