AAF Modification Center #3

As we drove into the Love Field parking complex, we drove across the former AAF Modification Center #3, 32-50-33, 96-50-45.  Operated by Lockheed during W.W.II, the facility is long gone.  Airport roads, parking, terminal buildings, and aircraft ramp surface cover the property.  Visited on Sunday, 4 Aug 2002.

Barksdale Communications Annex

About six miles northeast of Daingerfield, at 33-06-20, 94-39-30, the Air Force obtained land for a communications annex to Barksdale AFB.  Land was acquired in 1965, 101 acres in fee and 277.8 acres through leases.  The communications project was cancelled in 1966, and construction was not begun.  The leases were terminated in 1967, but the fee land was not disposed of until 1975.  The area is farmland, as seen on 21 Mar 1998.

Barron Field

The Royal Canadian Flying Corps first used this flying training field, located in Everman.  It transferred to U.S. control in April 1918.  Initially called Taliaferro Field No. 2, it was redesignated Barron Field on 1 May 1918.  It was in use as a temporary storage depot in 1920.  As seen on 26 Oct 2003, a historical marker and one remaining building are at 32-37-33, 97-18-16.

Benbrook Field / Carruthers Field

This flying training field, in Fort Worth, was used first by the Royal Canadian Flying Corps in 1917 and 1918.  It was originally called Taliafero Field No. 3 (or No. 2, according to one reference), then Carruthers Field or Benbrook Field.  After the United States entered W.W.I, this field trained U.S. pilots.  The area, centered roughly on 32-40-25, 97-27-40, is now built up with homes.  I've heard anecdotal evidence of building foundation remnants in some backyards, but I didn't see any on my 20 Apr 2003 visit.  This is the view looking west, in the area I suspect was formerly occupied by hangars.  A memorial to a flying casualty is on the southern part of the former field.

Bergstrom Nike Site BG-40

The control site, BG-40C, was gated and locked.  As seen from the gate, the property was quite overgrown.  The Bergstrom defense area Nike sites were operational from 1960 to 1966.

The closest I got to the launcher site, BG-40L, was this access road.  This visit made sometime in 1996.

Bergstrom Nike Site BG-80

In 1996, I found the launcher site, BG-80L.  The gate was locked, and in the nearby weeds I noticed a survey marker.

Brooks Homes Family Housing Annex

On 22 Mar 2003 I visited this former housing area.  This was probably a W.W.II Lanham Act housing project, but I have not confirmed that fact.  Starting in 1949, I find Brooks Homes listed as an annex to Brooks AFB.  Brooks Homes Family Housing Annex was still active in Dec 1975, but was disposed of in 1979.  The homes were on an oval-shaped road named Brooks Parkway, which was centered on approximately 29-21-27, 98-29-38.  This area has now been obliterated by a shopping center.  A US Army Reserve Center just west of the shopping center may be on part of the former housing annex (I don't have a layout plan to confirm property boundaries).

Bryan Aux Fld (Coulter Field)

Visited on 30 Dec 1994.  A 1953 preliminary master plan for Bryan AFB shows the Coulter Field Airport (CFD), 30-43, 96-20, as Aux Fld T-28.  This may have been a planned action that never materialized, as I can find no other evidence that the USAF used this field.  This marker indicates the airport dates back to 1938.

Camp Mystic

My first visit to Camp Mystic is shown in the "Let the Games Begin" trip report.  I was in the area on 20 Sep 2003, so I stopped by the front gate to see if anything had changed.  It looked much the same as it did 9.5 years earlier.

Carson Homes

This housing area was assigned to Brooks AFB from 1949 until approximately 1955.   The housing area had 137 buildings on 42.9 acres, and is adjacent to the south border of Fort Sam Houston at 29-26-30, 98-26-53.  It was built for civilian war workers at the fort.  It may have been a Lanham Act project, but this is not confirmed.  It has a mix of single-family and duplex units, most of them still inhabited as of my 28 Aug 2004 visit.

Carswell AFB

On Saturday, 13 May 2000, we attended an air show on the former Carswell AFB.  The control tower shows the current name.  The highlight of the show was the performance by the Navy's Blue Angels, but a close second was seeing part of a B-36.  And for the younger SAC vets, there was a B-52 on the flight line.

Carswell Communications Annex Receiver

I looked for this facility on 13 Oct 2003, in the company of Bill Sievers, and we found locked gates.  The site itself is about half a mile in the background of this photo, and is centered at 32-47-07, 97-28-30.  Th receiver annex was leased in 1951, and was still active under Carswell AFB in 1975; disposal date not yet known. 

