California World War II Army airfields

During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established numerous airfields in California for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.

Most of these airfields were under the command of Fourth Air Force or the Army Air Forces Training Command (AAFTC). However, Air Technical Service Command (ATSC), Air Transport Command (ATC) and I Troop Carrier Command used a significant number of airfields in a support role. A significant number of them had operational squadrons for air defense of the Pacific coastline and anti-submarine patrols, and one was even handed over to Civil Air Patrol pilots for their use.

In addition to the major fields, dozens of minor auxiliary fields and airstrips were built, generally to provide more room for basic flight training, but also to support other operations. A few of these were designed as "fallback fields" for launching defensive operations in case of a Japanese invasion.

Most Army airfields were built with three runways in a triangle, with parking ramp areas adjacent to one runway. This triangular configuration allowed rapid construction, without regard to the direction of the prevailing winds. Navy fields were generally built with two runways in a cross, with a third runway intersecting the other two at an angle.

There were, of course, other designs, including single-runway fields. Most noteworthy were "landing mats", large concrete squares, hexagons and circles, which allowed takeoffs and landings in any direction.

Following the war, many bases and auxiliary fields were given to local governments or returned to service as municipal airports. Often, budget constraints caused the new owners to close or even remove the "extra" runways, retaining only those that faced into the prevailing winds. In at least one case (Orland), large portions of a landing mat were removed, leaving a conventional runway and ramp.

Several fields were retained as United States Air Force installations and were front-line bases during the Cold War, or used for experimental aviation, the most notable of these being Edwards Air Force Base.

A few were sold or given back to private owners, generally to be returned to agricultural use, while a handful have become private airports. A number of fields were simply abandoned, due to their remote locations, and the remains of these can still be found, especially in the Mojave Desert.

Major airfields

Fourth Air Force

The mission of Fourth Air Force was the air defense of the West Coast, operating two air defense wings in California (Los Angeles and San Francisco). It also provided operational training of newly formed groups and squadrons in combat aircraft prior to their deployment to overseas combat theaters. After April 1944, operational training was changed to replacement training of newly commissioned pilots in combat fighters from the AAF Training Command advanced flying schools.

• Chandler Municipal Airport, west of Fresno

Briefly used in 1941 While Hammer Army Airfield under construction

Now: Fresno Chandler Executive Airport

• Chico Army Airfield, north of Chico

Army Air Forces Basic Flying School / Army Air Force Pilot School, Basic, 24 March 1942–25 April 1944

10th Base Headquarters an Air Base Squadron, 12 July 1942–25 April 1944

433rd Army Air Force Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station, Fighter), 25 April 1944–31 October 1945

Now: Chico Municipal Airport<br />

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Orland Auxiliary Field

: Kirkwood Auxiliary Field

: Vina Auxiliary Field

: Campbell Auxiliary Field

: Oroville Auxiliary Field

: Sacramento Municipal Airport

: Oroville Army Airfield

: Siskiyou County Army Airfield

: Redding Army Airfield

• Daggett Municipal Airport, Daggett

Now: Barstow-Daggett Airport

• Hamilton Army Airfield, , Novato, north of San Rafael

Air Base Squadron, 45th Air Base Group / 46th Air Base Squadron/ 46th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 25 August 1940–1 April 1944

460th Army Air Force Base Unit (Base Services, Air Transport Command), 1 April 1944–8 May 1946

Hq, West Coast Wing, Air Transport Command, 1 August 1944–4 December 1945

Was: Hamilton Air Force Base (1947–1976)

Now: Part of the Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Montague Air Force Auxiliary Field

: Napa Army Airfield

: Willows Municipal Airport

: Redding Army Airfield

: Siskiyou County Army Airfield

• Hammer Army Airfield, northeast of Fresno

Joint Use with United States Navy (NATS)

50th Air Base Squadron / 50th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, 2 August 1941–31 March 1944

450th Army Air Force Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station, Night Fighter), 1 April 1944–15 March 1946

Now: Fresno Air National Guard Base

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Salinas Army Air Base

: Delano Army Airfield

: Meadows Field

: Visalia Army Airfield

: Hayward Army Airfield

• Lemoore Army Airfield, southwest of Lemoore

Air Corps Basic Flying School / AAF Basic Flying School / AAF Pilot School, Basic; 30 November 1941–1 June 1944

88th Air Base Squadron / 88th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 12 December 1941–30 April 1944

3023rd Army Air Force Base Unit (Pilot School, Basic); 1 May 1944–1 June 1944

461st Army Air Force Base Unit (Processing In); 1 June 1944–10 November 1945

Now: non-flying agricultural use.

