Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
California: Eastern Riverside County
© 2002, © 2006 by Paul Freeman. Revised 11/1/06.
(Original) Desert Center Airport (revised 10/30/06) - Desert Center AAF / Desert Center Airport (revised 11/1/06)
Gary Field (revised 3/23/05) - Heron Airport (revised 11/1/06)
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33.61 North / 114.57 West (North of Yuma, AZ)
Heron Airport, as depicted on the August 1945 San Diego Sectional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airport while open has not been located.
Heron Airport was apparently the pre-WW2 civil airport for the town of Blythe.
Its date of construction is unknown.
The Standard Oil Company's 1929 "Airplane Landing Fields of the Pacific West" (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described a "Blythe Municipal" Airport as being located 3/4 mile east of Blythe,
which would correspond to the location eventually occupied by Heron Airport.
It had a 3,000' loamy soil runway, oriented southwest/northeast.
The 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
described Heron Airport as having a 2,700' runway.
The earliest depiction of Heron Airport which has been located
was on the August 1945 San Diego Sectional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Heron as a commercial/municipal airport.
Heron Airport was described on the 1949 Gila River World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Donald Felton)
as having a 2,600' unpaved runway.
The most precise location of Heron Airport which has been located
was on a 1954 AAA map of Riverside County (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted “Heron Field” as a square parcel of land, west of Intake Boulevard & north of 14th Avenue.
The runway at Heron was apparently paved at some point between 1949-55,
as the "Aerodromes" table on the 1955 San Diego Sectional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of John Voss)
described the field as having a single 2,550' bituminous runway.
In the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory,
Heron Airport was described as having a single 2,550' bare Runway 18/36,
and the operator was listed as Leon Coromes.
The August 1967 San Diego Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Heron Airport as having a single 2,500' north/south paved runway.
The NTSB report for a 4/16/67 accident in which a Luscombe 8A
ended up substantially damaged after performing a ground loop at Heron Airport
described the field as having a 25' wide oiled runway.
The last authoritative depiction of Heron Airport as an active airfield which has been located
was in the 1968 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Heron as having a single 2,545' paved Runway 17/35.
A parallel taxiway on the west side ran to a ramp on the northwest corner of the field,
around which were clustered several small buildings.
Heron Airport was still depicted on the 1969 USGS topo map.
Raymond Mendoza recalled, “Heron Airport closed when I-10 was built through Blythe, this would be about 1969-1970.
I was born in 1965 in Blythe, and remember the freeway construction going on around the time I was 4-5 years old.
I do remember the runway being paved, and what was left on the south side of I-10 was used for storing hay much of the time.
The part on the north side of the freeway was never used for anything.
The hangar became an automotive repair place.”
Heron Airport was no longer depicted at all on the 1975 USGS topo map.
The 1975 map showed that Interstate 10 had been constructed through the center of the former airport.
The 2002 USGS aerial photo showed that the site of the former Heron Airport had been bisected by Interstate 10.
A 2004 aerial photo showed that the outline of the former Runway 17/35 was still visible both north & south of the highway,
and portions of the former runway pavement appeared to remain on the south side.
A 2006 photo by Raymond Mendoza, looking south from Hobson Way
at what appears to be a former Heron Airport hangar, on the northwest corner of the site.
Raymond reported, “The hangar appears to still be in use.”
The Heron Airport site is located west of the intersection of Interstate 10 & Intake Boulevard.
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33.68 North / 114.64 West (North of Yuma, AZ)
A WW2-era aerial view of Gary Field,
from the cover of a 1944 class book from the Morton Air Academy (courtesy of Bob Alvis).
A view looking north along the landing mat at Gary Field,
from a 1944 class book from the Morton Air Academy (courtesy of Bob Alvis).
A WW2-era view of Gary Field's control tower & operations office,
from a 1944 class book from the Morton Air Academy (courtesy of Bob Alvis).
A Ryan PT-22, surrounded by cadets at Gary Field.
