PASCO, Wash. – If you’re in the Tri-Cities and wonder why Navy planes fly overhead, a quick history lesson can clear it up.

The Tri-Cities Airport's story began in 1942 when the United States entered World War II. The Navy needed to quickly set up a base to train pilots for the war and decided on Pasco.

Malin Bergstrom, owner of Bergstrom Aircraft , said the Columbia Basin was selected for its favorable weather and clear skies.

"Great weather year-round. So they (the Navy) could literally train 12 months of the year. There wasn't any tall obstacles for the student pilots to run into. No big mountains or forests," Bergstrom said.

The pilots trained at the base were preparing for missions in the Pacific Theater, focusing on aircraft carrier landings and other responsibilities . Aft

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