Coronado and the Navy
For over a century, Coronado has stood at the vanguard of American sea and air power. From Glenn Curtiss taking flight off North Island in 1911 to the aircraft carrier battle groups and elite Navy SEAL operators of the modern fleet, Coronado's identity is inextricably woven with naval service and sacrifice.
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Naval Air Station North Island and Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, anchors of the United States Pacific Fleet for more than a century.
1. 1911: The Birthplace of Naval Aviation
In January 1911, aviation pioneer Glenn H. Curtiss struck an agreement with local developer John D. Spreckels to utilize the uninhabited, brush-covered North Island as an experimental aviation grounds. On January 26, 1911, Curtiss piloted the world’s first successful seaplane flight from the waters of Spanish Bight. Curtiss also offered free flight instruction to military officers; Navy Lieutenant Theodore G. Ellyson reported for duty and earned Naval Aviator Certificate No. 1, officially establishing North Island as the cradle of U.S. naval flight.
2. 1917-WWII: The Master Carrier Air Station
With the onset of World War I, the U.S. Navy officially commissioned Naval Air Station North Island on November 8, 1917. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, North Island served as the testing ground for carrier aviation doctrines, aircraft catapults, and long-range Pacific navigation. It was from North Island's Rockwell Field that Charles Lindbergh took off in May 1927 in his San Diego-built *Spirit of St. Louis* to begin his record-breaking transcontinental journey. Following the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941, North Island became the vital logistics and aircraft repair hub supplying the Pacific carrier task forces.
3. 1943-Present: Naval Amphibious Base & Navy SEALs
In January 1943, the Navy established Naval Amphibious Base Coronado on the Silver Strand to train landing craft crews and demolition teams for Pacific amphibious assaults. Commander Draper L. Kauffman established the Naval Combat Demolition Unit (NCDU) and Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT Frogmen), perfecting hydrographic reconnaissance and obstacle clearance under fire. Today, NAB Coronado remains the world headquarters for Naval Special Warfare Command and the grueling Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training pipeline.
4. Coronado's Avenue of Heroes
Coronado honors its deep bond with the armed services through the **Avenue of Heroes**, spanning Third and Fourth Streets along the transit corridor between Orange Avenue and the main gate of NAS North Island. Instituted by the City of Coronado and the Coronado Historical Association, the Avenue of Heroes program mounts personalized commemorative banners featuring portraits, ranks, and medals of local service members from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, and the Global War on Terror.
Major Naval Milestones in Coronado History
8 Historical RecordsGlenn Curtiss & Birthplace of Naval Aviation
Aviation pioneer Glenn H. Curtiss executes the first successful seaplane flight in North Island waters, founding naval aviation.
Naval Amphibious Base & Navy SEAL BUD/S Center
Naval Amphibious Base Coronado is established, becoming the world headquarters and crucible of Navy SEAL training.
President Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet Visits Coronado
Sixteen steam battleships anchor off Coronado during President Theodore Roosevelt’s global voyage.
Lt. Theodore G. Ellyson Becomes Naval Aviator No. 1
Trained by Glenn Curtiss at North Island, Lt. Ellyson receives the first naval aviator wings in history.
Commissioning of Naval Air Station North Island
The U.S. Navy officially commissions NAS North Island as America enters World War I.
World War II Pacific Fleet Mobilization at North Island
Following Pearl Harbor, North Island becomes the supreme aircraft carrier hub for the Pacific War.
Commissioning of Naval Amphibious Base Coronado
The Navy establishes the Amphibious Training Base on Silver Strand for WWII Pacific assault landing operations.
Birth of Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT Frogmen)
The legendary "Naked Warriors" are formed in Coronado, pioneering combat diving and obstacle clearance.
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Frequently Asked Questions: Coronado and the Navy
Why is Coronado called the Birthplace of Naval Aviation?
In January 1911, aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss opened America's first military aviation school on North Island, performing the first successful hydroaeroplane water takeoff and landing and training Lt. Theodore G. Ellyson, who became Naval Aviator No. 1.
What major naval installations are located in Coronado?
Coronado is home to two premier installations comprising Naval Base Coronado: Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI, commissioned in 1917), the master air station and aircraft carrier homeport for the Pacific Fleet; and Naval Amphibious Base Coronado (NAB, founded in 1943), the headquarters of Naval Special Warfare Command and training grounds for Navy SEALs.
What is Coronado's Avenue of Heroes?
The Avenue of Heroes is a prestigious municipal tribute along Fourth and Third Streets (between Orange Avenue and the NAS North Island main gate) honoring military veterans and service members who have lived in Coronado, featuring commemorative street banners and archival biographies.
When did Navy SEAL training (BUD/S) begin in Coronado?
Navy SEAL training originated in 1943-1944 on Coronado's Silver Strand with the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT Frogmen) established by Commander Draper L. Kauffman. Following President John F. Kennedy's 1962 charter, Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training has been permanently headquartered at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado.