Apr 01, 2018 the costa mesa historical society is a nonprofit 501c3 and is a member of the conference of california historical societies, the national trust for historic preservation, and the american association for state and local history. He then went through the three phases of piloting training. Primary pilot training was at hancock college of aeronautics in santa maria, california, basic pilot training was at lemoore, california and marana army air field, arizona. Travis air force base is named in honor of brigadier general robert f. Since i had my ford roadster with me, i was paid mileage to the new base. His picture is in the yearbook but not much else is known. Santa ana history featuring historical information of santa ana. On 1 january 1942 the united states army air corps activated santa ana army air base. The military spends more than a billion dollars a year to clean up sites its operations have contaminated with toxic waste and explosives.
After volunteering for the army air corps in june 1942, he went through preflight training at santa ana army air base in santa ana, ca where he qualified to enter pilot training. Excellent and highly readable account of the santa ana army air forces base. Santa ana army air base costa mesa, california museum. Warren butterfield, first row front row, forth from right. We have a foundation of over 100 years of designing, developing, and fabricating parachutes. All aspects of flight training in the army air corps were overseen at saaab, but the base provided only a combination of basic training basic indoctrination into. Santa ana army air base saaab was an air base without planes, hangers or runways. Santa ana army air base costa mesa historical society. Santa ana army air base was located in orange county, california. The army selected the santa ana site on june 16, 1941. The santa maria army air field was commissioned by the fourth air force for a bomber base on may 1, 1942. Costa mesa historical society established to transform the restored diego sepulveda adobe into a museum and provide docents. All future uses of this photo should include the courtesy line, photo courtesy orange county archives. Army air corps aviation cadet robert krenzelok, ww2.
He believes he might have reenlisted after the war. Training exercises were sometimes coordinated with camp rathke. Airborne systems highperformance ram air parachute systems. Santa ana army air base american air museum in britain.
The air base was located south of the city borders where the orange county fairgrounds and orange coast college are now located. About 4,500 residents live on the base and nearly 5,000 military personnel and. Aircraft assigned to the base were north american bt14 yales, north american at6 texans, beech uc78 bobcats, curtisswright at9 fledglings, cessna at17 bobcats, and. Gibson directed this program of developing films for personnel classification testing, aircraft recognition training, and studies of training film effectiveness. Santa ana army air base saaab service club library. Bob brockett, second row up from bottom, second over left to right. The santa ana army air base veterans held their annual reunion at the orange coast college student center on saturday, most of them pilots, navigators and bombardiers who trained at the base from. During world war ii, the airfield was under the command of the 389th army air force base unit, aaf west coast training center and used as a training base, as part of the 50,000 pilot training program. You have searched for navy bookshelf and this page displays the closest product matches we have for navy bookshelf to buy online. Miss davismonthan field, tucson, ariz las vegas army air field, nev hammer field, calif.
Santa ana army air base wikipedia republished wiki 2. Lot detail rare 1943 rppc joe dimaggio playing wus army. Photo of enlisted men and women at the santa ana army airbase, donated by mrs. In september 1944, the army service forces followed suit and birmingham, torney, and foster general hospitals were so designated.
Apr 01, 2018 saaab graduate ralph welsh 1943 has compiled 150 vignettes in wow. Airborne systems north america salaries in santa ana, ca. They needed the large hangers for lighter than air balloons etc, for patrolling the nearby coast lines looking for japanese submarines. The air base was used for basic training, but did not have planes, hangars or runways. The history of the santa ana army air base miller, edrick j on. To construct the rail line, the government condemned a narrow right ofway. Santa ana army air base orange county fairgrounds, 1949. The base is temporarily used by the immigration and naturalization service to house previously interned japanese aliens awaiting transportation to japan.
During world war 2, three military bases were established in nearby bean fields and unincorporated areas in proximity to tustin. Santa ana army air base melissa fox for california. Headquarters for the west coast air corps training center at 1104 w. The santa ana army air base saaab was under the jurisdiction of the west coast army air corps training command center, located on west 8th st in santa. The ana and baa join forces to elevate brand building. Contentsshow history established on 8 july 1940 when the united states army air corps redesignated its training center at santa ana army air base, california as the west. Direct support, general support and depot maintenance repair parts and special tools list. Airborne systems is the worlds most trusted resource for parachute design and manufacturing.
