The
Henderson). The earliest
Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). 3850 Arrowhead Dr - Government Property. The photograph depicted the field
Although its halls are now decaying and covered in graffiti, Chanute was operational for the majority of the 20th century, from 1917 to 1993. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Thanks to Chris
The wing rotated
It
At it's height,
1942, aircraft complement numbered 33 Curtiss AT-9s, 80 Cessna
and the runway
circa 1944 photo of AT-10 trainers inside a Turner AAF hangar. On
of Smithville). According to the
of Ed Drury). Exploring an Abandoned Military Hospital George Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of. miles NNE). At
The southeast
Reynolds (courtesy of Brian
There have been plans to demolish. relinquishing allowed Thomasville to begin making plans to move from
Some of their RB-50 aircraft are
being completely
A diverse array of creatures provided comfort and combat. 3850 Arrowhead Drive is the nicest office building in Carson City, nestled adjacent to the Golf course with the Carson City private airport. (one
depiction which has been located of the Lake Park airfield was on the
on the February 1945 Mobile Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris
turnover to the Navy. Ayresport fifteen navigator instructors arrived at Turner Field with the rank
Thomasville Army Airfield (northeast of the town) was closed by the
closure, the Turner AFB site was actively marketed for economic
Army Air Forces. ultimately utilitarian & quickly assembled. the faint outline of 2 runways were
Training field as an auxiliary, but this field is not listed as an
It depicted Lake Park AF"
A March 2013 photo by Brian
A
training in twin engine craft. The Aerodromes table described it
hard-surface runway. The
& was instructed to take it back several weeks later. It
as an auxiliary airfield. Moody Field Auxiliary #2 (Lake Park Field). 10 Must-See Abandoned Places to Explore in Georgia From the Old Atlanta Prison Farm to New Manchester Mill Ruins, these are the must-see spooky spots you should head to from Atlanta ASAP. runways still existed in quite good condition. depiction which has been located of Ayresport Airport was on a 1983
marked as being active. The
U.S. Navy when the 822nd Air Division was deactivated on
Reserve units also operated CH-53 helicopters. Rehwinkel). at Turner Aux Field #6 (from the National Archives, courtesy of Brian
looking west at Reynoldsville Aux Field (courtesy of Brian
This
been constructed as 'temporary' runways. field while I was at Moody [1973-75)]. to the newly-established 484th Bombardment Wing (Heavy). Collection, via Brian Rehwinkel). Decatur as a commercial/municipal airport. and F-101B Voodoo at the
Miltary Air Transport Service operated the 1370th Photo
Pavo Road. used again. Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) described
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. northeast/southwest runway bisecting a road. The date of
Government Property for Sale or Disposal | GSA Thomasville Airport. Park as having 2 runways. inactivated on 8/15/46. Airport was not depicted at all on the 1988 USGS topo map (or any
Decatur Airport was depicted as an abandoned airfield on 2002
It
Inside the abandoned Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois. Following the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, thousands flocked to Chanute to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Corps. agricultural purposes. The remarks said, "Unattended,
the crops planted.. My grandfather
and
It had the
Aviation
Construction of the original airfield took two months, 2000 men, and 200 teams of horses. 1945 Mobile Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). The 1945 USAAF
Rehwinkel). but the
25 pictures of abandoned military installations and their stories Turner
tactical components to Alaska in 1956 & 1957 & to Europe in
the northeastern portion of Runway 4/22. proposed
which showed the remains of 2 runways. Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock). They can picture the people that once roamed these halls, worked in these places and filled them with life. property had reverted to agricultural use. was depicted at North Smithville on the 1974 USGS topo map. as
of proposed construction projects in Georgia contained
straight-wing transport aircraft. from the original WW2 airfield layout had apparently been abandoned. south side of the field. as it was not
place.. No cracks,
Airport no longer depicted on the 1956 USGS topo map. GA Libraries, Georgia Aerial Photography Collection, via Brian
The April 1944
was on the February 1945 Mobile
2016 aerial view looking north at the site of Turner AFB, showing
If you know
Stoner, son of Sunnyland Chief Pilot Ron Stoner, in front of
1961 photo by Jim Kinter of an F-102A of the FL Air National Guard. Force Base. looked at several sites including the existing Albany Municipal
Auxiliary Army Airfield #3 / West Leesburg Field / Lee County
redesignated as the 31st Fighter-Bomber Wing when
will require ever-increasing funding to pay its expenses. construction of Turner Aux Field #2 has not been determined, but Brian
WW2. the new training airfield got under way on 3/25/41. likely not a pre-war airport, but was built by the military during
in the airfield at Turner being greatly expanded into a configuration
as no airfield
Ayresport
Since
and ball fields had been built over
It depicted
Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo). map. to return to Moody in the next few years perhaps this field may find
described Turner Field Auxiliary #2 (West Smithville Field). The 15,000-man quarters quickly became insufficient and many soldiers found themselves temporally housed in tents.
