During World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, the United States Army Air Forces

United States Army Air Forces

The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....

 (USAAF) established numerous airfields in California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

 for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.

Overview

Most of these airfields were under the command of Fourth Air Force

Fourth Air Force

The Fourth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve . It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California....

 or the Army Air Forces Training Command

Air Training Command

Air Training Command is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. ATC came into being as a redesignation of the Army Air Forces Training Command on July 1, 1946...

 (AAFTC) (A predecessor of the current-day United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 Air Education and Training Command

Air Education and Training Command

Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....

). However the other USAAF support commands (Air Technical Service Command (ATSC); Air Transport Command (ATC) or Troop Carrier Command) commanded a significant number of airfields in a support roles. 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

Civil Air Patrol

Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...

 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

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 installations and were front-line bases during the Cold War

Cold War

The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...

 or used for experimental aviation, the most notable of these being Edwards Air Force Base

Edwards Air Force Base

Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...

.

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

Mojave Desert

The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...

.

It is still possible to find remnants of these wartime airfields. Many were converted into municipal airports, some were returned to agriculture and several were retained as United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 installations and were front-line bases during the Cold War

Cold War

The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...

. Hundreds of the temporary buildings that were used survive today, and are being used for other purposes.

Gallery

California World War II Army Airfields Photo Gallery

Major Airfields

Air Technical Service Command

• Bishop AAF, 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Bishop
  Bishop, California
  Bishop is a city in Inyo County, California, United States. Though Bishop is the only city and the largest populated place in Inyo County, the county seat is Independence. Bishop is located near the northern end of the Owens Valley, at an elevation of 4147 feet . The population was 3,879 at the...
  
  .

Now: Eastern Sierra Regional Airport

Eastern Sierra Regional Airport

Eastern Sierra Regional Airport is a public-use airport located two nautical miles east of the central business district of Bishop, in Inyo County, California, United States...

• Concord AAF, 1 miles (1.6 km) north of Concord
  Concord, California
  Concord is the largest city in Contra Costa County, California, USA. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 122,067. Originally founded in 1869 as the community of Todos Santos by Salvio Pacheco, the name was changed to Concord within months...
  
  .

Now: Buchanan Field Airport

Buchanan Field Airport

For the other uses, see Concord Airport .Buchanan Field Airport is located in Concord and Pacheco, California, USA, 27 nautical miles northeast of San Francisco International Airport, in Contra Costa County...

 

• Delano AAF, 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Delano
  Delano, California
  Delano's climate is characteristic of the San Joaquin Valley. The weather is hot and dry during the summer and cool and damp in winter. Frequent ground fog known regionally as "tule fog" can obscure vision. Record temperatures range between 115°F and 14°F...
  
  .

Now: Delano Municipal Airport

Delano Municipal Airport

Delano Municipal Airport is a public airport located two miles southeast of the central business district of Delano, a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is owned by the City of Delano.Although most U.S...

 

• Gardner AAF
  Gardner Army Airfield
  Gardner Army Airfield is a former United States Army Air Force World War II Field located 9 miles southeast of Taft, California. It was named for Major John H...
  
  , 10 miles (16.1 km) southeast of Taft
  Taft, California
  Taft is a city in the foothills at the extreme southwestern edge of the San Joaquin Valley, in Kern County, California. Taft is located west-southwest of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 955 feet . The population was 9,327 at the 2010 census...
  
  

West Coast Training Center, 1941

63d Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Agricultural Use

• Lockheed Air Terminal, Burbank
  Burbank, California
  Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
  
  

Now: Bob Hope Airport

Bob Hope Airport

Bob Hope Airport is a public airport located 3 miles northwest of the central business district of Burbank, a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States...

 

• Los Angeles Airport/Miners Field AAF, Los Angeles
  Los Angeles, California
  Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
  
  

Now: Los Angeles International Airport

Los Angeles International Airport

Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...

• Marysville AAF, 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Marysville
  Marysville, California
  Marysville is the county seat of Yuba County, California, United States. The population was 12,072 at the 2010 census, down from 12,268 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area, often referred to as the Yuba-Sutter Area after the two counties, Yuba and...
  
  .

Now: Yuba County Airport

Yuba County Airport

Yuba County Airport is a public airport located three miles southeast of Marysville, serving Yuba County, California, USA. The airport has two runways and is mostly used for general aviation.- Facilities :Yuba County Airport has two runways:...