I started flying there right after preflight at santa ana army air base in orange county. Comments are welcome after reading our comment policy. More than 149,000 military personnel entered training at the base since 1942. Bill barber marine corps memorial park 4 civic center plaza, irvine ca 92606.
Airborne systems in santa ana airborne systems 3701 w. Between 1940 and 1945, stockton field served as a training installation under the west coast training center later western flying training command headquartered at santa ana army air base. Newspaper directory to find information about american newspapers published between 1690present. Together with joe dimaggio, the adams brothers created a formidable team at santa ana in 1943. Santa ana army air base metadata this file contains additional information such as exif metadata which may have been added by the digital camera, scanner, or software program used to create or digitize it. Santa ana army air base it was meant to be the headquarters for the west coast air corps training center wcactc the equivalent today would be air education and training command. He is trying to find his buddy, james horvath who he served with. The santa ana army air base is declared surplus by the military. It was located in southern california, in orange county, in an area that would later become costa mesa. Thirdhand reports and interviews provide context, but the beating heart of the book is found in the vivid recollections of the pilots themselves. The chapel is one of the few remaining buildings from the military. There are two examples that i am currently completing for the next issue of 21 joe dimaggios 1943 season spent with the santa ana army air base and waite hoyts lost baltimore dry docks 1919 season. Pilot squadron 56, santa ana army air base, february 25, 1943.
A great resource for anyone who wants to know how our soldiers trained on their ways to. The air base did not have planes, hangars or runways. All future uses of this photo should include the courtesy line, photo courtesy orange. Marine corps air facility, santa ana, california hangers. Use browse the collection to better find items by air field or classunit number.
Santa ana army air base saaab service club library flickr. Onehalf of our unit was assigned to santa ana and the other half was sent to a new air base at chico, california. Santa ana history featuring historical information of. Irs says it found a lot of bogus deductions on returns for marines in the southland. Subordinated to the command of the 2nd air force ii fae, which is dedicated to search and rescue, rotorary wings, and maritime patrol. Santa ana army air base veterans celebrate 37th annual.
Santa ana army air base nearly onefifth of costa mesas land area was once an important training center for our nations effort during world war ii. Pilot squadron 56, santa ana army air base, february 25, 1943, lt. Orange county fairgrounds san juan capistrano, ca patch. Military first lieutenant pilot b17g 34th bomb group not yet 19, milton andersen enlisted in the air corps in june 1942. The station is bordered by the cities of tustin, santa ana, and irvine. The city leased the land on august 21, 1941 by the end of 1944 most pilot training schools were being closed by the army air. An army training base and rehabilitation camp for the santa ana army air base, it appears to have opened in 1942. Free shipping on everything at overstock your online living room furniture store. Massive lighterthanair hangar at nas santa ana, later the marine corps air. Jan 27, 2020 airborne systems north america salaries trends. West coast air corps training center military wiki fandom. To support the base, known as the santa ana army air base, the government ran a railroad spur line from the greenville bean growers association warehouse into the army air base commissary and warehouse area located south of baker street and east of harbor boulevard. Santa ana army air base was an air base without planes, hangars or runways. By the end of this month, the building that was the chapel to the santa ana army air base during world war ii will be demolished.
With the opening of the santa ana army air base in 1942, the adjacent martin field was temporarily closed. At some point between 194045, the santa ana army airfield was established on land adjacent to martin field, to the south. The ana association of national advertisers provides leadership that advances marketing excellence and shapes the future of the industry. Stockton field was initially garrisoned by the 68th air base group special under the air corps advance flying school. The property was returned to the irvine company at the end of the war. He managed a 27game hitting streak and also played for an armed forces allstar team in july of 1943. A look back at the santa ana army airbase orange county register. Some of orange countys most prominent families settled in santa ana in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Designated as a master jet station, its four runways two of 8,000 feet 2,400 m and two of 10,000 feet 3,000 m could handle the. Find us air force reserve in santa ana with address, phone number from yahoo us local. Dimaggio was a big boost to the santa ana baseball team. Including its history, the oc pavilion performing arts center, the 5star restaurant ambrosia, the old orange county courthouse, and more black, johnathan on. It was a huge basic training camp where newly inducted soldiers, earmarked for the army air forces, were given 9 weeks of basic training and then testing to determine if they were to be pilots, bombardiers, navigators, mechanics, etc. We also used other auxiliary fields for other purposes.
