Pierce Field: Difference between revisions
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==History== |
==History== |
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With the onset of [[World War II]], the Eglin Field military reservation was greatly expanded when the [[Choctawhatchee National Forest]] was turned over to the [[United States Department of War|War Department]] by the [[United States Forestry Service|U.S. Forestry Service]] on 18 October 1940, and a series of auxiliary airfields were constructed from January 1941. |
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The history of Pierce Field is largely unknown, and the exact date of construction of Pierce Field is undetermined. Itwas constructed in a similar manner to a fully-equipped base with three 4,000' runways, a large parking ramp, at least one hangar and numerous support buildings. It was possibly used by used by Jimmy Doolittle in 1942 as a practice site for the short takeoff runs needed for his B-25 bomber crews to conduct their carrier-launched raid on Japan. |
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At some point after 1945, a new 8'000 jet runway was laid down west of the north/south runway 18/36, with 18/36 also being extended to 8'000. The use of these jet runways, however is undetermined. |
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In 1975 after the Fall of Saigon, the installation served as one of four South Vietnamese resettlement camps established in the United States as part of Operation New Arrivals, the largest humanitarian airlift in history. Air Force personnel housed and processed more than 10,000 Southeast Asian refugees in a "Tent City." It again became an Air Force refugee resettlement center processing over 10,000 Cubans who fled to the U.S. between April and May of 1980. |
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===Current status=== |
===Current status=== |
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The airfield remains under the ownership of the United States Air Force, and is under the jurisdiction of the [[96th Air Base Wing]] (96 ABW) at Eglin AFB. It is likely used as part of the [[Air Armament Center]] (AAC) as part of the testing of new weapon systems. |
The active use of the field appears to have ended in the late 1970s, however the airfield remains under the ownership of the United States Air Force, and is under the jurisdiction of the [[96th Air Base Wing]] (96 ABW) at Eglin AFB. It is likely used as part of the [[Air Armament Center]] (AAC) as part of the testing of new weapon systems. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 15:36, 22 July 2012
Pierce Field
 Eglin Air Force Base Auxiliary Field #2 | |
|---|---|
| Part of Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) | |
| Located near: Valparaiso, Florida | |
 2006 USGS airphoto   Pierce Field | |
| Coordinates | 30°34′49″N 086°26′54″W / 30.58028°N 86.44833°W |
Pierce Field, (Eglin Air Force Base Auxiliary Field #2), is a satellite airfield located northeast of the Main Base, 5.5 miles north-northeast of Valparaiso, Florida.
Overview
Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #2 is named Pierce Field for Lt. Col. George E. Pierce, killed 19 January 1942 while piloting B-25C-1 Mitchell,41-13118, which crashed into the Gulf of Mexico 2 miles (3.2 km) S of Destin, Florida.[1] Joe Baugher cites date of 19 October 1942 for loss.[2] It is also known as Site C-3. Between November 1966 and 1970, it was the site of the 560th Civil Engineering Squadron, also known as the Civil Engineering Field Activities Center, for the training of RED HORSE personnel.
History
With the onset of World War II, the Eglin Field military reservation was greatly expanded when the Choctawhatchee National Forest was turned over to the War Department by the U.S. Forestry Service on 18 October 1940, and a series of auxiliary airfields were constructed from January 1941.
The history of Pierce Field is largely unknown, and the exact date of construction of Pierce Field is undetermined. Itwas constructed in a similar manner to a fully-equipped base with three 4,000' runways, a large parking ramp, at least one hangar and numerous support buildings. It was possibly used by used by Jimmy Doolittle in 1942 as a practice site for the short takeoff runs needed for his B-25 bomber crews to conduct their carrier-launched raid on Japan.
At some point after 1945, a new 8'000 jet runway was laid down west of the north/south runway 18/36, with 18/36 also being extended to 8'000. The use of these jet runways, however is undetermined.
In 1975 after the Fall of Saigon, the installation served as one of four South Vietnamese resettlement camps established in the United States as part of Operation New Arrivals, the largest humanitarian airlift in history. Air Force personnel housed and processed more than 10,000 Southeast Asian refugees in a "Tent City." It again became an Air Force refugee resettlement center processing over 10,000 Cubans who fled to the U.S. between April and May of 1980.
Current status
The active use of the field appears to have ended in the late 1970s, however the airfield remains under the ownership of the United States Air Force, and is under the jurisdiction of the 96th Air Base Wing (96 ABW) at Eglin AFB. It is likely used as part of the Air Armament Center (AAC) as part of the testing of new weapon systems.
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ USAAF/USAF Accidents for Florida. Accident-Report.com. Retrieved on 2011-10-31.
- ^ 1941 USAAF Serial Numbers (41-6722 to 41-13296). joebaugher.com. August 27, 2011
- Abandoned Airfields: Pierce Field / Eglin Air Force Aux #2 (FL35)
- World War II airfields database: Florida