 

• McClellan Field, 9 miles (14.5 km) northeast of Sacramento
  Sacramento, California
  Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
  
  

4895th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: McClellan Air Force Base

McClellan Air Force Base

McClellan Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in the North Highlands area of Sacramento County, northeast of Sacramento, California...

 (1947-2001)

Now: McClellan Airfield

McClellan Airfield

McClellan Airfield , known officially as McClellan Airport, is a county-owned public-use airport located six miles northeast of the central business district of Sacramento, a city in Sacramento County, California, United States....

• Muroc Flight Test Base/AAF, 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Mojave
  Mojave, California
  Mojave is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Mojave is located east of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 2762 feet...
  
  

Also used by Fourth Air Force

323d Army Air Force Base Unit (AAF)

477th Army Air Force Base Unit (FTB)

Now: Edwards Air Force Base

Edwards Air Force Base

Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...

Blythe AAF, 7 miles west of Blythe

Blythe, California

Blythe is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the "Palo Verde Valley" of the Lower Colorado River Valley region, an agricultural area and part of the Colorado Desert along the Colorado River. Blythe was named after Thomas Blythe, a gold prospector who established primary...

Sub-field of Muroc AAF

358th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Blythe Airport

Blythe Airport

-References:* Maurer, Maurer . Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4....

 

Palmdale AAF, Palmdale

Palmdale, California

Palmdale is a city located in the center of northern Los Angeles County, California, United States.Palmdale was the first community within the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a city on August 24, 1962; 47 years later, voters approved creating a charter city in November, 2009. Palmdale is...

Sub-field of Muroc AAF

Now: Palmdale Regional Airport/USAF Plant 42

• Oakland MAP, Oakland
  Oakland, California
  Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
  
  

507th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Metropolitan Oakland International Airport

• Redding AAF, 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of Redding
  Redding, California
  Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
  
  

Now: Redding Municipal Airport

Redding Municipal Airport

-References:* Maurer, Maurer . Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.-External links:* at City of Redding web site...

• San Bernardino AAF, 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of San Bernardino
  San Bernardino
  San Bernardino, California is a large city in the Inland Empire Metropolitan Area of Southern California.San Bernardino may also refer to:-Landforms:*San Bernardino , a torrent that flows through the Italian province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola...
  
  

499th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Norton Air Force Base

Norton Air Force Base

Norton Air Force Base is a former front-line United States Air Force facility located east of downtown San Bernardino, California in San Bernardino County.-Overview:...

 (1947-1994)

Now: San Bernardino International Airport

San Bernardino International Airport

San Bernardino International Airport is a public airport located two miles southeast of the central business district of San Bernardino, California, in San Bernardino County, California, USA. The airport covers and has one runway. It is currently a general aviation and cargo airport located on...

Desert Center AAF, 1 mile northeast of Desert Center

Desert Center, California

-"Desert Steve" Ragsdale:The town was founded in 1921 by Stephen A. Ragsdale, also known as “Desert Steve”, and his wife, Lydia. Ragsdale was an itinerant preacher and cotton farmer, originally from Arkansas. In 1915, he left his farm in the Palo Verde Valley along the Colorado River to attend to...

Sub-base of San Bernardino AAF

VI Air Support Command (AGF)

475th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Desert Center Airport 

Rice AAF

Rice Army Airfield

Rice Army Airfield is an abandoned World War II airfield located east-southeast of Rice, California, United States...

, Rice

Rice, California

Rice, California is a vacant town site in the southern tip of the Mojave Desert in unincorporated San Bernardino County, California, United States.-History:...

Sub-base of San Bernardino AAF

VI Air Support Command (AGF)

475th Army Air Force Base Unit

San Diego MAP, San Diego

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

Sub-base of San Bernardino AAF

Now: San Diego International Airport

San Diego International Airport

San Diego International Airport , sometimes referred to as Lindbergh Field, is a public airport located northwest of the central business district of San Diego, California and from the Mexico – United States border at Tijuana, Mexico...

• Santa Monica MAP, Santa Monica
  Santa Monica, California
  Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
  
  

Now: Santa Monica Municipal Airport

Air Transport Command

• Fairfield-Suisun AAF, 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Fairfield
  Fairfield, California
  Fairfield is a city located in Solano County in Northern California, USA. It is generally considered the midpoint between the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento, approximately from the city center of both cities, approximately from the city center of Oakland, less than from Napa Valley, 18...
  
