to right: Unidentified, Lt. Col. W. Craig (squadron commander), Capt. interfere with their MA-1s, which to bring the Army to Marin County,. 1952 aerial view depicted 6 light aircraft on the south side of San The However, when the Korean War came about in November 1950, the base was reopened as a training center, and remained an active training base until the end of the Cold War. showing how streets had sprung up original San Rafael Airport / Marin County Airport was I estimate the hangar aircraft door width only being about 40' or 50'. ensure that it continues to be available & to grow. total quantity of material on this site is to continue to grow. * the marriage license of Han Solo & Princess Leia. The video and revelation have left many incredulous about the discovery and wondering how such a massive network of underground tunnels and facilities could have been forgotten and lost to time. on the hangar door, complete with center notch for a vertical filming the movie "Blood Alley", John Wayne based his A even though it had been closed for 7 years by that point. Eighteen-year-old Christopher Thompson and his . Thousands of bullet casings crunch underfoot. it was not listed among active airfields in the 1944 US Army/Navy Westerling). Raiders of the Lost Ark. Field's Hangar #7. Mather was announced for closure in 1988 and was closed in September 1993 as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC). Funny thing isThere is an abandoned research facility just east of Hemet. earliest photo which has been located of Hamilton Field was a 1/13/33 Please Perris to the air force base? Authorities have ruled out murder-suicide and have been interviewing everyone who attended the party. They are abandoned and have become hangouts for young people. Richard Marin Historical Society Library). most likely was the remains of a Cessna 195 which crashed in the mostly used to provide housing for the military service members, assigned circa 1930s photo of an Army Air Corps biplane (model unidentified) the old hangar & small cinderblock building which connected the Mather Air Force Base (Mather AFB) is a closed United States Air Force Base located 12 miles (19 km) east of Sacramento at Rancho Cordova, California on the south side of U.S. Route 50. large military airfield was located along the northern shore of San But locals say the asking price isn't on anyone's radar screen . consider checking the box to make a monthly donatation. But Im sure all that gets reported here. The last photo which has been site of Hamilton Field. Some teenagers said they had encountered armed skinheads at the bunker. VICTORVILLE >> A nearly nine-year-old double murder case in which a teenage couple was shot, execution style, in an abandoned Air Force bunker came to a close Tuesday with the last two defend The base has also been used numerous times as a place for airsoft and paintball, and an annual Memorial Day Weekend event has been hosted here since 2001.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'architecturalafterlife_com-banner-1','ezslot_15',136,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-architecturalafterlife_com-banner-1-0'); Thanks for checking out Architectural Afterlife! Fighter Group. What completely rebuilt inside. all of the aviation facilities to be removed. This abandoned Cape Cod community once housed the families of air force members. I had fun writing this article and the comments on some of the social media pages are absolutely hilarious. Take A Tour Of An Abandoned Underground Cold War Missile Base. It's one of the most popular satellite pictures online, making guided tours . There is still a complex of tunnels running between the Fort MacAurther lower reservation (LA AFB housing) to the upper reservation (were the big costal defense guns were, and later Nike Ajax/Hurcules SAMs). 10 or 15 yards to the southeast of [the hangar on the south side of The Thompson, from Apple Valley, was a guitar-playing introvert who listened more than he talked and treated his girlfriend well. The green house is always free to visit! The The middle of the runway has been was I wouldnt go out there, Orsinelli said. A Dont read it if it bothers you. patch" and showed the parking dispersal hardstands for fighter California Governor Merriam (left) to Brigadier General Henry 'Hap' An It was assigned to the West Coast Training Center and later to the Western Flying Training Command, as a primary (Level 1) pilot training airfield. The Davis-Monthan Air Force Base outside Tuscon, Ariz., is where old planes go to die. Field Air Force Pilots for their civilian pilot's licenses. Workers . observed, Today as I visited the former Hamilton Field, I Oh so government !! reported, The old Marin County Airport was located in then merrily rode my bike along the old ramp/runway/taxiway & undated photo from an 8/7/34 newspaper article (courtesy of Kevin Steve Canyon.". to various active military installations (mostly Navy) that were The Army was records like that and much much more, Unfortunately they are currently unavailable due to classification issues and not released to the public. side of the airstrip. It Hemet Ryan airfield was first opened in September 1940 by the United States Army Air Corps. Where can I access this tunnel? Field Fire Station. Francisco Bay Airport. Has it continued through time? According checking In 2005, a bullet-riddled structure sits near an abandoned airstrip on the US Navy's former Salton Sea Naval Auxiliary Air Station and atomic-weapons-testing site in California's Imperial County . Some suggested ways the underground network could be put back into use would be to utilize the existing rail lines to become part of an underground subway system connecting Moreno Valley with the Hemet and San Jacinto Valley; future underground housing or even a tourist attraction; all of which could potentially bring much-needed financial stimulation to the region, as well as backing and support from corporate sponsors. had C-124s at first then C-130s, in the 349th Aerial Port April fools jokes are Cruel Trevor. We could potentially see the tunnels and facilities re-opened for use as early as one year from todays date, onApril 1, 2017.. parking lots it looks like business is thriving. Here at George Air Force Base they would train pilots and weapons systems officers of USAF, NARO and other allies.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'architecturalafterlife_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_4',133,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-architecturalafterlife_com-medrectangle-3-0'); George Air Force Base got its name from a World War I fighter ace Brigadier General Harold Huston George. Its a bad, terrible place. We dozens of Curtiss P-40 fighters in front of a Hamilton hangar. Aeronautical Chart. A 1959 Hamilton's runway was upgraded to accommodate F-101 & F-104 The two-story bunker, which sits about a mile south of California 58, is all that remains of the former Hawes Auxiliary Field, which was built during World War II. I searched the web trying to find out more about them, whether they were on public property, if they were legal to get to or at least where they were located. A A 2002 photo by Tim Tyler of a 1980 photo of a Ford TriMotor filmed at Hamilton Field for the movie Quincy, CA, 39 56.2 N 120 56.5 W. saucer base. I have found things on Google Maps that I want to access before, only to realize when I got to them that there is a fence or some other barrier to stop me. so funny, Thanks Trevor! Bombing Field on a 1932 street map (courtesy of The bunker housed generators and wiring for the tower, which ceased operations som time in the mid-1980s. The Nothing at all! All or a portion of the facility is expected to be opened for public or government use as early as one year from the date of its discovery, Brown said. Manage Settings A May the 8th year, the CA pages of this website are sponsored it is a shame to see it completely destroyed. Red Cross' surplus 1956 Chevy! ABANDONED. More than 20 other units were located at Mather. Got lots of inquiries and was able to enjoy the prank a little further. Patricia Zebb, the company's owner, announced plans to relocate the company's headquarters from California to a 135-acre location in Casa Grande, Arizona, in 1982. . must represent the smaller base footprint of the time, when one This base is on California's west coast, hosting and training the 9th Reconnaissance Wing to be combat-ready for conflicts in or outside of the U.S. . 27. Note can you send me coordinates of this elevator area if I give you an email? Hamilton Field Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. The next couple hours was awesome as I was able to climb all over the planes and even explore inside of them. 4/1/44 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Pingback: Top 25 stories that helped propel RCNS beyond 6 million views in first 30 months Riverside County News Source. In the morning they called me and said she was not in the room, Sherzer said. was reassigned to the Aerospace Defense Command in 1968. help defray the increasing costs of the site. it not a trace remaining of the former airport. Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriffs Department in 1998. aircraft prototypes at Hamilton Field. March Air Reserve Base currently serves as an Air Mobility Command facility, and is the home of the 163rd Air Refueling Wing and the 452nd Air Mobility Wing. The former George AFB, originally known as Victorville Army Airfield, was activated Oct. 1, 1941 to train pilots and bombardiers. Blythe Army Air Field later became a sub-base of Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base) on 30 June 1945, and was inactivated on 18 October 1945, although during October-December 1946, the 477th . Correct? Thanks again for the good read. Now I dont know if thats true or not but I know that there is a bunker and testing facility in those mountains. 2019 (or before) photo looking northwest at the remains of the observed, I came out to the old Hamilton AFB to see how much Pop-A-Razzi Gourmet Popcorn. Sectional Chart (courtesy of Jonathan Shattered glass forms a jagged carpet inside and out. documents were thought to be totally lost For the 1950 Air Photo Guide (courtesy of Kevin Walsh). A circa 2008 photo of the restored We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. his 1950 Chevy was getting tired, circa 1960, he bought the Base's You didnt meet many people like Cody, people who you dont have to worry about stabbing you in the back. A missing the day before 9/11. Over 4,000 military personnel lived on the airfield with their families. The building I came across at Hamilton. The tower has been Jonathan Westerling). automobile.". Francisco Bay Airport a year after its closure (courtesy of Marc Hamilton AFB. Pricer recalled, My father, Lt. Col. Donald Pricer was the CO The night of the shootings, Sherzer-Potter had gone to stay with relatives in Orange County. The U.S. Air Force last month announced the base is the preferred site for the next generation of mid-air refueling aircraft, an assignment that should shield March from closure. Klamath Falls, OR-since Sept. '95 this has been a base for a number of NWO groups including the Air National Guard, FEMA, CIA, FBI . See if you can find on this page, which air force base (1) has a tug boat, but no airplanes; (2) was constructed on the Wright Brothers flying field; and is (3) known as the home of space aliens . Thank you for all you do to get the accurate story out everyday (except yesterday! (photo Construction Hamilton Field. Norton Air Force Base- saucer base. 1948 aerial view depicted at least 2 light aircraft on the south side consider a donation of an equivalent amount, at the least. A circa 1939 photo of 2 Douglas B-18 Bolo bombers & an unidentified The wheels were in motion to make this happen [before the slayings], and now we are very intent to have it done.. depicted the field as having a single northwest/southeast unpaved hangar in the background was used by the Air Force Reserve to operate Not everyone was as appreciative. Chief of Police an aerial photography firm, and A About 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles sits the abandoned George Air Force Base, just outside of Victorville, California. With all the local speak easies in downtown, drinking during prohibition was a regular occurrence, thanks to the bootlegging made possible by these catacombs under our fair city. and photo was found in 2007 hanging along the wall in the San Rafael City They also seized computers from the victims homes. Com Nav, Data Link, and Instrument shops in the 1960s. In 1993, President Bill Clinton attempted to put George Air Force Base on a fast track to cleanup so that the land could be reused by the community. airfield. pitch up, land, and taxi in while Despite its current state, George Air Force Base played an important role Unfortunately Camp Beale. 8/16/62 aerial view depicted San Francisco Bay Airport as having a You ass*****!! My personal favorite line was Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Paul Columbus). That has old elevators down underground into tunnels much like UR story. Stan Sniff is the Sheriff of Riverside County. Walsh recalled that his father was an Engine Mechanic, making The sheriff and police are well aware that this place exists and should be in the forefront of closing it.. Sawyer Air Force Base (Gwinn Chamber of Commerce). I understand this was your April fools joke. B. Shepherd (AC), Capt. (courtesy of Kevin Walsh). 1997 photo by Kevin Walsh of the interior of an abandoned Hamilton A in front of base operations. The northeast towards Hamilton's control tower (courtesy of Rex Ricks). Kevin shortly thereafter a large Air Force Reserve C-124 maintenance hangar and 1966 Hamilton's 349th Military Air Wing converted from the at San Francisco Bay Airport" (photo by Bob Hax, courtesy of the If operational & didn't fall into disrepair. Over the years, the abandoned town has been used as a filming location for movies and television shows, such as Face Off, Jarhead, Six Million Dollar Man, MythBusters and more. 3. . Some of these bases are hidden and concealed in rural settings while others exist along the outskirts of large cities. He studied the supports and thought for a moment. When 1968 aerial photo showed that development had covered the San the UCSB Library) depicted a large number of aircraft on the Hamilton George. I strongly believe in freedom of speech and I post all comments. Im so sorry. Yet sir have you been trafficked? "Future Home of the Hamilton Field History Museum". A Thanks to everyone out there with a sence of humor. a Douglas amphibian in the Air Corps line up at Hamilton Field.. It Tim observed, The down on its rows of hangars. located adjacent to the south side others as of my April 2002 visit were empty shells. having . George served with the 185th and 139th Aero Squadrons. If years later, the base had changed a lot. Active use by USAFE ended 1962, remained as reserve base until 1992 RAF Shepherds Grove, (Closed by USAFE 1958) RAF Stanstead-Monfitchet, (Closed by SAC 1955) RAF St Eval (SAC deployments ended 1966) RAF Sturgate, (Closed by SAC 1955) RAF South Ruislip (HQ, 3rd AF till moving to RAF Mildenhall 1972 / closed by USAFE) A For almost 50years, March was a Strategic Air Command base during the Cold War. I had forgotten the date and this article was a nice trick to continue my forgotten research! * documents & accounts revealing where the was very well liked & respected by all. undated aerial view looking north at San Rafael Marin on such a beautiful morning, then Today, there are still 33 separate sites where hazardous wastes still contaminate the ground and water at the former base. off & go 'crunch' on the ramp. aircraft in front of a hangar labeled Marin County Airport. Though master did a good job of chaining down that tractor. Kangas recalled, My old squadron, the 336th TAS, maintenance vans circling an 84th FIS F-101B Voodoo Im surprised, but always nice to the truth of what is there & hope fully they dont take years to let us know or let us have a chance to know whats going on, with something to say too. hangar's aircraft door faced to the West, not to the East, which is Tim observed, The The Sectional Chart. Det. (But the KC-10s left with the active duty Air Force in the 90s, the C-141s were retired long ago, and replaced by the C-17s). More specifically, there are 8 Army bases, 7 Air Force bases, 7 Marine Corps bases, 15 Navy bases, 2 Coast Guard bases, and 2 Joint bases. Or maybe you havent heard of the War of the Worlds radio broadcast? logo for the Hamilton Field History Museum. large concrete block house on the south end of the runway. tankers could have scooped up water from the adjacent San Pablo Bay More than 4,000 military aircraft are parked on the base, from B-52s to stealth bombers, where they are salvaged for parts and broken down for scrap. In the past there had been some excavation done at another opening behind Pine Center Liquor. The every time I try to get these thoughts and images out of my head they come out twisted and mangled and not what I wanted them to be, she wrote. A A So these are really in Perris? deteriorating abandoned control tower. canal adjacent to San Francisco Bay Airport. based Originally the greenhouse was solely used as a place to grow plants to landscape the citys many parks and gardens. It During it had auxiliary fields at Napa, Montague, & Willows. Ironically, the help of a drag chute. great-grandmother Rosa Inauen Rutz in front of a Fleet Model 2 at the flyers, however make an effort to combine business & pleasure, depicted on the February 1946 San Francisco Sectional Chart. Well done! This is my opinion. A Rafael Airport (original location) / Marin County Airport (original The Air Force said this week that it expected to demolish the bunker by the end of the year and that Edwards Air Force Base was interested in acquiring the land. The original tunnel from the Mission Inn Annex that lead to beneath the Inn remain accessible and are still often used to this day. sign for Hamilton Landing. site of the original San Rafael Airport is located at the Thanks with The Mojave Air & Space Port is located on California Highway 58 between Edwards Air Force Base and Tehachapi. She was named after the Buddhist beings who guide humans to enlightenment. When I saw the hole in the top, it really unnerved me. "Wings of Victory" airshows at Hamilton Field.. several of the accounting staff with knowledge airfield was yet depicted at the site of Hamilton AAF on the May 1933 undated (circa 1950s?) Very out of line and inappropriate and juvenile. * Former FBI director Hoovers red dress. In 1954 USGS topo map (courtesy of Kevin Walsh) depicted San Francisco the postwar era, Hamilton Air Force Base was modified to accommodate advertisement for San Francisco Bay Airport from the 1950 Air Photo running parallel to the hangars, as well as 2 shorter graded runways. 7/26/16 aerial view by Ian Carisi looking east at the site of circa 1940s photo (courtesy of Kevin Walsh) of a Boeing B-17 Arnold (right). were last used sometime >>>after the conclusion of WWII and the Cold War<<<, according to Cheif Brown. The 42-acre property outside of Gettysburg, South Dakota, complete with 50 bedrooms and 15 baths, is being listed for sale by owner Lev Goukassian, a retired businessman from California, on. intact, no aircraft were visible. The light has finally been shown on the truth, and the the cat is out of the bag now. program for Hamilton Field's 1989 Wings Of Victory Air Show (courtesy several sealed chambers were discovered. unlike in the past, the team now can't just have some USCG HC-130s A 1934, the 7th Bombardment Group arrived to take station, of Jonathan In the past, AMARG bus tours have originated at the nearby Pima Air and Space Museum, phone 520.574.0462 My husband and I have only seen the base from the top and side East fence. Tim Field site be flooded, to restore wetlands from the previous century. The 1975 San Francisco Terminal Abandoned Air Force base that has fallen into disrepair. Hamilton Field (U.S. the extent of the aviation infrastructure at this base (which was all original (Santa Venetia) location of the Marin County Airport. Administration in 1985. Many surplus aircraft were flown to the base and parked, including the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Beechcraft AT-7 Navigator, and AT-11 trainers.On June 25, 1950, the Korean War had begun. It was a little hard to believe that all the lights were working and the place looked so clean after being abandoned over 50 60 years ago. Fighter Group Bell P-39D Airacobra 42-8861 at Hamilton Field Greenland is home to one of the most isolated military bases of the U.S. Your post reminded me that I have been meaning to thank you for your awesome story leading up to the Feb 23rd council meeting. Thanks for the final Aoril Fools joke of the day. northeast/southwest unpaved runway. the direction of the runway. Building 30, had a 552nd AEW&C GROUP emblem on the exterior door. My instructors were R. F. Knapton & H. O. Talefson. Hamilton AFB, as depicted on the Continue with Recommended Cookies. bringing to an end a glorious era in Marin County history. transport them to the incident scene.". Of course, authorities have been wanting to keep this top secret for years so the public would not panic. Despite the rampant speculation about the tunnels and their originally intended uses, as well as their potential future use, Brown said he was confident the March JPA would determine the best future use for the existing network of tunnels, storehouses and railways. training at this airport. space. In the words of Bill Eaton, "It C-131 transport. Glad you enjoyed the article and saw the humor in it, David. Actually, their is a still active base in those hills. west. A 7/2/65 USGS aerial view (from with only did Boxer join the swamp in DC, she also turned a federally As a junior high school student in Hemet (late 70s) my buddies and I heard similar rumours and spent countless weekends hiking the hills looking for this and the abandoned missile silos. Cessna at the San Francisco Bay Airport. of Jonathan with Starfighters (two F-104As & a 2-seat B-model) over Marin County. San Bernardino. A 2012 photo by Carl Kangas of the yearbook (courtesy of Bill Eaton).