Moore Air Force Base
Encyclopedia
Moore Air Base is an inactive United States Air Force
facility located fourteen miles (21 km) northwest of Mission, Texas
. It was inactivated on 1 February 1961. The installation was sold to private concerns and partially transferred to the Department of Agriculture
on 15 July 1963.
single-engine training school. It was named for 2d Lt. Frank Murchison Moore, on 22 November. Moore was a native of Houston, who was killed in World War I
. The 1087 acres (4.4 km²) airfield was the home of the 503d, 504th and 506th school squadrons (Army Air Forces Pilot School (Advanced Single Engine) were the flying training units. The flying school was redesignated as the 2d Training Group in 1943.
The facility conducted advanced pilot training of 6,000 pilots using BT-13, PT-19, AT-6, P-36 and P-43 aircraft. The school was reorganized as the 2529th Army Air Force Base Unit (Pilot School, Advanced Single Engine) on 1 April 1944. The school and airfield were closed on 31 October 1945.
, and Edinburg
as Tri-Cities Municipal Airport.
military expansion by the United States, the United States Air Force
Air Training Command
announced that Moore Field would be reactivated as a contract pilot training school. Air Training Command had planned to reopen the base in 1954, but delayed the reopening 12 months due to a freeze in military construction budgets.
The 3301st Pilot Training Group (Contract Primary) was reassigned to Moore from Columbus AFB, Mississippi on 1 April 1955. Training was conducted by California Eastern Airways Incorporated, using T-28s and T-34s. In August 1959, Moore began using the jet-powered T-37 in place of the T-38s. With the upgrade to jet trainers, the contractor at the base was changed to Beiser Aviation Corporation.
In 1960, plans were made by Air Training Command to redesign the flight training program, and consolidate its flight schools. As a result of the Consolidated Pilot Training (CPT) program, contractor flying schools were planned to be phased out. All contract primary training ended at Moore in December, however several ground training classes continued at the base until 1 February 1961 when the 3301st was inactivated. Some 4,000 Air Force pilots received their primary flight training and academic instruction by the 3301st at Moore Air Base.
Under control of the Agriculture Department, it was used as part of the program to eradicate the screwworm fly. It continues to be known as Moore Air Base under this new mission. In 1977 Scientists of the Screwworm Research Unit relocated from the laboratory at Moore Air Base, to the sterile fly production facility near Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico.
Today Moore Field Airport (FAA Identifier: 7TE7) is still controlled by the Department of Agriculture as a private airport. It is gated and not open to the public. The buildings on the flightline area are being used and in good condition. The containment area is overgrown and abandoned with remainders of streets in various states of deterioration, however the World War II-era water tower still is standing and being maintained. A few abandoned buildings can be seen in the containment area, inaccessible and surrounded by vegetation. All three runways are in excellent condition as well as the ramp area with 8 aircraft assigned to the field. Permission is required prior to landing aircraft at the facility.
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...
facility located fourteen miles (21 km) northwest of Mission, Texas
Mission, Texas
Mission is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 77,058 at the 2010 census Mission is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen metropolitan areas.-Geography:Mission is located at ....
. It was inactivated on 1 February 1961. The installation was sold to private concerns and partially transferred to the Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
on 15 July 1963.
World War II
Moore Field was opened on 20 September 1941 as a Army Air Forces Training CommandArmy Air Forces Training Command
Army Air Forces Training Command was a command of the United States Army Air Forces. It was redesignated Air Training Command on 1 July 1946 as part of the reorganization of the Army Air Forces after World War II....
single-engine training school. It was named for 2d Lt. Frank Murchison Moore, on 22 November. Moore was a native of Houston, who was killed in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The 1087 acres (4.4 km²) airfield was the home of the 503d, 504th and 506th school squadrons (Army Air Forces Pilot School (Advanced Single Engine) were the flying training units. The flying school was redesignated as the 2d Training Group in 1943.
The facility conducted advanced pilot training of 6,000 pilots using BT-13, PT-19, AT-6, P-36 and P-43 aircraft. The school was reorganized as the 2529th Army Air Force Base Unit (Pilot School, Advanced Single Engine) on 1 April 1944. The school and airfield were closed on 31 October 1945.
Postwar use
In 1950 part of the field was operating as the Weaver H. Baker Memorial Sanatorium, and part was jointly operated by Mission, McAllenMcAllen, Texas
McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. It is located at the southern tip of Texas in an area known as the Rio Grande Valley and is part of the . Its southern boundary is located about five miles from the U.S.–Mexico border and the Mexican city of Reynosa, the Rio...
, and Edinburg
Edinburg, Texas
Edinburg is a city in and the county seat of Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 77,100 at the 2010 census. The University of Texas–Pan American, the only fully accredited four-year university in the Rio Grande Valley, is located in Edinburg.Edinburg is part of the...
as Tri-Cities Municipal Airport.
Contract flying base
In June 1954, after the closing of the sanatorium and as part of the Cold WarCold 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...
military expansion by the United States, the 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 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...
announced that Moore Field would be reactivated as a contract pilot training school. Air Training Command had planned to reopen the base in 1954, but delayed the reopening 12 months due to a freeze in military construction budgets.
The 3301st Pilot Training Group (Contract Primary) was reassigned to Moore from Columbus AFB, Mississippi on 1 April 1955. Training was conducted by California Eastern Airways Incorporated, using T-28s and T-34s. In August 1959, Moore began using the jet-powered T-37 in place of the T-38s. With the upgrade to jet trainers, the contractor at the base was changed to Beiser Aviation Corporation.
In 1960, plans were made by Air Training Command to redesign the flight training program, and consolidate its flight schools. As a result of the Consolidated Pilot Training (CPT) program, contractor flying schools were planned to be phased out. All contract primary training ended at Moore in December, however several ground training classes continued at the base until 1 February 1961 when the 3301st was inactivated. Some 4,000 Air Force pilots received their primary flight training and academic instruction by the 3301st at Moore Air Base.
Closure and current use
Although inactivated, Moore Air Base remained in Air Force hands until 15 July 1963 until it was finally closed. Part of the installation was sold to private entities and the rest was transferred to the Department of Agriculture.Under control of the Agriculture Department, it was used as part of the program to eradicate the screwworm fly. It continues to be known as Moore Air Base under this new mission. In 1977 Scientists of the Screwworm Research Unit relocated from the laboratory at Moore Air Base, to the sterile fly production facility near Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico.
Today Moore Field Airport (FAA Identifier: 7TE7) is still controlled by the Department of Agriculture as a private airport. It is gated and not open to the public. The buildings on the flightline area are being used and in good condition. The containment area is overgrown and abandoned with remainders of streets in various states of deterioration, however the World War II-era water tower still is standing and being maintained. A few abandoned buildings can be seen in the containment area, inaccessible and surrounded by vegetation. All three runways are in excellent condition as well as the ramp area with 8 aircraft assigned to the field. Permission is required prior to landing aircraft at the facility.
See also
- Texas World War II Army AirfieldsTexas World War II Army AirfieldsIn today's United States Air Force, many personnel have spent some of their military service being trained in Texas during World War II. Be it basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, technical training, officer training, or flight training at other facilities across the state...
External links
- http://www.screwworm.ars.usda.gov/HISTORY1.htm