Moffett Field was established in 1931 to house Navy dirigibles intended to support the U.S. Naval Fleet’s Pacific Ocean maneuvers. Hangar 1 was built to house the USS Macon. In 1945 the airfield was renamed after Admiral Moffett, who lost his life in the 1935 USS Macon’s crash, and the runways were improved to handle modern aircraft.

By 1950 jet aircraft replaced dirigible operations. Moffett Field became the largest Naval Air Transport base on the West Coast. Most Eastside/Airfield district buildings were constructed in the 1940s – 1960s. Intense jet aircraft operations at Moffett Field ended in 1963, due to noise and air traffic issues. Navy Orion P-3 long-range ocean surveillance aircraft began operations. The Navy transferred the airfield to NASA in 1994, and Moffett Federal Airfield was established as a limited-use federal airfield. To learn more about the history of Moffett Field visit the Moffett Field Historical Society and Museum website.