Trip Report: Variation Authorized
First published in 1994-2004. Reformatted 2025. Military readers will recognize the phrase "variation authorized" from travel orders. Having this block checked allowed you to deviate from the destinations on the order, giving you freedom to adapt your mission as needed. This page is a catchall for various minor adventures that, by themselves, did not warrant individual trip reports. This page covers the time frame 1994-2004. See Miscellany for similar material from 2005 through July 2007, Wanderings for material from August 2007 through June 2021 and Jaunts for similar material starting in July 2021. Unlike my standard trip reports, this one is arranged alphabetically rather than chronologically. Just a reminder PIN means Permanent Installation Number and ILC means Installation Location Code; I include these codes for Air Force properties when I know them.Atlas E missile site
I spent a night in an Atlas E launch control center. The owner of the site asked me not to divulge the identity or location of the site. Thank you for the cool experience, Mr. Anonymous Missile Site Owner! Approaching the site, you first saw the fencing, then the ventilator hoods and light poles. As you get closer, you notice that the contours of the land seem a bit different from the surrounding area. When you get on site, the missile entrance door confirms this is an Atlas E site. The spray pond is easily seen; the vintage sign in the weeds is less obvious. The blast pit at this site has been filled in. The overhead door is in place, although not sealed shut properly. Inside the personnel entry door, you can go left to the missile area or right to the control center. The heavy doors, interlocked to prevent both from being open at once, clang shut with a resounding crash. As with most Atlas sites, this one has had its share of vandals and other explorers. The site has had considerable cleanup work, in anticipation of future renovation. The generator room has been cleaned out. Some stenciling remains on the walls, such as a reminder to not smoke in bed. This ladder leads to the escape hatch from the ready room. This was my guest room for the night. My host uses a gasoline generator topside to run electricity downstairs to a few lights. No running water yet. The sewage facilities still work, and the toilet does flush if you manually add water to the tank. After a late evening of good company and lively conversation, we called it a night. The trick is to get yourself situated in bed before the gas runs out and the generator quits! Because when the generator sputters out and the lights fade, you are suddenly in darkness. This is not the darkness we see at home; moonlight filtering in through the drapes, a night light showing the way to the bathroom, the glow of VCR clocks. This is utter, pitch darkness that has you seeing vague lights inside your eyes. This is why silo owners keep plenty of flashlights around, and always have one within reach. The only thing more oppressive than the darkness is the silence. There is no hum of the refrigerator, air conditioner, or traffic noise in the background. Rarely do we experience such intense quiet as you do underground. I have new appreciation for the phrase "the silence is deafening."Barksdale Communications Annex
6 NE Daingerfield, Texas
33-06-20, 94-39-30
The Air Force obtained property for a communications annex to Barksdale AFB. Land was acquired in 1965; 101 acres in fee and 277.8 acres through leases. The project was cancelled in 1966, and construction did not happen. The leases were terminated in 1967, but the fee land was not disposed of until 1975. The area is farmland, as seen on 21 March 1998.General view
General view
Barron Field
Everman, Texas
32-37-33, 97-18-16
The Royal Canadian Flying Corps first used this flying training field. 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 October 2003, a historical marker and one building remain.Historical marker and building
Building
Benbrook Field/Carruthers Field
Fort Worth, Texas
32-40-25, 97-27-40
This flying training field 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 WWI, this field trained U.S. pilots. The area is now built up with homes. 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.General view
Memorial
Bergstrom Nike Site BG-40C
Austin, Texas
The control site 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.General view
General view
Gate
Bergstrom Nike Site BG-40L
Austin, Texas
The closest I got to the launcher site was this access road. Visited in May 1996.General view
Access road
Bergstrom Nike Site BG-80L
