Holley Naval Outlying Field

The closure was a result of military operational changes and consolidation. As naval aviation training evolved, the T-28 Trojan aircraft, which used fields like Holley, were phased out in the early 1980s. Newer training aircraft had different performance characteristics and requirements, leading the Navy to consolidate training at fewer, more modern outlying fields. The land was eventually transferred from the U.S. Navy to the U.S. Air Force, as it fell within the boundaries of the Eglin Air Force Base reservation.

The site is completely abandoned as an airfield, but the ghostly outlines of its three asphalt runways are still clearly visible from satellite imagery. The land is now part of the Eglin Air Force Base reservation and is located in Navarre, Florida (not Fort Walton Beach, though it is nearby). The runways are deteriorated, cracked, and significantly overgrown with grass, shrubs, and pine trees. The area is undeveloped and serves as a wildlife habitat and buffer zone within the military reservation. There are no remaining buildings or structures on the site. While not used for aviation, the land may be used for occasional ground-based military training exercises conducted by Eglin AFB.

Holley Naval Outlying Field (NOLF) was a classic World War II-era auxiliary airfield, established circa 1943. Its primary mission was to support the Naval Air Basic Training Command at NAS Whiting Field, located about 20 miles to the northeast. Holley served as a practice field for student naval aviators, providing a safe, uncongested area to practice fundamental flight maneuvers, particularly takeoffs and landings (known as 'bounce' drills or Field Carrier Landing Practice - FCLP). The field featured a distinctive triangular runway pattern, allowing for operations in various wind conditions. Thousands of pilots flying primary training aircraft, such as the Stearman N2S Kaydet, Vultee SNV Valiant, and later the North American T-28 Trojan, honed their skills at Holley before advancing in their training. It was a critical component of the naval aviation training pipeline that supplied pilots through WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Holley NOLF as an airport. The facility is obsolete, its infrastructure is beyond repair, and its original mission is now fulfilled by other active outlying fields associated with NAS Whiting Field. The land is under the control of the U.S. Air Force as part of the Eglin Range Complex, and its current use as a natural buffer and potential ground training area precludes any return to aviation operations.