Carswell ILS Outer Marker Annex

Bill Sievers shared the location of this one.  It's just north of I-20, at Benbrook, 32-41-13, 97-26-43.  A couple wood poles are visible from a private gate, as I saw on 22 Nov 2003.  Bill had recently obtained permission and visited the remains of the site, which he remembered from the early 1960s.  The layout of the site suggests that in addition to the outer marker, a homer beacon or compass locator was also installed here.  The annex was activated in 1959, and was still in use under Carswell AFB in 1975; disposal date not yet known.

Clear Springs AF Auxiliary Field

I checked on the New Braunfels Municipal Airport (BAZ) on 20 Mar 2004.  This airport was an auxiliary field to Randolph AFB for most of the time period from 1940 to 1967.  My first visit was a decade ago (see Let the Games Begin!) when the FAA airport code was 3R5.  The FAA changed the airport code to BAZ sometime after 1996.  In 2001, a modern, new terminal building opened for business.  This new terminal is visible from a Quonset hut, believed to be the sole surviving Air Force building on the airport.

Clear Springs AF Auxiliary Landing Strip #6

Also known as Gary Landing Strip #6, this small field at 30-01-15, 97-55, supported Edward Gary AFB in the mid 1950s.  I visited on 16 Jun 1996.

Clear Springs AF Auxiliary Landing Strip #8

Also known as Gary Landing Strip #8, this field at 30-02, 97-54, was also an auxiliary to Edward Gary AFB, as shown in a Dec 1953 aerial photo.   Visited on 16 Jun 1996.

Cox AAFld

I visited Cox Field (PRX), 33-38, 95-27, on 14 Mar 1998.  Early in W.W.II, this was known as Legion Field, and it supported the Armys' Camp Maxey.  It was also referred to as Paris Airfield, as well as Cox Field or Cox AAFld.  During the war it was assigned at different times to Abilene AAFld, Barksdale Field, and Majors AAFld.   Command assignment was 2AF in late 1942, changing to 3AF by mid 1943.  Now, it's a small general aviation airport.

Cuero Municipal Airport

This contract flying school was north of Cuero at 29-08-08, 97-18-10.  Brayton Flying Service operated this contract flying school for the Army Air Forces.  On 18 Oct 2003, I was able to set foot on part of the concrete ramp and observe two different hangars and what I believe was the administration building, complete with flagpole.  Part of the actual flying field is now occupied by a prison.

Dallas-Fort Worth Nike Site DF-01

On Monday, 19 Jan 1998, I looked for the DF-01 Nike base.  I found the control site (DF-01C) on the west side of FM 2164. It seemed to have most or all of the Army buildings, but they were quite trashed. I saw a pickup truck driving inside the site but the numerous no trespassing signs led me to believe they might not be entertaining callers. So I shot a couple of photos from the road and headed north to find the launcher site, DF-01L. Also on the west side of FM 2164, at 33-17-19, 97-07-54, the launcher site looks like it is in much better condition. It is home to the University of North Dallas Astronomy Observatory. Gated and locked, I shot a photo from the entrance.

About a year later, I was offered a tour of DF-01C, on Saturday, 27 Feb 1999.

The control site, DF-01C, comprises ten acres along the west side of Farm to Market Road (FM) 2164, north of Denton.  An additional one-acre in fee, plus associated easements, is on the east side of FM 2164, for the sewage lagoon.  After the Army packed up and left, the site was transferred to the Denton Independent School District.  It was used for some classes, but mostly just for storage of unneeded school equipment (tables, chairs, etc.).  The present owner bought the site in 1995, and lives on the property.

The administration building was damaged by fire years ago.  Two standard barracks (L shaped) are still in good condition.  The usual Nike support buildings are present; mess hall, generator building, interconnecting corridor, pump house with pressure tank, 15,000-gallon water tank, and guard shack.  The Missile Tracking Radar (MTR), Target Tracking Radar (TRR), and Target Ranging Radar (TRR) sat on concrete pads on the highest part of the property (north edge), lined up from east to west.  A concrete pad and adjacent metal building for a TPS-1 radar also still stand.  The site also has a basketball court and a helipad.  The bore sighting mast was removed long ago.  The original perimeter fence remains; additional interior fencing has been added recently for animal control.

Another radar pad was added later on a large built-up mound of dirt, to the west of the TTR, TRR, and MTR.  I'm not sure what type of radar sat here.  Also added later in the program was a High Power Acquisition Radar (HIPAR) tower and its adjacent building.  The HIPAR building has huge air handling vents and an unusual raised area in the center of the ceiling.  The generator building was modified at some point, doubling its size.  The latest configuration shows pads for three diesel generators in the newer portion, with a control room in the older portion.  This was probably done to accommodate the increased power needs of the HIPAR.

