Historic California Posts, Camps, Stations and Airfields

Mira Loma Quartermaster Depot

(Mira Loma Air Force Station)

 

Titan I missiles undergoing destruction at Mita Loma AFS, circa 1966. (SpaceShuttleAlmanac.com)

 

 

US Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District History (1991)

The former Mira Lorna Quartermaster Depot is located on Etiwanda Avenue in Mira Lorna, Riverside County, approximately 10 miles northwest of the City of Riverside, California. It is bounded by Philadelphia st. on the north, Etiwanda Ave. on the east, Mission Blvd. on the south, and Wineville Rd. on the west. In March 1942, the United States acquired 530.72 acres, fee; 0.14 acres, easement (6 easements); 0.33 acres, permit (4 permits); and 0.00 acres, license (1 license) for a total of 531.19 acres acquired. Of the 531.19 acres, 524.63 acres were acquired by declaration of taking (Final opinion dated May 26, 1944), 6.2 acres were acquired by direct purchase between November 1942 and February 1943, and 0.36 acres were acquired by donation between December 1942 and August 1945.

The Mira Lorna Quartermaster Depot was used by the Department of the Army as a military installation for the storage of military supplies. It was comprised of several large warehouses, administration building, training building, infirmary, garage, officer's quarters, sewage disposal plant, engine house, oil pump house, motor repair shop, paint shop, post restaurant, oil storage building, water storage building, and various sheds. . In September 1943, 2.44 acres were quitclaimed to the State of California and in March 1955, 528.75 acres and the
improvements were transferred to the Department of the Air Force. One new building has been constructed on this site by one of the current owners, Space Center Mira Lorna, Inc.

On August 21, 1943, 2.44 acres were declared surplus and conveyed to the state of California by Quitclaim deed dated September 15, 1943. On November 18, 1954, one building was declared excess and demolished on December 21, 1954. On November 29, 1954, 528.75 acres (528.28 acres, fee; 0.47 acre, lesser interest) were declared excess and on March 4, 1955, were transferred to the Department of the Air Force by letter from the Secretary of the Army. The Air Force used the property to store aircraft parts as well as dispose of Titan I ballistic missiles (see below,). In September 1966, 343.45 acres were sold to Space Center Mira Lorna, Inc. In June 1986, 184.74 acres were sold to the County of Riverside Asset Leasing Corporation. An 0.86 acre parcel has been retained by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).

 

 

Retirement and Destruction of Titan I Missiles at Mira Loma AFS

 

When the storable-fueled Titan II and the solid-fueled Minuteman I were deployed in 1963, the Titan I and Atlas missiles became obsolete. They were retired from service as ICBMs in early 1965. The count as of 5 March 1965 (the final launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB): 17 were launched from VAFB (September 1961 – March 1965); one was destroyed in Beale AFB Site 851-C1 silo explosion 24 May 1962; 54 were based in Silos with SAC by 20 January 1965; 29 were in storage SBAMA (three at VAFB, one at each Base, including an extra at Lowry = 9 and 20 in storage at SBAMA elsewhere), a total of 101 production SM vehicles. The 83 surplus missiles remained in inventory at Mira Loma, AFS. SM-65 Atlas missiles had already been converted to satellite launchers in the early 1960s, and the Titan I's had about the same payload capacity as an Atlas. It did not make economic sense to refurbish the 83 remaining missiles as launch vehicles. About 33 were distributed to museums, parks and schools as static displays (see list below). The remaining 50 missiles were scrapped at Mira Loma AFS near San Bernardino, CA, the last was broken up in 1972, in accordance with the SALT-I Treaty of 1 February 1972.

 

The official count is 101 Titan I Strategic Missiles produced: 17 Test launched, 1 lost, 50 destroyed Mira Loma, 33 at museum/display (some missing).

 

On 6 September 1985 Strategic Defense Initiative (AKA "Star Wars" program), a scrapped Titan I Second Stage was used in a Missile Defense test. The MIRACL Near Infrared Laser, at White Sands Missile Range, NM was fired at a stationary Titan I second stage that was fixed to ground. The second stage burst and was destroyed by the laser blast. The second stage did not contain any fuel or oxidizer. It was pressurized with nitrogen gas to 60-psi. A follow-up test 6 days later was conducted on a scrapped Thor IRBM, its remnants reside at the SLC-10 Museum at Vandenberg AFB.

 

Source: SpaceShuttleAlmanac.com

 

 

US Army Center of Military History Historical Status Cards - Post, Camp, Station and Airfields

 

 

 

 

 

 

Extract, War Department Inventory of Owned, Sponsored and Leased Facilities, 31 December 1945

• Capacity:
  • Enlisted: 292
  • Officers: 63
  • Station Hospital: 8
• Acreage
  • Owned: 529 acres
  • Leases: 1 (3 leases)
  • Total: 530 aces
• Storage:
  • Ammunition Igloos and Magazines:
  • Covered:
    • Heated:
    • Unheated: 1,551,530 sq ft
    • Total: 1,551,530 sq ft
  • Sheds: 250,073 sq ft
  • Open:
    • Surfaced: 2,888,295 sq ft
    • Unsurfaced: 146,89 sq ft
    • Total: 3,034,386 sq ft
  • Total Depot Storage Capacity: 4,865,989 sq ft
• Cost to Government Since 1 July 1940:
  • Annual Lease Payment(s): $17,676.00
  • Land Purchase: $109,239.00
  • Construction: $5,299,477.00
  • Total (Less Lease Payments): $5,368,716.00
• Remarks:

 

 

Extracts from the Army of the United States Station Lists

 

 

Army Station List	1 June 1943	Army Service Forces: Headquarters, Mira Loma Quartermaster Procurement District Quartermaster Officer Replacement Pool
Army Station List	7 May 1945	Army Service Forces: Headquarters, Mira Loma Quartermaster Procurement District Quartermaster Officer Replacement Pool Detachment 22, 9109th Quartermaster Corps Technical Service Unit (Quartermaster Officer Replacement Pool 314th Italian Quartermaster Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment 150th-153rd Italian Quartermaster Service Companies 3992nd Service Command Unit (Mira Loma Quartermaster Depot) 9193rd Quartermaster Corps Technical Service Unit (Mira Loma Quartermaster Depot.
Army Station List	7 May 1945	Army Service Forces: Headquarters, Mira Loma Quartermaster Procurement District 3992nd Service Command Unit (Mira Loma Quartermaster Depot) 9193rd Quartermaster Corps Technical Service Unit (Mira Loma Quartermaster Depot.

 

 

 

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Updated 8 February 2016