  .

Now: Travis Air Force Base

Travis Air Force Base

Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force air base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command , located three miles east of the central business district of Fairfield, in Solano County, California, United States. The base is named for Brigadier General Robert F...

• Hammer AAF, 5 miles (8 km) northeast of Fresno
  Fresno, California
  Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
  
  

Joint Use with United States Navy (NATS)

50th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Fresno Air National Guard Base

Fresno Air National Guard Base

Fresno Air National Guard Base is the home base of the California Air National Guard 144th Fighter Wing.-Overview:The Fresno Air National Guard Base in California is home to the 144th Fighter Wing...

Hayward AAF, 2 miles west of Hayward

Hayward, California

Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...

Sub-base of Hammer AAF

Now: Hayward Executive Airport

Hayward Executive Airport

Hayward Executive Airport is a general aviation towered airport located in Hayward, California, USA, near the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay.- History :...

Bakersfield-Kern County MAP, Bakersfield

Bakersfield, California

Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....

Sub-base of Hammer AAF

Now: Bakersfield Municipal Airport

Bakersfield Municipal Airport

Bakersfield Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles south of the central business district of Bakersfield, a city in Kern County, California, United States...

 

Visalia AAF, Visalia

Visalia, California

Visalia is a Central California city situated in the heart of California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley, approximately southeast of San Francisco and north of Los Angeles...

Sub-base of Hammer AAF

Now: Visalia Municipal Airport

Visalia Municipal Airport

Visalia Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located four nautical miles west of the central business district of Visalia, a city in Tulare County, California, United States...

 

• Long Beach AAF, 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Long Beach
  Long Beach, California
  Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
  
  

6th Ferrying Group

348th Army Air Force Base unit

Now: Long Beach Airport

Lomita Landing Strip, Lomita

Lomita, California

Lomita is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 20,256 at the 2010 census, up from 20,046 at the 2000 census...

Sub Base of Long Beach AAF

• Palm Springs AAF, 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Palm Springs
  Palm Springs, California
  Palm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
  
  

21st Ferrying Group

459th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Palm Springs International Airport

Palm Springs International Airport

Palm Springs International Airport is a public airport located two miles east of the central business district of Palm Springs, California, serving the Inland Empire Metropolitan Area of Southern California. The airport covers and utilizes two runways...

• Salinas AAB, 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of Salinas
  Salinas, California
  Salinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The population was 150,441 at the 2010 census...
  
  .

Joint with Fort Ord

Fort Ord

Fort Ord was a U.S. Army post on Monterey Bay in California. It was established in 1917 as a maneuver area and field artillery target range and was closed in September 1994. Fort Ord was one of the most attractive locations of any U.S. Army post, because of its proximity to the beach and California...

301st Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Salinas Municipal Airport

Salinas Municipal Airport

Salinas Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles southeast of the central business district of Salinas, a city in Monterey County, California, United States.-Facilities and aircraft:...

• San Francisco MAP, San Francisco
  San Francisco, California
  San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
  
  

Now: San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco International Airport

San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...

• Stockton Field, 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Stockton
  Stockton, California
  Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
  
  

60th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Stockton Metropolitan Airport

Stockton Metropolitan Airport

Stockton Metropolitan Airport is a public airport located three miles southeast of the central business district of Stockton, a city in San Joaquin County, California, US-History:...

Fourth Air Force

• Chico AAF, 5 miles (8 km) north of Chico
  Chico, California
  Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 86,187 at the 2010 census, up from 59,954 at the time of the 2000 census...
  
  

West Coast Training Center, 1941

10th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Chico Municipal Airport

Chico Municipal Airport

Chico Municipal Airport , often called CMA, is a public airport located four miles north of the central business district of Chico, a city in Butte County, California, United States. The airport covers 1,475 acres and has two runways and one helipad. It is mostly used for general aviation, but...

Sacramento MAP, Sacramento

Sacramento, California

Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...

Sub-base of Chico AAF

Now: Sacramento Executive Airport

Sacramento Executive Airport

Sacramento Executive Airport , also known as simply Executive Airport, is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Sacramento, a city in Sacramento County, California, USA...