Austin, Texas
In May 1996, I found the launcher site. The gate was locked, and in the nearby weeds I noticed a survey marker.General view
Sentry box
Survey marker
Call Field
Wichita Falls, Texas
33-51-55, 98-33-18
I knew some general location information on Call Field, from a 1993 article in the CAMP Heliogram. Researcher William H. Weiler had described the only remaining WWI building. Last year (2000) I obtained a layout plan of Call, and was able to approximate the borders on a current map. My first stop was Call Field Road, described as the road dividing the cantonment and administrative area (to the north) from the row of twelve hangars (to the south). The flying field itself was south of the hangars. I missed the historical marker on my first pass, because I was looking for the U.S. Post Office it was near. Circling back, I noticed the post office now sits unused and unmarked, but the historical marker was still out front. I knew that the former horse stable--the sole architectural remnant of the airfield--was supposed to be a couple hundred feet from the marker. I recognized the building in the playground of The Academy Kids day school facility, at 33-52-23, 98-33-09. Call Field was constructed in 1917, and used through the end of 1918. Visited on 8 December 2001.Historical marker
Horse stable
Horse stable
Horse stable
Camp Mystic
Hunt, Texas
I was in the area on 20 September 2003, so I stopped by the front gate to see if anything had changed. The property looked much the same as it had nine years earlier. The AAF leased this camp for rehabilitation and recovery during WWII.Gatehouse
General view
Canyon Lake Recreation Annex
Canyon Lake, Texas
PIN 0050, ILC DAXG
29-53-06, 98-12-54
This facility is adjacent to Corps of Engineers property, and across the road from an Army recreation area. This installation has served Randolph AFB since 1968. Visited 11 June 2000.General view
Sign
Carson Homes
San Antonio, Texas
29-26-30, 98-26-53
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 Fort Sam Houston. 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 August 2004 visit.Buildings
Building
Carswell Air Force Base
Fort Worth, Texas
In June 1999 I noticed the AF Base Conversion Agency office, near the housing area. On 13 May 2000, I attended an airshow on the former Carswell AFB. The control tower shows the current name of the installation and airfield. 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 flightline.AF Base Conversion Agency office
Housing area
Control tower
Blue Angels
Blue Angels
B-36 forward fuselage
Control tower and B-52
Flightline during airshow
Flightline during airshow
Carswell Communications Annex Receiver
Fort Worth, Texas
32-47-07, 97-28-30
I looked for this facility on 13 October 2003, in the company of Bill Sievers, and we found locked gates. The receiver annex was leased in 1951, and was still active under Carswell AFB in 1975, Its disposal date not yet known.Gate
Carswell Instrument Landing System Outer Marker Annex
Benbrook, Texas
32-41-13, 97-26-43
Bill Sievers shared the location of this one. It's north of I-20, at Benbrook. A couple wooden poles are visible from a private gate, as I saw on 22 November 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.General view
Antenna pole
Clear Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field
New Braunfels, Texas
I checked on the New Braunfels Municipal Airport (BAZ) on 20 March 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 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.Quonset hut
Non-historic terminal building
Cox Army Air Field
Paris, Texas
33-38, 95-27
I visited Cox Field (PRX) on 14 March 1998. Early in WWII, known as Legion Field, it supported Camp Maxey. During the war it was assigned at different times to Abilene AAFld, Barksdale Field, and Majors AAFld. It was also referred to as Paris Airfield, Cox Field, or Cox AAFld. Command assignment was 2AF in late 1942, changing to 3AF by mid 1943. Now, it's a small general aviation airport.Beacon light tower
General view
General view
Cuero Municipal Airport
Cuero, Texas
29-08-08, 97-18-10
Brayton Flying Service operated this contract flying school for the Army Air Forces. On 18 October 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.Concrete airfield pavement
Hangar
184-foot demountable hangar
184-foot demountable hangar
Administration building
Dallas-Fort Worth Nike Site DF-01C
Denton, Texas
