What was here before the jets?
It’s often hard to remember a time when Washington wasn't impacted by noise pollution from the Navy's EA-18 Growler jets, based on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI). However, it’s important to remember that the naval base on Whidbey Island has only been there since 1942. The Growlers, some of the loudest jets in the world, were only introduced to the base in 2008. Prior to the Growler jets, the Navy trained with the much quieter Prowler jets.
The Growler jets and the harmful noise that comes with them is still somewhat new to the region, compared to Washington’s long history and Whidbey Island specifically. It is crucial we learn about, remember, and hold onto a time where this region was free from noise pollution.
Tscha-kole-chy (cha-KOHL-chee), now known as Whidbey Island, was once home to the Lower Skagit, Swinomish, Suquamish, Snohomish tribes. Bəc̓adᶻali, now known as Penn Cove, and Kla-tole-tsche (kla-TOLL-skee), now known as Oak Harbor, were mainly considered Skagit territory.
Kla-tole-tsche is now home to NASWI and all (100+) of the US-based Growler jets.
Up until the summer of 1972, when British sea captain George Vancouver first entered the Puget Sound region and first visited Tsha-kole-chy, the island was inhabited and fostered by indigenous communities for thousands of years. Bəc̓adᶻali specifically was known as an
area where many tribes in the region converged and connected. Another important area was Bʒáʒale (Bdzá-dzaley), now known as Coupeville; the winter village location here was one of the largest in the Lower Skagit area.
Bʒáʒale is now home to the Navy's Outlying Landing Field (OLF) where Growler jet pilots perform flight-carrier landing practice (FCLPs, touch-and-gos).
These places we think are so cemented in stone, such as NASWI, come with a rich and long history of indigenous peoples living and thriving here before these jets were even invented. The history of this region did not only begin with the arrival of colonizers and their theft from indigenous peoples.
It is important for us to remember that the presence of the Navy and its jets on Whidbey Island and surrounding areas are still very new. For most of this region's history, it was never impacted by noise pollution.
This region and its irreplaceable environment, communities, and wild and marine life deserve protection from the Navy’s harmful jet noise.
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