The owner and I also went up to look at the launcher site, DF-01L, one mile north and also on the west side of FM 2164.  It was locked but we walked the perimeter of the 20-acre facility, outside the fence.  It is now an astronomy laboratory, owned by the University of North Texas.  There is additional new construction (observatory buildings and a large radio antenna), but most original buildings remain.  We could identify the warheading building and its berms, the ready building, acid storage shed, generator building, and kennels.  A vintage warning sign lay on the ground.  Also visible was the inner entry control gate; as well as ventilators and entry hatches for the three missile storage pits.

Dallas-Fort Worth Nike Site DF-20

Like the other Nike sites in the Dallas-Fort Worth defense area, this one operated from 1960 to 1968.  The control site, DF-20C, was gated and locked.  I was able to see one radar tower, and the guard shack from the gate.  

The launcher site, DF-20L, was also gated and locked.  This visit was sometime in 1996.

Dallas-Fort Worth Nike Site DF-50

When I arrived at DF-50C, the gate was open.   The property was marked New Life Ministries, and a service was taking place.   I've since learned that New Life Ministries leases two buildings on the property from the owner.  A worker taking a smoke break outside gave me the go-ahead to look at the remaining radar tower.   I had a good overall view of the site from the tower.

The launcher site, DF-50L, was a bit more secure.  The gate was closed.  This site has been advertised for sale on various web sites, for several years.  It is described as being in very close to original condition.  Visited sometime in 1996.

Dallas-Fort Worth Nike Maintenance Site

This facility was located on the Fort Worth General Depot.  During the Nike era, this facility was called the 1st Combined Guided Missile Field Maintenance Shop.   According to a 1962 brochure, it was located in building S-217, 32-40-20, 97-20-22.   I visited in Aug 2002, and confirmed the location is now a parking lot on the Fort Worth Federal Center. 

Denton Airport

On Monday, 19 Jan 1998, I went in search of Denton Airport, also called Hartlee Field, a W.W.II contract flying training base located at 33-16, 97-04. This was a liaison-training field with a grass landing field.  I found the gate locked with a sign proclaiming "Historic Hartlee Field." In 1993, the FAA listed this as Hartlee Field (1F3), but 1997 FAA databases show no airport here. The landing area is still an open field; no buildings were visible from the road. A passerby told me the property had changed hands a year or two ago and was no longer used as an airport.

I revisited this location on 6 Nov 2004 with Mark Morgan.  The sign was gone.   From the public road, we could see a wind tetrahedron on the field, and one or both hangars were visible through some trees.

Duncanville AFS

I made my first visit in Nov 1996.  The most prominent former-USAF building was a DPS Drivers License facility.  Duncanville AFS served as a long-range radar site from 1952 to 1964.  Centered at about 32-38-55, 96-54-25, it occupies part of a former Navy outlying field.  After the Air Force left, the Army continued to operate part of the property as Duncanville Army Air Defense Site until 1966.  This was the Army Air Defense Command Post (AADCP) for the Nike missile sites in the Dallas-Fort Worth defense area.

In Oct 1997, I renewed my Texas driver's license in a vintage building on the former Duncanville AFS.  The housing units remained in place, though vacant.  Besides the housing and some of the barbed wire fence, only a couple smaller buildings remained that looked to be from the Air Force.

By Nov 1999, new construction was underway.

By the time of these Jul 2000 photos, the housing and the vintage building shown above had been removed to make way for new development.  A monument to the Nike program was constructed next to one of the new buildings. 

Ennis AT&T Facility

This compound is located just east of Interstate 45 in Ennis, at 32-18-39, 96-35-39.  The main building is actively used, and there were quite a few cars parked inside the fence.  Behind the newer, main building is the 283-foot microwave tower (A-style).  A pair of square horns points to the north; newer round dishes face southeast.  An older building next to the tower looks like an L-3 repeater hut.  There is a multi-bay garage nearby.  A coil of cable lies just over the fence in a neighboring cow pasture; it was too far away to determine if it was some old coax, or something newer.  Markers in place on the northwest fence, and on the southwest fence, indicate old coax routes running roughly north-northwest and west-southwest. Visited on Sunday, 7 Nov 1999.

Fort Richardson

On the return leg of a shopping trip to Booked Up, we stopped at Fort Richardson, near Jacksboro, Texas, at 33-12-26, 98-09-52.  Okay, it's not my typical target, but it was an interesting stop.  Several vintage buildings remain.   Visit on Saturday, 3 Aug 2002.