I actually soloed at an auxiliary field at guadalupe which was over toward the coast. It was a huge basic training camp where newly inducted soldiers, earmarked for the army air forces, were given 9 weeks of basic training and then testing to determine if they were to. At the end of the season he was slated to join the cincinnati reds but went in the service on january 22, 1943 and was stationed with his brother at the santa ana army air base. At wayfair, we want to make sure you find the best home goods when you shop online. Santa ana army air base was an air base built during world war ii, decommissioned in 1946. He was assigned to special services with the army air force and reported for duty on february 24, 1943 to santa ana army air base in california, the army air forces west coast training center headquarters. Santa ana army air base saaab was an air base built during world war ii that was decommissioned in 1946. The base came under the command of 83rd flying training wing advanced twinengine, army air forces western flying training command, headquartered at santa ana, california.
On may 17, 1943, the air transport command officially activated fairfieldsuisun army air base, named after the two cities that the base was located between. The air base was used for basic training but did not have planes, hangars or runways. The following units are based at santa maria air force base. Nzj was a united states marine corps air station located near irvine, california before it was decommissioned in 1999, it was the 4,682acre 19 km 2 home of marine corps aviation on the west coast. Saaab was the only base to give pilot, navigator and bombardier preflight training. The santa ana freeway future interstate 5 opens between santa ana and tustin. A look back at the santa ana army airbase orange county. It was assigned to the army air forces training command, stationed at santa ana army air base, california. After serving as a military base during world war ii, the santa ana army airfield was returned by the federal government to the county with the stipulation that it remain open to all kinds of aviation uses. Us air force reserve in santa ana us air force reserve 2142.
It was originally slated for demolition in 20 but, after lobbying to the fair board from veterans. Salaries posted anonymously by airborne systems north america employees in santa ana. Santa ana army air base gets a mention in joseph hellers bestselling novel catch22. Travis who was killed when his b29 crashed on the installation august 5, 1950. Im posting this message on behalf of my dad, frank sciarrino, who served in the santa ana army airforce base in the early 1940s. Army air forces psychological film test unit was activated at santa ana california army air base. Assigned to special services with the army air force, dimaggio was dispatched to the santa ana army air base, where he served as a physical education instructor and obviously joined their baseball team. Gav, the pantera squadron, using uh1 iroquois and sikorsky uh60 black hawk helicopters for. With the expertise of highly skilled engineers, craftsmen, and aerospace and defense professionals, we have gone beyond our companys original founding. The santa ana army air base was under the jurisdiction of the west coast army air corps training command center headquarters, located on west 8th street in santa ana, california. Nov 30, 2014 the base is also home to the 7th air forces 51st fighter wing. Heroes hall, which opens to the public wednesday, is a former santa ana army air base barracks.
Santa maria army air field california state military museum. Class photograph of bombardier squadron 50, advanced preflight, santa ana army air base, santa ana, california. The west coast air corps training center at santa ana commanded flying training basic, primary and advanced at airfields in the western united states. Class 44, san angelo army air field, san angelo, texas class book for bombardier class 44 at san angelo army air field, san angelo, texas. Wisconsin veterans museum research center transcript of an oral. Guard house at entrance to vandenberg air force base, santa barbara county. Initial phases may company of south coast plaza completed. Department of the army technical manual tm 552810225p. It was a huge basic training camp where newly inducted soldiers. Find airborne systems in santa ana with address, phone number from yahoo us local. Military manuals from the aviators bookshelf browse recent. Western flying training command is an inactive united states air force unit.
Harber hall obituary lakewood ranch, fl herald tribune. But flight operations at santa ana aaf probably resulted. In june 1942, he began preflight training at santa ana, california and then went through the three stages of pilot training. Santa ana army air base becomes a transit center for army air force personnel returning from overseas. With millions of unique furniture, decor, and housewares options, well help you find the perfect solution for your style and your. Locating air force base sites air force historical research af. Bombardier squadron 50, santa ana army air base, santa ana, california class photograph of bombardier squadron 50, advanced preflight, santa ana army air base, santa ana, california. Construction began in march 1945 on a 15acre facility on. Santa ana army air baseorange county fairgrounds, 1949 in. While the quest for permanent sites proceeded, a temporary nike ajax site was located in fountain valley at the former santa ana army air base during 1956 and 1957. Marine corps air facility, santa ana, california hangers no. Sixty books about the history of orange county, california.