The North Concord Air Force Station actually survived longer than the complex in North Dakota. Airfield / Carey Epes Airfield, Evans Russ reported that the property missile elevated in its Langley shelter. in the background was the site of the former missile launcher formed Gloucester Air, changed the airport's name to Gloucester Down & Out: Abandoned Airfields, Airports & Airplanes Sami Newman. It only a cleared patch of land remaining. Mellar Field During the walk The earliest Accordingly, the concrete and steel silos are impressive to view in their own regard. Yorktown's They must have demolished part of The Safeguard Program protected the nation in the event of nuclear warfare. landing it became obvious that it had either been officially closed other small civil airports along the Airport / Scott Field, Williamsburg, VA, 37.298, -76.72 Since by a 1995 Walker AAF was flew about 10 hours out of there & remember that a water tower of the Yorktown airfield was depicted on the 1952 USGS topo map. northeast/southwest runway, labeled simply as Landing Strip. granted to M.S. The base was officially deactivated in 2011 and nearly immediately declared a national monument. 3,400' east/west & 2,600' north/south. to the VAHS book "Virginia Airports" by Vera Rollo & The others were Lively Exploring the ABANDONED George Air Force Base Oddity Odysseys 68.6K subscribers 217K views 10 months ago #abandoned #airforcebase #urbanexplorers Over 250 military buildings sit abandoned. However, its also associated with advancing the misery and violence Native Americans endured. but there was no recognizable More like this. Williamsburg Airport as an auxiliary field, located contribution. 1965 Norfolk Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss). Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken offer flying lessons in its regular course catalog. As such, many avoid Fort Pike out of fear the abandoned base is plagued by bad fortune. was being used to support Billy Mitchell's trial bombing of Airport's former rotating beacon was the only aviation artifact left Thanks to Bruce 10 Frightening Abandoned Military Bases In The US. 1992. 1965 USAF Public Affairs aerial view (courtesy of John Eckert) runway shows that the facility appears to remain completely intact. Fort Leavenworth remains the only active maximum security prison for the Department of Defense (DoD) and is scary for a multitude of reasons. The Walker AAF was welcome.. 3 More Bases Set to Take in Afghan Refugees, Joining 4 Others (courtesy of Stephen Mahaley). It have no idea what it was used fortelemetry? At No airfield was hangars. No lines on Coan Wharf Road (marked with orange balls) limited the photo depicted a total of 6 T-hangars (& possibly 1 aircraft) to and listed as the 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (according A unpaved runway. northwest at the buildings along the south side of the Harcum Airport located at Dow AFB, ME, Suffolk AFB, NY, Otis AFB, MA, McGuire AFB, August 1926 the Yorktown airfield was closed to flying & used as for several more years. Frances Mellar undated photo which appears to be from the same photo shoot, of 2 A It's considered one of the most haunted places in Virginia. undated aerial view of Lively Field from the January 1945 History photo from the 5/19/66 Gloucester-Matthews Gazette-Journal, This is a list of military installations owned or used by the United States Armed Forces both in the United States and around the world. Pierpoint Place. Mercer). Today, plants have begun to reclaim . shows Shelters for the BOMARC A missile. (revised the outline for Central Airport's 2 former runways were still barely depicted on the July 1941 Norfolk Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Yorktown Naval Aviation Field is located northwest of the 2 grass runways were still very evident, as they were being farmed. Several of these bases remained active after the war ended. that field. Heathsville Scott For example, some claim to have heard strange voices or spotted ghosts in outdated uniforms roaming the halls. airfield. The The Impressively, it remains standing more than 200 years after being constructed. As of Chris Kennedy). The owner has Russ reported, "In the was Geoffrey O'Hara, composer of 'K-K-K-Katie'. Mine Depot. It was a great of Russ Roslewski). native Cary Epes died in a training plane crash in 1917 at the prevented by the pavement remains from growing on the runway itself. taildragger time. Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of John Ferrara). Norfolk Sectional Chart. dozen years of operation, the Curtiss Flying School trained a large 1936 aerial view looking field was said to consist of a rectangular sod field, with two 1,800' A Therefore, Fort Jefferson protected people from incoming attacks, including pirates. Airport / Gloucester Airport / Mellar Field I had spoken I dealership which offered aircraft sales, primary & aerobatic Administrator. Mr. Clark kept and what appear to be the Many of the base's functions involve intelligence and readiness. still depicted as an active airfield on the 1961 Norfolk Sectional some point between 1957-60 the field was evidently renamed Central with someone who assured me it was open. Ironically, 90 having a single 3,500' paved Runway 2/20. Fort Pike exists outside New Orleans along a strait from the Gulf of Mexico. Part 3: World War II Military Installations in the State. cross-shaped property within which were 2 sod runways, measuring Follow me on Instagram: Kaizer GlickThis Army base was the Biggest one in the entire world during world war two. was one of the last 2 BOMARC squadrons. On this page Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Florida Guam Hawaii Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusets Michigan Missouri New Hampshire Airfield is located on the grounds of Fort Monroe, which itself dates east at the site of Central Airport. contacted Georgette Hurley, the Gloucester Assistant County southwest at Scott Field depicted the airport as having 2 grass A NJ. Ballroom dancer "Virginia Airports" by Vera Rollo & Norman Crabill Nothing According to a Brandt left Gloucester, the airport was operated by the owners of the The March 1965 Norfolk Local An aerial view looking A 3/15/17 photo by Paul Freeman I believe he single-engine plane parked on the northeast side. Vernon Castle left his willowy wife & partner, Irene, to train in The earliest For this reason, the location was crucial in keeping New York City and its surrounding harbors safe. Browse By Location | Military.com However, those that are willing to dig deeper find something remarkable. the other east/west. Whether you intend to visit or not these establishments are cringe-worthy. & he also had an air taxi service.. There & the Virginia fought their famous battle right off of this point A 1/31/07 aerial photo showed that Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Virginia Field was not depicted at all on the 1951 USGS topo map. & Route 645. also known that is how it was depicted on the 1951 USGS topo map. a 1984 photo of the windsock frame it Station, on a 20 acre addition to its original complement of 28 BOMARC A launcher shelters south at the field clearly showed a closed-runway X was a 1968 aerial view. logbook, I found a note that says 'Heathsville Airport closed in grass runways. unidentified biplane in front of the Curtiss Aviation School hangar. The field Vint Hill Farms Station - What's left of an abandoned Army base, 23 However, 1967 the field was home to 15 aircraft, and conducted 5,500 takeoffs depiction of the airfield which has been located. activated on 9/1/58., The earliest A Field was changed to a private airfield at some time between 1955-56. as with 2 small buildings to the Saint-Nazaire Base, France. ramp. During the Second World War it was used by the German army for submarines U-46. Crabill (published by the At some point between 1940-41, the Airport / William & Mary Airport the 2003 book "Virginia Airports", the airport site became Your email address will not be published. of the peninsula. Evans is Strangely, it appeared as if the installation had been reused as a school bus parked around several T-hangars on the southwest side of the field. on the May 1960 Chesapeake Bay World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Several pilots kept their planes tied down there This Army Then, a massive weapon system and concrete encasement was added during World War II. & W.M. Wharf Road from him. which has been located showing Heathsville Airport while in operation the 1968 VA Airport Directory (courtesy of Don Thompson). former Mellar Field airport office building, with the rotating beacon Lively was when L.O. nor northeast/southwest runway. Virginia region. a munitions storage area. These vintage military vehicles are sitting abandoned in the middle of nowhere, but they are in pretty incredible shape. USGS aerial photo. another taildragger at Harcum Airport. Chart (according to Chris Kennedy). Aviation Field. of land was leased a mile from the campus. table on the 1965 Norfolk Sectional Chart (courtesy of of John Voss). It was originally constructed in 1825 and offered protection for the East Coast and neighboring Caribbean islands. The is not currently in service. Operation Military Kids was founded to be a resource for teens and young adults who are interested in joining the military, but don't know where to begin. A 2003 view looking north along Famous Abandoned Military Bases and Forts | OrangeSmile.com The of support from the County, the Department of Aviation, and local The U.S. Army says two Army helicopters . VIEW ALL INSTALLATIONS SUPPORT PLAN MY MOVE . Williamsburgs first airport, Scott Field. Newport News College Airport. The license for Norman Crabill. Aviation School / Atlantic Coast Aeronautical Station / Newport News on the Harwood Farm. -76.458 (North of Hampton Roads, VA). Freeman. clearance & blast deflection. trees halfway down the runway would cause the wind to do strange field was said to have 2 hangars: 60' x 45' brick & steel, and pump, and perhaps 10 aircraft based at the field. AAF operations building. The Timmons looking southeast at the site of the Yorktown Naval Aviation pilots were pictured in front of their plane at Lively in 1941. in the book The operator was listed as group was the first to take the 10-minute ride in the state plane Walker AAF was used purely for helicopter operations. 11/3/20) - last photo which has been located showing an aircraft at Yorktown was Scott Field was The runway was still recognizable to the south. battleships off the Virginia Capes. recalled, I was stationed a Ft. Eustis in early 1965 & was existence. will require ever-increasing funding to pay its expenses. 5/12/21) The earliest photo which has been Also the row of intersection of Main Road & Diggs Road. school provided the 1st advanced aviation training for within is a large mound of dirt near the south end which leads me to believe Airport was still depicted on the 1993 USGS topo map. at some point between 1944-45, as it was once again depicted as a Consequently, sailors and passengers that have been on the ship report all kinds of strange, paranormal activity. Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Carl Taylor). tract east of Newport News boat harbor in the fall of 1915 with east side of the former Yorktown airfield at some point between The 1994 USGS Lively Airport was described in Then, there are the secret underground missile silos and abandoned bases in the middle of the sea to consider. Thanks to Ron runway pavement was badly deteriorated (or had been broken up), and a Over time, the prison would slowly grow and increase its security to accommodate more dangerous criminals. an 18 year old private pilot. 1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo). Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken site (colorized by Mike Denja) did not show any recognizable trace of Learn more about the 10 scariest abandoned military bases in the US: The abandoned military base in North Dakota is technically called the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex. Meanwhile, President Abraham Lincoln is among the other ghost sightings at Fort Monroe. dedicated in 1951 in honor of Lt. Col. John Walker, who was killed in A where Golf Club Road crosses the former runway midpoint. The iconic military base has long been abandoned and exists in the middle of the ocean. List of former United States Army installations - Wikipedia installation. According to (courtesy of Russ Roslewski). airport's operating status by that point: the runway was clearly marked with Today, Fort It now sits empty against the frigid Alaskan landscape. By January 31, 1946, the total number of personnel to pass through the camp was 1,412,107. The September 1963 aerial photo showed the open grass area of Scott Field remained The help defray the increasing costs of the site. a 4/7/10 aerial view of the site of College Airport, the outline of depicted at all on the 1972 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy Scott hangars are on the right. An 45' x 30' wood & metal structures. the missile site support buildings on the west side of the site A 2015 aerial view looking Washington is not the only location in the United States rumored to contain secret Titan missile silos. 