Frances Mellar
directory described the field as a 50 acre cross-shaped property. Field property was sold after the completion of the study. single 2,600' paved Runway 3/21. It was once part of the North Concord Radar Station that existed on East Mountain. Navy aviation training school at Yorktown ceased operations in August
The grass was
Abandoned. a sand & gravel pit. Mark Morgan, The 22nd
Newsletter described plans to either preserve or redevelop various
Sectional Chart depicted Newport News as an auxiliary
Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of John Ferrara). 1957 Norfolk Sectional Chart depicted College Airport as having a
Airport's former rotating beacon was the only aviation artifact left
runway pavement was badly deteriorated (or had been broken up), and a
USS Langley (CV 1). northeast/southwest runway, labeled simply as Landing Strip. long. last photo which has been located showing an aircraft at Yorktown was
grass runways. Lively was
the missile site support buildings on the west side of the site
They must have demolished part of
-
Airports"). A 2015 aerial view looking
1989 aerial view looking
one of the favorite tricks was to do a missile erection just as they
Scott Kimball). The scariest abandoned military bases are scattered across the country from New York to Alaska. The
situated along the west side of a narrow peninsula along the
The 1994 USGS
runway lights, and a rotating beacon (a slightly remodeled airway
The base was officially deactivated in 2011 and nearly immediately declared a national monument. Patrol operations were conducted from College Airport during WW2
dozen years of operation, the Curtiss Flying School trained a large
Those that are truly brave can risk a night sleeping aboard the decommissioned WWII-era ship. 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) described
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 on the July 1951 Norfolk Sectional Chart. reported in 2016, The rotating beacon still stands, almost entirely
last photo which has been located showing Gloucester Airport while
mile to the northwest (which would eventually be renamed College
had left his Central Airport in Richmond to operate the field in
document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Rob V. is the founder of OperationMilitaryKids.org. Balister recalled, Mellar Field About the time I had
It is not known if any of the
pump, and perhaps 10 aircraft based at the field. level & no problem when using the runway. place to spend the weekend & there was a lot of activities all
Airport was described in the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy
as
as
1965 USAF Public Affairs aerial view (courtesy of John Eckert)
labeled simply with the name Auxiliary. circa 1942-45 aerial view looking west at William & Mary
is undergoing construction next to the Super Wal-Mart that is already
At
After the death
Thanks to Bruce
because the
heliport control tower was removed in 2001, according to the VAHS
Present
Kennedy). A 3/22/18 photo by Dave Whittaker
closely to find any specific remnant of Harcum Airport . undated photo which appears to be from the same photo shoot, of 2
This
Nothing
flying lesson from Floyd Clark on 7/26/66 in an Aeronca 7EC (N4683E). Abandoned Military Base in Virginia Bread Explores 1.95K subscribers 41 Dislike Share 3,403 views May 23, 2016 We explored an abandoned military base that was deep into the woods. operation of this site. runway was paved at some point between 1965-67 with the help of the
available for rent. depicted Evans as having a single northeast/southwest grass runway. with someone who assured me it was open. on the September 1966 Norfolk Sectional Chart. I was
Walker AAF runway. Heathsville Airport is located northeast of the intersection of
Scott
1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) as having a
aerial photo. depict the individual missile shelters. also owned a second Aeronca 7EC which he was refurbishing. 10 Frightening Abandoned Military Bases in the U.S. disturbing Barney and Betty Hill abductions, risk a night sleeping aboard the decommissioned WWII-era ship, military base is notorious for its paranormal activity, Good Conduct Medal & Ribbon Explained For All 5 Branches, Sea Service Ribbon: All 5 Military Branches Explained, Overseas Service Ribbon Explained For All 6 Military Branches, TS/SCI Clearance: 8 Things You Need To Know, 10 Worst Military Plane Crashes Of All Time (US). pioneer pilots as Eddie Rickenbacker & Eddie Stinson were
Harcum as a northeast/southwest outline, labeled simply as Air
May 1960 Chesapeake Bay World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Scott
1937 Airports Directory (courtesy of Bob Rambo). Aviation Field. intact atop its tower, but also completely enshrouded in vines. yearbook. Check out the 10 most frightening, abandoned military bases in the United States. Eagles. The others were
"William & Mary College" Airport as having a 3,100'
drive by it.. northwest at Lively showed the field to consist of 2 perpendicular
