NAS Squantum

Military consolidation and post-WWII downsizing. After World War II, the U.S. Navy consolidated its operations and reduced its number of active bases. NAS Squantum was deemed surplus to the Navy's needs. Additionally, the advent of the jet age required longer runways than Squantum possessed, making it less suitable for modern naval aircraft. The land was officially turned over to the General Services Administration for disposal in 1954.

The former airport site has been completely redeveloped. Beginning in the 1960s, the peninsula was transformed into a large, upscale mixed-use community known as 'Marina Bay' in Quincy, Massachusetts. The site now features luxury condominiums, apartments, single-family homes, a large 685-slip marina, numerous restaurants, retail shops, and office buildings. The original runways, hangars, and military buildings have been demolished, and there are very few physical remnants of the former air station, though the area's layout still vaguely follows the old airfield's footprint.

Naval Air Station Squantum had a rich and vital history in American naval aviation. It was originally established in 1917 during World War I as a seaplane base for anti-submarine patrols. In the 1920s, it became a key Naval Reserve Air Base, where famed aviator Amelia Earhart worked and flew. The base saw a massive expansion during World War II, becoming one of the largest and most important naval air stations on the East Coast. Its primary mission was primary flight training for thousands of naval aviator cadets. Over 4,000 pilots, including future President George H.W. Bush, received their initial training here, flying aircraft like the Stearman N2S 'Yellow Peril' biplane. The base also supported blimp operations for coastal patrols and was a critical hub for aviation logistics and maintenance in the New England region throughout the war.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening the airport. The land has been fully and densely redeveloped for high-value residential, commercial, and recreational use. Re-establishing an airport on the site is physically, economically, and politically impossible.