At its height during World War II, NATS's totaled four wings of 18 squadrons that operated 540 aircraft with 26,000 personnel assigned.
Prior to WW II, The Navy's air transport needs were provided by utility squadrons and aircraft assigned to commands.
C. H. Schildhauer presented a detailed plan for a naval air transport program to the Secretary of the Navy, Frank Knox.
The next month, the Navy contracted American Airlines to operate an R4D school at Meacham Field, Fort Worth, Texas.
In October, NATS moved its operation to the newly completed NAS Olathe, 25 miles to the southwest.
Seaplane operations were conducted with the transport versions of the Consolidated PB2Y Coronado and the Martin PBM Mariner.
United Airlines also began training Navy mechanics at the Oakland Airport by the end of the year.
NATS also contracted Pan American to operate seaplane transport service from San Francisco to Hawaii.
Pan America utilized Martin M-130 China Clippers, Boeing 314s, and Navy supplied Consolidated PB2Y Coronados.
By 1944, conflict with Navy surface ship traffic around Treasure Island caused Pan Am to move its operation south to Mills Field, now San Francisco International Airport.
On 30 November, the PB2M completed a 4,375-mile nonstop flight of 28 hours and 25 minutes, delivering 16,000 pounds of cargo from Patuxent River to Natal, Brazil.
In December 1943, the Naval Air Ferry Command was established under NATS to take over the mission previously provided by the Aircraft Delivery Units.
The Air Ferry Command had a pilot training detachment at NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.
Finally VRF-3 was established at NAS San Pedro to accept aircraft from the West Coast manufacturers.
Ferrying stops were located at various times at Lynchburg and Petersburg, Virginia; Spartanburg, South Carolina: Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee; Meridian and Jackson, Mississippi; Little Rock, Arkansas; Shreveport, Louisiana; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Fort Worth, Abilene, Midland, and El Paso, Texas; Tucson, Yuma, and Coolidge, Arizona; and El Centro, California plus others.
Using special refrigerating units, the squadron was delivering 1000 pints a day by the invasion of Iwo Jima.
The demands of the Vietnam War and the resultant pilot shortage caused the Navy to withdraw its commitment.