History
This base was built during World War II as an Army Air Forces training field. The Federal Government acquired 1,466 acres (5.93 km2) for the Lemoore Basic Flying School in 1941-42. Approximately 488 acres (1.97 km2) were acquired in fee by grant deed from individual land owners, 963 acres (3.90 km2) were leased from the City of Lemoore and 14 acres (57,000 m2) were acquired by transfer from the National Housing Agency.
According to a World War II-era diagram, the field consisted of a roughly triangular shaped landing mat, which measured 3,470' along its longest side. A 3,700' long north/south apron sat to the southwest of the landing mat, and west of the apron was the building area. In addition, the airfield had a PX gas station, 10 gas tanks, a truck fill station, oil & lube station, motor repair shop with 4 grease racks & 4 underground tanks, fire station, cadet quarters, warehouses, officers quarters, mess hall, utilities shop, chapel, classrooms, water reservoir & water well, taxiways, runway, landing field, and two hangars.
Additional structures constructed by the Army for the Lemoore site were located south of the area shown on the 1941 & 1942 site maps, including an amphitheater & swimming pool.
Lemoore AAF was described by the 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields as having a 6,500' hard-surface runway, although the remarks included, "Entire field available only when dry."
Known sub-bases and auxiliaries were:
- Boston Field (A-1) 36°13′12″N 119°59′20″W / 36.22000°N 119.98889°W / 36.22000; -119.98889 (abandoned, now farmland)
- Huron Field (A-2) 36°13′21″N 120°02′22″W / 36.22250°N 120.03944°W / 36.22250; -120.03944 (abandoned, now farmland)
- Indian Field (A-3) 36°07′53″N 120°05′06″W / 36.13139°N 120.08500°W / 36.13139; -120.08500 (abandoned, now farmland)
- Murray Field (A-4) 36°08′41″N 119°56′00″W / 36.14472°N 119.93333°W / 36.14472; -119.93333 (abandoned, now farmland)
- West Field (A-5) 36°15′45″N 120°12′06″W / 36.26250°N 120.20167°W / 36.26250; -120.20167 (abandoned, now farmland)
- Summit Lake Field (A-6) 36°20′22″N 119°56′49″W / 36.33944°N 119.94694°W / 36.33944; -119.94694 (Now NAS Lemoore)
- Helm Field (A-7) 36°21′00″N 120°10′03″W / 36.35000°N 120.16750°W / 36.35000; -120.16750 (abandoned, now farmland)
- Corcoran Municipal Airport 36°06′08″N 119°35′40″W / 36.10222°N 119.59444°W / 36.10222; -119.59444
- Porterville Army Airfield 36°01′46″N 119°03′43″W / 36.02944°N 119.06194°W / 36.02944; -119.06194 (Now Portersville Municipal Airport)
- Coalinga Municipal Airport (Old) 36°09′27″N 120°21′35″W / 36.15750°N 120.35972°W / 36.15750; -120.35972 (Closed)
Read more about this topic: Lemoore Army Airfield
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