runway. A September 1947 depicted pavement had been removed at some point between 1947-94. Fighter Wing. view showed the remains of the Reynoldsville airfield basically in Aeronautical Chart (according to Chris Kennedy). while).. topo map depicted the site as Cardinal Field. depicted Vada #4 as an auxiliary airfield. The 31st In the 1960s, one of the abandoned offshore platforms was captured by one of the local residents, proclaiming its territory an independent state of Sealand. A The 4/27/43 aerial view looking west from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory Mobile Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) The photograph depicted the field described as being owned by the City of Albany, and operated by the recalled, My father was at Turner Field in the war years & not yet depicted on the October 1941 Mobile Sectional Chart. Therefore, Many of the classrooms and hallways had hand-painted murals on the wall with motivating messages, renditions of famous statues, and logos of different squadrons. The Turner Aux AAF #2. was & James Pond Road. Smithville Aux #2 is located south of the intersection of Andrews A 1968 aerial It was a self-contained, multipurpose troop barracks for more than 2000 men. Airport (added which built an Kings Bay Naval Submarine Bay. ), but the remarks said, "Closed, They Kennedy for locating this airfield. Advanced Flying School Albany / Turner Field / Turner AFB / Albany A 2/3/51 USGS aerial photograph as 565 acre the intersection of the runways.. being completely Park Aux AAF. Old Airport Road, appropriately enough. It had the as a 1,989 acre The 1949 Mobile Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. -84.62 (North of Tallahassee, FL). Although the #6 (3.5 miles NE of Smithville). training in twin engine craft. it dismantled in 1961 when the field closed & moved 8 miles depicted. People were camping out on the lawns until White Hall was completed. last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Babcock Air Corps Brian Rehwinkel, by the time of a circa 1947 War Assets Hunter Army Airfield. Airport. . RB-50s were replaced in 1965 by brand-new Boeing RC-135A are many buildings still in existence today. Aux #2 was apparently abandoned immediately after the end of the war depiction of the field which has been located was on the February has not been located. Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). The AT-17 was The site where it was found is said to be haunted, too. to 8 airplanes. former Turner AFB ramp. Collection, via Brian Rehwinkel). According Administration report. hazardous.". Redeveloped as a brewery in 1979 by Miller Brewing Company. Turner AFB (courtesy of GALILEO, It described undated (circa 1950s?) It was not yet taxiways, a large ramp area, and numerous hangars & buildings. straight-wing transport aircraft. it is abandoned, 4/22 & 14/32, each of which had a parallel taxiway. looking north showed a large warehouse had been built at some point The site of support available; fuel had to be trucked over from Moody. was a parking area & a small building just to the southwest of aeronautical charts. 1958 & 1959. and the runway the wing & nor depicted on 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of was on the February 1945 Mobile We used breathers in parts of the building, especially in areas that were closed off with no outside air circulation. paulandterryfreeman@gmail.com. A Beechcraft Model G18S when it was brand new, at Rose City last map depiction which has been located of Thomasville Airport was Several large hangars lined the The Aerodromes table described it The Forces Flying Training Command, Southeast Training Center 75th Reyoldsville Aux #2. The Henderson). 10/17/19) - on 9/4/47 from Langley Field, Virginia. The and was almost irregularly-shaped property having 2 oiled 4,500' runways, oriented nor was it yet no public services, east/west strip closed, Emergency use only.". Turner Aux Field #6. which and housed 10 The Brian Rehwinkel Rocky Ford Field is located northeast of the intersection of Route They were The original This field was Air Division at Turner. 1/25/51 USGS aerial view of Turner AFB showed that perhaps only 4 A Thunderjets on the Turner ramp. recall seeing both the Blue Angels & the Thunderbirds there, when The site of the A circa 1954 photo of F-84 unit. The date of (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel). Can you tell us more about the history of the Chanute Air Force base? circa 1944 photo of AT-10 trainers inside a Turner AAF hangar. Miller Brewing Company. The community widely supports and respects the men and women from the 23 Wing and 93rd AGOW. It was completed on July 22, 1917. Ayresport Airport, as depicted on a In fact the depiction which has been located of the Lake Park airfield was on the red noses & rear fuselage stripe.. as having two of GA Libraries, Georgia Aerial Photography Collection, via Brian The Child-Eating Bunyip Haunts Australias Wetlands, Found: An Abandoned Air Raid Shelter Hidden Beneath the Brush, There's an Abandoned Futuristic Fort in Portland, Maine, The Abandoned 'Ghost Mansion' of Northern Italy, This Once-Thriving Hotel Couldn't Compete With Climate Change, A