Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale Museum

National Register of Historic Places. Mission Statement: Educating. Preserving. Honoring the Heroes BACKGROUND HISTORY: Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale (NASFL) was built on the site of Merle Fogg Field in 1942 as part of the national defense program; serving as one among 257 air stations during World War II, and as one of a few specialty schools for training on the TBM/TBF Avenger aircraft. NAS Fort Lauderdale made a big impact in the growth and economy of the South Florida region and the United States as a whole. Building # 8, The Link Trainer Building housed 6-8 Link Trainer flight simulators. It is the only remaining structure left on the naval base property—sole reminder of a naval complex of more than 200 buildings. This building is now the Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale Museum. The Museum has been instrumental in preserving the memory of Flight 19, one of the great aviation mysteries. Flight 19 flew out of NAS Fort Lauderdale on 5 December 1945, to vanish into the Bermuda Triangle. In addition, 19 year old future US President George H. W. Bush lived at this base as an Ensign, to train as a torpedo/bomber pilot. From October 1942 to October 1946 the base would train American and British pilots and thousands of aircrewmen from the U.S and other countries.