Historic California
Posts, Camps, Stations and Airfields
Castle Air Force
Base
(Air Corps Basic
Flying School-Merced, Merced Army Air Field, Castle Field)
Main Gate, circa
1950
History
Located 7 miles northwest of Merced in the
town of Atwater, Castle AFB, was first known as Air Corps Basic
Flying School, Merced. In Sept. 1941 it became one of the fields
utilized to meet the needs of the 30,000 Pilot Training Program.
As the original name indicated, it provided basic air training
for beginning pilots and crewmen. In April 1942 it was renamed
Merced Army Air Field. Many pilots and crews were trained here
during the war including a number of Women's Air Service Pilots
(WASP). During the summer of 1945, when most other air fields
were winding down, Merced was expanded to accommodate the large
air tankers then coming into service. When the war ended Merced
was home to several air tanker squadrons and remained a training
center for pilots and air crews.
Auxiliary air fields used by Merced Army
Air Field during the war were:
On Christmas Eve 1944, Brig. Gen. Frederick
Castle rode his flaming B-17 to his death while leading the biggest
bombing mission of World War II during the Battle of the Bulge.
He was air commander and leader of more than 2,000 heavy bombers
in a strike against German airfields on 24 December 1944. He was
posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic action.
The former Merced Army Air Field was renamed to Castle Field in
his honor on 17 January 1946. With the establishment of the US
Air Force, the field was renamed Castle Air Force Base effective
13 January 1948.
Merced AAF, November
1942
The first flight of a B-52B model was on
25 January 1955 and initial delivery to the 93rd Bomb Wing (H)
at Castle AFB, CA occurred in the summer of 1955. Although the
93rd BW was considered an operational unit, its primary mission
was transition training for new B-52 crews. Eventually, the -B
models (RB-52Bs included) were used by the 95th, 99th and 22nd
Bomb Wings in addition to the 93rd.
Trouble began on 16 February 1956, when
a B-52 exploded in midair near Tracy, California, while on a flight
from nearby Castle AFB. The crash made national headlines, in
part because of the B-52's then unprecedented cost of $8 million.
Several months later an in-flight explosion claimed a second Castle
B-52 and the lives of five crew members. On 16 January 1957, five
B-52s thundered down Castle's runway. Their mission was simple:
show the world that the B-52 had the capability of becoming the
first jet aircraft to circle the world nonstop. Supported by nearly
100 KC-97 tankers flying from Canada, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, the
Philippines, and Guam, the three B-52s--led by Lucky Lady III--finished
their mission at March AFB, California, on the morning of 18 January.
Their flight time--45 hours, 19 minutes--was less than half that
required by the B-50 Lucky Lady II just eight years before.
The base consists of 2,777 acres. The main
base contains an airfield, aviation support buildings, warehouses,
1,707 dormitory beds, and a 52 bed hospital. Two housing areas,
separated from the main base, include 933 family housing units.
Most of the base lies within the unincorporated part of Merced
County. Part, however, lies within the City of Atwater.
The 11,800' runway which is 300' wide, is
the 4th longest civilian runway in the state. The nearest airport
is in Merced with a 5,900 foot runway. The airport opened in January
1996 as an uncontrolled day-use airport. Castle Airport is designated
as a General Aviation Airport, with fueling and pilot services
provided by Trajen Flight Support. Primary use of the airport
has been general aviation, however, large commercial aircraft
companies have showed significant interest. The airport is being
positioned for use as a heavy cargo/maintenance/training/manufacturing
facility. General aviation activity has been amply provided for
with the premier terminal in the area and community hangar and
tie down facilities.
The Castle
Air Museum Foundation has been in existence since the Air
Force established the base museum in 1981. It is supported by
nearly 600 individuals, many of whom are military retirees. When
Castle Air Force Base closed in 1995, the Foundation assumed all
responsibility for managing and displaying the museum''s collection
of 44 planes which are on loan from the Air Force, among them
a B-24, a B-36 and a SR-71. Just before closure, the Air Force
conveyed two buildings and about 20 acres to the Foundation under
a public benefit conveyance sponsored by the U.S. Department of
Education. Visitation to the museum, currently at 80,000, is expected
to increase as the newly opened Challenger Learning Center attracts
visitors. In addition, the U.S. Space Camp Foundation in Huntsville,
Alabama has opened an Aviation Challenge Program at Castle.