Fort Worth, Royal Flying Corps graves in Greenwood Memorial Park

My research into the Taliaferro fields (Hicks, Barron, and Carruthers) indicated that some of the Canadians who died in training were buried at these fields during W.W.I.   In 1924, the British government purchased a plot in Greenwood Memorial Park, supplied headstones, and had the eleven men reinterred.   A twelfth veteran was added to the plot at a later time.  This is in Section 5 of the cemetery, at 32-45-47, 97-21-48.

Gainesville AAFld

This airfield supported Camp Howze during W.W.II.  I revisited the airport on 6 Nov 2004, with Mark Morgan.  The only building we could judge to be W.W.II-vintage was a hangar.

Garland ANG Station

This Air National Guard facility is tucked away next to a park in Garland.  Its home to a couple of communications units.  Visit on 19 Sep 1998.

Gary Landing Strip #2

This auxiliary to Edward Gary AFB was shown on a 1955 map.  Located at 29-56-30, 97-54, it was also known as Clear Springs AF Auxiliary Landing Strip #2.  I photographed the field on 16 Jun 1996.

Gary Landing Strip #7

Another auxiliary of Edward Gary AFB, circa. 1955.  Located at 30-01-15, 97-54-30, it was also known as Clear Springs AF Auxiliary Landing Strip #7.  I visited the field on 16 Jun 1996.

Georgetown Auxiliary Field

On our way home from San Antonio, we stopped at the Georgetown airport (GTU), 30-41, 97-41.  It was listed on a 1955 Air Training Command preliminary master plan, as Georgetown Auxiliary Field, supporting Bergstrom AFB.  I have not seen other evidence to corroborate this, so it may have only been a planned or proposed arrangement.  Visit in Jan 1995.

During W.W.II, this was a Defense Plant Corporation facility known as Plancor 898, operated by Globe Aircraft Corporation.  It produced advanced trainer airplanes for the Army Air Forces.  It was declared excess by the Army in 1945, and sold as surplus in 1946.  But it looks like Uncle Sam repurchased the property at some point in time.   A 1981 topo map calls the facility, at 32-51-39, 97-20-39, "Saginaw Army Aircraft Plant."   In 2004, this facility is listed as a surplus property for sale by the General Services Administration.  I visited the site on 22 May 2004, and viewed the plant from the fence at the east end of the property.

Gregg County Airport

In 1943, this airport was listed as Longview, an emergency field for fighter command.   In 1946, training command requested it as an auxiliary for Barksdale AFB.  I don't believe that ever took place, based on 1948 records showing this as strictly a civilian airport.  In Jan 1995, this is still Gregg County Airport (GGG), at 32-23, 94-43.

Headquarters, Army Air Forces Training Command

From 1943 to 1946, the headquarters of Army Air Forces Training Command was located on the six upper floors of the Texas and Pacific Railroad building, in Fort Worth, at 32-44-46, 97-19-40.  Here are two views of this building, undergoing renovation at the time of my visit, on Thursday, 31 Dec 1998.  I snapped a newer photo from nearby I-30 on 14 Aug 2004.

Hensley Field

I hoped to get a look at Hensley Field in 1999, shortly after it inactivated, but found it inaccessible to the public.  Both the Army and Navy used Hensley Field, 32-44-30, 96-57-30, during W.W.II.  It became known as NAS Dallas in the early 1950s, with both ANG and AFRES units on the field at various times.  In the late 1990s, this was Dallas NAS / Hensley Field (NBE).  I revisited the installation on 4 Dec 2004, and found it secured and guarded -- I was denied access for "liability and safety" reasons.   The signs called it Millenium Dallas Airport, and although the airfield is not currently active, it did seem that there was a lot of activity on the former base.   From outside the fence, I was able to photograph a couple of former Navy hangars and a former Air National Guard hangar.

Kaufman County Airport

This airport, at 32-43-30, 96-16-30, was a contract flying school in W.W.II, operated by the William F. Long Branch of the Terrell Aviation School, Ltd.  It was also known as British Flying Training School #1 (B.F.T.S. #1) and was one of several AAF schools training British pilots.  My visit to the present Terrell Airport (TRL) was in Oct 1996.

