For the civil use of this facility and airport information after 1969, see Camarillo Airport

Camarillo Airport

Camarillo Airport is a public airport located three miles west of the central business district of Camarillo, a city in Ventura County, California, United States. It is roughly equidistant from Los Angeles, CA and Santa Barbara, CA although it is inland...

Oxnard Air Force Base (1940–1945, 1951–1970) is a former 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...

 base located within current city limits, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) west of central Camarillo, California

Camarillo, California

Camarillo is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 65,201 at the 2010 census, up from 57,084 at the 2000 census. The Ventura Freeway Camarillo is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 65,201 at the 2010 census, up from 57,084 at...

. A fighter training airfield 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...

, it was part of Air Defense Command 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...

 as a fighter-interceptor base.

Origns

Oxnard Airport was opened in 1934 by the County of Ventura and consisted of a 3500 feet (1,066.8 m) dirt runway. The first fixed base operator on the field was Joe Plosser. He owned only two aircraft, but had no houseing for them. During the thirties Howard Hughes erected a tent on the airport to shelter his H-1 racer, which he tested from the Oxnard Airport.

The County of Ventura paved the runway in 1938 and a large hangar (now known as Hangar #2) was built by the Works Progress Administration. In 1939 James "Elmo: McLean opened the Oxnard Flying School with two aircraft, a 40 hp J-3 Cub and a Kinner two-seater.

World War II

The U.S. Army Air Corps moved its civilian training program onto the airport in 1940 to establish an Air Corps Flying Training Command contract flying school called Mira Loma Flight Academy. Housing was built across the street for the cadets and instructors. The airfield was first activated on 12 September 1940. The school was one of many in California that trained aviation cadets in primary flying skills, the graduates being reassigned to basic flying schools at regular AAF bases. The airport was originally established when the California State Highway Department constructed an auxiliary landing field with a 5000 ft (1,524 m) runway.

Along with the contract flying, the IV Fighter Command

IV Fighter Command

The IV Fighter Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to Fourth Air Force, based at Oakland Airport, California...

 383d Fighter Squadron

383d Fighter Squadron

The 383d Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 364th Fighter Group stationed at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.-History:Organized and trained in California during 1943, assigned to 364th Fighter Group...

 operated P-38 Lightning

P-38 Lightning

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...

 aircraft from the airport during October and November 1943; the 430th Fighter Squadron during January 1944, and the 435th Fighter Squadron during February and March 1944. These squadrons provided training on high-performance fighters for pilots prior to their deployment to overseas combat theaters.

The contract flying school was inactivated on 27 June 1944. The facility, renamed "Oxnard Flight Strip", was reassigned to Second Air Force

Second Air Force

The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....

 on 1 September 1944, with the 29th Fighter Squadron being assigned from Bakersfield Airport

Bakersfield Airport

Bakersfield Airport can refer to several airports in or near Bakersfield, California:*Meadows Field , Bakersfield's primary commercial airport, for both domestic and international flights....

. The 29th's mission was a testing unit for P-59 Airacomet

P-59 Airacomet

The Bell P-59 Airacomet was the first American jet fighter aircraft, designed and built during World War II. The United States Army Air Forces was not impressed by its performance and cancelled the contract when fewer than half of the aircraft ordered had been produced. Although no P-59s went...

 and P-80 Shooting Star

P-80 Shooting Star

The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces. Designed in 1943 as a response to the German Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighter, and delivered in just 143 days from the start of the design process, production models were flying but...

 jet aircraft. Oxnard was closed on 10 July 1945 as part of a consolidation of AAF fields at the end of 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...

.

Postwar era

The County of Ventura officially regained control of the airport from the federal government in 1948 by receiving a final quitclaim deed. The State of California issued the airport an operating permit in 1949.

The first scheduled airline flights began in 1946 by Southwest Airlines and later Pacific Airlines, flying Douglas DC-3's and Fokker F-27's respectively.

Cold War

The airfield was reactivated 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...

 as an Air Defense Command base in 1951, and was operated jointly by the USAF and Ventura County as a joint-use facility. The runway was extended to 8000 ft (2,438.4 m), and the Air Force ground station was rebuilt in 1951.

