210:, Ward Island was an ideal location for the highly secure school. The Navy acquired Ward Island in February 1942, facility construction started in May, and the school was commissioned on July 1. Commander George K. Stoddard was the initial Commanding Officer. An Administration Building, two instructional buildings, five barracks, and two mess halls were ready, but only a part of the 240-acre (0.97-km) site had been cleared and most streets were unpaved. The unimproved back side was infested by rattlesnakes. Instructional personnel, classroom equipment, and existing students were transferred from a small, similar school that had been started by the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics a few months earlier at the
182:. A one-month Pre-Radio School was soon added; this was mainly taught in facilities of junior colleges in the Chicago area. Both the Eddy Test and the subsequent Pre-Radio School were rigorous filters, passing only a small fraction of the most capable candidates. The Primary Schools concentrated the main topics from the first two years of a traditional engineering curriculum into three months of 12-hour instructional days.
361:, to establish an upper-level institute at Corpus Christi. The UCC Trustees then transferred Ward Island to the city of Corpus Christi, which, in turn, transferred it to Texas A&I. The last graduation exercise for UCC was in 1973. In making the land transfer, the BGCT retained 10 acres for student religious centers. Also at the time of the transfer, Corpus Christi incorporated Ward Island into its city limits.
52:(0.97 km) in useful size, or 259 acres (1.04 km) counting the wetland. The soil is clay, formed by erosion, contrasted to sand islands formed by deposition. Its maximum elevation is only about 15 ft (4.6 m) above the sea-level of Corpus Christi Bay. A causeway (Ocean Drive) connects the island to the Corpus Christi shore, then extends beyond the island to the opposite side of Oso Bay and the
69:
93:
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77:
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University-Corpus
Christi (TAMU-CC or A&M-Corpus Christi). With the start of the 1994-1995 academic year, freshmen and sophomore students were also admitted, returning the institution to being a full undergraduate and graduate university. The intercollegiate athletic program was restarted in 1997, with basketball, baseball, tennis, track, and other sports using the name "
22:
225:(NATTC Ward Island). The first regular class of 106 students graduated in late September, and the following class of 152 students graduated in early October. Thereafter, a new class of 200 students started very two weeks. Beginning in mid-1944, a new class started every week, and the number of students peaked at about 3,100.
370:
a considerable demand in Corpus
Christi area, however, for a school providing undergraduate degree-completion and masters-level graduate study. By the start of 1974, TAICC had over 1.200 commuting students and continued to grow in its initial three years. For publicity purposes, it adopted the name Island University.
132:(1973–1977) and Corpus Christi State University (1977–1993). In addition, in 1973 a small portion of Ward Island was permanently set aside for special university-level religious training; since 2003, this area has been used by the South Texas School for Christian Studies, now known as Stark College & Seminary.
329:, in July this was shifted to Corpus Christi, and ATC temporarily opened in September at Cuddihy Field, a surplus Navy auxiliary airfield on the outskirts of the city. The name was changed to the University of Corpus Christi (UCC) at that time, and the school began with 312 students and 24 faculty members.
404:, as of 2012, there were over 10,000 students from 48 states and 67 foreign countries, and alumni exceeded 30,000. There are five colleges: Business, Education, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Science and Engineering. The faculty, administration, and others employees number about 1,400.