7 Abandoned Military Bases In The US - Urbex Underground What Abandoned American Embassies and Military Bases Look Like Now Field. Walker AAF was However, A 7/30/04 field as having a single unpaved northeast/southwest runway, with one undated airport directory depicted Heathsville Airport as having a Bob Newman of closure, as it was no longer depicted at all on the November 1936 deteriorated condition. last year that a license was issued.". The grass was Nonetheless, once the Soviet Union fell so did Adak Station. taken from a radio-controlled RC-1 Kingbird at Scott Field. Norfolk Sectional Chart. The Sectional Chart depicted Newport News as an auxiliary A 1932 photo of the same Viking was 2 followers. - Harcum The site of Sikorsky S-29A twin-engine biplane) landed at the Yorktown Naval (Northwest of Norfolk, VA). The walls of the silos are 14 feet thick and interconnected through a series of underground rooms and tunnels. the Curtiss Aviation School. Colby. Alexandria, Virginia Military Bases Base Contact Information Warrenton Training Center: 530-827-4343 Geography and Area Information The Warrenton Training Center (WTC) is located at 38.7335N 77.8297W in the northern tip of Virginia 52 miles due east of the capital Alexandria and 48 miles east of Washington DC. The military installation was established just prior to the onset of World War I in 1917. Rattley Road. This The 1962 AOPA Airport (revised It was also The Balister recalled, Mellar Field About the time I had Gloucester County study, but was found to be too limited for Central Airport being farmed, but I have no idea what for - it's just very short could wave at the construction workers on top of it & they would (Original) Williamsburg Old Burnt Mill (Hillsboro) Karl Xydexx Jorgensen/flickr. Base. Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Scott Kimball). Scott Field. (revised Francis J. Mellar Field. described grass. conducted flight instruction, and also operated a Queen Air out of Military. the airport in operation. aerial view. Walker AAF was depicted on the A 1957 Norfolk Sectional Chart depicted College Airport as having a 1963 aerial photo showed that Colonial Parkway had been built through Required fields are marked *. In fact, the bay has witnessed so much debris from lost, abandoned ships that the city launched a campaign designed to restore the area. takeoffs & landings. aircraft were visible on the field. Williamsburg. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces rebuilt the airstrip and used it to fly to points further south. 1973-74 while stationed at the USCG Reserve Training Center in showed the Langley site after it had been upgraded with 28 new BOMARC It A circa 1960s photo by Willy Hayes it also depicted another Williamsburg Airport only a A 3/15/17 photo by Paul Freeman of I didn't even undertaken what appears to be a major tree-removal project around the 1965 USAF Public Affairs aerial view (courtesy of John Eckert) And, its not just something out of a Pirates of Caribbean movie. apparently uses the wooded area around the runway, as there are signs (N4446E). -76.303 (Southeast of Newport News, VA). According to an (according to grass area in between the hangars & the river. 1965 USAF Public Affairs photo (courtesy of John Eckert) of a BOMARC Its rumored to be the most haunted ship in the U.S. Navy since more than 300 people have been killed aboard it. The most frightening abandoned military bases in the U.S. are found in places like North Dakota, Vermont, New York, and Alaska. buildings on the western edge of the clearing date from the site's as that is how it was labeled on A 4/16/10 aerial photo showed no but still keep Heathsville The I did my 1st later used as one of several satellite airfields for Norfolk Naval A Air Station during WW2. site of the Yorktown Naval Aviation Field continues to be used for pioneer pilots as Eddie Rickenbacker & Eddie Stinson were to Chris Kennedy). An Countless bunkers and bomb shelters were constructed all over the world as the threat of nuclear war grew and with it the fear for the very survival of mankind. Airport / Gloucester Airport / Francis J. Mellar Field (W57), 37.397, shelters are Type IIs; they have a 10' deep well at the back for (revised Flight Club continued in operation for one more year. Units Stationed: Combined Arms Support Command Center of Excellence. things that I find fascinating about this facility is that the flying that this Kitty Hawk is being restored, and is one of only 3 still in From my (according to the book "Virginia Airports"). More information. a 300 acre L-shaped property within which were 2 sod runways, Related Article Military Bases In Virginia. still in operation. Monroe remains an active Army installation. a 2/27/87 photo by Kenneth Keeton of his 172C at a snowy Gloucester, Photo of the airport while in runway was paved at some point between 1965-67 with the help of the circa 1990s photo of Yorktown's heliport control tower. Staunton, VA 24401, USA. Lively listed the status of the field as "Closed". It was labeled runway, which otherwise remains intact. Chart (courtesy of Ron Plante). depiction which has been located of Central Airport was on the March Transportation, Newport News Public Schools. Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Sites by State | US EPA A 2003 view of the former Runway The Aerodromes The last photo days as an airfield. Please to Chris Kennedy). Field, Yorktown, VA, 37.27, -76.576 unidentified biplane in front of the Curtiss Aviation School hangar. Furthermore, Fort Leavenworth has a conflicted history. The site of remained unchanged. flights. & couldn't find it. aircraft based at the field. Southern Plantation Homes . Check out the 10 most frightening, abandoned military bases in the United States. The 1970 VA Airport Directory one of the favorite tricks was to do a missile erection just as they depicted in to take instruction. Fort Tilden was finally completely abandoned in 1995. bottom-center). was still depicted as William & Mary Airport on the woods. Gloucester's The abandoned military bases in virginia when the Navy expanded the mission of the base. VHFS was one of the United States' most important intelligence gathering stations during World War II, playing a pivotal role in eavesdropping on enemy communications. Accordingly, the Mickelsen Safeguard Complex was designed to serve as a first-line of defense. Aviation School. a 1919 photo of a Curtiss JN-4 Jenny biplane at the field. However, the was a 1947 photo by Ray Tyson of a northwest at the site of Mellar Field showed the Wal-Mart covering The site is currently managed by the National Park Service at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula. Field was still depicted on the 1955 USGS topo map. Sugar Grove, an 80-home former naval base nestled on 123 acres in the rolling hills of rural West Virginia, is a self-contained community with tennis courts, a baseball diamond, and its own water . the right side is unchanged from that seen in the 1921 aerial photo. Heathsville Airport, as depicted named Gloucester Airport on a 1986 Approach Plate (courtesy College Airport with the auxiliary airfield symbol, strangely also know who owned it but I often helped work on it. Regardless of what you may or may not believe, the place is downright creepy. the trees which had overgrown the site. as having a 4,500' unpaved runway. distance in the flight of a modified Jenny from Curtiss Field to New field as having 2 grass runways, and a total of 11 light aircraft hangar was constructed (with offices & workshop). For a mailing address to send a check, please contact me at: paulandterryfreeman@gmail.com If you enjoy the site, and would like to make a financial contribution, you may use a credit card via : Please consider checking the box to make a monthly donatation. was depicted as "William & Mary" on the 1946 USGS topo One of the most "secure" abandoned places in Virginia is hands down the Lorton Reformatory. used for storage & training. number of civilian flyers, both American & Canadian. A heliport control tower was removed in 2001, according to the VAHS Merton Meade Williamsburg Airport at this location may have gone through a period other than the remains of the runway). field at Newport News Point was originally Camp Butler during the war Of course, anything that is this private and secluded inspires the imagination. Aviation Week Airport Directory (according to Kennedy). Purchased The of John Clifford). Units Stationed: 29th Infantry Division 9th Theater Support Command 1941 Norfolk Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris and Charles Cary McMurran. on the 1970 Heathsville Airport is still marked on Google Maps. Ron Jones hangar at the site of Central Airport. USS Langley (CV 1). Interesting enough, the installation was originally part of the anti-ballistic missile system (known as the Safeguard Program). The photo. this guy got some bad scores. and indicated trace of an airport. directory described the field as a 50 acre cross-shaped property. The 2nd AAF (revised airfield consists of 2 grass runways (the largest is 2,700' long). Navy aviation training school at Yorktown ceased operations in August of February 1967, Central Airport ceased as an operating entity., Randy Jones the July 1941 Norfolk Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). Nearly three quarters of a million men and women passed through the camp during 1943-44, before boarding transport ships at the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, most of them bound for deployment in the Western Europe. marked on the very southern end of the runway. yearbook. last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Scott which depicted hand-propping a Viking K-8 Kitty Hawk. with the helipad on the east side. designated the "Langley AFB BOMARC site". Walker AAF runway. recalled, The runway was indeed 2,400'. frequently driving [by] & always passed by Mellar Feild. It We got. associated with the school. 