Photo is from a 1944 class book from the Morton Air Academy (courtesy of Bob Alvis).
Gary Field was the site of the Morton Air Academy,
which provided contract primary flight training to the Army Air Corps during WW2.
The date of construction of Gary Field is unknown.
However, a 1944 class book from the Morton Air Academy (courtesy of Bob Alvis)
indicated that the first official training flight from Morton Air Academy took place on 6/30/42,
piloted by Aviation Cadet Gornik & Instructor Villagren.
In the school's first 2 years over 265,000 hours had been flown,
and 3,750,000 gallons of gasoline were consumed by the school's Ryan & Stearman training planes.
Ted Morton, the president of the Morton Air Academy.
Photo is from a 1944 class book from the Morton Air Academy (courtesy of Bob Alvis).
The President of Morton Air Academy was Ted Morton,
who learned to fly in 1925.
After establishing a flying service in Los Angeles,
Morton was among the first to receive a contract by the military to operate a Civilian Pilot Training School.
The General Manager of the Morton Air Academy was Fred Falkin.
Gary Field was named for his son Gary.
Gary Falkin, as depicted in a photo is from a WW2 class book from the Morton Air Academy (courtesy of Bob Alvis).
"Gary Field of young Master Gary Falkin.
He symbolizes the youth & undeniable future of aviation
and the splendid record established at Gary Field gives him a proud heritage to fulfill."
The Wing Commander at the Morton Air Academy was Roger Pryor,
Robert Driver was the Director of ground school,
and Tom Talbot was the Superintendent of Maintenance.
Gary Field had 2 large arch-roof hangars adjacent to the east side of the landing mat.
The northern large hangar was #1, while the southern hangar was marked #2.
An operations building with a control tower on top sat in between the 2 large hangars.
A smaller arch-roof hangar sat just northeast of the operations building,
while the administration building sat the southeast.
The word "Morton" was painted on the roof of Hangar 1,
"Air" was painted on the roof of the smaller hangar,
and "Academy" was painted on the roof of Hangar 2.
The Primary Flying School at Gary used the Stearman PT-17.
The contract flying schools were mostly staffed by civilian instructors.
The Commanding Officer was an AAF officer,
and usually there were AAF check pilots who made sure the students were qualified.
The Commander at Gary was Major Frank Fuller of the Fuller Paint Company fame.
The civilian head was Roger Pryor, who was a musical director for one of the Hollywood film studios.
Rebecca Serignese reported that "My grandfather (James Ciampolillo)
was an instructor at the Morton Air Academy during WW2.
My grandfather is the one in the center visually showing the cadets something with his hands."
"Gary, Army" was listed in the 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer).
It was described as having a 2,800' hard-surfaced runway.
A 1944 map of Gary Field ("Blythe Primary Flying School" at the top)
and its 3 auxiliary fields & other nearby airfields.
Map courtesy of John Voss.
Gary Field had a total of 3 auxiliary airfields during WW2:
A-1 Ripley #1 (10 miles south), A-2 Ripley #2 (8 miles south),
and A-4 (which was located a mere half mile to the west).
Apparently not a trace remains of Gary Field's 3 former auxiliary fields.
A 1944 diagram (courtesy of John Voss) of the airfield at Gary Field (on the right),
and its auxiliary field A-4 (on the left).
As depicted on the diagram,
the airfield at Gary Field consisted of a rectangular landing mat, measuring 3,000' x 2,000'.
The earliest depiction of Gary Field on an aeronautical chart which has been located
was on the August 1945 San Diego Sectional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Gary as an auxiliary airfield.
The facilities of the former Morton Air Academy were reused in 1947 by the Palo Verde College,
and it was at this point that any aviation use of the airfield presumably ended.
The airfield at Gary Field was definitely closed by 1948,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the 1948 or 1949 San Diego Sectional Charts (according to Chris Kennedy).
However, Gary Field (& the Morton Air Academy) were still depicted on the 1951 USGS topo map (courtesy of Fran Blake).
