McClellan Air Force Base facts for kids
Quick facts for kids McClellan Air Force Base
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| Part of Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) | |
| Sacramento County, California | |
McClellan AFB, 9 May 2002
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 McClellan AFB
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| Coordinates | 38°40′04″N 121°24′02″W / 38.66778°N 121.40056°W |
| Type | Air Force Base |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Air Force |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1935-1938 |
| In use | Open 1938 - IN USE 1948-2001 (as McClellan AFB); now civilian airfield |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | Air Force Materiel Command |
McClellan Air Force Base was a large base for the United States Air Force. It was located in the North Highlands area of Sacramento County, California. This base was about 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Sacramento, California. It operated from 1935 until it closed in 2001.
Contents
History of McClellan Air Force Base
For most of its time, McClellan was a huge center for fixing and maintaining military aircraft. It also handled equipment and supplies. When it first opened, it was called the Pacific Air Depot. Later, it became the Sacramento Air Depot.
In 1939, the base was renamed after Major Hezekiah McClellan. He was a brave pilot who tested aircraft in cold, arctic conditions. He was born in 1894 and sadly died in 1936 during a flight test.
The base's main job was to support the Air Force. It was known as the Sacramento Air Logistics Center (SALC) by 1995. This center helped manage and deliver supplies for the Air Force.
The United States Coast Guard also had a station at McClellan. They flew and maintained several large HC-130 Hercules aircraft. Even after the Air Force base closed, the Coast Guard station stayed open. It is still the only military aviation unit at the airfield today.
The Base Closure and Its New Life
In 1993, the government decided to close McClellan Air Force Base. This was a big deal because the base provided many jobs and a lot of money to the local area. People worried about losing 11,000 jobs and $1.5 billion for California.
To help with this, there was a plan to turn the base into a private business area. This idea was called "privatization." The goal was to create new jobs and businesses.
Today, the former base is called McClellan Business Park. It is a busy area with many different companies. It also hosts state, federal, and local government offices.
Museum and Environmental Concerns
In 1986, the McClellan Aviation Museum opened on the base. It later became part of the National Museum of the United States Air Force. In 2005, the museum changed its name to the Aerospace Museum of California.
The museum has many military aircraft on display. Some are inside hangars, and many more are outside. It also shows the history of McClellan and other nearby Air Force bases. The museum offers educational programs for local schools.
In 2015, it was reported that McClellan Airfield was named a Superfund site. This means the United States Environmental Protection Agency found many areas on the base that needed cleaning up. These areas had waste from past activities.
Water wells near the base had higher levels of a chemical called hexavalent chromium. This chemical is known to be harmful. The government is working to make sure the water is safe.
Names of the Base
Over the years, the base had several different names:
- Pacific Air Depot, 1935 - 1937
- Sacramento Air Depot, 1937 - 1939
- McClellan Field, 1939 - 1948
- McClellan Air Force Base, 1948 - 2001
- McClellan Business Park, 2009 - present
Images for kids
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An aerial image of McClellan AFB from 2002, showing the base after it closed.
See also
In Spanish: Base de McClellan de la Fuerza Aérea para niños