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Boston Field

: Huron Field

: Indian Field

: Murray Field

: West Field

: Summit Lake Field (Now NAS Lemoore)

: Helm Field

: Corcoran Municipal Airport

: Porterville Army Airfield

: Coalinga Municipal Airport (Old)

• March Army Airfield, southeast of Riverside

Base Headquarters and 4th Air Base Squadron; 1 September 1936–1 September 1940

4th Air Base Group; 1 September 1940–15 January 1941

Air Base Squadron, 32nd Air Base Group / 31st Air Base Squadron / 31st Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 15 January 1941–31 March 1944

420th Army Air Force Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station, Heavy Bombardment); 1 April 1944–31 March 1946

Was: March Air Force Base (1947–1993)

Now: March Air Reserve Base

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Buffalo Springs Airport

: Needles Army Airfield

: Shavers Summit Army Airfield

• Marysville Army Airfield, south of Marysville.

Now: Yuba County Airport

• Muroc Army Airfield, southeast of Mojave

323rd Air Base Sq / 323rd Base Headquarters and Air Base Sq; 1 May 1942–31 March 1944

421st Army Air Force Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station, Heavy Bombardment); 1 April 1944–16 October 1945

Now: Edwards Air Force Base

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Bishop Army Airfield

: Blythe Army Airfield

: Palmdale Army Airfield

: Desert Center Army Airfield

: Gary Army Airfield

: Rice Army Airfield

: Muroc Flight Test Base

• Ontario Army Airfield, east of Ontario

311th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Ontario International Airport<br />

• Salinas Army Air Base, southeast of Salinas

301st Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron

Also used by Air Transport Command

Now: Salinas Municipal Airport

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Half Moon Bay Flight Strip

• Santa Maria Army Airfield, Santa Maria

483d Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Santa Maria Public Airport

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Estrella Army Airfield

• Santa Rosa Army Airfield, northwest of Santa Rosa

493d Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport<br />

• Thermal Army Airfield, southwest of Thermal

Joint Use with United States Navy

VI Air Support Command (AGF)

475th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport<br />

• Van Nuys Army Airfield, Van Nuys

505th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Van Nuys Air National Guard Base (1946–1990)

Now: Van Nuys Airport

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Grand Central Air Terminal

: Oxnard Flight Strip

:: Was: Oxnard Air Force Base (1951–1970)

:: Now: Camarillo Airport

AAF Training Command

Training Command airfields in California provided Primary, Basic and Advanced (both single and multi-engine) pilot training under the Army Air Force Flying Training Command. Mather AAF provided Navigator Training. Training Command also provided technical aircraft support training to both enlisted and officer personnel at aircraft delivery fields, operated by manufacturers such as North American, Douglas, Northrup, Lockheed and Consolidated Aircraft. Santa Ana AAB provided basic indoctrination training to new enlisted personnel and also pilot qualification screening for prospective air cadets.

• Gardner Army Airfield, southeast of Taft

63d Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Agricultural Use

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Parker Auxiliary Airfield

: Kern Field Auxiliary Airfield

: Allen Auxiliary Airfield

: Conners Auxiliary Airfield

: Taft Auxiliary Airfield

: Cuyama Auxiliary Airfield

• Mather Army Airfield, east of Sacramento

67th Army Air Force Base Unit

Also used by: Air Transport Command

Was: Mather Air Force Base (1947–1993)

Now: Sacramento Mather Airport<br />

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Concord Army Airfield

: Franklin Auxiliary Airfield

: Lincoln Auxiliary Airfield

: Winters-Davis Flight Strip

: Elk Grove Auxiliary Airfield

• Victorville Army Airfield, northwest of Victorville

87th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: George Air Force Base (1947–1992)

Now: Southern California Logistics Airport<br />

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Hawes Auxiliary Airfield

: Helendale Auxiliary Airfield

: Mirage Auxiliary Airfield

: Grey Butte Auxiliary Airfield

• Santa Ana Army Air Base, south of Santa Ana

414th Army Air Force Base Unit

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Orange County Army Airfield

: Now: John Wayne Airport<br />

• Minter Field Army Airfield, northwest of Bakersfield

64th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Shafter-Minter Field Airport<br />