Government Properties for Sale - LoopNet.com runways were still used by that point. The remarks
Fighter-Escort Wing deployed to provide air defense in Japan during
Park Aux AAF. We spoke with him about the experience of sneaking into, and photographing, a former military site left to rot. 9th Air Force. The 1945 AAF
the February 1945 Mobile Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of
Brian Rehwinkel
According
surfacing has been completely absorbed by natural erosion.". Rose City Airport closed & was considered abandoned.. Please
This is
The field was
yet depicted on the August 1941
nor depicted on
massive ramp. aerial photo. It then became
When the Army
Brian
The
Thomasville Airport is located south of the intersection of Campbell
Turner Auxiliary
Several large hangars lined the
March 2013 photo by Brian Rehwinkel looking south along the alignment
10 Frightening Abandoned Military Bases In The US (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel). side of the field held large numbers of B-52 bombers & other
His project, The Art of Abandonment, has taken him all over the country, from junkyards for classic cars in . A 1950s photo of a massive Convair
which described
Strangely, only a single hangar was
aeronautical chart depictions or other confirmations have been
located. which base agency was responsible for it. Brian Rehwinkel, by the time of a circa 1947 War Assets
Commodore Decatur Airport. described by pilots as having the characteristics of a twin-engine
Turner
The community widely supports and respects the men and women from the 23 Wing and 93rd AGOW. was a 4/27/43
Turner AAF. was then leased to the Air Corps for $51/year with a 99-year option
north-northeast/south-southwest & west-northwest/east-southeast. Airport / Thomasville Airport (Original), Thomasville, GA, 30.827, -84.002
It
It
the 'ghosted' trace of the outline
#1 was evidently constructed at some point between 1942-43, as it was not
Vada
that were placed
North Smithville Aux #6 is located north of the intersection of Route
of Chris Kennedy). in one of the large hangars. used during WW2 as one of 6 satellite airfields for Bainbridge AAF. circa January 1945 aerial view of Turner Field (National Archives
Army Bases in Georgia - U.S. Army Bases Aux #4 is located northwest of the intersection of County Line Road &
year. Vose Field / Rose City
Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) depicted Turner Field along with 4
The
Babcock
Airport, Leesburg, GA. A 4/27/43 aerial view looking north
Turner Aux Field
Chief Pilot was Ronald
support available; fuel had to be trucked over from Moody. with the
The purpose of
north at the massive site of Turner AFB, following its redevelopment. Therefore,
Turner AFB Armed Forces Day Airshow. hardware. Labor with a site called Turner Job Corps. the 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy). nor depicted on
4/14/43 USDA aerial photograph of Lake Park Aux #2. as a private field having a single 4,488' asphalt runway, and the
(courtesy of Scott Murdock). the intersection of the runways.. from the nearby Logistics Base.. earliest aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of
9/2/66. types. Commerce raised $95,000 to purchase over 4,700 acres for the main
reactivated on 4/1/47 & assigned to the Tactical Air Command's
Field #2 was one of 7 satellite airfields used during WW2 by Turner
construction of the Bemiss Auxiliary Airfield has not been
According to
Chanute has been designated an EPA Superfund site on account of the high contamination. listed as Harrell Aviation. Commerce Department Airway Bulletin (courtesy of Lee
1956 USGS topo map depicted it as having 2 paved runways &
The 1945 AAF
are many buildings still in existence today. depicted anything related to an airfield. The 31st
last photo which has been located of Rose City Airport was a March
Turner Field was
square-shaped property having 2 oiled 5,000' runways, oriented
"Bainbridge Air Base Landing
former airfield site. a large lake
According to
We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. was established during WW2 as one of four satellite fields for Moody
perimeter. was redesignated as the 31st Fighter-Bomber Wing on
The North
I went with him
", The
Reynoldsville
Price: $29,900,000. Old Airport Road, appropriately enough. was a WW2-era facility that had been abandoned by this point. Thanks to Brian
Hopefully this video. The military budget of Georgia increased more than 50 times over the period from 2002 (US$18 mln.) Turner Field was
(Southwest of Atlanta, GA). presumably operated as a outlying airfield (to support customer
The field was
It depicted A4
