Santa Ana Army Air Base facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Santa Ana Army Air Base
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| Part of Army Air Forces Flying Training Command | |
| Costa Mesa, Orange County, California, US | |
USGS 2006 airphoto of Santa Ana Army Air Base (Outlined) Santa Ana AAB on left, Orange County Airport on right
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 Santa Ana AAB
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| Coordinates | 33°40′13″N 117°54′09″W / 33.67028°N 117.90250°W |
| Type | Non-flying Army Air Force training facility |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Army Air Forces |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1941 |
| In use | 1942–1946 |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | Army Air Force Training Command |
Santa Ana Army Air Base (SAAAB) was a special military base used during World War II. It was located near Santa Ana, California. Even though it was called an "air base," it didn't have planes, hangars, or runways. Instead, it was a huge training camp for soldiers joining the United States Army Air Forces.
The base was very large, covering about 1,336 acres (5.4 km²). It was mainly located between Baker Street, Harbor Boulevard, Wilson Street, and Newport Boulevard. After the war, the base closed in 1946. Part of its land became part of Costa Mesa in 1953. Today, the land where SAAAB once stood is home to John Wayne Airport, the Orange County Fairgrounds, and Orange Coast College.
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How the Base Started
On January 1, 1942, the United States Army Air Corps opened the Santa Ana Army Air Base. They also created the West Coast Air Corps Training Center there. This center was in charge of all flying training in the Western United States. This included basic, primary, and advanced flight lessons. In July 1943, its name changed to the Western Flying Training Command.
The Army needed many more pilots for the war. They planned to train 30,000 pilots each year. To help with this, they started three special training centers in February 1941. These centers were for new recruits who had no military experience. They would help decide if new soldiers would become pilots, navigators, or bombardiers.
One of these centers was supposed to be at Moffett Field in Sunnyvale, California. However, the United States Navy wanted to use Moffett Field only for their "blimp" airships. So, the Army Air Corps had to find a new spot. They looked at different places in Southern California.
The city of Santa Ana wanted the new base nearby. They arranged to lease a large piece of land for the Army. The Army chose the Santa Ana location in June 1941. The city officially leased the land in August 1941.
Building a Training City
The Santa Ana Army Air Base was planned to be a massive basic training camp. It was like building a whole new city in the middle of farm fields. The plans included building 145 different structures. These included 79 barracks for soldiers to sleep in. There were also school buildings, offices, and places for recreation.
The base also had a theater, a hospital with 151 beds, and two chapels. The construction started quickly in October 1941. The goal was to finish all 177 buildings in just 120 days. The base was designed to train soldiers on the ground. It did not have a flying field itself.
The nearby Orange County Airport was also used by the Army Air Force. It served as a small "taxi service" for officers. This allowed them to travel easily to other flying bases along the West Coast.
Life at SAAAB
The first buildings were ready by May 1942. However, soldiers started moving in as early as February 1942. The base officially opened on March 3, 1942. It grew very fast because more pilots and air crews were needed for the war.
New soldiers joining the Army Air Forces came to SAAAB. They received nine weeks of basic training. After this, they were tested to see if they would become pilots, bombardiers, navigators, or mechanics. From SAAAB, they went to other bases for more specialized training.
The base was built to hold 2,500 to 3,000 cadets. It also had space for officers and enlisted men. The first group of 50 cadets arrived on February 20, 1942. By March, there were 5,000 cadets at the base. Many lived in tents until the new barracks were finished.
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In May 1942, the base organized its cadets into Wings, Groups, and Squadrons. A squadron usually had about 180 men. The first class of 2,601 cadets finished their training on July 1, 1942. By the end of 1942, over 45,000 pilots were graduating each year. The Air Force hired over 250 experienced teachers to train the cadets.
In late 1942, SAAAB also became a place for soldiers waiting to go overseas. Many soldiers passed through the base quickly. By the end of 1943, about 57,895 soldiers had been there. The base reached its largest size in the fall of 1943, with about 26,000 service members. In November 1943, women also began training at the base. These included members of the Women's Air Service Pilots (WASP) and the Women's Army Corp (WAC).
Because the base was close to Hollywood, many famous celebrities visited. They put on shows for the soldiers.
End of Training
Pilot training at SAAAB was busiest in late 1943. The largest pilot class finished training in October 1943. By then, the Army Air Forces had enough aircrews for the war. On May 31, 1944, the base stopped classifying aircrews. The Pilot School closed on May 22, 1944. It had trained over 70,000 cadets for flying schools. By the end of 1944, most pilot training schools were closing.
On November 1, 1944, SAAAB changed its role. It became a center for distributing Army Air Forces personnel. From its start until this change, SAAAB had processed nearly 150,000 men. Most of these men were classified as pilots, bombardiers, or navigators.
When the war in Europe ended on May 7, 1945 (V-E Day), SAAAB's role changed again. It became a separation center. This meant it helped soldiers return to civilian life. By November 1945, 81,000 combat veterans had left the military through SAAAB.
Finally, on March 13, 1946, the Army closed the Santa Ana Army Air Base. The land was then given to the War Assets Administration.
What Happened After the War
After the war, some of the buildings from the base were sold and moved. Others became part of colleges. In 1953, the city of Costa Mesa was formed. In 1955, the former SAAAB property became part of Costa Mesa.
For a few years in the mid-1950s, part of the base was used for training with Nike guided missiles. This missile training area started in January 1956. Two years later, in June 1958, the Air National Guard received some land. The rest of the land was given to the government to be sold.
Today, the western part of the old SAAAB land is the Orange County Fairgrounds. The eastern part is now John Wayne Airport.
On June 29, 1979, a special plaque was placed at the Air National Guard base. It honors all the pilots, bombardiers, and navigators who trained there. It recognizes their help in winning World War II.
SAAAB in Pop Culture
The Santa Ana Army Air Base is famous for being one of the main places in the novel Catch-22 by Joseph Heller. This book was also made into a movie and TV show. Heller said that he made up the other main setting in the book, an Italian island. This suggests that SAAAB is shown more realistically in the story.