In mid-1998, the Federal Bureau of Prisons
began construction of a new $70-$80 million, 1,000-bed high security
federal penitentiary at Castle. Also included in the Castle plan
is a 150 inmate minimum-security satellite camp. The initial Bureau
plan at Castle included a 1,600 inmate medium-security federal
correctional institution. However, federal needs changed and there
now is a more urgent need for high-security capacity.
Sources: World War II Sites
in the United States: A Tour Guide and Directory by Richard E.
Osbourne; www.globalsecurity.com
Merced Field
by Justin Ruhge
Located six miles NW of Merced, the Army
Air Corps Basic Flying School was established September 20, 1941
on a 740-acre site. $4 million was spent in developing the site.
It became the Merced Army Flying School April 7, 1942, the Merced
Army Airfield on May 8, 1943, Castle Field on January 17, 1946
and the Castle Air Force Base on January 13, 1948. It was named
in honor of Brigadier General Frederick Walker Castle who was
killed piloting his B-17 over Liege, Belgium in December 1944.
Construction of two hangars began on July
8, 1941. The first unit to occupy the field was the 89th Air
Base Group on November 3, 1941. The first commander was Lieutenant
Colonel Joseph P. Bailey on October 14, 1941. The Field was used
for basic training beginning December 20,1941. Women's Air Service
Pilots (WASP) Advanced Training was also conducted at the Field.
At the peak of the cadet program, the
school graduated one thousand cadets every five weeks, with a
total of approximately 13,000 cadets receiving training at Merced
Army Flying School. The school had 600 aircraft assigned, of
which 525 flew daily. The first aircraft to arrive were BT-13As
and BT-15s trainers from the Vultee Plant in Southern California.
Auxiliary fields for Merced: Mariposa
Mount Bullion, Merced Municipal Airport Auxiliary Field No. 1,
Ballico Auxiliary Field No. 2, Livingston Howard Auxiliary Field
No. 3, Athlone Auxiliary Field No. 4, Potter Auxiliary Field
No. 5, New Municipal Auxiliary Field No. 6, Merced Japanese Reception
Center.
Construction of new runways, taxiways,
warm-up pads and hangars began on July 2, 1945. Additional facilities
enabled Castle to convert from KC-97 to KC-135 operations starting
April 13, 1957. The base became the crew-training center for
the B-52 and KC-135 in August 1964. The Waring Academic Center
to train students for B-52 and KC-135s was completed July 1,
1975. Aircraft maintenance buildings were completed in 1975 and
1978. In October 1979 the base was occupied by the 93rd Servicing
Squadron.
Castle Air Force Base was closed in 1995
as a result of the Base Closure and Realignment Commission actions.
The airport is used today as the Atwater Airport and an industrial
park.
References: Air Force Bases
by Robert Mueller, 1989, United States Air Force Historical Center,
Washington D.C.; Castle Air Force Base by Harold P. Myers, 1984,
Aerospace Historian Magazine.
Army Units
Assigned to Merced Army Air Field/Castle Field during World War
II
Data Source
Date(s)
Unit(s)
Army
of the United States Station List
7
December 1941
Hq, Air Corps
Basic Flying School
539th School Squadron
540th School Squadron
541st School Squadron
Hq and Hq Sq, 89th Air Base Group (Special):
304th Material Squadron (Special)
90th Air Base Squadron (Special)
Air Force Band
Sub Depot
Det, 1st Communications Squadron
Det, 1st Weather Squadron
Det, 853rd Ordnance
Service Company (Aviation)
Det Co M, 32nd Quartermaster Regiment (Truck)
Det, 858th Signal Service Company (Aviation)
Army
of the United States Station List
1
June 1943
Army Air Forces
Basic Flying School (AAF)
Army Air Forces Weather Station (Type B) (AAF)
Finance Detachment
(AAF)
Medical Detachment
(AAF)
Veterinary Detachment
(AAF)
Detachment,
1st Weather Squadron, Regional (AAF)
Headquarters
35th Flying Training Wing (AAF)
38 Army Air
Forces Band (AAF)
72nd Sub-Depot
(AAF)
90th Headquarters
and Air Base Squadron (AAF)
301st Basic
Flying Trainng Group (AAF)
Headquarters
and Headquarters Squadron
406th Aviation
Squadron (AAF)
539th Basic
Flying Training Squadron (AAF)
540th Basic
Flying Training Squadron (AAF)
541st Basic
Flying Training Squadron (AAF)
753rd Basic
Flying Training Squadron (AAF)
Detachment 5,
858th Signal Service Company, Aviation (AAF)
Detachment 5,
909th Quartermaster Service Company, Aviation (AAF)