• Daggett MAP, Daggett
  Daggett, California
  Daggett is an unincorporated town located in San Bernardino County, California in the United States. The town is located on Interstate 40 ten miles East of Barstow. The town has a population of about 200. The ZIP code is 92327 and the community is inside area code 760.-History:The town was...
  
  

Now: Barstow-Daggett Airport

Barstow-Daggett Airport

Barstow-Daggett Airport is a county-owned public-use airport in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is located four nautical miles east of the central business district of the town of Daggett, and east of the city of Barstow...

 

• Hamilton Field AAF, 7 miles (11.3 km), Novato, north of San Rafael
  San Rafael, California
  San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
  
  

46th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Hamilton Air Force Base

Hamilton Air Force Base

Hamilton Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located along the western shore of San Pablo Bay, south of Novato, California.-History:...

 (1947-1974)

Now: Part of the Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project

Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project

The Hamilton Wetland Restoration Project is a joint venture between two public agencies; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the lead federal agency with the California Coastal Conservancy as the local sponsoring agency...

• Lemoore AAF
  Lemoore Army Airfield
  Lemoore Army Air Field, located nine miles southwest of Lemoore, California, was a dirt air field usable only in dry weather. It nevertheless was used by the AAF Western Flying Training Command as a processing and training field....
  
  , 9 miles (14.5 km) southwest of Lemoore
  Lemoore, California
  Lemoore is a city in Kings County, California, United States. Lemoore is located west-southwest of Hanford, at an elevation of 230 feet . It is part of the Hanford–Corcoran Metropolitan Statistical Area...
  
  

West Coast Training Center, 1941

88th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: non-flying agricultural use.

Porterville AAF, Porterville

Porterville, California

Porterville is a city in the San Joaquin Valley, in Tulare County, California, United States. Porterville's population was 54,165 at the 2010 census. The city's population grew dramatically as the city annexed many properties and unincorporated areas in and around Porterville. Not included in the...

Sub-base of Lemore AAF

Now: Porterville Municipal Airport

Porterville Municipal Airport

Porterville Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Porterville, a city in Tulare County, California, United States...

 

• March Field, 10 miles (16.1 km) southeast of Riverside
  Riverside, California
  Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
  
  

31st Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: March Air Force Base (1947-1993)

Now: March Air Reserve Base

March Air Reserve Base

March Joint Air Reserve Base is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside and Moreno Valley. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's 4th Air Force Headquarters and the 452d Air Mobility Wing , the largest air mobility wing of the 4th Air Force...

Shavers Summitt AAF, Indio

Indio, California

Indio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, east of Riverside, and east of Los Angeles. It is about north of Mexicali, Baja California on the U.S.-Mexican border...

Sub-base of March Field

• Merced AAF, 6 miles (9.7 km) northwest of Merced
  Merced, California
  Merced is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 78,958. Incorporated in 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council-manager government...
  
  

West Coast Training Center, 1941

HQ Continental Air Forces

90th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Castle Air Force Base

Castle Air Force Base

Castle Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base located northeast of Atwater, northwest of Merced and about east southeast of San Francisco, California....

 (1947-1995)

Now: Castle Airport

Castle Airport

Castle Airport is a public use airport located seven nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Merced, a city in Merced County, California, United States. It is operated by the Merced County Department of Commerce, Aviation, and Economic Development.The airport is located at...

 

• Ontario AAF, 1 miles (1.6 km) east of Ontario
  Ontario, California
  Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area...
  
  

311th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: LA/Ontario International Airport

• Oroville AAF, 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Oroville
  Oroville, California
  Oroville is the county seat of Butte County, California. The population was 15,506 at the 2010 census, up from 13,004 at the 2000 census...
  
  .

Now: Oroville Municipal Airport

Oroville Municipal Airport

Oroville Municipal Airport is a public airport located 3 miles southwest of the city of Oroville in Butte County, California, USA.- Facilities :Oroville Municipal Airport covers and has two runways:...

 

• Santa Maria AAF, Santa Maria
  Santa Maria, California
  Santa Maria is a city in Santa Barbara County, on the Central Coast of California. The 2010 census population was 100,062, putting it ahead of Santa Barbara for the first time and making it the largest city in the county...
  
  

483d Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Santa Maria Public Airport

Santa Maria Public Airport

-References:-External links:*...

 

Estrella AAF, 9 miles northwest of Paso Robles

Paso Robles, California

Paso Robles is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Paso Robles is the fastest growing city in San Luis Obispo County: Its population at the 2000 census was 24,297; in 2010 it recorded some 29,793 residentsLocated on the Salinas River north of San Luis Obispo, California,...