Oxnard Air Force Base was assigned to the ADC 27th Air Division 533d Air Defense Group

533d Air Defense Group

The 533d Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 27th Air Division, being stationed at Oxnard Air Force Base, California...

. Initially part of the Western Air Defense Force

Western Air Defense Force

The Western Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.- History :...

, Oxnard was reassigned to the Los Angeles Air Defense Sector in February 1959. Operations began in 1952 with the activation of the 354th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. Initially equipped with surplus F-51 Mustangs, the squadron received F-94C Starfire jet interceptors in 1953. The 354th FIS remained at Oxnard until 1955 when it was reassigned to McGhee Tyson Airport

McGhee Tyson Airport

-Top Destinations:-Accidents and incidents:* On 06 August, 1962, an American Airlines Lockheed L-188 Electra veered off the runway on landing, striking the raised edge of an under-construction taxiway with the landing gear, causing it to collapse...

, near Knoxville, Tennessee

Knoxville, Tennessee

Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...

 to provide air defense for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a multiprogram science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle. ORNL is the DOE's largest science and energy laboratory. ORNL is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville...

.

On 18 August 1955 the 533d ADG was redesignated as the 414th Fighter Group

414th Fighter Group

The 414th Fighter Group is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to Air Force Reserve Command, being activated at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina 2010.-Overview:...

, and the 354th FIS was replaced by the 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

The 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 414th Fighter Group, stationed at Oxnard AFB, California. It was inactivated on 30 September 1969.-History:...

, which was reassigned from Otis AFB, Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

. These units would remain at Oxnard until its closure in 1969. Interceptor aircraft flown by the squadron were F-89C Scorpions until 1960, then the F-101B Voodoo. A second squadron, the 66th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was assigned to Oxnard briefly in late 1957 and early 1958 but was never equipped due to budgetary constraints.

A second ADC Air Defense Group, the 4722d Air Defense Group

4722d Air Defense Group

The 4722d Air Defense Group is a discontinued United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 27th Air Division, being stationed at George Air Force Base, California...

, a provisional unit, was activated at Oxnard on 1 December 1956. This group controlled two Fighter-Interceptor squadrons at George AFB, near Victorville, California

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:...

. It inactivated on 25 June 1958, turning over its personnel and equipment to the 414th Fighter Group.

On 18 July 1968 the 437th FIS received 17 new F-106 Delta Dart

F-106 Delta Dart

The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft for the United States Air Force from the 1960s through the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it has proven to be the last dedicated interceptor in USAF service to date...

s from the 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron

The 456th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command San Francisco Air Defense Sector stationed at Oxnard AFB, California. It was inactivated on July 18, 1968.-History:...

, which was moved from Castle AFB, near Merced

Merced

Merced can refer to:* Merced, California, USA* Merced County, California* Merced, Nelson, Latino politician and activist* University of California, Merced* The Merced River in California* Lake Merced in San Francisco, California...

. The aircraft, personnel of the 456th FIS were reassigned to the 437th FIS, and the 456th was inactivated as part of this consolidation by ADC. On 30 September 1968, the 437th FIS was discontinued and redesignated as the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, because the 460th FIS was regarded by ADC of having a more distinguished history.

On January 1, 1970, Oxnard AFB was inactivated as ADC began closing fighter-interceptor bases as the chances of a bomber attack on the United States seemed remote. Oxnard had 99 Officers and 990 enlisted assigned prior to its closing. The last commanding officer of the 414th Fighter Group

414th Fighter Group

The 414th Fighter Group is an active United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to Air Force Reserve Command, being activated at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina 2010.-Overview:...

 was Colonel Paul D. Cofer.

With its closure, the military facility was deeded to civil authorities, being incorporated into Camarillo Airport

Camarillo Airport

Camarillo Airport is a public airport located three miles west of the central business district of Camarillo, a city in Ventura County, California, United States. It is roughly equidistant from Los Angeles, CA and Santa Barbara, CA although it is inland...

.

External links

• http://portal.countyofventura.org/portal/page?_pageid=827,1101740&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL