Gardner Army Airfield: Difference between revisions
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'''Gardner Army Airfield''' is a former [[USAAF|United States Army Air Force]] [[World War II]] Field located |
'''Gardner Army Airfield''' is a former [[USAAF|United States Army Air Force]] [[World War II]] Field located 9 miles southeast of Taft [[California]]. It is historically significant as Gardner AAF is where [[Chuck Yeager|Brigadier General Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager ]] first learned how to fly an airplane. |
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== World War II History == |
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It is historically significant as Gardner AAF is where [[Chuck Yeager|Brigadier General Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager ]] first learned how to fly an airplane. |
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Gardner Field was one of hundreds of small airfields built by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) throughout the United States during World War II to train aviators. It was activated in 1941. |
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The field was operated by the Air Technical Service Command. Gardner operated BT-13 & PT-17 aircraft for primary training. The original configuration of the airfield at Gardner is unknown, but it was depicted on the 1945 Mojave Aeronautical Chart with the symbol indicating that its longest runway was between 5,500-6,500'. |
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Known USAAF Units at Gardner Field were: |
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* Hq, Air Corps Basic Flying School |
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* 328th School Squadron |
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* 329th School Squadron |
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* 545th School Squadron |
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* Hq and Hq Sq, 73rd Air Base Group (Special): |
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* 79th Material Squadron (Special) |
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* 63rd Air Base Squadron (Special) |
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* Air Force Band |
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* Sub Depot |
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* Det, 1st Communications Squadron |
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* Det, 1st Weather Squadron |
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* Det, 853rd Ordnance Service Company (Aviation) |
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* Det, Company L, 34th Quartermaster Regiment (Truck) |
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* Det, Company A, 93rd Quartermaster Battalion (Lt Maint) |
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* Det, 858th Signal Service Company (Aviation) |
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The 37th & last class at Gardner graduated in January 1945, by which point the base had trained a total of 3,050 soldiers & 8,916 cadets. |
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== Postwar Use == |
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After the war Gardner was declared surplus and was closed as an active military installation. It was operated as '''Gardner Airport''' for some years afterwards, but evidently closed at some point between 1949-64. |
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Today, only possible remnant is the ruin of a warehouse & loading docks which may be part of the base. There is also a road which may have run along the perimeter of the base. |
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There is also a monument located at the site of the base's former entrance, at the intersection of Cadet and Basic School Roads. |
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== External links == |
== External links == |
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{{Geolinks-US-cityscale|35.11|-119.3}} |
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{{USAF-stub}} |
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[[Category:Defunct United States Air Force bases]] |
[[Category:Defunct United States Air Force bases]] |
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Revision as of 18:07, 4 April 2006
Gardner Army Airfield is a former United States Army Air Force World War II Field located 9 miles southeast of Taft California. It is historically significant as Gardner AAF is where Brigadier General Charles Elwood "Chuck" Yeager first learned how to fly an airplane.
World War II History
Gardner Field was one of hundreds of small airfields built by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) throughout the United States during World War II to train aviators. It was activated in 1941.
The field was operated by the Air Technical Service Command. Gardner operated BT-13 & PT-17 aircraft for primary training. The original configuration of the airfield at Gardner is unknown, but it was depicted on the 1945 Mojave Aeronautical Chart with the symbol indicating that its longest runway was between 5,500-6,500'.
Known USAAF Units at Gardner Field were:
- Hq, Air Corps Basic Flying School
- 328th School Squadron
- 329th School Squadron
- 545th School Squadron
- Hq and Hq Sq, 73rd Air Base Group (Special):
- 79th Material Squadron (Special)
- 63rd Air Base Squadron (Special)
- Air Force Band
- Sub Depot
- Det, 1st Communications Squadron
- Det, 1st Weather Squadron
- Det, 853rd Ordnance Service Company (Aviation)
- Det, Company L, 34th Quartermaster Regiment (Truck)
- Det, Company A, 93rd Quartermaster Battalion (Lt Maint)
- Det, 858th Signal Service Company (Aviation)
The 37th & last class at Gardner graduated in January 1945, by which point the base had trained a total of 3,050 soldiers & 8,916 cadets.
Postwar Use
After the war Gardner was declared surplus and was closed as an active military installation. It was operated as Gardner Airport for some years afterwards, but evidently closed at some point between 1949-64.
Today, only possible remnant is the ruin of a warehouse & loading docks which may be part of the base. There is also a road which may have run along the perimeter of the base.
There is also a monument located at the site of the base's former entrance, at the intersection of Cadet and Basic School Roads.