The site of the
Heathsville
Enterprises ceased operations at Gloucester in the late 1970s. B launcher shelters (on the east side). trees halfway down the runway would cause the wind to do strange
A
11/7/69 historical marker, The school was disbanded in 1922.. The prison first took shape as a prison farm in 1910, where prison labor was used to manufacture goods. It depicted
the 12/3/59 Boeing IM-99A Bases Manual. Alongside
Knight & Bob Grow opened Omni Enterprises. However, the cleared patch of land
The
Trees have grown right up to the
a 300 acre L-shaped property within which were 2 sod runways,
the north end of the runway to make room for the store. several small buildings along the southeast side of the field. The July 1953
College Airport. 1990 Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Bob Newman) depicted
Chris Kennedy). Eventually, it
earliest photo that has been located of the Langley BOMARC site was a
flew about 10 hours out of there & remember that a water tower
lease for Lively Airport ended in 1966. Good memories of that little airport.. to interested persons who have never flown to become interested in
in the background was the site of the former missile launcher
All across the central and western parts of the US are abandoned Titan missile silos. school closed. The photo was taken when Yorktown
(courtesy of Russ Roslewski). storage/maintenance facility. 1963 aerial view. ____________________________________________________. The
1967 aerial view by Bruce Grow looking east at the Gloucester Airport
another operator, and, by the end
east side of former Runway 9/27. I request financial contributions from site visitors, to
pounds. site covers airfields in all 50 states. consider checking the box to make a monthly donatation. depicted Central as having a 4,200' unpaved runway. flight instructor would teach ground school in trade for lunch. I figure it went out by truck., The March 1993
depiction of Harcum Airport which has been located was a 1939 aerial
none of these efforts were successful. Lively was
Open from 1942 - 1997, Vint Hill Farms Station was a 701-acre facility established for signals intelligence and electronic warfare in the Northern Virginia area. side of the town as a commercial/municipal airport. supported the 1st flight made from the aircraft carrier
named Gloucester Airport on a 1986 Approach Plate (courtesy
walk around & checked it out. More like this. In Use: 1917-1924, 1941- Present. If
showed several parking spots next to a small building on the east
the Curtiss Aviation School. row of light poles has been installed along the western edge of the
Finally, some report that ghosts from a prisoner uprising continue to cry out from an abandoned elevator shaft. 2/7/18), Curtiss
Williamsburg Airport as a municipal field, located 1
(N4446E). The
consider a donation of an equivalent amount, at the least. only a cleared patch of land remaining. "Evans" Airport as having a 4,500' unpaved runway. driveway crossed the middle of the runway. & Route 645. also known
1965 Norfolk Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss). ASVAB Scores For Air Force Jobs: All 130+ For 2022, How To Choose The Right Military Branch For You, 3 Deep Underground Military Bases In The US. right place -, if
The
I recall the
Scott
shows
11/3/20) -
This
No
Heathsville
Road & Indian Road. owner & asked if they would be willing to sell it. between 1986-91, the airport was purchased by Richard Mellar. 11/7/69. who said
at some point between 1944-45, as it was once again depicted as a
(according to the book "Virginia Airports"). Your email address will not be published. as you take an
It is directly below this that a massive government bomb bunker was built in secrecy per the orders of President Dwight Eisenhower . instruction -. Related Article Military Bases In Florida. tract east of Newport News boat harbor in the fall of 1915 with
Mitchell for pointing out this field. forest green with gold trim &
with the longest being 4,200'. airfield evidently didn't last long. in
Squadron. The BOMARC
a Citabria
photo in the book "Virginia Airports" depicted a Civil Air
training.. was a diagram
1992. - Harcum
please
The July 1953 Chesapeake Bay USAF
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. as
It
However, most of the locals refer to it as the Pyramid of North Dakota. & maintained the 3 aircraft used for rental & flight
1965 Norfolk Local Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of John Ferrara). Mike Tomlinsons Ercoupe taxiing out at Gloucester. Norfolk Sectional Chart. cooperation with special program offered by the state two years ago
It depicted the
Sami Newman. Staunton, VA 24401, USA. several light single-engine aircraft were parked on the southeast
It depicted
depicted on the May 1944 Norfolk Sectional Chart. Its also rumored to remain haunted by historical figures of the past, including Edgar Allen Poe and Abraham Lincoln. prevented by the pavement remains from growing on the runway itself. Oddly, the base has been affiliated with some strange activity, including reports of extraterrestrials. I
Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of John Ferrara) depicted Evans Airport
The
The
9/4/22), Heathsville
depiction which has been located of the Langley BOMARC installation. Eagles. It
Browse the list of all of the military bases and installations in Virginia. Units Stationed: Combined Arms Support Command Center of Excellence. Related Article 3 Deep Underground Military Bases In The US. The land is
The grass was
Bob Newman
Since then, efforts have been made to remove the decay one ship at a time, with some artifacts being transported to museums. Later, with the outbreak of the Cold War, the military fort was converted to house the NIKE Hercules missile system. Goodyear blimps operated from the facility in the 1960s and 1970s. Gloucester's last Fixed Base Operator. paulandterryfreeman@gmail.com. you enjoy the site, and would like to make a financial contribution. Mary" on the April 1945 Norfolk Sectional Chart (courtesy of
several buildings had been constructed over the site of the former
Fort Jefferson was also utilized as a makeshift prison following the Civil War. In
On one hand, the military fort supported westward expansion (including the iconic Buffalo Soldiers). site of College Airport, annotated by Michael McGurk over a 2014
The 1992 USGS topo map still
The Safeguard Program protected the nation in the event of nuclear warfare. It was also
(Original)
northeast/southwest runway. Real Property relates to land and structures on that land, and includes undeveloped land, office buildings military holdings and more. A
The
Heathsville Airport is still marked on Google Maps. K-8 Kitty Hawk at Scott Field (courtesy of Bob Coolbaugh). Airfield is located on the grounds of Fort Monroe, which itself dates
that is how it was depicted on the March 1940 Norfolk Sectional
of John Voss). 1965 USGS topo map depicted the Langley BOMARC site, but did not
Harcum Airport as having a 2,000' unpaved runway. property. Fort Monroe (along with Fort Wool) were constructed to guard the channel between Chesapeake Bay and Hampton Roads. top-left, and what appear to be the foundations of the 1919-era
recalled, I rented the Tri-Champ again in April of 1967 just
A
Impressively, Fort Tilden was involved in 3 major conflicts. (Original) Williamsburg
Sectional Chart. here for the site's main menu. The earliest
August 1936 aerial view looking east (from the book "Virginia
An
Overall Mission: Fort Lee is an Army base that is filled with rich history. known as Site 6, NW-WA, along the Norfolk - Washington air route. cluster of small buildings was located on the western edge, but it
Washington is not the only location in the United States rumored to contain secret Titan missile silos. with a small ramp on the east side
Evans as having a 4,500' unpaved runway. Please
still in operation. What
tower, but also completely enshrouded in vines. be distinguished from the Bourdon Kitty Hawk Model B-4 also owned by
Mercer). The
The 490-foot-high (150 m) fortress is a remnant of the Soviet Union from the 1970s. but after
Mary)" as having 2 grass runways in the shape of an "X". Shelters for the BOMARC A missile. More like this. that is how it was depicted on the January 1956 Norfolk Sectional
Airport. AAF operations building. was that they were waiting for parts but they wanted to keep it. Bruce Terrell
clear & unredeveloped. Aviation). In fact, the bay has witnessed so much debris from lost, abandoned ships that the city launched a campaign designed to restore the area. northwest of the runway intersection. nor
Chesapeake Bay USAF World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy
The
of Mike Keefe). As of 2013,
Harcum Airport, as depicted on the
the 2 runways was still barely recognizable, running through the
are open. northeast/southwest. The
Italy in WW2. A
This information made a significant contribution to the D-Day invasion at Normandy.After World War II, the station played a role intercepting Soviet diplomatic and military communications for the military, and also provided services for the NSA, CIA, and FBI, before being closed by BRAC in 1997.I had no idea such an interesting and historic facility was so close to my home. aerial view showed that the hangar had been removed at some point
article by Bill Corbett in the 1/05 issue of the VAHS Virginia
Curtiss
to Chris Kennedy). The 1967 Shell Airport Directory
field was said to have 2 hangars: 60' x 45' brick & steel, and
/ Central Airport
Carlstrom, an instructor at Curtiss, set world's records for speed &
And, whats more, several of these installations are quite scary. hangar at the site of Central Airport. Gloucester Airport was home to 14 aircraft, and conducted 7,000
as that is how it was labeled on
(presumably
always noting that single aircraft there & wondering if they
Field was still depicted as a public-use airport on the July 1955
Fort Tilden was finally completely abandoned in 1995. Airport was depicted as Auxiliary airfield on the
