Brindley Field (1 of 2)
Located right in the middle of the Parking Lot @ Home Depot in Commack..
Here’s a detailed history of Brindley Field in Commack, NY:
📍 Origins & Location
Established in June 1918 at the northeast corner of Jericho Turnpike (NY‑25) and Larkfield Road, occupying about 90–100 acres of farmland owned by William H. Randall. [patch.com], [hmdb.org], [aaqeastend.com]
🛩️ Purpose & Operations
Created as a U.S. Army Signal Corps Aviation Section training field during World War I, supporting pilot training for nearby bases like Hazelhurst (later Roosevelt Field). Activities included:
Flight training
Emergency landings
Fueling and minor aircraft repairs [finditlongisland.com], [aaqeastend.com]
Featured temporary setups: a grass runway, 20 barracks, mess halls, and five steel hangars, accommodating roughly 1,000 service members. [patch.com], [finditlongisland.com]
✈️ Naming & Aircraft
Named for Major Oscar A. Brindley, who died in a Dayton, Ohio, aircraft accident. [patch.com], [pawsofwar.org]
Hosted Curtiss JN‑4 “Jenny” planes and DH‑4, common WWI trainers. [patch.com], [finditlongisland.com]
🕯️ Accidents & Community Impact
On August 16, 1918, a Jenny aircraft crashed near Havemeyer Lane, killing 2nd Lts. C.S. Gideon and Harold Maxson, both stationed at Brindley Field; the site is now marked by a historical plaque. [patch.com], [hmdb.org]
The field spurred local progress: it brought electricity to the area, led to a dry zone (no alcohol sales within five miles), and engendered strong community support, such as volunteer-run canteens providing Christmas meals and health care for soldiers. [patch.com], [aaqeastend.com]
🏗️ Closure & Legacy
Deactivated in May 1919, shortly after World War I ended.
Land reverted to Randall; buildings were dismantled, repurposed, or sold. [patch.com], [aaqeastend.com]
A marker was erected in 1974 along Jericho Turnpike, and another marker stands at the crash site on Havemeyer Lane. [hmdb.org], [hmdb.org]
🛒 Present-Day Status
The former site is now a Home Depot shopping center parking lot, though markers still commemorate the field and the crash. [patch.com], [hmdb.org], [finditlongisland.com]
In summary: Brindley Field served as a short-lived but vital WWI pilot training airfield that shaped local infrastructure and left a lasting historic footprint.
