November Meeting

November 13, 2004

Importance of Squantum and South Weymouth Naval Air Stations

Donald Caan and John Galluzzo, Speakers

1:30 p.m. John Curtis Free Library, Rt. 139, 534 Hanover Street, Hanover, MA (781) 826-2927

The Images of America series published by Arcadia Publishing aims to preserve the images of treasured days of old. Through archival photographs, each author preserves an important piece of history whether it is a town, a sports team, a historical building, or two local Naval Air Stations.

Squantum, opened in 1909 and was commissioned as an air base in 1923. Because of its proximity to Logan Airport its operations were moved to South Weymouth. Squantum was closed in 1950. The South Weymouth Naval Air Station was an active and important military installation into the 1990s. When President Clinton signed a bill to downsize the military, the South Weymouth facility was on the list of military installations to be closed. The closing day came in 1997.

As new plans for the development of the air base are unvailed, the latest book by Donald Caan and John Gallozzo, "Squantum and South Weymouth Naval Air Stations," looks to preserve, through photographs, the memories of both the men and woman who served at the bases.

Donald Caan, of Rockland, served with the U.S. Army and has long been interested in military histoty. He is a member and former president of the Old Abington Historical Society. John Galluzzo, a Hull historian and resident, is editor of "Wreck and Rescue Journal" a national Coast Guard history magazine.

Both men have authored other titles in the Images of America series.