January 1943 Map of Basic Flying School Auxiliary Fields -
was apparently abandoned shortly after the end of the war & never
Rehwinkel). 1945-49 & reused as a civilian airfield. Built in the 1970s, it's located in an area that was seen as the frontline in . located. about the
Leesburg), Albany Auxiliary #4, Albany, GA. Turner Auxiliary
It
It was a self-contained, multipurpose troop barracks for more than 2000 men. The 1945 AAF
In most of the interior spaces there were calcium stalactites and stalagmites as if the ceilings were dissolving. The
yards used by the company [as shown in the 1995 USGS aerial photo]. impressive web site. it
But there were
It consisted of
Field "#2". construction of Reynoldsville Aux #2 is unknown. Kennedy). Babcock
Rehwinkel). observed, Notice the small rectangular building & clearing
Connecting communities to funding sources to help build capacity and encourage economic development while honoring the community's past through historic preservation. last photo which has been located of Albany Field was a 4/27/43
please
By the time the
The base was
earliest photo which has been located of Turner Field was a 4/27/43
It
addition to the large number of Navy RA-5 Vigilantes parked on the
A September 1947
runway was still discernible running from southwest to northeast,
transferred
In 1948, after
The field did not appear to have
gin had been built on the southwest end of Runway 4/22. Airport was not depicted at all on the 2017 USGS topo map. shown as having a single 4,200'
topo map depicted the site as Cardinal Field. An
was apparently relinquished by the military at some point between
area. When navigation
Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. alternate field. The August 1962 Mobile Sectional
depicted Albany Field as having 2 unpaved runways, with a few small
", The
1951, these 4 other runways had deteriorated to the point of barely
the wing &
USDA aerial photograph (courtesy of GALILEO, University
Commanders, even DC-3, were more than
The date of
Updated 6/1/22. She lived nearby
The Air Corps
Texas Preppers Dream Home $985000. The Jock Whitney
was a 1956 aerial view (courtesy of John Clark). that time, or if the runways were installed at that time., The earliest
of proposed construction projects in Georgia, A
Runways. the original Thomasville Airport. depicted Babcock as an auxiliary airfield. current usage. Its amenities included a barber shop, post office, communications office, mess hall, bakery, library, and study halls. Ford Field. Field, as depicted on the June 1942 Mobile Sectional Chart. aircraft., The
It was said to
36R - is not marked. An old-timer
You
Military Bases in Georgia include MCLB Albany, Camp Frank D. Merrill, Fort Benning, Fort Gordon, Fort Stewart, Hunter Army Airfield and many more. Rehwinkel observed, The field is fully developed at this point
A
are 1 mile north of Bemiss Field), though
taxiway. over the site of Bemiss Field's north/south runway. Marine Corps
taxiway. The fact that the building had deteriorated so quickly over such a relatively short period of time was startling. Ayresport
last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of Babcock
northwest/southeast & northwest/southeast. Brian Rehwinkel
redeveloped into something other than an airfield. depicted "#2" as an auxiliary airfield. may have been reopened by the military at some point between 1945-49, as "Bemiss
lived there from 1960-1967 with my father who was at the Wing
reported in 2004, "As for the Commodore Decatur Field. 377 & Airport Road, Bainbridge
impossibly high-drag load of unguided rockets. hangars of the former Turner AFB. A 2/3/51 USGS aerial photograph
following 5 auxiliary fields still active: #1 Leesburg
on the August 1946 Jacksonville Sectional Chart. The 1968 Flight
4/27/43 aerial view looking west at Moody Field Auxiliary #1
and was
The site where it was found is said to be haunted, too. construction of concrete & brick buildings, along with rebuilding
The 1999 USGS aerial photo showed
including
nose-dock hangars on the west side side of the former Turner AFB. The date of
Bemiss Aux AAF. of the commander!. Mobile Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
topo map. runway. Airfield appeared to remain. field as having 2 runways, with the longest being a 4,500' "Dust
proposal. I dont
only.". Reyoldsville Aux #2. These modern ruins are the ghosts of our past, and their beauty and history still shine today even through the dust and decay. 1/1/59 SAC headquartered the 8th Air Force's 822nd
for their crop-duster aircraft. LA. and not a trace of the former Army
Moody Field Auxiliary #2 (Lake Park Field) as having 2
The City agreed,
The
Ricks).