399:
In the following years, A&M Corpus
Christi continued growing in facilities, programs, and students. All of the wooden buildings from the Navy's NATTC were gone; new facilities include extensive student housing, major classroom buildings, a 1,500-seat Performing Arts Center, and the Harte Research
369:
Texas A&I at Corpus
Christi (TAICC) began courses for 969 students at the junior, senior, and graduate levels in the fall of 1973. Many of the damaged buildings were not rebuilt, and thus there was initially no on-campus student housing; intercollegiate athletics were also discontinued. There was
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NATTC Ward Island continued for some time after the end of WWII. In mid-1946, a
Primary School was added. In its existence, the Secondary School graduated an estimated 10,000 students, many more when the special operations at the NATTC are added. All Navy activities at Ward Island closed in the early
341:
For the initial years, the original facilities from NATTC continued to be used for all purposes; the first permanent building, a women's dormitory, came in 1956. The most significant new structure was a large, circular library building opened in May 1963. In 1970, many of the wartime buildings were
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Eventually, NATTC Ward Island had 87 buildings, including a dispensary with 34 beds, a 4,000-volume library, a 350-seat chapel, an even larger auditorium (destroyed by fire in early 1946), a well-stocked ship's store, a gymnasium, and a reception center for visitors. There were 17 barracks, several
123:
The selection of Ward Island was based on the requirement for isolation and high security, and, although not a part of NASCC, this base was only minutes away and able to provide many of the auxiliary needs of the school. By July 1942, the school was ready and received its first students. Soon named
378:
In 1977, the school became a part of the newly created
University System of South Texas, and was renamed Corpus Christi State University (CCSU). Although a few dormitories and other permanent facilities were added, CCSU still used many of the original Navy buildings and remained primarily a school
412:
When the
Baptist General Convention of Texas sold Ward Island, they retained 10 acres for student religious centers. This plot, just southeast of TAMU-CC's campus, is now occupied by the South Texas School of Christian Studies, an independent agency that describes itself as a "delivery system for
337:
The Navy closed the NATTC on Ward Island in
October 1947, and in November the UCC leased the property, including all of the buildings, for a dollar a year. (The UCC Board of Trustees later obtained full ownership of the property.) During the Christmas break, the school moved from Cuddihy Field to
185:
The
Secondary Schools, all taught by Navy and Marine instructors, were initially five months in length, then increased to six months, and eventually to seven months as additional topics were added. Two of the Secondary Schools centered on shipboard and shore-based electronics; one was a further
156:
was the only Navy training source of electronic technicians. Although the RMS produced excellent technicians, the curriculum did not include radar, and airborne electronics of any type was missing. Further, the war effort would need thousands of these technicians, and the RML, even with enlarged
51:
More correctly classed as a peninsula, Ward Island is connected to the Corpus
Christi shoreline by about 1,500 ft (460 m) of wetland. It is roughly triangular in shape, some 5,000 ft (1,500 m) long across the front and 2,500 ft (760 m) average depth, giving approximately 240 acres
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Except for a small amount of training on equipment during flight, all instruction was conducted within a highly restricted compound under 24-hour guard from the Marine Detachment. The compound, located on the north end of the island, had 16 instructional buildings and a large hangar with static
131:
The island almost immediately became a center of higher education. It was first the home of the University of Corpus Christi (1947–1973), and since 1993 has been the home of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. In the intervening years, the institutions were Texas A&I at Corpus Christi
100:
Originally called "Island A", it was later named for land developer John C. Ward, who obtained the island in 1892. His plans were to develop the habitual area into an exclusive resort community, but the plans were crushed during a depression in 1893; the island, however, still became a popular
112:
about 10-mile (16 km) south of downtown Corpus Christi. Construction of Naval Air Station Corpus Christi (NASCC) started in June 1940, and the base was dedicated on March 12, 1941. A major highway was built to the east end of the base, and, for a second entrance, the existing Ocean Drive
413:
religious education". At any given time, hundreds of students are enrolled in graduate, undergraduate, and certificate programs. The Center does not grant degrees itself, but provides educational services on behalf of Hardin-Simmons, Logsdon Seminary, and other accredited institutions.
232:
Originally, NATTC Ward Island was primarily intended for training enlisted U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine personnel. The Marine students, along with the Marine guards, were sufficient in number to warrant a Lieutenant Colonel as the Detachment Commander. In a short while, students from the
387:
The State Legislature made CCSU a part of the expanding Texas A&M University System in 1989, and in 1992, the Texas Higher Education Commission authorized CCSU's first doctoral program. In 1993, the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents renamed the school Texas A&M
229:
Bachelor Officer Quarters, and 6 mess halls. Outside there were a number of athletic fields and courts (the football field doubled as the parade ground), two swimming pools (every student had to pass a swimming test), and a cross-country track encircling most of the island.
