George Air Force Base

George Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located within the city limits, 8 miles northwest, of central Victorville, California, about 75 miles northeast of Los Angeles, California.

The Victorville Army Airfield was constructed beginning in 1941.

George AFB was closed pursuant to a decision by the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission at the end of the Cold War.

On 3 May 1988 the Carlucci Commission was chartered by Secretary of Defense Frank C. Carlucci, which in December 1988 recommended to close 5 Air Force bases: Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois, George Air Force Base, Mather Air Force Base and Norton Air Force Base in California, and Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire).

It is now the site of the Southern California Logistics Airport.

Prior to its civil usage, the facility was George Air Force Base, from 1941 to 1992 a United States Air Force flight training facility.

It remained a training base throughout the Cold War and in the immediate post-Cold War period, primarily for the Tactical Air Command (TAC) and later the Air Combat Command (ACC), training USAF, NATO and other Allied pilots and weapon systems officers in front-line fighter aircraft until being closed in 1993.

Victorville Army Airfield auxiliary fields were four airfields used during World War 2 to support the Victorville Army Airfield pilot training near Victorville, California and Adelanto, California.

Since 2009, the California Air National Guard's 196th Reconnaissance Squadron (96 RS) has operated an MQ-1 Predator Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) training facility at the Southern California Logistics Airport.

It was briefly assigned to the Fourth Air Force, which moved the squadron to George AFB, California, and assigned it to the 116th Fighter Group On 11 November, the 196th squadron and 116th were redesignated fighter-bomber units and became part of Tactical Air Command.

In April 1942, these training squadrons were organized under the 36th Flying Training Wing, which became the main flying operations command and control organization.

Headquartered at Victorville Army Airfield, California for most of its operational service, it controlled contract pilot schools primarily in California and other western states.

They promoted the area's 360-days per year of sunny weather, abundance of wide-open spaces, and the availability of services from the nearby towns of both Victorville and Adelanto.

In September 1950, the air field was named George Air Force Base in honor of the late Brigadier General Harold H. George.

Its last assignment was with Los Angeles Air Defense Sector at George Air Force Base, California, where it was inactivated on 1 July 1967.

The squadron was again activated in August 1955 at George Air Force Base, California.

Air Defense Command (ADC) was reestablished as a major command on 1 January 1951.

With the move to Florida, the 3d TTS was formed at George AFB, California which performed training over the Mojave Desert in Southern California.

Prior to reforming at Luke in 1997, the 21st Tactical Fighter Training Squadron operated McDonnell F-4E Phantom IIs at George Air Force Base, California until 1993.

Two days later the wing issued orders establishing advanced parties of its headquarters and component organizations at Victorville (later George) AFB, California.

In April 1965, the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing at George AFB California deployed two F-104C squadrons to CCK (434th and 435th TFS).

The 479th Tactical Fighter Wing at George AFB, California, was the first unit to equip with the type in September 1958.

George Air Force Base was named in honor of Brigadier General Harold Huston George.

Victorville Air Force Base, California, was renamed George Air Force Base in George's honor in June 1950.

As a result of the Korean War, the Long Beach Municipal Airport, California Air Force Reserve 452d Bombardment Wing (Light) was mobilized at George AFB and ordered to active duty 10 August 1950.

Upon mobilization, the wing moved to George Air Force Base, California, and began accelerated aircrew training.

The group was reactivated at George Air Force Base, California on 1 December 1952 as the 479th Fighter-Bomber Group.

The 1st Fighter Day Squadron was commanded by then-Lieutenant Colonel Chuck Yeager from April 1957 until its inactivation in March 1959.

Yeager enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) on September 12, 1941, and became an aircraft mechanic at George Air Force Base, Victorville, California.

During the Cold War the squadron was reconstituted, redesignated as the 518th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and activated at George Air Force Base, California in January 1955, where it was assigned to the 27th Air Division.

The 21st Fighter-Bomber Wing was activated at George AFB on 1 January 1953 with three (72d, 416th and 531st) Fighter-Bomber squadrons, equipped with F-86F Sabres.

On 1 January 1953 the 21st Fighter-Bomber Wing was created as part of Tactical Air Command at George AFB, California.

Moved to George Air Force Base, California and equipped with McDonnell F-4E Phantom IIs.

Provided augmentation of Sixteenth Air Force to Morón Air Base, Spain through deployment of assigned squadrons on a rotational basis, 1958–1959.

On May 13, 1958, the first flight of Boeing B-47 Stratojets were assigned to Morón Air Base to conduct Reflex operations and then Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighters arrived to conduct strip alert tanker missions, and 6 weeks later the first rotational fighter squadron, the 1st Fighter-Day Squadron, flying North American F-100 Super Sabres and commanded by Lt. Col. Chuck Yeager, arrived from George Air Force Base, CA, for temporary duty to conduct air defence alert.