Sub-base of Santa Maria AAF

Now: Paso Robles Municipal Airport

Paso Robles Municipal Airport

Paso Robles Municipal Airport is a public airport located four miles northeast of the central business district of Paso Robles, a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States...

• Santa Rosa AAF, 7 miles (11.3 km) northwest of Santa Rosa
  Santa Rosa, California
  Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The 2010 census reported a population of 167,815. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont and 26th...
  
  

493d Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport

Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport

Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located 6 nautical miles northwest of downtown Santa Rosa, a city in Sonoma County, California, United States. It serves the county and surrounding areas of Wine Country in California.The airport is named after Charles M...

• Van Nuys MAP, Van Nuys

505th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Van Nuys Airport

Van Nuys Air National Guard Base

Van Nuys Air National Guard Base is a former United States Air Force base, located at Van Nuys Airport, California. It was originally opened in 1942 during World War II. The Air Force closed its facilities at Van Nuys in 1990.-History:...

 

Grand Central Air Terminal, Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...

Sub-base of Van Nuys MAP

506th Army Air Force Base Unit

Closed, 1959. Now: Grand Central Industrial Center

Oxnard Landing Strip, Oxnard

Oxnard, California

Oxnard is the 113th largest city in the United States, 19th largest city in California and largest city in Ventura County, California, by way of population. It is located at the western edge of the fertile Oxnard Plain, and is an important agricultural center, with its distinction as the...

Sub-base of Van Nuys MAP

Now: Oxnard Airport

Oxnard Airport

Oxnard Airport is a public airport located one mile west of the central business district of Oxnard, a city in Ventura County, California, USA. The airport covers and has one runway. Oxnard Airport is managed by the Ventura County Department of Airports.- History :Ventura County opened Oxnard...

 

Army Air Forces Training Command

• Hawthorne MAP, Hawthorne
  Hawthorne, California
  Hawthorne is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. The city at the 2010 census had a population of 84,293, up from 84,112 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
  
  

Western Flying Training Command

Now: Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne Municipal Airport

• Mather Field, 10 miles (16.1 km) east of Sacramento
  Sacramento, California
  Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
  
  

West Coast Training Center, 1941

Western Flying Training Command

67th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: Mather Air Force Base

Mather Air Force Base

Mather Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force Base located east of Sacramento at Rancho Cordova, California on the south side of U.S. Route 50....

 (1947-1993)

Now: Sacramento Mather Airport

Sacramento Mather Airport

Sacramento Mather Airport , also known as simply Mather Airport, is a county-owned public-use airport located 10 nautical miles east of the central business district of Sacramento, in the city of Rancho Cordova, California, United States...

• Minter Field AAF, 14 miles (22.5 km) northwest of Bakersfield
  Bakersfield, California
  Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
  
  

West Coast Training Center, 1941

Western Flying Training Command

64th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Shafter-Minter Field Airport

Shafter Airport

Shafter Airport , also known as Minter Field, is a public use airport located four nautical miles east of the central business district of Shafter, in Kern County, California, United States. It is owned by the Minter Field Airport District....

• Santa Ana/Orange County AAF, 5 miles (8 km) south of Santa Ana
  Santa Ana, California
  Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
  
  

414th Army Air Force Base Unit

Western Flying Training Command

Now: John Wayne Airport

John Wayne Airport

John Wayne Airport is an airport in an unincorporated area in Orange County, California, with its mailing address in the city of Santa Ana, which is also the county seat, hence the International Air Transport Association airport code. The main entrance to the airport is off of MacArthur Blvd in...

• Thermal AAF, 2 miles (3.2 km) southwest of Thermal
  Thermal, California
  Thermal is a census-designated place located approximately 25 miles southeast of Palm Springs and about 9.5 miles north of the Salton Sea. Although one can find sunny skies most days, residents occasionally endure strong winds and sizzling summer temperatures well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The...
  
  

Joint Use with United States Navy

VI Air Support Command (AGF)

475th Army Air Force Base Unit

Now: Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport

Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport

Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport is a public airport located in Thermal, California, 20 miles southeast of Palm Springs.Built during World War II and used by both the US Army and US Navy, Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport has had several name changes. As a civilian facility, it was called...

