Blue Wahoos Host “Salute to Service” Call Sign Baseball Game, Celebrating 200 Years of NAS Pensacola

Last updated: July 14, 2026

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos recently transformed Admiral Fetterman Field into a vibrant hub of patriotism and naval tradition, hosting their annual “Salute to Service” baseball game on July 11. This year’s event carried special weight, serving as a landmark celebration of the 200th anniversary of Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola.

Honoring the “Cradle of Naval Aviation”

Founded in April 1826—originally as the Pensacola Navy Yard—NAS Pensacola has spent two centuries evolving from a modest shipyard into the prestigious “Cradle of Naval Aviation”.

The game provided a unique opportunity for the community to recognize the enduring partnership between the base and the city. “The installation has been an integral part of the City of Pensacola for 200 years,” said Capt. Chandra “Mamasan” Newman, NAS Pensacola’s commanding officer. Capt. Newman opened the festivities by throwing the ceremonial first pitch, followed by a presentation of the colors by the Naval Air Technical Training Center’s (NATTC) Performing Arts Unit.

Tradition Meets the Diamond: The Call Sign Event

The game featured the Blue Wahoos’ annual “Call Sign” jersey event, a tradition that mirrors the naval aviation practice of assigning nicknames to aviators. These call signs, which are often humorously derived from an individual’s personal habits or characteristics, serve as a method of identification and communication over radio channels and are typically carried by aviators throughout their careers. By wearing these unique identifiers on their jerseys, the players offered a nod to the aviators who train and live in the Pensacola community.

Community Celebrations

More than 150 NAS Pensacola personnel and their family members were in attendance for the game. The installation’s mascot, “Jay Gosling,” added to the celebratory atmosphere by donning 19th-century period attire—a salute to the base’s 1826 founding—and joining Capt. Newman and Command Master Chief Brian Bellefeuille in cutting a ceremonial birthday cake.

The event reaffirmed the deep-rooted ties between Northwest Florida and its military neighbors. As Capt. Newman noted, the community’s longstanding support for the generations of service members training and living in the region remains a vital pillar of the installation’s continued success.

This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team. Based on official reporting from DVIDS and regional naval records.