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 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
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
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
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 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 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
Minter Field Army Airfield, northwest of Bakersfield 64th Army Air Force Base Unit Now: Shafter-Minter Field Airport 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 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