• Victorville AAF, 6 miles (9.7 km) northwest of Victorville
  Victorville, California
  Victorville is a city located in the Victor Valley of southwestern San Bernardino County, California. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 census, the city had a population of 115,903, up from 64,030 at the 2000 census.-Geography and climate:...
  
  

West Coast Training Center, 1941

87th Army Air Force Base Unit

Was: George Air Force Base

George Air Force Base

George Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located within city limits, 8 miles northwest of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California. The facility was closed by the Base Realignment and Closure 1992 commission at the end of the Cold...

 (1947-1992)

Now: Southern California Logistics Airport

Southern California Logistics Airport

Southern California Logistics Airport , also known as Victorville Airport, is a public airport located in the city of Victorville in San Bernardino County, California approximately north of San Bernardino...

Known Secondary Facilities

• Allen AF (25 mi (40.2 km) southeast of Taft)
• Bakersfield MAP (4 mi (6.4 km) northwest of Bakersfield)
• Banning Strip (1 mi (1.6 km) southeast of Banning)
• Bidwell Field (2 mi (3.2 km) southwest of Red Bluff)
• Camp Kearney NAAS
  Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
  Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , formerly Naval Air Station Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force...
  
   (9 mi (14.5 km) northwest of San Diego)
• Clover Field (3 miles (4.8 km) east of Santa Monica)
• Concord AAF (1 mi (1.6 km) northwest of Concord)
• Daggett MAP (6 mi (9.7 km) east of Daggett)
• Eagle Field (6 mi (9.7 km) west of Dos Palos)
• Eureka Navy APT (14 mi (22.5 km) north of Eureka)
• Grand Central Air Terminal (6 mi (9.7 km) northwest of Glendale)
• Half Moon Bay Flt Strip (5 mi (8 km) northwest of Half Moon Bay)
• Hawthorne Fld (1 mi (1.6 km) east of Hawthorne)
• Hemet-Ryan Fld (2 mi (3.2 km) southwest of Hemet)
• Kern AF (21 mi (33.8 km) southeast of Taft)
• Kern County Field (1 mi (1.6 km) west-northwest of Inyokern)
• Kern County Field (5 mi (8 km) west-northwest of Bakersfield)
• Kearney-Mesa Airport (8 mi (12.9 km) northeast of San Diego)
• Lindbergh (2 mi (3.2 km) west of San Diego)
• Lomita Flt Strip (1 mi (1.6 km) west of Lomita)
• Los Angeles Fld (11 mi (17.7 km) southwest of Los Angeles)
• Lost Hills-Kern County (1 mi (1.6 km) northeast of Lost Hills)
• M C Flight Test Base (20 mi (32.2 km) southeast of Mojve)

• Metropolitan Airport (2 mi (3.2 km) northwest of Van Nuys)
• Mills Field (10 mi (16.1 km) southwest of San Francisco)
• Mines Field (10 mi (16.1 km) southwest of Los Angeles)
• Modesto Field (2 mi (3.2 km) east-northeast of Modesto)
• Montauge Afld (3 mi (4.8 km) northeast of Montauge)
• Napa Afld (5 mi (8 km) south of Napa)
• Oakland MAP (5 mi (8 km) south of Oakland)
• Orland (square mat, aux field, 20 mi (32.2 km) west of Chico AAF)
• Ortay-Mesa NAAS (14 mi (22.5 km) east of San Diego)
• Oxnard Flt. Strip 6 mi (9.7 km) east of Oxnard)
• Parker Aux (15 mi (24.1 km) south of Taft)
• Ream Field (12 mi (19.3 km) south of San Diego)
• Sacramento MAP (5 mi (8 km) south of Sacramento)
• San Diego MAP (1 mi (1.6 km) west of San Diego)
• San Diego NAS (North Island)
  Naval Air Station North Island
  Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island is located at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay and is the home port of several aircraft carriers of the United States Navy...
  
  
• Shaver's Summit Fld (30 mi (48.3 km) east-northeast of Indio)
• Siskiyou Country Fld (5 mi (8 km) northeast of Montague)
• Willows Afld (1 mi (1.6 km) west of Willows)
• Winters Flt Strip (7 mi (11.3 km) northeast of Winters)
• Van Nuys Metro Apt (17 miles (27.4 km) northwest of Los Angeles)
• Vina (square mat, aux field, 20 mi (32.2 km) north of Chico AAF)