Kelly Homes Family Housing Annex

On 22 Mar 2003, I visited this former housing area.  The Public Housing Administration (PHA) acquired the land for Kelly Homes in 1941.  They built 148 homes on the property.  This was probably a Lanham Act civilian war housing project, but I haven't confirmed that fact.  In 1946, the PHA transferred the housing to the War Department, and this became Kelly Homes Annex.  It was later redesignated Kelly Homes Family Housing Annex, serving Kelly AFB until it was placed in excess status in 1961.   A small parcel at the west end of the housing area was transferred to the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in 1953, and Kelly Elementary School was built to serve the Air Force families.   Centered at approximately 29-23-37, 98-32-23, the homes are lived-in and the elementary school still operates under the Kelly name.   This photo is aimed ENE past the school toward the housing.

Kerrville Municipal Airport

This small civil airport at 29-59, 99-05, was developed during W.W.II and listed as either Kerrville or Louis Schreiner (New).  It was authorized for use by both the Army and Navy in 1943 and early 1944.  At the time of my visit, 20 Sep 2003, it is the Kerrville Municipal Airport / Louis Schreiner Field (ERV).  Due to rain, I took only a couple of photos, from inside my vehicle.

Lake McQueeney Recreation Annex

This small property, PIN 1226, was on the shore of Lake McQueeney at 29-36-08, 98-02-05.  It was donated to the USAF in 1953, and served Randolph AFB until its disposal on 9 Mar 1970.  It now now appears to be part of the McQueeney Marina.  Visited on 9 Feb 2003.

Lavernia Radio Beacon Annex

This homing beacon was located about 13 miles SSE of Randolph AFB, at 29-21-30, 98-11-23.  Leased in 1951, it consisted of 2.07 acres.  The outer .5 acre was disposed of in 1955, and the remaining property was disposed of in 1961.  A run-down building still stands, alongside the tall wooden pole that held the antenna.  I visited the location on 26 Jan 2003.   Sources also refer to this as Lavernia Homing Beacon Annex, or Randolph Inner Homing Beacon Annex.

Marion Auxiliary Field #3

This field was an auxiliary of Randolph Field from 1932 until 1945.  One early history also calls it Wohlfahrt Field.  Visit on 16 Jun 1996.

Olney Municipal Airport

On a shopping trip to Booked Up, in Archer City, Texas, my dad and I stopped at Olney Municipal Airport, 33-21-03, 98-49-08.  We found a typical gen-av field, with no clues to its W.W.II service as an auxiliary to Fort Worth AAFld.  Visit on Saturday, 3 Aug 2002.

Palestine Municipal Airport

I visited Palestine Municipal Airport (PSN) on 30 Dec 1994.  This airport, at 31-47, 95-42, was an auxiliary to Bergstrom AAFld from 1942 to 1944.  This hangar and the terminal building and beacon may date from the W.W.II days.

Perrin AFB

I revisited Perrin AFB on 17 Dec 2004.  This time my goal was to find the group of buildings that supported the fighter-interceptor alert hangar.  I found the maintenance hangar, readiness crew dormitory, and rocket checkout and assembly building.  I could see the fighter alert hangar in the distance, and from another location I could observe large additions on the rear of the hangar.

Randolph Civilian War Housing

In 1943, land for civilian war housing was acquired by the War Department for the National Housing Authority.  Housing was constructed under the Lanham Act, for civilians working in war industries.  In approximately 1949, the housing was transferred to the USAF, and used by Randolph AFB.   It was reported excess in 1953, and disposed of in 1954.  At first, I suspected the apartments currently on part of the site were the original Lanham Act apartment units, but I recently learned that the wartime housing was razed before the property was disposed of.  I visited the former housing, centered at 29-32-44, 98-17-09, on 16 Jun 1996.

Randolph Radio Range Annex

This radio range, at 29-29-21, 98-16-08, served Randolph from 1939 to 1959.  At the end of the narrow access road, you can see the new and original gates.  A distant shot from the road reveals the wood poles, which supported the antenna wires.  Visit on 16 Jun 1996.

Sidney GFA

On my drive home from visiting an Atlas missile site, I looked for Sidney GFA, 31-54-42, 98-42-07.  The access road was gated, and I could not see the site directly from the public road.  This gap filler annex started service in the late 1950s, and was disposed of in late 1961.  This visit on Saturday, 25 Mar 2000.

Tarrant Field Radio Range

On Saturday, 25 Mar 2000, I drove directly past the former Tarrant Field Radio Range, 32-23-58, 97-53-17.  This radio range served Fort Worth AAFld (A.K.A. Tarrant Field) during W.W.II, and was declared surplus approximately 1947.  Although the property still stands out distinctly in aerial photos, no clues were visible from the public road.  A newer home blocks the location of the radio range building, which may or may not still stand.

Waxahachie L-1 Repeater Hut

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