177:
The ETP was initially a two-level training activity: a three-month Primary School, taught by six engineering colleges across the Nation (later three Navy-operated Primary Schools were added), and three Secondary (or Advanced) Schools. Entry into the ETP required passing the
252:
that officers normally attended, but the instruction there did not include airborne systems; thus, officers needing such instruction were sometimes assigned to NATTC Ward Island. Starting in 1943, a special three-month course was given for
338:
Ward Island and classes restarted in former training buildings on January 5, 1948. The first UCC graduation exercise was held for 29 students in May. For 26 years, UCC was the only four-year, degree-granting institution in Corpus Christi.
513:
Stoddard, George K.; "Naval Air Technical Training Center, Ward Island, Corpus Christi, Texas, 1941-1944"; Commander's Summary Report to the U.S. Navy Bureau of Personnel, 1944; Archives of the Aviation History Branch, Naval Historical
128:, for the remainder of the war it produced, in secrecy, many thousands of Navy, Marine, Coast Guard, and Royal Air Force maintenance personnel. NATTC Ward Island closed in October 1947.
116:
Immediately following the start of World War II, the Navy initiated a major program to train highly qualified technicians to maintain the myriad of electronic systems, particularly
198:
in Chicago.) The third initial Secondary School, this one centering on airborne electronics, was at NATTC Ward Island. All of the Secondary Schools operated under high security.
101:
fishing and hunting site. In 1909, W. E. James and Herman Anderson purchased the land and put up a few rustic shelters as a sportsman business; this remained until the 1940s.
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and other topics that might normally be in the upper level at engineering colleges. Laboratories included aircraft communication systems, high-frequency and microwave
222:
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for commuting students. Nevertheless, there was steady growth over the next decade. By 1989, the school had more than 4,000 students and over 10,000 alumni.
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In certain of the segments of the Secondary School, there would occasionally be Warrant and Commissioned Officers. There was an advanced radar school at the
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In September 1942, authority for the school was transferred from the Bureau of Aeronautics to the Air Training Command and it was officially designated the
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Instruction in the Secondary School was divided about equally between lecture and laboratory work. Lectures included advanced electronic circuits,
120:, that was urgently needed. The then-uninhabited Ward Island was selected as the site of an advanced school for airborne electronics maintenance.
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in Great Britain were added. The British students would be instructed in separate groups, and occasionally these would have personnel from the
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supply officers. Throughout the existence of NATTC Ward Island, refresher courses for both officers and enlisted men were continually given.
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directed that the U.S. Navy develop an air training facility in the Corpus Christi Bay vicinity. A huge area of land was acquired at
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346:. From its start, the UCC had financial problems, and, to rebuild the campus, the Trustees sought assistance from the State.
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aircraft. For training in flight, there was a hangar and a small fleet of planes at the nearby Naval Air Station.
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325:(BGCT) chartered a school as the Arts and Technological College (ATC). Originally intended to be located in
165:, a medically retired (deafness) submarine officer, a radically new training activity, commonly called the
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284:) equipment. In addition to the regular curriculum, there were special courses on subjects such as the
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Located on a causeway southeast of Corpus Christi and northeast of the recently opened
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292:(MAD), both highly classified at that time, and the Navy's first drone aircraft, the
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committee was immediately formed to address this issue. Under the leadership of
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fall of 1947, with the instructional program transferring to NATTC Memphis at
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enlargement of the RMS at the NRL, and the other a duplication of the RMS at
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218:. The first new class from Primary Schools was also started at this time.
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Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi: The Island University
463:
http://www.caller2.com/2000/march/07/today/local_ne/1801.html
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Martinez, Deborah; "Ward Island was hush-hush radar school",
169:(ETP), was devised and actually started January 12, 1942.