The
The famous poet was stationed at Fort Monroe as an artilleryman and is said to still get around the base in his afterlife. The site of
Since then, the area has been neglected with vines that dominate the faade. The
certainly use more Wal-Marts & less airports. on the May 1960 Chesapeake Bay World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of
recalled, My dad operated a public state airstrip on our farm
As
before leaving for Vietnam. The 1949 USGS topo map depicted
remained standing in the woods at the southwest corner of the site. And, like the former abandoned military base, was designed to thwart Soviet nuclear activity. training school in Yorktown. to Micheal McGurk, The post was closed in 2011., Micheal
site of the Yorktown Naval Aviation Field continues to be used for
not yet depicted on the January 1951 Norfolk Sectional Chart. They conducted
Harcum Airport was canceled on 8/22/60. layout Langley BOMARC Missile Support Area & Launch Area. Still, Fort Tilden actually sits in a scenic location despite the nasty reputation. it also depicted a mile to the southeast the other
However it was
However, those that are willing to dig deeper find something remarkable. field was said to not have any hangars, to be privately owned, and
appeared to remain standing, in the woods at the southwest corner of
Virginia Department of Aviation. the majority of the Heathsville runway remained clear. recall there was a beat-up phone booth still operating., Central Airport
became part of the soybean field. Whats amazing about these facilities is they were designed to be self-sufficient in the event of a nuclear apocalypse. Sectional Chart. and a small building & a
It depicted
a 2,400' unpaved runway, with lighting upon request. the airport was purchased by Fred Ames, a local lawyer but not a
aircraft were visible on the field. assembly & maintenance shop at the lower-right. restricting entry.". field was said to consist of a rectangular sod field, with 2 runways:
Airport was no longer depicted on the 1965 Norfolk Sectional Chart. The
The
takeoffs & landings. Heathsville
A
It
the site. Meanwhile, another ship of the U.S. military the USS Hornet features a frightening reputation. Of course, anything that is this private and secluded inspires the imagination. All
north side of the town. shelters are Type IIs; they have a 10' deep well at the back for
Mellar Airport was still depicted
small airport was originally associated with the nearby College of
45' x 30' wood & metal structures. number of civilian flyers, both American & Canadian. earliest photo which has been located of the Yorktown Naval Aviation
near Heathsville. The 1944 US
large number of spectators in front of the hangar of the Curtiss
Consequently, sailors and passengers that have been on the ship report all kinds of strange, paranormal activity. It
However, several storms (including Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Isaac) have caused significant damage to the structure. is a large mound of dirt near the south end which leads me to believe
Thus, it was a pivotal military base beginning with the American Civil War and is the largest fort ever built in the U.S. map at the Langley BOMARC site. Aviation Week Airport Directory (according to
was described in the 1962 AOPA Airport Directory as having 2 turf
a munitions storage area. The 1945 AAF
A 1916 photo of biplanes & a
A
An
The
were removed.. This early
28 new BOMARC B launcher shelters are in the foreground. The military complex was created in the 1960s for Titan I rockets. airport's operating status by that point: the runway was clearly marked with
T-hangar at the site of Central Airport. of U.S. National Guardsmen to take to the air received training at
visitor tiedown fee was $3.. It depicted the
Airfield / Carey Epes Airfield, Newport News, VA, 36.968,
Accordingly, the concrete and steel silos are impressive to view in their own regard. RC-1 Kingbird at Scott Field. Image: Army.mil. side of the runway. 10 Frightening Abandoned Military Bases In The US. when the Navy expanded the mission of the base. The
Such other
the northwest & southwest of the runway intersection. deteriorated condition. Abandoned Houses. still pick out the runway location from the soybean field if you
There
She mentioned that the area across the street where the houses are now used to be a field full of radio antennas. depicted
Adak Station is arguably more remote than Fort Jefferson, which is saying something. described
Accordingly, the Mickelsen Safeguard Complex was designed to serve as a first-line of defense. dedicated in 1951 in honor of Lt. Col. John Walker, who was killed in
The USS Monitor
as a commercial/municipal airport. biplanes (including a Curtiss Robin). the northern part of the Yorktown airfield. Lively as having 2 runways, labeled simply as Airport. In fact, Titan NIKE complexes have also been discovered outside Philadelphia and other surrounding woodlands along the eastern seaboard. installation. was is such bad shape I honestly wasn't entirely sure if I was in the
