Beach Bums

Copyright © 2015, Scott D. Murdock

This was a vacation, with visits to family and friends. Along the way we made time to visit a couple of former military sites. 

Tuesday, 15 Sep 2015

Myrtle Beach AFB SC  (4369, RDRD) 33-40-45, 78-56-00   Named Myrtle Beach Municipal Airport in June 1940 while under construction. It was not acquired by the War Department until 21 Nov 1941, though it had been built with Air Corps use in mind under the CAA's Development of Landing Areas for National Defense (DLAND) program. During the war it was referred to as Myrtle Beach AAFld, Myrtle Beach Bombing Range, or Myrtle Beach Bombing & Gunnery Range. It was inactivated on 1 Nov 1947 and returned to the city. Even while the city had control, it was redesignated Myrtle Beach Air Force Base on 13 Jan 1948 -- but this was rescinded on 24 Jun 1948. It lists as being transferred from the Army to the Air Force on 1 Jul 1948. On 1 Jun 1954 the Air Force assumed jurisdiction, and on 1 Apr 1956 the airfield was activated and once again redesignated as Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. It served for almost four decades, until it was inactivated and declared excess on 31 Mar 1993. I've used facility numbers and names from early 1990s BRAC documents, except I've used original facility names from definitive drawings when known. Unidentified buildings are numbered in brackets to set them apart for your convenience.
(Facility 112 - Chapel with educational wing)
(Facility 112 - Chapel with educational wing)
(Facility 112 - Chapel with educational wing)
(Facility 112 - Chapel with educational wing)
(Facility 112 - Chapel with educational wing)
(Facility 112 - Chapel with educational wing)
(Facility 112 - Chapel with educational wing)
(Facility 116 - Theater)
(Facility 116 - Theater)
(Facility 116 - Theater)
(Facility 116 - Theater)
(Facility 116 - Theater)
(Facility 116 - Theater detail)
(Facility 117 - Recreation center/library)
(Facility 117 - Recreation center/library)
(Facility 117 - Recreation center/library)
(Facility 117 - Recreation center/library)
(Building, possible bowling center)
(Building, possible bowling center)
(Building, possible bowling center)
(Building, possible bowling center)
(Building, possible bowling center)
(Facility 500 - Administration)
(Facility 500 - Administration)
(Facility 502 - Audio-visual center)
(Facility 334 - Dental clinic)
(Deluge (fire suppression) water storage tank)
(Deluge water storage tank)
(Facility 357 - Deluge pump station)
(Facility 357 - Deluge pump station)
(Facility 357 - Deluge pump station)
(Facility 357 - Deluge pump station detail)
(Facility 357 - Deluge pump station and deluge water storage tank)
(Facility 357 - Deluge pump station and deluge water storage tank)
(Facility 357 - Deluge pump station and deluge water storage tank)
(Facility 352 - Aircraft maintenance hangar #1)
(Facility 358 - Aircraft maintenance hangar #2)
(Facility 359 - Aircraft maintenance hangar #3)
(Fuel system maintenance hangar)
(Facility 312 and 313)
(Facility 214 - Supply warehouse)
(Facility 320 - Aerospace ground equipment maintenance shop)
(Facility 324 - Jet engine maintenance shop)
(Facility 324 - Jet engine maintenance shop)
(Facility 325 - Avionics maintenance shop)
(Facility 325 - Avionics maintenance shop)
(Facility 326 - Parachute and dinghy shop)
(Facility 326 - Parachute and dinghy shop)
(Facility 326 - Parachute and dinghy shop)
(Facility 326 - Parachute and dinghy shop)
(Building [1])
(Building [1])
(Building [2])
(Building [3])
(Building [4])
(Building [5])
(Building [6])
(Building [6])
(Fuel system maintenance hangars (L) and buildings [7] (R))
(General view of flight line)

Wednesday, 16 Sep 2015

Fort Moultrie SC  32-45-34, 79-51-28    A fort was first established on this location in 1776. In 1805 acquisition of the land began, and in 1903 it was designated in honor of Maj Gen William Moultrie, Regular Army. Prior to that naming it was referred to by its location, Sullivan's Island. It was declared to be a national monument on 17 Jul 1915, and was closed 15 Aug 1947. In addition to gun batteries, the masonry fort also contained a combined Harbor Entrance Control Post (HECP) and Harbor Defense Command Post (HDCP). The fort is now administered by the National Park Service (NPS) as part of Fort Sumter National Monument. This includes the batteries below except Logan, which is off the NPS property.
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(Sally port)
(Service magazine)
(Principal magazine)
(HECP/HDCP)
(HECP/HDCP)
(HECP/HDCP)
(HECP/HDCP)
(HECP/HDCP)
(HECP/HDCP)
(HECP/HDCP)
(HECP/HDCP)
(HECP/HDCP)
(HECP/HDCP Interior)
(HECP/HDCP Interior)
(HECP/HDCP Interior)
(HECP/HDCP Interior)
(HECP/HDCP Interior)

Battery McCorkle SC  32-45-32, 79-51-28   Constructed in 1901, with three 3" gun positions. Named 15 May 1903 in honor of 1st Lt Henry L. McCorkle, 25th U.S. Infantry. Deactivated in 1920.
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)

Battery Bingham SC  32-45-33, 79-51-26  Constructed in 1899 with two 4.72" gun positions. Named on 15 May 1903 in honor of 2d Lt Horatio S. Bingham, 2d U.S. Cavalry. Deactivated in 1919.
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)

Battery Jasper SC  32-45-31, 79-51-18   Constructed in 1898, with four 10" gun positions. Named Battery Sergeant Jasper on 12 Mar 1898 in honor of Sgt William Jasper, Continental Army. On 18 Apr 1898 the name was amended to Battery Jasper. It was deactivated in 1942, though from 1943 to 1946 it was reused as Battery 2-A, with two fixed and two mobile 90mm guns as an Anti-Motor Torpedo Boat (AMTB) battery.
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(Gun emplacement)
(Gun emplacement)
(Interior)
(Interior)
(Power house)
(Power house)
(Power house Interior)

Battery 230 SC  32-45-28, 79-51-13   Construction was completed on 15 Feb 1944. This battery was intended for two 6" guns, but it was never armed. Deactivated in 1947. The Navy reused the battery starting in the late 1960s, constructing the building atop the battery structure and installing monopole high frequency radio antennas at the gun emplacements. The Navy used this as a Shipboard Electronic Systems Evaluation Facility (SESEF) from 1970 until approximately 1980.
(Center entrance)
(Gun emplacement #1)
(Gun emplacement #1)
(Gun emplacement #2)
(Gun emplacement #2)
(SESEF building)
(SESEF building)
(Base of Navy HF antenna)

Battery Logan SC  32-45-30, 79-51-09  Constructed in 1899, with two 6" gun positions. Named on 15 May 1903 in honor of Capt William Logan, 7th U.S. Infantry. Deactivated in 1944.
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)