Palo Verde College continued to use the Gary Field facilities until 1958.
Gary Field was not depicted at all (even as an abandoned airfield) on the 1969, 1981 or 1991 USGS topo maps.
The 1994 USGS aerial photo showed that many of Gary Field's original hangars & buildings remained standing.
Amazingly, even though Gary Field has apparently been abandoned for some 50 years,
in the 2002 USGS aerial photo, many of the original hangars & buildings remain standing.
In particular, the characteristic irregular arrangement of the barracks buildings which remains at the site
make the location of Gary Field very much recognizable.
One of the large arch-roof hangars remains standing (at the southwest corner of the group of buildings),
as well as the tower/operations building (just north of the large hangar),
as well as one smaller hangar (northeast of the tower/operations building).
The second large hangar (at the northwest corner of the site) was apparently removed,
but its foundation is still clearly recognizable.
A 2,500' long portion of the former runway area remains intact, adjacent to the west side of the buildings.
A September 2004 panorama by Chris Kennedy looking northwest at the almost completely intact buildings & hangars of Gary Field.
A September 2004 photo by Chris Kennedy looking northwest at the 60-year old south hangar which remains standing at Gary Field.
A September 2004 photo by Chris Kennedy looking northwest at middle hangar at of Gary Field.
A September 2004 photo by Chris Kennedy looking northwest at the boarded-up control tower,
which remains standing on top of the former operations building.
Chris Kennedy visited the site of Gary Field in September 2004,
and found that the site is remarkable well-preserved,
with most of the former airfield buildings & hangars still standing, and in quite good condition.
His report: "The Gary Field site is completely fenced off & marked 'Private' & 'No Trespassing'.
As you can see in the pictures, there are electric wires running into it
and some evidence of use of some of the buildings.
I was surprised to find so much still intact."
Amazingly though, after being abandoned as an airfield for approximately 60 years,
an airfield has been reestablished at Gary Field as of 2005.
Keith Wood reported that the site of Gary Field
is once again listed with the FAA as an active private airfield, "WR Byron Airport".
It is listed as having a single 2,640' asphalt Runway 18/36,
and has one single-engine aircraft based on the field.
The owner is listed as Willard R. Byron.
In Keith Wood's words, "Nice to see one of the old ones get a new life."
The site of Gary Field is located at the northwestern terminus of West Wells Road,
six miles northwest of Blythe.
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(Original) Desert Center Airport, Desert Center, CA
33.72 North / 115.39 West (Northeast of Los Angeles, CA)
The original Desert Center Airport, as depicted on the February 1934 San Diego Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airport while open has not been located.
The original airport for the town of Desert Center was located adjacent to the northeast side of the town.
The date of constructino of the Desert Center Airport has not been determined.
The earliest reference to the field which has been located
was in the 1929 Airplane Landing Fields of the Pacific West (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It described Desert Center as a private field owned by S. A. Ragsdale,
which was open to the public for emergency purposes.
The field was said to consist of sandy runways measuring 4,000' east/west & 2,600' north/south.
The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described Desert Center as a commercial airport.
It was said to be a dirt field with 2 runways in a cross shape: 4,000' east/west & 2,600' north/south.
The Desert Center Airport apparently gained lights at some point between 1933-38,
as The Airport Directory Company's 1938 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described the field as having beacon, boundary, and approach lights.
The airfield had also changed when compared with the 1933 directory: it was now described as having 2 sod runways in an “L” shape,
measuring 3,000' east/west & 2,600' north/south.
Note: it is a little optimistic that this field in the middle of the California desert had “sod” runways!
At some point between 1938-40 the Desert Center Airport started serving
as one of the Department of Commerce's network of Intermediate Fields
(located for emergency use of commercial aircraft in between major cities).
The August 1940 San Diego Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted Desert Center Airport as “Site 17” along the airway.
The Airport Directory Company's 1941 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described the Desert Center Airport as the Civil Aeronautic Administration's Site 17 along the LA – Phoenix Airway.
