NAF El Centro celebrates 75th anniversary
NAVAL AIR FACILITY EL CENTRO — Military personnel and civilians here Friday celebrated the air base’s 75th birthday.
While the base’s big day is actually today, a small celebration was held at 9 a.m. Friday at the installation’s main flagpole. Naval Air Facility El Centro, affectionately known as the “Pearl of the Desert,” was born on May 1, 1946.
“Happy 75th birthday,” NAFEC’s commanding officer Capt. William A. Perkins said during his opening remarks. “It’s truly the weather that makes this base special.”
As a testament to this, Perkins pointed out there’s absolutely perfect flying weather here for more than 350 days a year.
“This has resulted in a desirable training location for more than seven decades and still going strong,” he said.
One recent highlight the base has had was welcoming President Donald Trump aboard in 2019, Perkins said.
Among the guests in attendance Friday was retired Capt. Brent Alfonzo, who was NAFEC’s commanding officer from 2017 to 2020, and Bill Gay, a retired U. S. Navy public information officer.
Gay was also chosen as the celebration’s guest speaker.
Gay told the audience that, although he’s written speeches for many others, Friday was the first time he had served as a guest speaker.
He praised the partnership the base has had with the Imperial County.
“The Valley has a very strong Navy heritage,” he said.
Gay said a piece of NAFEC could be seen in the county, as a parachute tester used by the base years ago sits outside of Wymore Industries on Dogwood Road in El Centro.
To conclude his speech, Gay presented a special broadside cartoon to Perkins.
The cartoon was done in honor of NAFEC by Brawley resident Jeff Bakin, a retired U. S. Navy captain.
Friday’s celebration concluded with a cake- cutting ceremony. While the base’s birthday cake didn’t have 75 candles, it did have a large NAFEC logo on it.