Borrego Valley Maneuver Area

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Borrego Valley Maneuver Area
Part of US Navy
Borrego Springs, California
BorregoValleyManueverArea.jpg
Map Borrego Valley Maneuver Area
Coordinates 33°16′23″N116°06′36″W / 33.27306°N 116.11000°W / 33.27306; -116.11000
TypeMilitary training base
Site information
OwnerFlag of the United States.svg  United States of America
Controlled byFlag of the United States Army.svg  United States Army
Site history
Built1942
In use1942-1944
Demolished1945
EventsUS Army, Navy and Marines Training for WW2
Borrego Hotel Target Area in red and Borrego Valley Maneuver Area BorregoValleyManueverArea BorregoHotelTargetArea.jpg
Borrego Hotel Target Area in red and Borrego Valley Maneuver Area
Map of Ensign Ranch Airfield EnsignRanchAirfieldSanDiegoCO Ca.jpg
Map of Ensign Ranch Airfield

Borrego Valley Maneuver Area also called the Borrego Springs Naval Maneuver Area was a US Army Anti-Aircraft Training Center (AARTC) and a subcamp of Camp Callan. Located near Borrego Springs, California in San Diego County in the Imperial Valley. Opened in March 1942 and in use until August 1944, it was operated by the Western Defense Command. Marine Corps also used the site to train troops in driving army vehicles. The site was picked as it was 400 square miles, 255,840 acres, of barren desert, barren mountains, and badlands. When closed the land returned to the State of California. Built at the site were bombing stations, strafing stations, and rocket targets. Also installed was Anti-Aircraft Artillery for training. First week troop did dry run training and the second week live-fire training. Ammo fired was from .33cal to 90mm. The US Navy trained in the bombing, gunnery, and rocketry ranges. California Institute of Technology help with the rocket training. The air support for the base was Naval Outlying Landing Field Clark's Dry Lake, Naval Outlying Field, Ocotillo Dry Lake and Borrego Hotel Naval Outlying Landing Field. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Camp Ensign

In the Borrego Valley Maneuver Area the US Marines built Camp Ensign at the site of the Ensign Ranch in Borrego Springs in 1943. Troops from San Diego came to the camp for training for two weeks. The training was in driving military trucks at night. The former Base Headquarters is now near the Borrego Springs Spa and Resort. The site was Ensign Ranch date palm orchards before the camp. [4] [5]

Ensign Ranch Airfield

Ensign Ranch Airfield was a single northwest–southeast unpaved runway built-in 1943 just south of Camp Ensign to support the camp. There are no remains of the former field. The site is now part of the Borrego Springs Spa and Resort. 33°13′59″N116°21′25″W / 33.233°N 116.357°W / 33.233; -116.357 [6]

Borrego Hotel Target Area

About 3 miles south of the Borrego Valley Maneuver Area was the 222 acres Borrego Hotel Target Area. Borrego Hotel bombing target had three circles that the Navy used for San Diego Naval Air Station's aircraft carrier plane high-altitude bombing, dive-bombing and strafing. Near the Target Area was supported by the Naval Outlying Field, Ocotillo Dry Lake. The Target Area opened in 1941 and closed in 1955. In 1956 the land was sold and is now private property just south of California State Route 78. [7] [8]

Borrego Hotel Naval Outlying Landing Field

About 3 miles south of the Borrego Valley Maneuver Area was the Borrego Hotel Naval Outlying Landing Field. Landing Field was used for emergency landing activities. The Landing Field had two dirt runways built on Halfhill Dry Lake. The site was used from 1941 to 1955. On 6 6 September 1956 the land was sold. There are no remains of the former field. 33°05′N116°06′W / 33.09°N 116.1°W / 33.09; -116.1 [9]

Benson Bombing Range

Benson Bombing Range also called the Benson/Ocotillo Dry Lake Range was used for bombing, dive-bombing and strafing training. The 353 acre Range was located on the Benson Dry Lake and Ocotillo Dry Lake near Ocotillo Wells, California. [10]

See also

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Sweetwater Dam Naval Outlying Landing Field was a airfield near Naval Auxiliary Air Station Brown Field and Naval Air Station North Island used to support the training of US Navy pilots during World War 2. The runway built in 1944 was located in what is now a neighborhood 8 mile east of San Diego, California. The Navy support airfields are called Naval Outlying Landing Field (NOLF). For the war, many new trained pilots were needed. The Naval Outlying Landing Field provided a place for pilots to practice landing and take off without other air traffic. Sweetwater Dam site offered flight training without distractions. Most of the new pilots departed to the Pacific War after training. The Sweetwater Dam Outlying Landing Field had no support facilities. After the war the Outlying field closed in 1946, having completed the role of training new pilots. Sweetwater Dam Naval Outlying Landing Field and Sweetwater Carrier Landing Strip. The Landing Field had a single 3,000-foot east/west asphalt runway. The Navy leased 135.45 acres of grassland from Rancho de la Nación for the Landing Field. In 1949 the runway became a private civil airport, the Sweetwater Dam Airport also called the Paradise Mesa Airstrip. The Airport is named after the nearby Sweetwater Dam that makes the Sweetwater Reservoir. The Airport closed in 1951 and the runway became home to the Paradise Mesa Drag strip. The Carlsbad, California's Oilers Club help start the drag strip with the first meet on March 11, 1951. At its peak, 25 clubs were using the strip. The drag strip closed in 1959. Houses were built on the site, now called Paradise Hills and no trace of the runway can be found today. Part of the site is also the Daniel Boone Elementary School.

References

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  3. "California in World War II: San Diego Metropolitan Area during World War II". www.militarymuseum.org. 8 February 2016. Archived from the original on 26 October 2004. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  4. "Camp Ensign". www.militarymuseum.org. 3 July 2017. Archived from the original on 20 December 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  5. "Archives Search Report | Findings for Camp Ensign" (PDF). militarymuseum.org. May 1997. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 December 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  6. Freeman, Paul (3 December 2016). "Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: California: Eastern San Diego County | Ensign Ranch Airfield, Borrego Springs, CA". members.tripod.com. Archived from the original on 22 April 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  7. "Borrego Hotel". www.spl.usace.army.mil. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  8. "Fact Sheet | Borrego Hotel Target Area and Emergency Landing Field, Ocotillo Wells, CA" (PDF). spl.usace.army.mil. 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  9. "Borrego Hotel Naval Outlying Landing Field". wikimapia.org. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  10. "Archives Search Report | Findings for Benson/Ocotillo Dry Lake" (PDF). militarymuseum.org. May 1997. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 December 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2021.