The United States Naval Air Facility (NAF), Sigonella, Sicily, was formally established June 15, 1959, by its first commanding officer, Capt. Walter J. Frazier. The idea of having a U.S. naval base here was conceived during the early 1950s when it became obvious that the planned base loading of U.S. Navy P-2 Neptunes would result in overcrowding at the existing facility at Hal Far, Malta.
Because there was no more room for expansion at Malta, the Navy got NATO backing to use Sicily. Land for Sigonella was therefore made available to the Navy on a temporary basis under the terms of an agreement with the Italian government June 25, 1957. Six days later, equipment began arriving at Sigonella from the Malta base via landing ship tank (LSTs). The fleet Aircraft Service Squadron FASRON (Special) 201 at Halfar was disestablished July 1.
The first U.S. aircraft, a R4QD type Marine 1665, arrived here at 9:31 a.m. from Naples, Aug. 8, 1957.
By the end of August 1959, the NAF II airfield was available for daylight VFR flights, with 24 flights logged by Aug. 31.
Sigonella's automatic 200-position telephone switchboard was also connected. Because there was a limitation on the amount of non-U.S. personnel manning at NAF, the switchboard was manned only during regular working hours.
The initial building of Sigonella began in September 1957, with the administrative area at NAF I beginning in 1958. The building, which is now occupied by the Housing Office, was Sigonella's first Admin. building. However, Capt. R.W. Jackson, Sigonella's commanding officer in 1970, decided that his offices should be at NAF II near operations. It was then that his and the executive officer's office moved to the NAF II's administration building, where they are still located.
The first Americans arrived at Sigonella in March 1959, but they stayed in Catania except for daily trips to the administrative area because there were no buildings ready for occupancy. During the six months required to make NAF I habitable, the Navy occupied the large warehouse complex called Magazine Generale, which is opposite the cemetery on the right side of the street as one enters Catania from the base.
Sigonella's first buildings were the administration building (Housing Office), the chapel, which opened in November 1959, theater, NAF I galley, bakery and dry provisions (where the 7 Day Store is now), enlisted barracks 171, 172 and 173, the BOQ, the infirmary and dental, (which is now the NEX mini-mall) the central heating plant, the water treatment plant, Security (half of its present size, it was a brig with a capacity for six men), the Navy Exchange building, (which included a snack bar), the sewage treatment plant and the switching station.
Housing units were being built in April 1958, and were approved Feb. 2, 1961. Because officers' housing units were not the first to be completed, the first unit to be occupied by Sigonella's commanding officer was quarters 137-D.
Another of Sigonella's first buildings was what is now the American Forces Network (AFN) building. In 1958, that building was Sigonella's vector (pest) control center, where rat poison was stored. The Army Corps of Engineers next used the building for their offices, later sharing it with Special Services, or what we now call Morale, Welfare and Recreation. Around 1966, AFN came to Sigonella and joined Special Services, which soon moved out, leaving the building to the broadcasters.
The dispensary began functioning in October 1959, with one flight surgeon, one general practitioner, two nurses, one dentist and 15 hospital corpsmen.
