At the beginning of World War II, the United States Navy purchased of land in southwestern Dade (now called Miami-Dade) County, Florida for the purpose of constructing an airship base. The land was owned by the Richmond Timber Company, a major supplier of Dade County Pine (a denser, harder, sub-species of Pinus Palustris, or Long Leaf Pine). The base was named Naval Air Station Richmond, after the lumber company and was home to the 25 ships of ZP-21(Patrol, Airship Squadron 21 and Airship Wing 2). NAS RICHMOND was the second largest airship base in the United States, NAS LAKEHURST being the largest. NAS RICHMOND was destroyed by a hurricane and fire in September 1945.