San Bernardino Army Air Field/Norton Air Force Base

Overview

The Norton Air Force Base was built in March 1942. It was originally a municipal airport until it got reappropriated as a training base and then as an army air field during World War II. It served many other miscellaneous functions during the war, but its primary purpose was to provide work for veterans and citizens, with the fruits of their labor being directed towards the Pacific Theater. Even after the war ended, it served this objective until it closed in 1994.

During the War

The Norton Air Force Base was originally known as Municipal Airport, San Bernardino.[1] Around the time when the United States entered World War II, it became a training base for the 30,000 pilots who would enroll in its training program. After Pearl Harbor, fighter planes arrived at the airport to defend Los Angeles from potential attacks. Almost a year later, it was renamed to the San Bernardino Army Air Field.[2] Aside from being a heavy lift transport facility for military aircraft, it also served as an army air depot.[3] The construction of this new department, known as the San Bernardino Army Air Depot, was estimated to cost between $15,000,000 and $20,000,000. The thousands of civilian and veteran workers who were recruited added $8,000,000 to the annual cost.[4] This depot was mostly important because it created many job opportunities during World War II, especially after the Army Air Corps increased its offensive in every theater. Col. James G, Taylor, who was the commanding officer of the San Bernardino Air Service Command, called up every available aircraft mechanic in the city and stated that “it’s our job to keep the air forces flying. More and more emphasis is being placed on maintenance and repair of Army equipment. We need more than 1000 civilian aircraft mechanics at the San Bernardino Army Airfield, and we need them now.”[5]

After the War

When World War II ended, the army decided to keep the air field and depot. “Mayor W. C. Seccombe [had] received authorization from the City Council to go to Washington to ask the War Department to permit use of flying facilities at the depot for a commercial airline desiring to serve the community.”[6] When the base was transferred to the US Air Force in the late 1940s, it was renamed Norton Air Force Base in honor of Captain Leland Norton, who sacrificed himself so the crew of his crippled plane could survive.[7] Since World War II up until its closure in 1994, the Norton Air Force Base provided the necessary land for the United States Military and employment opportunities for its affiliates

Footnotes

[1] “History,” Norton Air Force Base Museum, Accessed November 17, 2018. http://nafbmuseum.org/history/.

[2] “History.”

[3] Anthony Victoria, "Norton Air Museum Celebrates Second Anniversary" El Chicano Weekly, March 26, 2015.

[4] “Huge Depot Site Obtained: Air Corps Supply Base at San Bernardino to Cost $15,000,000.” Los Angeles Times, November 11, 1941, A9. ProQuest Historical Newspapers (165274698).

[5] "Air Base Head Appeals for More Mechanics," Los Angeles Times, June 18, 1944, E2. ProQuest Historical Newspapers (165525490).

[6] “Army Keeps Air Field and Depot,” Los Angeles Times, November 7, 1945, 9. ProQuest Historical Newspapers (165643608).

[7] “History.”