[1] It was named for Lieutenant Commander Nathan Brown Chase,[2][3] Naval Aviator #37, who died in 1925 while developing carrier landing techniques for the U.S.

In August 1952, it was then purchased by the Navy to again relieve congestion at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in preparation for the Korean War.

[2][3][7] It operated as Chase Field until 1968, when it was redesignated as a full Naval Air Station to meet the demand for pilot training during the Vietnam War.

[8] It was tasked with preparing U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Student Naval Aviators to be strike pilots in sea-based jet fighter and attack aircraft.

Training for selected NATO and Allied student jet aviators was also conducted at NAS Chase Field.