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List of military installations in Massachusetts facts for kids

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Massachusetts is home to many important places where the United States military works, trains, and keeps its equipment. These places are called military installations. They help protect our country and support military operations. Some of these installations are still active today, while others have been closed down over the years as military needs have changed.

Current Military Installations in Massachusetts

These are the military places that are still active and in use today across Massachusetts. They are used by different branches of the U.S. military.

Joint Facilities

Some military locations are used by more than one branch of the military. These are called joint facilities.

Bases
  • Joint Base Cape Cod: This is a large military area on Cape Cod. It's used by several military branches, even though the federal government doesn't officially call it a "Joint Base."
Centers
  • David S. Connolly Armed Forces Reserve Center: A place where military reservists train.
  • Westover Armed Forces Reserve Center: Another center for military reservists.

United States Army

The U.S. Army is the land warfare branch of the military. They have several important sites in Massachusetts.

Camps
  • Camp Edwards: A large training area for the Army.
  • Camp Curtis Guild: Another training camp.
Centers
  • Crosman Army Reserve Center: A training center for Army Reserve soldiers.
  • Poncin Army Reserve Center: Another Army Reserve training center.
  • Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center: This center works on new technologies and equipment for soldiers.
Forts
  • Fort Devens: A historic Army post that is still used for training.
Heliports
  • Camp Edwards Heliport: A place where helicopters can land and take off at Camp Edwards.
Laboratories
  • Base Camp Integration Laboratory: This lab helps design and improve military base camps.

United States Navy

The U.S. Navy is responsible for sea warfare and protecting our oceans.

Centers
  • Navy Operational Support Center Quincy: This center supports Navy Reserve personnel.

United States Air Force

The U.S. Air Force protects our country from the sky and space.

Bases
  • Barnes Air National Guard Base: An Air National Guard base.
  • Hanscom Air Force Base: A major Air Force base focused on technology and development.
  • Otis Air National Guard Base: Another Air National Guard base.
  • Westover Air Reserve Base: A large Air Force Reserve base.

United States Space Force

The U.S. Space Force is the newest branch, focusing on military operations in space.

Stations
  • Cape Cod Space Force Station: This station helps monitor space and provides important radar services.

United States Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard protects our coasts, enforces maritime laws, and performs search and rescue missions.

Air Stations
  • Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod: This station operates helicopters and planes for coastal missions.
Bases
  • Coast Guard Base Boston: A main base for Coast Guard operations in Boston.
  • Coast Guard Base Cape Cod: Another important base on Cape Cod.
Depots
  • United States Coast Guard Buoy Depot, South Weymouth: This depot stores and maintains buoys used for navigation.
Stations
  • The Coast Guard has many smaller stations along the Massachusetts coast to respond quickly to emergencies. These include:
    • Coast Guard Station Brant Point
    • Coast Guard Station Cape Cod Canal
    • Coast Guard Station Chatham
    • Coast Guard Station Gloucester
    • Coast Guard Station Menemsha
    • Coast Guard Station Merrimack River
    • Coast Guard Station Point Allerton
    • Coast Guard Station Provincetown
    • Coast Guard Station Scituate
    • Coast Guard Station Woods Hole

Former Military Installations in Massachusetts

Over time, as military needs change, some installations are no longer needed and are closed. Here are some of the places that were once active military sites in Massachusetts.

United States Army

Many Army sites have been closed, including airfields, armories, and training camps.

Army Airfields
  • These were airfields used by the Army, such as Hyannis Army Airfield and Otis Army Airfield.
Armories
Arsenals
  • Arsenals were factories or storage places for military weapons and ammunition.
  • Charlestown Arsenal
  • Watertown Arsenal
Bases
Camps
  • Many camps were used for training soldiers, especially during wars. Some examples include Camp Myles Standish, Camp Edwards, and Camp Wellfleet. There were many others across the state.
Centers
  • These centers were used for training or supporting Army Reserve units.
  • Antiaircraft Artillery Training Center, Camp Edwards
  • Gardner Army Reserve Center
  • Greenfield United States Army Reserve Center
Firing Ranges
  • Areas used for target practice and weapons testing.
  • Popponesset Firing Range
  • Scorton Neck Firing Range
Forts
Hospitals
  • Military hospitals provided medical care for soldiers.
  • Murphy Army Hospital
Nike Sites
Plants
  • These were factories that produced military equipment or ordnance (weapons and ammunition).
  • Lowell Ordnance Plant
  • Pilgrim Ordnance Works
Proving grounds
  • Places where military equipment and weapons were tested.
  • Scituate Proving Ground
Military Reservations
  • These were areas of land set aside for military use.
  • Long Island Military Reservation
  • Lovell's Island Military Reservation

United States Navy

The Navy also had many facilities that are now closed.

Naval Air Stations
  • These were airfields used by the Navy for aircraft operations.
  • Naval Air Station Chatham
  • Naval Air Station South Weymouth
  • Naval Air Station Squantum
Naval Ammunition Depots
  • Places where naval ammunition was stored.
  • Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot
Areas
Naval Auxiliary Air Facilities
  • Smaller airfields that supported larger naval air stations.
  • Naval Auxiliary Air Facility Hyannis
  • Naval Auxiliary Air Facility Martha's Vineyard
Hospitals
Naval shipyards
  • Shipyards were places where Navy ships were built, repaired, and maintained.
  • Boston Navy Yard: A very important historic shipyard.

United States Air Force

Several Air Force bases and facilities have also been closed or changed their roles.

Air Force Bases
  • Otis Air Force Base (now part of Joint Base Cape Cod)
  • Westover Air Force Base (now Westover Air Reserve Base)
Centers
  • Air Force Electronic Systems Center: This center worked on electronic systems for the Air Force.
Hospitals
  • Hospitals at Air Force bases provided medical care.
  • Westover Air Force Base Hospital
Laboratories
  • Labs focused on research and development for the Air Force.
  • Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories
Air Force Plants
  • Factories that produced aircraft or other equipment for the Air Force.
  • United States Air Force Plant 28
Ranges
  • Areas used for bombing or gunnery practice.
  • Monomoy Island Gunnery Range
Air Force Stations
  • Stations that often housed radar or communication equipment.
  • North Truro Air Force Station
Texas Towers
  • These were offshore radar stations built in the ocean to detect incoming aircraft during the Cold War.
  • Texas Tower 2
  • Texas Tower 3

United States Coast Guard

Some Coast Guard stations have also been closed.

Air Stations
  • Coast Guard Air Station Salem: An early Coast Guard air station.
Loran
  • Loran stations were used for long-range navigation.
  • Loran Transmitting Station Martha’s Vineyard
Stations
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