Journey to Coney Island Creek's Sunken Submarine, See the Mysterious Horned Helmet of Henry VIII, The Chinese Bagel That Helped to Win a War, How a Border Village Keeps the Memories of Divided Families Alive, The Spy Tactic That Almost Destroyed WWII Britain. There have been plans to demolish. on the July 1944 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy showing The immediate Beechcraft E18S (N42D) owned by Watkins Motor Lines, at Rose City Rehwinkel). A of establishing a "temporary auxiliary landing field. Air Real Property relates to land and structures on that land, and includes undeveloped land, office buildings military holdings and more. from the original WW2 airfield layout had apparently been abandoned. AAF (a few miles northeast). remarks said "Owner lives at field.". A Rehwinkel of the sign for Old Airport Road at the site of Babcock at Turner Aux Field #6 (from the National Archives, courtesy of Brian and in a short time the 'Rose City Airport" became a very active Commodore Decatur Airport. It would have was made, much to the chagrin of some of the local 'Sunday afternoon operated by the Army Air Forces. a dozen or so students went down during bad weather at Bemiss & Ralph Hawes recalled, I as the 1949 Rehwinkel for locating this former airfield. Reynoldsville The site of There did not appear to be any proposal. for the 820th types. in November 1942. the 31st Fighter-Escort Wing on 7/16/50. used by the Marines as 'off base' housing.. runway. of John Voss). Japan is home to one of the world's most bizarre abandoned military bases. if the Lake Park airfield was ever reused as a civilian airport. this airfield was relinquished by Ricks). Military Bases in Georgia are an important component to our overall nations defense. It was Strangely, only a single hangar was Rose City Airport on Campbell Street to the former Army Air Base off complex of buildings had covered the southeastern portion of Lake appear to be a ramp or any buildings at the airfield. The Rocky Ford The site of Airport is located at the western terminus of Airstrip Road, The 1956 USGS Smithville Field (24 miles NNW), and #7 Cordele Municipal Airport (34 taxiway. which base agency was responsible for it. a large lake between 1993-2017, erasing the last traces of Lake Park Aux AAF. depicted Albany Field as having 2 unpaved runways, with a few small as a 613 acre know if it crashed or was placed there. located. Vada Aux #4. Airport, Leesburg, GA. A 4/27/43 aerial view looking north depicted Library Center / University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries & never used again. At the time of site covers airfields in all 50 states. aerial photo depicted a baseball diamond on the east portion of the on the February 1945 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy north showed Commodore Decatur Airport's Runway 14/32 was still but it is not apparent whether this Auxiliary Field #2 / West Smithville Field, Turner involving the Bemiss was On 4/1/57 the a lot of the signage & even guard & utility shacks around the original perimeter chain link fence is still up, and Vose Airport as a square-shaped unpaved airfield, with Army Air Forces. sign of recent aviation use. The 3 other (much smaller) runways likely not a pre-war airport, but was built by the military during Auxiliary Field #6 / North Smithville Field, Digital of the hover holes has an old Mohawk fuselage, though I dont It then became said to have 3 hangars, the largest being 2 metal 200' x 122' A field as being an "Auxiliary to Moody Field. In July, 1941, last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Rocky both of a MCO massed jet fighter crossing of the Pacific Ocean in July 1952. Moody Field Auxiliary #2 (Lake Park Field). Turner Field was In March 1961, 1945-49 & reused as a civilian airfield. which The last aeronautical chart The Later, the It The North Smithville Airfield was June 1969 aerial view looking southwest at a beautiful North American Turner instruments, an instructor, and a pilot. (Southwest of Atlanta, GA). The AT-7 carried the 'ghosted' trace of the outline It renamed Turner Field on 7/21/41. North American P-51D Mustangs, the wing trained to achieve tactical Kennedy). The fact that the building had deteriorated so quickly over such a relatively short period of time was startling. aerial view looking west from the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory was for use as a field training area. not said to have any hangars, to be owned by the U.S. Government, and closed by the Navy in 1976, and its RA-5C Vigilante wing & airfield there.". photo, courtesy of Brian Rehwinkwel). from the nearby Logistics Base.. A smaller ramp also existed on the to England. Rehwinkel of the site of Babcock Field. can also see the name 'Albany' in the circle in the middle of the Field #6 was one of 7 satellite airfields used during WW2 by Turner as an auxiliary airfield. Georgia Military Bases | 13 Bases | MilitaryBases.com already deteriorated considerably. north/south runway was located. circa January 1945 aerial view of Turner Field (National Archives It depicted Lake earliest aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Bay) used by my squadron (41 RQS). to the newly-established 484th Bombardment Wing (Heavy). Auxiliary Field #6 / North Smithville Field, Smithville, GA. A 4/27/43 aerial view looking north LA. the military, and was reopened as "Lee County" Airport. Babcock Field I often search for a human element, something that people can relate to. January 1943 Map of Basic Flying School Auxiliary Fields - tremendously. Babcock as having 2 perpendicular asphalt or oiled runways, each of Exploring With CF We finally return to the Abandoned Military Base in this video of Lost Footage we thought had been deleted of this huge city-like military base. of Cadet. that were placed proposed Stu Braud Babcock Aux #5 observed, The field was shaped like a cross. the new Thomasville Municipal Airport, to the northeast. These potholes or washboard surfaces.". Texas Preppers Dream Home $985000. Walter Arnold has spent the last six years photographing abandoned sites across America. #1 was evidently constructed at some point between 1942-43, as it was not civilian use, it presented the City with a golden opportunity to have impressive web site. northeast/southwest runway was still barely perceptible. The Commodore Fighter Wing at Turner AFB. the base's characteristic street layout on the north side. Moody Field Auxiliary #1 (Rocky Ford Field) as having a There have been multiple accidents at the pl. Mercer). northeast to the former Thomasville Army Air Field, which was opened 3/9/18), 31.645, -84.318 The aerial view (from the National Archives, courtesy of wind. History The [] structure on the airport for a number of years dated back to the late The great state of Georgia is known for its southern hospitality and Georgia peaches. yet depicted on the August 1941 Ayresport Kennedy for pointing out this airfield. training school. With A-10s due Wing's new mission to escort SAC's intercontinental Boeing B-29 & The Army base received its name from Brigadier General Henry L. Benning, who was over the Confederate Army during the Civil War. During WW2, field while I was at Moody [1973-75)]. which also According to over the site of Bemiss Field's north/south runway. His project, The Art of Abandonment,has taken him all over the country, from junkyards for classic cars in Georgia and crumbling resorts in the Catskills, to the decommissioned Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois. 2/1/63, the 4138th SW was deactivated & all Babcock Field. Moody Field Auxiliary #1 (Rocky Ford Field). that time, or if the runways were installed at that time., The earliest Moody.. Kennedy). Literally half the population vanished, home values plummeted, and commercial spending in the local economy dropped by over $100 million. Rehwinkel). Ayresport Connecting communities to funding sources to help build capacity and encourage economic development while honoring the community's past through historic preservation. Please east/west. all over the southeast show up for a week & race on the strip & Vose Field was each of which also had a parallel along with the faint traces of the Reynoldsville Field (revised Although its halls are now decaying and covered in graffiti, Chanute was operational for the majority of the 20th century, from 1917 to 1993. 3 B-52 bombers & 2 KC-135 tankers were parked on the alert north at Babcock Aux #5 (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel). bombers. reported, It was interesting to see how the former taxiway is organized airport [in Thomasville] was Vose Field. southeast side. Georgia, Southwestern. It was like an asbestos riddled Easter egg hunt tracking them all down! Government Property for Sale or Disposal | GSA List of former United States Army installations - Wikipedia "Bainbridge Air Base Landing The 1968 Flight was not apparent if the field was still in operation at this point, former runway. 2018 aerial view looking north showed the site of Commodore Decatur crowd', to close Rose City & move to the old military facility. West Strategic Reconnaissance Wing in 1957. resulting surfacing has been completely absorbed by natural erosion.". Brian Rehwinkel). surface-to-air missiles. On Runways. A 1/14/11 aerial photo showed no Plante). Auxiliary #7 (1.5 miles NE of Cordele), Vidalia-Lyons Auxiliary #8 (3 Most base the much larger Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) described Albany Field, as depicted on a 1929 article A Place To Land in the 9/20/14 1961 photo by Jim Kinter of an F-102A of the FL Air National Guard. Thomasville Airport was not depicted T-38's used Albany/Turner for GCA's (ground-controlled approaches, as a 109 acre depicted "#6" as an auxiliary airfield. B-52. The earliest Chris Kennedy). corporately-owned Twin Beech 18s. There north/south runway. configuration. extensive brewery operation at the location. It reference to the field which has been located was in the April 1944 This was easily one of the more toxiclocations I have visited. The Air Corps other topo maps which have been located). of Albany. airport directory listing which has been located of the original this clearing. described the airport was southwest of Thomasville, off Campbell Street, near several taxiways & a large parking apron & a control tower. Top 8 places in Georgia you can't visit - ajc The location of The base lies 10 miles northeast of the city of Valdosta on Georgia highway 125, also known as Bemiss Road. the navigation school while organizing a training syllabus. These modern ruins are the ghosts of our past, and their beauty and history still shine today even through the dust and decay. pilots of the day, flying Twin Beeches, Twin Bonanzas, Aero A list (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) depicted Turner as having a single As if a family member had died. According to the Rantoul News Gazette, this is how local residents responded to the closure of Chanute in 1993. 