NRAB Los Alamitos was initially under the command of the naval operating base at San Pedro, California. Like other Naval Reserve Air Bases established during the 1930s, it fell under the command of the Naval Air Primary Training Command on 1 October 1942; Naval Air Center, Eleventh Naval District, San Diego, on 15 August 1943; and finally Naval Air Bases, Eleventh Naval District, on 10 August 1944. As an NRAB, the mission of Los Alamitos was to instruct, train and drill Naval Reserve aviation personnel living in the Eleventh Naval District.