The field was described as having 2 “gravelly sandy” runways in an “L” shape: 3,740' east/west & 2,860' north/south.
The August 1943 San Diego Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
continued to depict the original Desert Center Airport,
but it also showed that the new Desert Center Army Airfield had been established closeby to the northeast.
Desert Center Airport was described in the April 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
as as being Site 17 along the Los Angeles – Phoenix Airway.
It was described as having a 3,800' unpaved runway.
The Haire Publishing Company's 1945 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described Desert Center Airport as CAA Intermediate Field #17.
It was said to be a “class 3” airfield, privately owned but operated by the CAA.
The manager was listed as Stanley Ragsdale.
The field was described as having 2 gravel runways: 3,740' east/west & 2,860' north/south.
The last chart depiction which has been located of the original Desert Center Airport as an active airfield
was on the March 1949 San Diego Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Desert Center Airport as having a 3,700' unpaved runway.
The Desert Center Airport was evidently abandoned at some point between 1949-51,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the March 1951 San Diego Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The 2 runways of Desert Center Airport were still depicted on a 1954 AAA map of Riverside County (courtesy of Chris Kennedy),
but it was labeled simply as “Landing Field”,
which most likely indicates that it was no longer an active airport by that point.
In the 2002 USGS aerial photo, the outline of almost all of the former north/south runway was still intact.
The outline of the east/west runway was also still somewhat recognizable, although it had been built upon.
A 2006 aerial photo by Joe Merkert looking northeast at the original Desert Center Airport,
showing “the wrecked car storage facility on the southern runway with the north/south runway still clear.”
The Desert Center Airport is located northwest of the intersection of Route 177 & Ragsdale Road.
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Desert Center Army Airfield / Desert Center Airport (L64), Desert Center, CA
33.75 North / 115.32 West (Northeast of Los Angeles, CA)
A 1942 General Layout Plan of Desert Center Army AAF (courtesy National Archives, via Rick Jackson).
Desert Center was a subbase of Thermal Army Airfield
and served as a support base for the Air Technical Services Command.
Desert Center AAF was located within the Desert Center Division Camp,
which encompassed over 34,000 acres.
Desert Center was one of the areas included in the California Arizona Maneuver Area,
used during 1942-44 to train General Patton's armored forces for desert combat.
Desert Center AAF was evidently constructed at some point between 1940-43,
as it was not yet depicted on the August 1940 San Diego Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
According to the book "The Desert Training Center/CA-AZ Maneuver Area, 1942-44" (via Rick Jackson),
Desert Center Army Airfield was first known as the Desert Center Airdrome.
According to a history of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Airdrome Detachments (courtesy of Francis Blake),
a detachment of the 475th Base Headquarters & Air Base Squadron was the first flying unit stationed at Desert Center,
arriving in 1/15/43.
The earliest chart depiction of Desert Center AAF which has been located
was on the August 1943 San Diego Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Desert Center AAF was described in the 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken Mercer)
as having 5,500' runways.
The field also had taxiways & a parking apron.
More than 40 buildings were constructed at the airfield, including an operations building,
power house, Link Trainer building, hangar and various supply buildings.
When the DTC/C-AMA closed in 1944,
the airfield was assigned to the 4th Air Force, and operational activities decreased greatly.
The airfield remained open, however,
and was used by B-24 crews flying training missions from March Field.
In 1946, the airfield was turned over to the Army Corps of Engineers,
and the buildings were auctioned off to the public.
Following the end of WW2, the Desert Center airfield was turned over to Riverside County & reused as a civil field,
although most of the buildings were dismantled.
It was listed as "Desert Center CAA Site 17" in the "Aerodromes" table
on the 1955 San Diego Sectional Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
It described the field as having two 5,000' bituminous runways.
The airfield was listed among active airports in the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory,
under the name of "FAA Site 17".
It was described as having two 5,000' bituminous runways: 13/31 & 4/22,
and the operator was listed as the FAA.
