Castle Air Force Base facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Castle Air Force BaseMerced Army Airfield  |
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| Part of Strategic Air Command | |
| Merced County, near Atwater, California | |
2006 USGS Aerial Photo
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 Castle AFB
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| Coordinates | 37°22′50″N 120°34′05″W / 37.38056°N 120.56806°W |
| Type | Air Force Base |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1941 |
| In use | 1941–1995 |
Castle Air Force Base (often called Castle AFB) was a very important United States Air Force base in California. It was located near the towns of Atwater and Merced. This base was active from 1941 to 1995 and was a key part of the Strategic Air Command, which managed America's long-range bombers and missiles during the Cold War.
The base was closed in 1995 after the Cold War ended. Today, it's known as the Castle Airport Aviation and Development Center, and it's used for many different civilian activities.
Contents
History of Castle Air Force Base
Castle Air Force Base first opened on September 20, 1941. Back then, it was called the Army Air Force Basic Flying School. Its main job was to train pilots and aircrews for World War II. Many pilots learned to fly here, including some brave Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs).
During the war, several smaller airfields nearby were used to help with training. These were like practice areas for the main base.
After the War: A New Name and Mission
After World War II ended, the base was renamed Castle Field on January 17, 1946. It was named after Brigadier General Frederick Castle, a hero who received the Medal of Honor. He bravely stayed with his burning plane during a mission in 1944 to let his crew escape, and he died when the plane exploded.
The base became home to the 93d Bombardment Group in 1946. This group was one of the first ten bomb groups in the new Strategic Air Command (SAC). They flew B-29 Superfortress bombers.
On October 1, 1946, the base was put on "caretaker status," meaning it had very limited operations. But it was reactivated on May 1, 1947, and became a very important base for SAC. On January 13, 1948, it was officially renamed Castle Air Force Base.
Training for the Cold War
In the late 1940s and 1950s, Castle AFB played a huge role in the Cold War. It was a training center for pilots and crews who would fly America's most powerful bombers and refueling planes.
- In 1948, the 93rd Bombardment Wing became the first SAC bomb group to deploy all its forces to the Far East, showing how important these bases were globally.
- The base started using Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighters for aerial refueling in 1950. These planes could refuel other aircraft in the air, allowing them to fly much longer distances.
- In 1955, Castle AFB was the first base to receive the brand-new Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber. This huge plane became a symbol of American air power.
- The base became SAC's main training center for B-52 and KC-135 tanker crews. They trained thousands of airmen who would fly these important aircraft.
Important Missions and Closure
Even though much of the base was for training, units from Castle AFB also took part in real missions:
- In January 1957, a B-52 from Castle AFB completed the first nonstop flight around the world by a jet aircraft, called "Operation Power Flite." This showed how far these planes could go.
- During the Vietnam War, some squadrons from Castle AFB deployed to Thailand and flew combat missions over Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
- In 1990 and 1991, during the Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations, B-52s from Castle AFB bombed targets in Iraq. KC-135 tankers also helped by refueling planes and moving people and equipment.
The end of the Cold War brought many changes. In 1991, the government decided to close many military bases, including Castle AFB. The base officially closed on September 30, 1995.
Civilian Use Today
After its closure, Castle Air Force Base was transformed into the Castle Airport Aviation and Development Center. It's now a busy place with many different uses:
- The Castle Air Museum is located at the site, where you can see many old military aircraft.
- The University of California, Merced has a research site there.
- The United States Penitentiary, Atwater was built on a part of the former base.
- In 2011, Google leased land at Castle to test its self-driving cars (now called Waymo). They also tested Project Loon, which used balloons to create aerial Wi-Fi networks.
- In 2021, Merced County expanded a special testing complex for cars. It has a 2.2-mile oval track and other areas where major car companies, like Tesla, Inc. (which tested its Cybertruck there), can test new vehicles.
- In 2022, a new rail district opened at Castle. This helps farms and businesses in the area ship and receive products using trains.
The county is working to make Castle an even more useful place for businesses and technology in the future.
Previous Names of the Base
- Army Air Force Basic Flying School, Merced, CA (1941–1942)
- Merced Army Flying School (1942–1943)
- Merced Army Airfield (1943–1946)
- Castle Field (1946–1948)
Images for kids
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2006 USGS Aerial Photo of Castle Airport
See also
In Spanish: Base de la Fuerza Aérea Castle para niños