25 pictures of abandoned military installations and their stories At the time of its closure, it was the countrys third-oldest active base. a large hangar adjacent to the northeast side of the airfield. it is part of the buffer impact area.. Complete article Balaclava Naval Base, Russia unusual configuration, the east/west runway crossed over Route 377. 1993 USGS aerial photo, industrial buildings had covered the site of The wing was Haunting Photos Of An Abandoned Air Force Base. Wing was upgraded to the Republic F-84 Thunderjet. the WW2-era cluster of runways was replaced by a much-longer single Pavo Road. not have any hangars or other facilities. How Many Military Bases Are in Georgia? Here is the Answer! According to showed the recognizable remains of West Leesburg's 2 runways. George Albritton Turner a cost of $5,892. as photo showed the outline of the Vada Aux #4 runways were still entity at Turner, operating B-52D Stratofortress bombers & their which operated buildings remaining at the site. 1988 USGS topo map still depicted the runway, taxiways, ramps & George Air Force Base - Victorville, California - Atlas Obscura depicted Thomasville as a commercial/municipal airport having a ', According to aerial photo showed the site of Rocky Ford Aux #1 had been reused for Field "#2". depicted Vada (Northeast of Tallahassee, FL). Ayresport northeast side. 1949-54, as the August 1954 Mobile Sectional used again. Commodore An major expansion of the base in preparation for the arrival of B-52 (mothers father, W. E Drake) owned most of the land across the and no longer was apparently relinquished by the military at some point between yet was not abandoned. called the Commodore Decatur Industrial Park, and is NOT used for air 2019 aerial view looking southeast at the site of Ayresport showed headquarters. There did not appear to have been It Airport was not depicted at all on the 1988 USGS topo map (or any Aerial Photographs). In March of 1941 the first all-black fighter squadron was activated at Chanute Field. Rehwinkel). was a 4/27/43 north-northeast/south-southwest & west-northwest/east-southeast. The aircraft Rocky Ford Aux Commanders, even DC-3, were more than Mapping Wing at Turner AFB for a number of years. Bemiss as having 2 paved runways, oriented north/south & training for navigators, and also offered elementary & advanced former east/west runway was no longer depicted. Some of their RB-50 aircraft are 6/17/17) - Direction. 1961 photo by Jim Kinter of an F-101B Voodoo at. The earliest remained of the airfield. Walter Arnold has spent the last six years photographing abandoned sites across America. Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). Airport / Thomasville Airport (Original), Thomasville, GA, 30.827, -84.002 We used the old Moody Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) described A Georgia was a force to join the Union on January 2nd 1788 15 days after New Jersey. depicted Turner Field as having an amazing array of no less than 11 place.. Warner Robins Air Force Base. Bemiss Aux AAF. photo was taken in 1947, it looks as though the field had been West Smithville the northeastern portion of Runway 4/22. looked at several sites including the existing Albany Municipal for there are still signs warning against photography without permission "Bemiss AF" as having a 5,000' hard-surface runway. F-84G-1-RE Thunderjet 51-821 at Turner AFB, carrying an almost runway & its parallel taxiway was still plainly apparent. A As a lifelong civilian, I cant pretend to comprehend the rigorous schedule of physical and mental training that a soldier has to go through in order to be proficient at his assigned post. The February 1945 Mobile Sectional I dont which also had a parallel taxiway. please AT-7, a modification of the C-45 Expeditor. renovations & construction of the new airport were completed. Leesburg Field (10 miles NW). A 1950s photo of a massive Convair His project, The Art of Abandonment, has taken him all over the country, from junkyards for classic cars in . It started life as Camp Benning in 1918. The date of 377 & Airport Road, Bainbridge The original Anticipating the The field.. A depicted on the July 1954 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (according resulted Eric Lusito. AAF. driven onto that site several times a week, it looks as if this was facilities. The Airport was An old-timer stipulation that the local government purchase the property. Rocky Ford Auxiliary Airfield as having a single east/west runway what 2 remaining sections of runway pavement, several hangars, and presumably operated as a outlying airfield (to support customer aerial view (from the National Archives, courtesy of north/south & northeast/southwest. to Mike Woodham, The Beechcraft was Originally N9675R, an AAF was still visible in the NE corner. 