A circa-1965 aerial view of Desert Center by John Hazlet.
A circa-1965 photo by John Hazlet of the vandalized building & water tank which remained at Desert Center.
John Hazlet recalled, "Desert Center Airport... was listed on mid-1960s Sectional charts as an emergency field.
I flew over it (on a solo XC for my Commercial license, as I recall)
and noted that it seemed to be in very good shape.
I returned later in a rented Cessna 150, took some pictures with a borrowed Rolleiflex, landed, and walked around.
The runways were still in pretty good shape, the concrete taxiway & ramp were in excellent shape,
and there was still one building standing (which said Elev 555 on it, I believe),
a rotating beacon tower, and a water tank - all heavily vandalized.
I sent the photos to the USCGS & suggested that they upgrade it from an emergency field;
it appeared on the next Sectional as an open airport."
However, the Desert Center Airfield evidently went through a period of abandonment,
as it was labeled "Abandoned airport" on the 1966 San Diego Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
USGS aerial photo 1996.
The former Desert Center AAF was evidently reopened (once again) as a civil airport (owned by Riverside County)
at some point between 1966-2002.
However, as of 2002 it is all but abandoned: there are no aircraft based at the field,
and the Airport Facility Directory data lists a total of a mere 150 takeoffs & landings per year.
The sole remaining maintained runway is 5/23,
which consists of a 4,200' asphalt strip which has been overlaid over remains of the original military runway.
Two buildings still remain standing.
There are remains of Patton’s army all around the airport including foundations from the old buildings
and pieces of discarded equipment mixed in with the remains of old agriculture & vandalism.
A 2003 photo by Chris Kennedy looking southeast along the abandoned Runway 13/31 at Desert Center.
Chris Kennedy visited Desert Center in 2003,
and reported that the abandoned Runway 13/31 "is barely discernable, covered with sand & bushes.
There are no historic buildings left that I found,
although there are numerous foundations & a concrete parking ramp.
This is supposedly an active airport & it had a sign on the main road identifying it."
Francis Blake reported in 2003 that "Someone (company or government agency)
is now flying unmanned aircraft out of Desert Center.
The hangar has been converted to a workshop & an inclined launching ramp was constructed."
A 2003 photo by Bob Jones, taken from a Cessna 182 while on short final for Desert Center's Runway 23.
A 2003 photo by Bob Jones of his Cessna 182 at Desert Center.
A 2004 photo by Dave Riesz of Desert Center's beacon tower & abandoned terminal building.
A beautiful 2004 photo by Dave Riesz of Desert Center's Runway 5.
A beautiful 2004 photo by Dave Riesz of the inclined ramp (for launching UAVs?)
which has been erected adjacent to Desert Center's hangar.
Unfortunately, in 2004 Desert Center Airport was listed as being for sale by Riverside County
(thanks to Rick Jackson for pointing out the sale listing).
The County had received a "Letter of Intent to Release Airport Property" from the Federal Aviation Division
in response to a request from the County to release the property from surplus property deed restrictions.
A purchase price of $2.7 million (based on a 1998 appraisal) was established.
The sale notice added that "any use of the property after sale for aeronautical purposes, such as a private airport,
would be subject to a new appraisal and would require further review by, and approval of, the FAA."
A 2006 photo by AirNikon of the For Sale sign at Desert Center.
He reported, “When I was there, all I saw was 3 guys in pick-up trucks flying very nice radio-controlled aircraft.”
A 2006 aerial photo by Joe Merkert looking north at the former Desert Center AAF.
The Desert Center Airport is located at the end of a unnamed road, one mile east of Route 177,
5 miles northeast of the town of Desert Center.
See also:
http://pirs.mvr.usace.army.mil/fuds/a-d/desertce/preasses/inpr/11a.pdf
http://pirs.mvr.usace.army.mil/fuds/a-d/desertce/oe/asr/findings/toc.htm
http://www.desertusa.com/airports/airport_dc.html
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