On Monday, 19 January 1998, I found the control site. I was offered a tour on 27 February 1999. The control site comprises 10 acres. An additional one acre in fee, plus associated easements, are for sewage treatment. After Army use, the site was transferred to the Denton Independent School District. The present owner bought the site in 1995, and lives on the property. Several Nike support buildings are present; barracks, dining hall, generator building, interconnecting corridor, pump house with pressure tank, 15,000-gallon water tank, and sentry box. 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 still stand, as do a High-Powered Acquisition Radar (HIPAR) building, basketball court, and helipad. The generator building was doubled in size, with pads for three diesel generators in the newer portion, and a control room in the older portion.Gate and sentry box
Barracks
Barracks
Administration
Interconnecting corridor
Sentry box and gate
Concrete pad for radar tower
HIPAR building
HIPAR building interior
HIPAR building interior
Generator building
TPS-1 radar building
Basketball court and building
Dallas-Fort Worth Nike Site DF-01L
Denton, Texas
On Monday, 19 January 1998, I found the launcher site on the west side of FM 2164. I was offered a perimeter tour on 27 February 1999. The 20-acre property is home to the University of North Dallas Astronomy Observatory. There is recent 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 magazines.General view from outside gate
Warheading building and berms
Sentry dog kennels
Caution sign
Gate and sentry box
General view showing ventilators
General view showing magazine entryways
Dallas-Fort Worth Nike Site DF-20C
Terrell, Texas
Like the other Nike sites in the Dallas-Fort Worth defense area, this one operated from 1960 to 1968. The control site was gated and locked. I was able to see one radar tower, the sentry box, and other buildings from the gate. This visit was in October 1996.General view
Sentry box
General view
General view
Dallas-Fort Worth Nike Site DF-20L
Terrell, Texas
The launcher site was also gated and locked. This visit was in October 1996.Gate
Sentry box
Dallas-Fort Worth Nike Site DF-50C
Alvarado, Texas
When I arrived, 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.View from gate showing sentry box
Radar tower
General view
Dallas-Fort Worth Nike Site DF-50L
Alvarado, Texas
The launcher site 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 in November 1996.Gate and sentry box
General view
Dallas-Fort Worth Nike Maintenance Site
Fort Worth, Texas
32-40-20, 97-20-22
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. I visited in August 2002, and confirmed the location is now a parking lot on the Fort Worth Federal Center.General view
General view
Denton Airport
Denton, Texas
33-16, 97-04
On 19 January 1998, I went in search of Denton Airport, also called Hartlee Field, a WWII contract flying training base. 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 November 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.Sign
General view
General view
General view
Duncanville Air Force Station
Duncanville, Texas
32-38-55, 96-54-25
I made my first visit in November 1996. The most prominent former-USAF buildings were an administration building reused as a Driver License facility and the family housing units. Duncanville AFS served as a long-range radar site from 1952 to 1964. It occupies part of a former WWII Navy outlying field. After the Air Force left, the Army operated 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 October 1997, I renewed my driver license in the former Air Force building. The housing units remained in place, though vacant. Besides the family housing and some of the barbed wire fence, only a couple of smaller buildings remained that looked to be from the Air Force. By September 1999, new construction was underway. By July 2000, the housing and administration building had been removed to make way for new development. A small remnant of barbed wire fence remained, near the former housing. A monument to the Nike program was constructed next to one of the new buildings.Administration building in 1996
Administration building in 1997
Administration building in 2000
Housing in 1996
Housing in 1997
Housing in 1997
Housing in 1997
Housing in 2000
Small buildings in 1997
Building in 1997
New construction in 1999
Nike monument
Fort Wolters Stagefield #6 (Bronco)
Mineral Wells, Texas
This is one of 25 former stagefields that supported the Army Helicopter Pilot School. I found this one on 19 December 2003.General view
General view
General view
Gainesville AAFld
Gainesville, Texas
This airfield supported Camp Howze during WWII. I revisited the airport on 6 November 2004, with Mark Morgan. The only building we could judge to be WWII-vintage was a hangar.Hangar
