Location: Manzanar Airport is located 9.5 miles north of Lone Pine, Inyo County, California, adjacent to and east of Highway 395, opposite the site of the former Manzanar Relocation Center.
Site History: The 619.02-acre site, leased 13 November 1941 by the County of Inyo from the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) , was intended to be a federal airport operated by the Army Air Corps. However, before its construction, begun by Army in January 1942, was completed, its use as a federal airport was precluded by the establishment of the Manzanar Relocation Center for internment of the Japanese-Americans at a site opposite, on the west of Highway 395. In May 1942, operation and maintenance responsibilities were transferred to the County of Inyo, and construction of the two runways, a taxiway, and various buildings, was completed by the County.
The airport was not used by the Relocation Center. Military use of the airport first occurred during World War II when Army Air Corps and Navy cadets received basic ground school and flight training under the Civilian Pilot Training program (CPT) and the War Training Service program (WTS), conducted at the airport by the Ross Aeronautical School from June 1942 until August 1943. As such it was a auxiliary field to the main school located at Lone Pine Airport. In October 1942, the California State Guard leased part of the airport for use by its observation squadrons