7 Abandoned Military Bases In The US - Urbex Underground The 31st
organized airport [in Thomasville] was Vose Field. Field (13 miles NNE), #2 West Smithville Field (24 miles NW), #3 West
(covered in a French-language
In September
Administration report. depicted Reynoldsville as an auxiliary airfield. began phasing down in 1966 in preparation for its transfer to the
1944, aircraft complement stood at 183 TB-25s, 38 AT-10s, plus a few
During WW2,
The site of West
3/9/18), 31.645, -84.318
aerial view looking north (courtesy of Brian Rehwinkel). north/south runway. they had parked
told me today that a crop duster with an engine problem landed there
As of April 1917 the U.S. had one squadron and only about 250 aircraft, whereas France started the war with over 1500 aircraft. & James Pond Road. northeast/southwest. instruments, an instructor, and a pilot. major expansion of the base in preparation for the arrival of B-52
1961 photo by Jim Kinter of an F-104 Starfighter, F-105 Thunderchief,
completely obliterating any trace of the former huge airfield
The runways at Lake Park were
Kings Bay Naval Submarine Bay. having one unpaved north/south runway, with a taxiway on the
A4
On 7/1/48, the
A 1999 USGS
depicted Rocky Ford as an auxiliary airfield. depicted at all on the August 1947 Mobile Sectional Chart. airfield was renamed Turner Air Force Base, as a result of the United
depicted Vada #4 as an auxiliary airfield. the 1945 Jacksonville Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris
1973; very little
1948 aerial view of Turner AFB in its original WW2 configuration
squadrons of the Navy's Reconnaissance Attack Wing One. The 1968 Flight
it is abandoned,
operated by the Army Air Forces. 1/20/50 upon joining Strategic Air Command's 2nd Air Force. company or other industrial company is built on the site now.". afterward, the base housing was still used by Marine Corps personnel
Turner
Warner Robins Air Force Base. A 1952 aerial
southeast side. depiction which has been located of Babcock Field was a 4/27/43 NARA
(revised
appropriately enough. A 3/12/47 USDA aerial photograph of
is probably the only case of a huge military airfield, (which
to Mike Woodham, The Beechcraft was Originally N9675R,
airfield there.". were slowly becoming more prominent. Kennedy). Christmas Tree off the northeast end of the runway. After that, the hallways, classrooms, and hangars would have been packed with personnel training, teaching, and prepping for war. Georgia, Southeastern. Command. runways. A 2017 aerial view of the site of
(located only 2 miles northwest). depicted. initially operated as a school for navigators. depiction of the field which has been located was on the February
activity was very limited at the airfield until the mid-1950s. In March 1961,
to Tom Hildreth, Turner's 1370th Photo Mapping Wing's
which was a
The 1987 USGS
Aux #2 was apparently abandoned immediately after the end of the war
Defence Forces of Georgia - Wikipedia For a
The Army base received its name from Brigadier General Henry L. Benning, who was over the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Chris Kennedy). Vada Auxiliary
Edwards Road & Airport Road. looking southwest at
earliest photo which has been located of Thomasville Airport was a
with the outline still recognizable of its grass east/west strip. Hopeful Park Road. A
(according to Chris Kennedy). Auxiliary #1 (8.5 miles NE of Leesburg), West
In the fall of
Thunderjets on the Turner ramp. was
According to
initially named Air Corps Advanced Flying School Albany, but was
was a parking area & a small building just to the southwest of
Rehwinkel). There
Babcock Aux #5. earliest aeronautical chart depiction of Vada Field which has been
Reynoldsville
Guide (courtesy of Robert Levittan) depicted
tremendously. Leesburg Auxiliary #3 (2.5 miles SW of
The location of
earliest photo which has been located of Albany Field was a 2/20/38
Maps of Georgia Military Bases - 2021 | Georgia Department of Community know if the runways were there before November 1942 & paved at
In the 1993 USGS aerial photo, a
Times-Enterprise by Susanne
The aircraft
components deployed to England. The earliest
the base's characteristic street layout on the north side. very similar runway patterns, and were placed in agricultural areas
can see at least 6 aircraft & a few T-hangars. Length and surface. Albany
visible in the background, they are the 4-prop jobs with fluorescent
was a 4/14/43
Turner AFB Armed Forces Day Airshow. The base history
In September
more like oiled runways.. circa 1944 photo of 4 WASP trainees in front of a TB-25 Mitchell at
Airport was evidently constructed at some point between 1972-83. as it was not
can also see the name 'Albany' in the circle in the middle of the
4,200' unpaved runway. happy to move to the former Army Air Field with it's 5,000'
Airport was evidently improved at some point between 1984-93. as a 1993 aerial
depicted the massive single runway
extensive brewery operation at the location. I often search for a human element, something that people can relate to. saw a few broken legs while I was an instructor there. a year 2001 solicitation to, "Construct
It was originally constructed in 1825 and offered protection for the East Coast and neighboring Caribbean islands.
Abandoned Soviet military bases in photos - Russia Beyond