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Wasco Auxiliary Airfield

: Pond Auxiliary Field

: Famoso Auxiliary Airfield

: Dunlap Auxiliary Airfield

: Semi-tropic Auxiliary Airfield

: Poso Auxiliary Airfield

: Lost Hills Auxiliary Airfield

: Coalinga Municipal Airport (Old)

• Stockton Army Airfield, south of Stockton

60th Army Air Force Base Unit

Also used by: Air Transport Command

Now: Stockton Metropolitan Airport<br />

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Kingsbury Auxiliary Airfield

: New Jerusalem Auxiliary Airfield

: Modesto Auxiliary Airfield

: Tracy Auxiliary Airfield

: Franklin Auxiliary Airfield

• Merced Army Airfield, northwest of Merced

HQ Continental Air Forces

90th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Castle Air Force Base (1947–1995)

Now: Castle Airport

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Merced Municipal Airport Auxiliary Field

: Ballico Auxiliary Field

: Howard Auxiliary Field

: Athlone Auxiliary Field

: Potter Auxiliary Field

: Merced New Municipal Airport Auxiliary Field

: Mariposa Auxiliary Field

AAF contract flying schools

Private flying schools operated under contract by Flying Training Command, providing primary pilot training to new air cadets. Although training was provided by civilian contractors and instruction was provided by civilian instructors, the schools were commanded by military personnel and were operated as a military base. These schools operated from early 1942 until being phased out in mid-1944. Graduates then advanced to regular Training Command flight schools for Basic and Advanced training.

• Eagle Field, southeast of Dos Palos

Operated by: Coast Aviation Corporation

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Hammond Auxiliary Field

: Vail Auxiliary Field

: Dos Palos Emergency Field

: Canal Field Auxiliary Field

: Mason Auxiliary Field

• Gary Field, northwest of Blythe

Operated by: Morton Air Academy

Now: W R Byron Airport (Private)

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Ripley Auxiliary Field#1

: Ripley Auxiliary Field#2

• Hancock Field, east-southeast of Santa Maria

Operated by: Allen Hancock College of Aeronautics

Now: Closed about 1959, now Allan Hancock College

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Santa Maria Auxiliary Field

: La Brea Auxiliary Field

: Mckinnon Auxiliary Field

: Souza Auxiliary Field

: Waller-Franklin Auxiliary Field

• Lone Pine Airport, southeast of Lone Pine

Operated by: Undetermined

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Adamson Landing Field

: Independence Auxiliary Field

: Inyo County Auxiliary Field

• King City Airport, southeast of King City

Operated by: Undetermined

Now: Mesa Del Rey Airport

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Benard Auxiliary Field

: Hanson Auxiliary Field

: Sorenson Auxiliary Field

: Trescony Auxiliary Field

• McChesney Field, southeast of San Luis Obispo

Operated by: Undetermined

Now: San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport

• Rankin Field, southeast of Tulare

Operated by: Rankin Aeronauticial Academy, Inc.

Now: Agricultural use

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Hunter Auxiliary Field

: Tipton Auxiliary Field

: Strathmore Auxiliary Field

: Tulare Airport

: Trauger Auxiliary Field

• Ryan Field, southwest of Hemet

Operated by: Ryan School of Aeronautics

Now: Hemet-Ryan Airport

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Banning Auxiliary Field

: Highland Auxiliary Field

: Ryan Auxiliary Field#1

: Ryan Auxiliary Field#2

: Ryan Auxiliary Field#3

: Valle Vista Auxiliary Field

: Gibbs Auxiliary Field

• Sequoia Field, north of Visalia

Operated by: Visalia-Dinuba School of Aeronautics

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Three Rivers Auxiliary Field

• Ventura County Army Airfield, west of Oxnard

Operated by: Mira Loma Flight Academy

Also used by United States Navy as a NAAS to NAS San Diego

Now: Oxnard Airport,

• War Eagle Field, west of Lancaster

Operated by: Polaris Flight Academy

Now: Detention Facility

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Liberty Auxiliary Field

: Victory Field Auxiliary Field

Air Transport Command

Airfields were used for transport of personnel, supplies and equipment. Also for ferrying replacement aircraft to overseas units (Primarily Pacific Theater and Alaska).

• Fairfield-Suisun Army Airfield, southeast of Fairfield.