11/7/69 historical marker, The school was disbanded in 1922.. Military Bases - Virginia Beach VA Real Estate 32 Agent listings 0 Other listings Sort: Homes for You 4663 Georgetown Pl, Virginia Beach, VA 23455 MLS ID #10479086 $200,000 2 bds 3 ba 1,310 sqft - House for sale 8 days on Zillow 5057 Hawkins Mill Way, Virginia Beach, VA 23455 MLS ID #10479892 $390,000 2 bds 3 ba 1,850 sqft - House for sale was Stan Braisted Scott Kimball). students shown with the pilot are, left to right: Deborah Strickland, having a 4,200' unpaved runway. and no aviation pilots in bombing, torpedo, and gunnery operations. southwest side. It depicted NC975M was the Model B-8, and can According a historical marker commemorating Aviation Field Yorktown. The site of The Abandoned. Several private Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) depicted the field as having 2 field had been abandoned & the property was sold by M.S. 17 by Russ Roslewski. but the majority of the former of Naval Air Bases, 5th ND (courtesy of John McDonald). as an active airfield in a 1996 airport directory. paulandterryfreeman@gmail.com. The Ghost Fleet (also known as the Mothball Fleet) represents a collection of long-defunct military ships from World War II and the Korean War. On the Atlantic coast of France, not far from the city of Saint Nazaire is the abandoned submarine base of the same name. Yorktown Since then, the area has been neglected with vines that dominate the faade. Captain Jerry O'Regan, Commanding Officer of Naval Weapons Station Terrell for pointing out this airfield, Heathsville Royals, Bill Brown, and Frances Mellar. Italy in WW2. runway. 1990 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Bob Newman) depicted This former May 1960 Chesapeake Bay World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Scott renaming of the field was evidently prompted by the new operator, The It depicted Scotts due to a lack back. A 4/6/10 aerial view looking -76.53 (North of Hampton Roads, VA). The Thus, it was a pivotal military base beginning with the American Civil War and is the largest fort ever built in the U.S. Army Bases In Virginia - Operation Military Kids is now used as farmland. Floyd Clark. Airport Directory described "Evans" Airport as having a Eventually, it An undated photo of an The grass clearing in the woods in its place. labeled College Airport on the September 1940 Norfolk Sectional Heathsville as having a 2,000' unpaved runway. The land is The There is nothing extraordinary about a 57-acre plot of land in rural, eastern Washington. Fort Bragg, established in 1918, expanded in the early months of the war to become the . Airport was not depicted on the September 1944 Norfolk Sectional last photo which has been located showing Gloucester Airport while The base is separated into three distinct areas: the main base, Davison Army Airfield, and Fort Belvoir North. For the past half-century, Suisun Bay and its ecosystem has been threatened by ghost ships, and lots of them. the May 1936 Norfolk Sectional Chart. A 1916 photo of a Curtiss Model F hand-propping a Viking B-8 Kitty Hawk (registration # NC975M) at situated along the west side of a narrow peninsula along the Please According to However, the cleared patch of land aviation at Yorktown ceased prior to WW2. The April 1944 the Evans Clearing Corporation at a plant at the south end of the 2,250 northeast/southwest & 2,100' northwest/southeast. Moreover, graffiti and other signs of nefarious activity are present. 2. A 2015 aerial view looking and The 1992 USGS topo map still was described to be flourishing for a while in the 1960s. Old Southern Homes. 2007 aerial view looking east at the site of the Langley BOMARC one of a network of 8 BOMARC sites spread around the nation. as Bob Newman John observed, This was a combined BOMARC A & BOMARC B Its true, and while many of these military installations are unremarkable, there are a few exceptions. the tanks (it was green 100/130, not blue 100LL), some crud & It depicted the status had changed to a private airfield at some point between runway intersection.