Oxnard Air Force Base

Oxnard Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base, located in the city of Camarillo, California.

For the civil use of this facility after 1969, see Camarillo Airport.
Not to be confused with Oxnard Airport.
Oxnard Air Force Base
Part of Air Defense Command
Camarillo, California
Convair F-106A-90-CO Delta Dart 57-2486 437th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.
Oxnard AFB
Coordinates34°12′50″N 119°05′40″W
TypeAir Force Base
Site history
Built1940
In use1940-1945; 1951-1970

History

Camarillo Airport was originally established in 1942 when the California State Highway Department constructed an auxiliary landing field with a 5,000 ft (1,500 m) runway. During World War II the 36th Flying Training Wing (U.S. Army Air Forces) supervised contractors training pilots at the airfield. The runway was later extended to 8,000 ft (2,400 m) in 1951 to accommodate what by then had developed into Oxnard Air Force Base. The airport runway was further extended in 1959 to accommodate jet fighter aircraft such as the Northrop F-89 Scorpion and McDonnell F-101B, used as part of the Los Angeles Area Air Defense Network. In the 1950s, the base was also home to the 354th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. In Mid-1960s the base received 17 new F-106 Delta Darts. On January 1, 1970, Oxnard AFB was deactivated and the base became surplus property. Oxnard had 99 Officers and 990 enlisted assigned prior to its closing. The last commanding officer of the 414th Fighter Group was Colonel Paul D. Cofer.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

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