Globe Aircraft Corporation/Saginaw Aircraft Plant (Plancor 898)
Saginaw, Texas
32-51-39, 97-20-39
During WWII, 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. The U.S. government repurchased the property at some point in time. A 1981 topo map calls the facility "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.Building
Building
Building
Building
Hammond Intermediate Field
Hammond, Texas
31-03-30, 96-41-24
This field was Site 16, GS-WC (Galveston-Waco), in the Civil Aeronautics Administration system. It was also identified in WWII airfield directories as used for Army training activities, probably as an emergency landing field. USGS maps show an Airway Beacon in the area of the foreground in the photo, but it was gone when I visited on 18 February 2000.General view
Headquarters, Army Air Forces Training Command
Texas and Pacific Railroad Building, Fort Worth, Texas
32-44-46, 97-19-40
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.Entrance
Building
Building
Building
Building
Hensley Field
Grand Prairie, Texas
32-44-30, 96-57-30
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 during WWII. 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 December 2004, and found it secured and guarded--I was denied access for "liability and safety" reasons. The signs called it Millennium 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.Gate
Navy hangar
Navy hangar
ANG hangar
James Connally Air Force Base
Waco, Texas
On 26 November 2004, several buildings and a control tower remained from the Air Force days, as did a couple types of hangars.Buildings
Buildings
Hangar
Hangar
Kaufman County Airport
Terrell, Texas
32-43-30, 96-16-30
This airport was a contract flying school in WWII, 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 October 1996.Hangar
Hangar
Kelly Homes Family Housing Annex
San Antonio, Texas
29-23-37, 98-32-23
On 22 March 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. The homes are lived-in and the elementary school still operates under the Kelly name.General view
General view
Lake McQueeney Recreation Annex
Seguin, Texas
PIN 1226
29-36-08, 98-02-05
This small property is on the shore of Lake McQueeney. It was donated to the USAF in 1953, and served Randolph AFB until its disposal on 9 March 1970. It now appears to be part of the McQueeney Marina. Visited on 9 February 2003.General view
General view
Lavernia Radio Beacon Annex
La Vernia, Texas
29-21-30, 98-11-23
This homing beacon was 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 building still stands, alongside the tall wooden pole that held the antenna. I visited the location on 26 January 2003. Sources also refer to this as Lavernia Homing Beacon Annex, or Randolph Inner Homing Beacon Annex.General view
Building
Antenna pole
Marion Auxiliary Field #3
Marion, Texas
29-36-30, 98-07-45
This field was an auxiliary of Randolph Field from 1932 until 1945. One early history also calls it Wohlfahrt Field. Visit on 16 June 1996.General view
Marion Helicopter Landing Annex
Marion, Texas
PIN 5361
29-32-02, 98-08-51
This 64-acre site was leased for Randolph AFB in 1957 and disposed of in 1958. It has reverted to farmland. Visited 10 June 2000.General view
Normangee Gap Filler Annex
Normangee, Texas
30-59-35, 96-06-52
This was facility TM-192C, operated by Det 3, 814th AC&WS and supporting Killeen AFS. I haven't found it's dates of operation, but in 1961 it was inspected for disposal by the Government Services Agency. The building is still in good condition. The radar tower was removed before the facility was disposed of, but the three tower foundation supports are still visible, immediately north of the building. and the diesel fuel tank was removed after disposal. While I was admiring the facility from outside the fence, the owner happened to drive up and graciously allowed me inside the fence and even in the building. He bought the site a couple years ago from the school district, which had used it continuously since it was disposed of. He has installed a door between the two rooms, making the space more useable. The two slightly raised pads for the generators were obvious in the generator room. This was my first visit to a standard Gap Filler Annex!Building
Building
Building
Building
Building
Palestine Municipal Airport
Palestine, Texas
31-47, 95-42
I visited Palestine Municipal Airport (PSN) on 30 December 1994. This airport was an auxiliary to Bergstrom AAFld from 1942 to 1944. The hangar and beacon may date from the WWII days.Hangar
Hangar, beacon, and non-historic terminal building