447:
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qbn01
600:"Fast Facts, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi";
429:"History", in TAMU-CC Campus Master Plan Update 2007;
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facilities, graduated only a few hundred per year. An
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is a small body of land situated at the confluence of
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http://facilities.tamucc.edu/pdf/Master/history.pdf
113:causeway that passed by Ward Island was improved.
612:"About South Texas School of Christian Studies";
223:Naval Air Technical Training Center Ward Island
126:Naval Air Technical Training Center Ward Island
8:
194:. (In 1944, another duplication was made at
140:When World War II started with the Japanese
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542:http://www.tamucc.edu/about/history.pdf
536:Kreneck, Thomas H.; "Introduction", in
441:"Naval Air Station Corpus Christi", in
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383:Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
46:Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
602:http://www.tamucc.edu/about/facts.html
60:about 1.0 mi (1.6 km) away.
487:"Navy Establishes New Radio School",
250:Massachusetts Institute of Technology
202:Facilities, students, and instruction
44:. Most of Ward Island is now used by
7:
614:http://www.stscs.org/html/about_scs
323:Baptist General Convention of Texas
136:Naval Air Technical Training Center
674:Education in Corpus Christi, Texas
664:Landforms of Corpus Christi, Texas
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208:Naval Air Station Corpus Christi
54:Naval Air Station Corpus Christi
679:Islands of Nueces County, Texas
374:Corpus Christi State University
365:Texas A&I at Corpus Christi
16:Island in the US state of Texas
502:Solving the Naval Radar Crisis
1:
280:, and long-range navigation (
274:identification, friend or foe
72:Ward Island historical marker
443:The Handbook of Texas Online
402:Hispanic-Serving Institution
333:University of Corpus Christi
173:Electronics Training Program
167:Electronics Training Program
504:, Trafford Publishing, 2007
408:School of Christian Studies
148:(RMS) on the campus of the
40:and is part of the city of
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500:Watson, Raymond C., Jr.;
290:magnetic anomaly detector
150:Naval Research Laboratory
400:Center. Designated as a
355:Texas A&I University
243:Royal Canadian Air Force
144:(December 7, 1941), the
392:" and competing in the
353:passed a bill allowing
317:Higher Education Center
142:attack on Pearl Harbor
106:United States Congress
104:With war looming, the
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89:
81:
73:
26:
640:27.71278°N 97.32333°W
489:Chicago Daily Tribune
311:Millington, Tennessee
146:Radio Materiel School
95:
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79:
71:
42:Corpus Christi, Texas
24:
394:Southland Conference
294:Target Drone Denny 1
645:27.71278; -97.32333
636: /
321:In April 1947, the
216:Annapolis, Maryland
96:Ward Island in 2002
88:Ward Island in 1971
80:Ward Island in 1934
25:Ward Island in 2010
491:, January 13, 1942
342:highly damaged by
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82:
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34:Corpus Christi Bay
27:
461:, March 7, 2000;
359:Kingsville, Texas
351:Texas Legislature
192:San Francisco Bay
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669:Islands of Texas
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276:(IFF) systems,
266:servomechanisms
239:Royal Air Force
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188:Treasure Island
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163:William C. Eddy
154:Washington D.C.
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643: /
473:"History",
110:Flour Bluff
58:Flour Bluff
30:Ward Island
658:Categories
631:97°19′24″W
628:27°42′46″N
417:References
588:Kreneck,
576:Kreneck,
564:Kreneck,
552:Kreneck,
390:Islanders
296:(TTD-1).
272:systems,
262:microwave
196:Navy Pier
180:Eddy Test
152:(NRL) in
590:op. cit.
578:op. cit.
566:op. cit.
554:op. cit.
525:op. cit.
523:Watson,
476:op. cit.
288:and the
264:theory,
304:Closure
190:in the
64:History
38:Oso Bay
514:Center
159:ad hoc
282:LORAN
270:radar
255:WAVES
118:radar
349:The
36:and
214:in
56:at
660::
540:;
396:.
313:.
245:.
48:.
445:;
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