On November 4, the Vernon Hills Board of Trustees approved a resolution to honor the historical significance of the Vernon Hills Athletic Complex (VHAC) in training naval aviators during World War II. The decision was made following a request from members of American Legion Vernon Post 1247.
As part of this recognition, Cougar Way will be renamed to commemorate the USS Wolverine, and Nike Parkway will be renamed to honor the USS Sable. These ships played a role in the final stage of training for naval pilots who practiced take offs and landings at VHAC before moving on to train on these vessels in Lake Michigan.
During World War II, about 17,820 naval aviators trained at the VHAC airfield for deployment in the Pacific theater. Pilots began their training with ground-based decks built at VHAC. After completing this phase, they continued their training aboard two side-wheel steam-powered cruise ships converted into aircraft carriers—the USS Sable and USS Wolverine—on Lake Michigan.
To learn more about this history, visit ChicagoNavyMemorial.org.
“Thanks to the request of members of American Legion Vernon Post 1247, Cougar Way will now commemorate the USS Wolverine, while Nike Parkway will honor the USS Sable.”