Perrin Air Force Base
Sherman, Texas
I revisited Perrin AFB on 17 December 2004. This time my goal was to find the group of buildings that supported the ADC 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.General view
Maintenance hangar
Readiness crew dormitory
Readiness crew dormitory
Rocket checkout and assembly building
Rocket checkout and assembly building
Fighter-interceptor alert hangar
Fighter-interceptor alert hangar
Randolph Civilian War Housing
Schertz, Texas
29-32-44, 98-17-09
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 on 16 June 1996.General view
General view
Randolph Communications Facility Annex No. 1 (aka Randolph Transmitter Annex)
Schertz, Texas
PIN 1222, ILC TYND
29-33-22, 98-18-06
Acquired in the mid 1950s, then disposed of in the late 1970s, it is now an abandoned lot on the east side of Kitty Hawk Road. The decaying access road still leads to the center of the site, where the foundation of the transmitter building is located. The cableways in the foundation hint at its past use. Four small antenna support bases were present, two in place and two excavated. Visited 9 June 2000.Access road
Transmitter building foundation
Randolph Radio Range Annex
Schertz, Texas
29-29-21, 98-16-08
This radio range 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 wooden poles, which supported the antenna wires. Visit on 16 June 1996.View from gate
General view showing wooden poles
Royal Air Force graves
Terrell, Texas
Royal Air Force casualties from training at nearby Kaufman County Airport were buried in Oakland Memorial Park in Terrell. I visited in October 1996.General view
Stone marker
LAC Michael J. Hosier
LAC Maurice L. Jensen
LAC William L. Ibbs
LAC George I. Hanson
LAC Frank R.W. Frostick
LAC James Craig
LAC Aubrey R. Atkins
LAC Raymond A. Berry
LAC Leonard G. Blower
LAC Allan S. Gadd
LAC Geoffrey M. Harris
LAC Kenneth W. Coaster
LAC M.W.A. Williamson
LAC Thomas Travers
LAC Vincent H. Cockman
AC2(C) Raymond B. Botcher
AC2(C) H. Gilbert Slocock
LAC Alan R. Langston
AC2(C) Thomas S. Beedie
LAC Richard D. Mollett
Royal Flying Corps graves
Fort Worth, Texas
32-45-47, 97-21-48
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 WWI. 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.General view
Stone marker
Lieutenant Stuart Ross Cuthbert
Cadet Cyril A. Baker
Lieutenant J.C. Wray
Cadet Claude F. Bovill
Corporal W. Miles
Cadet Howard Hooten
Sergeant F.G. Hill
Cadet Eric D. Manson
Lieutenant M.E. Connelly
Cadet James G. Ringland
Lieutenant Robert M. Herbert
Cadet Milo W. Kirwan
Sheppard Helicopter Training Annex #2
Wichita Falls, Texas
34-00-05, 98-37-45
Sheppard AFB controlled from property from 1966 to 1971. The property was fenced and gated, and I think this building was from the USAF era. This annex was assigned on 1 September 1966, and disposed of on 27 April 1972. Note the windsock mounted on the pole. I had hoped to explore the site, as the aerial photos show a series of square areas that I believe are concrete parking hardstands. This may be the same property as a WWI auxiliary field to Call Field, called Iowa Park, but I have not confirmed this. Visited on 8 December 2001.Building
Building
Windsock
Sheppard Medical Training Annex
Wichita Falls, Texas
ILC VPFX
34-03-35, 98-26-45
This annex was used from 1966 to 1973. The site is called Bivouac Area on the as-built drawing. I proceeded up the road until it turned into someone's driveway, still a short drive from the actual site. I did notice that a fence at that location was made of perforated aluminum planking. Visited on 8 December 2001.General view
Fence
Sheppard Small Arms Range Annex
Wichita Falls, Texas
ILC VPFV
33-59-10, 98-36-45
From the highway I exited north on Rifle Range Road, an appropriate enough clue that I was about to see a former range. The former access gate was locked, but the pole for the range flag still stands inside the gate. This range was in use by 1952 (exact date of assignment not known) and was inactivated on 30 October 1979. Visited on 8 December 2001.General view
Gate
Victory Field
34-04-30, 99-17-30
South of Vernon, I located the site of this WWII contract flying school. Richey Flying Service operated an elementary flying school here for the AAF, from 4 October 1941 to mid-1944. Now, the site is occupied by the Victory Field Correctional Academy. It is surrounded by barbed wire and not open to the public. There were several vintage buildings along the east edge of the property. Visited on 8 December 2001.General view
General view
Building Updated January 26, 2025
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