Station #10, Air Transport Command, Pacific Wing

1504th Army Air Forces Base Unit

Now: Travis Air Force Base

• Oakland Municipal Airport, northeast of Oakland

20th Ferrying Group

507th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Oakland International Airport

• Reno Army Air Base Auxiliary Flight Strip, north of Truckee.Oa

Emergency landing field for Reno Army Air Base, Nevada (ATC)

Later: Amedee Army Airfield

• Palm Springs Army Airfield, east of Palm Springs.

21st Ferrying Group

459th Army Air Force Base Unit

Also used by the United States Navy (Ferrying Service)

Now: Palm Springs International Airport

• San Francisco Municipal Airport, southeast of San Francisco

Port of Embarkation

San Francisco Fighter Wing (4th Air Force)

Now: San Francisco International Airport

Also: Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco

Technical Service Command

Provided aircraft modification prior to overseas deployment and also depot-level repair and maintenance services. Technical Service Command also operated acceptance centers for newly manufactured aircraft in Southern California, then ATC Ferrying Command transferred the new aircraft to various airfields or modification centers prior to deployment to operational units.

• McClellan Army Airfield, northeast of Sacramento

4895th Army Air Force Base Unit

Sacramento Air Depot

Was: McClellan Air Force Base (1947–2001)

Now: McClellan Airfield

Also: Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento

: Winter-Davis Flight Strip

: Redding Army Airfield

• San Bernardino Army Airfield, southeast of San Bernardino

499th Army Air Force Base Unit

San Bernardino Air Depot

Was: Norton Air Force Base (1947–1994)

Now: San Bernardino International Airport

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Desert Center Army Airfield

: Rice Army Airfield

: Gibbs Auxiliary Field

: Peik Auxiliary Field

• Clover Field (Santa Monica Municipal Airport), east of Santa Monica

Delivery airport for Douglas Aircraft (A-20, B-18, C-47)

Delivery airport for Vultee Aircraft (BT-13)

Now: Santa Monica Airport

• Hawthorne Municipal Airport, east of Hawthorne

Joint Use: United States Navy

Delivery airport for Northrop Aircraft (P-61)

Also used by Technical Training Command

Now: Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne Municipal Airport

• Lindbergh Field (San Diego Municipal Airport), north of San Diego.

Delivery airport for Consolidated Aircraft (PBY, B-24)

Now: San Diego International Airport

Also: Coast Guard Air Station San Diego

Known sub-bases and auxiliaries

: Gibbs Auxiliary Field

: Peik Auxiliary Field

• Lockheed Air Terminal, west-northwest of Burbank.

Delivery airport for Lockheed Aircraft (P-38, B-17, PV-2, C-69)

Also used by Technical Training Command

Now: Bob Hope Airport

• Long Beach Army Airfield, northeast of Long Beach

6th Ferrying Group (Air Transport Command)

Delivery airport for Douglas Aircraft (B-17, A-26, C-47)

348th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Long Beach Airport

• Lomita Flight Strip, southwest of Downtown Torrance

Now: Zamperini Field

• Mines Field (Los Angeles Municipal Airport), southwest of Los Angeles.

Delivery airport for North American Aviation (AT-6, P-51, B-25)

Delivery airport for Douglas Aircraft (SBD Dauntless)

Aerial Port of Embarkation (Air Transport Command)

Los Angeles Fighter Wing (4th Air Force)

Also used by Technical Training Command

Now: Los Angeles International Airport

Also: Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles

• Santa Monica Municipal Airport, Santa Monica, east of Santa Monica.

Delivery airfield for Douglas Aircraft (C-54)

Now: Santa Monica Municipal Airport

Known secondary facilities

• Furnace Creek Emergency Landing Field, west of Furnace Creek (Army and Navy use)
• San Jose Municipal Airport, northwest of San Jose (Civil Air Patrol)

Desert Training Center

Desert Training Center's California Army Airfields built to support General Patton's many desert training camps. Patton's HQ was at Camp Young.

• Major airfields
• Blythe Army Air Base
• Desert Center Army Airfield
• Thermal Army Airfield
• Rice Army Airfield
• Shavers Summit Army Airfield (now Chiriaco Summit Airport)
• Minor airfields
• Camp Coxcomb Army Field (abandoned)
• Camp Essex Army Field (abandoned)
• Camp Goffs Army Field (abandoned)
• Camp Ibis Army Field (abandoned)
• Camp Iron Mountain Army Field

See also

• Air Transport Command (World War II)
• California during World War II
• List of airports in the Los Angeles area

References

• Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. .
• Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now. Vol. 2. Pictorial Histories Pub.
• Military Airfields in World War II – California