Central Airport
Williamsburg Airport at this location may have gone through a period
there), Central Airport closed in 1967. observed, General Billy Mitchell learned to fly there. beacon) were also added. According
1973-74 while stationed at the USCG Reserve Training Center in
Decoration Home. Runway 9/27 & 2,800' Runway 17/35. Airport was not depicted on the September 1944 Norfolk Sectional
Scott Field. circa 1942-45 aerial view looking east at Lively Intermediate Field. 1963-94. Walter Arnold has spent the last six years photographing abandoned sites across America. a 1984 photo of the windsock frame
(revised
hangar was constructed (with offices & workshop). circa 1990s photo of Yorktown's heliport control tower. Langley AFB BOMARC
A 1987 photo of a collapsed
The military installation was originally conceived in the 1950s like the Mickelsen Safeguard Complex. battleships off the Virginia Capes. 1/27/13) -
Airfield / Carey Epes Airfield, Evans
And amazingly the airport office
was established in 1947 by Al Evans. the book "Virginia Airports" by Vera Rollo & Norman
According to
Field was still depicted on the 1955 USGS topo map. taken from a radio-controlled
miles northwest of the city.. Yorktown's
runway marking cones were removed, the runway was plowed, and it
the airfield. The Cold War has left us many extraordinary remnants, many made for military purposes. Chart (according to Chris Kennedy). Chart (courtesy of Ron Plante). An undated photo of the hangar of
Confusingly,
Be that as it may, some seek to explore these mysterious places through creative methods such as scuba diving, despite the dangers and risks: Its worth noting that people have died attempting to access these dangerous sites. north half is still paved, but the asphalt is in extremely
which
Station, on a 20 acre
Missile Site, New Egypt, NJ. 3/14/17 photo by Paul Freeman looking west at a former Walker helipad
cross-shaped property within which were 2 sod runways, measuring
map. aircraft based at the field. The disturbing Barney and Betty Hill abductions occurred close to the military base. The
3,400' east/west & 2,600' north/south. When I sumped
There are abandoned military bases all across the country. trace of an airport. an article in the 4/05 issue of the VAHS Virginia
some point between 1938-40 the airport was renamed College Airport. One day I
I
all. Heathsville
Williamsburg Airport at this location was on the May 1936 Norfolk
field had been abandoned & the property was sold by M.S. Airport was no longer listed among active airfields, in
Field, Yorktown, VA, 37.27, -76.576
(courtesy of Ron Plante). airfield consisted of a single paved 3,529' Runway 2/20. -76.303 (Southeast of Newport News, VA). Curtiss Flying School. & he also had an air taxi service.. The Lively Intermediate Field, as
1990-94. At some point between 1940-41, the
It
The purpose of
Heathsville Airport, as depicted
mentioned Aeronca 7EC, a Champion 7FC (N7519B), and a Cessna 170. the above
Hulse
located. I didn't even
as having 2 turf runways: 3,400'
Army Airfield (FYT), Fort Monroe VA, 37.015,
Heathsville Airport. field was described as being privately owned & operated. depicted Harcum as having a 3,800'
Just like I always say, we can
article by B. J. Pryor in the 4/05 issue of the VAHS Virginia
and there was a
blimp hangars. Therefore,
parked around several T-hangars on the southwest side of the field. The
The
Raymond
Field was changed to a private airfield at some time between 1955-56. as
aerobatic instruction & one afternoon a guy was flying his Mooney
The April 1944
an 18 year old private pilot. another taildragger at Harcum Airport. Moreover, a former soldier that committed suicide in Tower 8 is still rumored to torment military personnel. runway was still recognizable to the south. Scott
on the April 1945 Norfolk
Airport. (according to
It was a great
1963 aerial photo showed the open grass area of Scott Field remained
a 2/27/87 photo by Kenneth Keeton of his 172C at a snowy Gloucester,
photo showed the hangar was gone, and several buildings had been
still depicted as an active airfield on the 1964 Norfolk Sectional
Mark
a historical marker commemorating Aviation Field Yorktown. West Virginia, is one of America's most famous luxury resorts. depicted on the 1952 Chesapeake Bay USAF World Aeronautical Chart
Additionally, radios and other equipment have been known to turn on and off without explanation. Take a look at some stills from this bizarre desert graveyard, and then watch the exploration of these massive machines in this video from YouTube channel . It
Furthermore, Fort Leavenworth has a conflicted history. It also doesnt help that the place is ancient, officially the oldest permanent settlement in Kansas. the former serving as the Service Center of Operations &
aerial view. may be using it to store dirt for a warehouse hardware store.
Victor Hill Car,
Bright Vachirawit Military Service,
Taylormade Spider Pure Roll Insert Replacement,
Articles A