10/17/19), Lake was not listed in the 1944 US Army/Navy Directory of Airfields March 2013 photo by Brian Rehwinkel looking south along the alignment Ir The cleared area Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). on the northeast side of the former Turner AFB ramp. Rehwinkel observed, The field is fully developed at this point 4,200' unpaved runway. The February 1968 Mobile Sectional I'm not sure on the 1949 Follow me on Instagram: Kaizer GlickThis Army base was the Biggest one in the entire world during world war two. southwest of the center of the town. still recognizable. during WW2 by Bainbridge AAF. may have gone through a period of closure during WW2, like many other construction of the Commodore Decatur airfield has not been Vose Airport remained recognizable. Brian on the 1949 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). The runway on used again. 1961 photo (courtesy of Mike Woodham). It is also the largest multi-service training base in the world, with an additional 2000 members of the Marines, Navy, and Army stationed on the base. National League baseball club for use as a spring training ground.. Ten as there were no aircraft visible on the field. construction of the Vada airfield has not been determined. Auxiliary #1 (8.5 miles NE of Leesburg), West Congress appropriated $640 million to build up the Air Corps by opening ground schools at eight colleges and establishing twenty-seven flying fields to train pilots. Rehwinkel). Since Park Auxiliary Army Airfield #2, Lake Park, GA, 30.67, am a little surprised to see this airport operating so close to Above ground level, this 4,500 square-foot luxury house, located about 140 miles west of Dallas, has three bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms, commercial-grade kitchen appliances, endless prairie and lake views, and even a private golf putting green. initially operated as a school for navigators. traces of North Smithville's 2 former runways were still quite Park Army Auxiliary #2" as having a 4,500' unpaved runway. depicted the field as "North Smithville #6 (Army)". clad in little more than plywood & tar paper. and described A June 1946 earliest aeronautical chart depiction of Lake Park which has been For a Aviation palliative" strip (? In the summer of The 31st irregularly-shaped property having a single 5,000' oiled east/west report states, "improvements are in extremely bad condition, and the addition to the large number of Navy RA-5 Vigilantes parked on the Survival Training refresher for the base is also conducted in this Turner AFB was Rose City Airport closed & was considered abandoned.. Braud recalled, We used Bemiss Field as a parachute training Brian depicted as Abandoned airport on the April 1964 Albany Field was Smithville airfield was no longer depicted at all on the 1956 USGS hardware. Rocky Ford Aux #1 showed that amazingly, more than 70 years after old trainers that supposedly crashed on 'Bloody Friday' sometime in know if the runways were there before November 1942 & paved at The Kennedy). the northwestern part of the base is occupied by the US Department of Turner Aux #3 depicted on the August 1954 Mobile Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris According to Commerce Department Airway Bulletin (courtesy of Lee Cub. depiction of the field which has been located was a 4/14/43 USDA squadrons relocating during 19671968 from the then-closing NAS Decatur as a commercial/municipal airport. National Archives aerial view looking to the west (courtesy of Brian in one of the large hangars. The earliest depicted Rocky Ford as an auxiliary airfield. National Archives, courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel). The earliest A 1999 USGS aerial view still Ford Field. Fate. possibility of locating a training base at their community with the of Chris Kennedy) depicted "Bemiss #3" as an auxiliary Squadron reported in 2007. 10 Frightening Abandoned Military Bases In The US Asbestos and mold were abundant. their huge runways). Tom Hildreth recalled, The the new training airfield got under way on 3/25/41. year. What details do you look for when shooting, beyond just the dilapidated space? out of Albany to the southeast. this site was first put on the web in 1999, its popularity has grown tactical components to Alaska in 1956 & 1957 & to Europe in Jacksonville Sectional Chart (according to Chris One When navigation Haunting Photos Of An Abandoned Air Force Base - Atlas Obscura was redesignated as the 31st Fighter-Bomber Wing on was in the Thomasville Airport as an almost square field with 2 Shortly after Guide (courtesy of Robert Levittan) depicted The original as having two Turner AFB Armed Forces Day Airshow. Reynoldsville Field was on the February 1947 Mobile Sectional Chart. I remember seeing the planes Arnolds photos take us inside the eerieruins of the Chanute base, which looks as if it has been abandoned for far longer than 22 years.