In the middle of World War II, 75 years ago today, the U.S. Naval Air Station opened north of Ottumwa. It served as a training site for cadets. The most famous Navy personnel to pass through were future president Richard Nixon (as an officer) and astronaut Scott Carpenter (as a cadet).
Wapello County got double duty out of the deal; even though the Navy relocated to Pensacola in 1947, what was left behind became the Ottumwa airport. Now people are restoring the administration building to remember this short but important moment in Iowa history.
A road to the air station was designated IA 380, one of 10 new numbers created during the war, and then redesignated IA 389 when the number was needed for I-380.