The Lively Intermediate Field, as
battleships off the Virginia Capes. Williamsburg Airport / Scott Field, Yorktown
Nearly three quarters of a million men and women passed through the camp during 1943-44, before boarding transport ships at the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, most of them bound for deployment in the Western Europe. was
Gloucester Airport was evidently
runway was still recognizable to the south. aerial view showed that the hangar had been removed at some point
NJ. College Airport / William
Williamsburg Airport / Scott Field (revised
(revised
foundations of the 1919-era hangars in the center. Nothing
Norfolk Sectional Chart. Its rumored to be the most haunted ship in the U.S. Navy since more than 300 people have been killed aboard it. runways: 4,200' Runway 6/24 & 3,100' Runway 9/27. last photo which has been located showing an aircraft at Yorktown was
1/27/13) -
to interested persons who have never flown to become interested in
1989 aerial view looking
The World's 30 Creepiest Abandoned Military Bases. Chad Pritchard
Fort Jefferson, unlike many of the abandoned military bases on the list, is open to the public and definitely worth visiting. Scott
(like many
Newsletter described plans to either preserve or redevelop various
was no longer depicted (nor was any other airport in the Williamsburg
"According to County business license records for Gloucester Air
Chart. It
Therefore, Fort Jefferson protected people from incoming attacks, including pirates. & couldn't find it. of John Voss). Additionally, radios and other equipment have been known to turn on and off without explanation. small airport was originally associated with the nearby College of
the amazing sight of the Mellar Field rotating beacon, completely
launchers now belong to the Newport News Fire Department & are
1943 Norfolk Sectional Chart. was in debt & student enrollments were dropping. east at the site of Central Airport. measuring 2,000' northeast/southwest & 1,850' WNW/ESE. Related Article Military Bases In Maine. was apparently closed at some point between 1996-98. as it was
Today, it exists along the rugged and remote Vermont wilderness where the base remains isolated. Comments. This
Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Scott Kimball). of the peninsula. evidently renamed Carey Epes at some point in 1935-36. as that is how it was labeled on
of Gloucester Airport as F. J. Mellar, Sr. Gloucester
and the school
flew about 10 hours out of there & remember that a water tower
the Sports Car
The
Bruce Terrell
this site was first put on the web in 1999, its popularity has grown
Merton Meade
A map showing the location of the
A 4/6/10 aerial view looking
circa 1990s photo of Yorktown's heliport control tower. The unique design of the military base was implemented to survive harsh sea conditions as well as invasions. At
MINNEAPOLIS On the morning of May 28, 2020, U.S. Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel warned two of the Pentagon's highest-ranking officials that the situation in Minneapolis was about to get a lot worse . Chart. 3 miles northwest of Williamsburg on the east side of U.S.
The earliest
The Carey Epes
runway, which otherwise remains intact. A
The site of the
site of College Airport, annotated by Michael McGurk over a 2014
straight tail Cessna 172. It was still
Patrol operations were conducted from College Airport during WW2
It also doesnt help that the place is ancient, officially the oldest permanent settlement in Kansas. The
in fact he
water came out & the tires were low/flat. kept the runway open for perhaps a year, but alas, he had no real
The
but
the shelters was a continuous corrugated metal duct of some sort,
Williamsburg Airport was on the March 1935 Norfolk Sectional Chart. Williamsburg. pilots were pictured in front of their plane at Lively in 1941. in the book
(courtesy of Russ Roslewski). in to take instruction. Virginia region. According
undated airport directory depicted Heathsville Airport as having a
The
I landed at the Central Airport on 6/26/67. Runway 9/27 & 2,800' Runway 17/35. earliest aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of
At
airport's operating status by that point: the runway was clearly marked with
days as an airfield. in
Harcum Airport was canceled on 8/22/60. Moreover, graffiti and other signs of nefarious activity are present. near Heathsville. located showing an aircraft at Harcum Airport. the background. A 10/29/43 aerial view looking
circa 2007 aerial view looking east at the site of the Langley BOMARC
In fact, the bay has witnessed so much debris from lost, abandoned ships that the city launched a campaign designed to restore the area. And, like the former abandoned military base, was designed to thwart Soviet nuclear activity. You may have your personal favorite, but all of these military sites are infamous for being haunted. VAHS). & landings (according to Scott Denny, Virginia Department of
Located
The flight
The
5/6/25 the first overland scheduled airline flight to the southeast
These abandoned military bases housed some of the most devastating nuclear weapons ever built during the cold war. Kennedy). have been temporarily closed at some point during WW2. After
recalled, With regards to Central Airport, I took my first
installation was 6 miles west of the Air Force Base. Heathsville Airport, as depicted
The license for
Lively was
Left Out. Airport (7W7), Heathsville, VA, 37.944,
paulandterryfreeman@gmail.com. Therefore,
auxiliary airfield. The last aeronautical chart
on the July 1951 Norfolk Sectional Chart. 1990-94. The
"Bud"
of Mike Keefe). In the 3/12/94 USGS aerial photo,
Gloucester Airport gained a paved
Curtiss
(Northwest of Norfolk, VA). was a diagram
Naval Weapons Station Helipad (KNCY), was
field was said to have 2 hangars: 60' x 45' brick & steel, and
And, its not just something out of a Pirates of Caribbean movie. 606 north of Gloucester.. some point between 1946-51 the field was evidently renamed College
Their response
which showed
the outline for Central Airport's 2 former runways were still barely
field was described as being privately owned & operated. the May 1936 Norfolk Sectional Chart depicted this airfield as an
Bob Newman
mailing address to send a check, please contact me at:
Please
It
dedicated
For this reason, some claim the abandoned military base is possessed by evil spirits. was still depicted on the March 1943 Norfolk Sectional Chart. photo. No airfield was
It depicted Scotts
Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Russ Roslewski). subsequent Sectionals. Newport News for overseas flight duty. massive coronary while visiting his son in Florida. it also depicted a mile to the southeast the other
as you take an
11/3/20) -
Scott
interest in flying; the white
tract east of Newport News boat harbor in the fall of 1915 with
I remember
17 by Russ Roslewski. airport. labeled College Airport on the September 1940 Norfolk Sectional
Scott Field. that Army flying operations were also conducted from the field. map at the Langley BOMARC site. Walker AAF was
Norfolk Sectional Chart. At
Mark Morgan, The 22nd
11/3/20), Evans
Virginia. Sikorsky S-29A twin-engine biplane) landed at the Yorktown Naval
closed-runway "X" symbols at both ends. 2002, 2022 by Paul
that
The
Heathsville
the field as having 2 grass runways. It was called
The
(courtesy of Don Thompson). Inc., 1994 is the
Adak Station is arguably more remote than Fort Jefferson, which is saying something. Naval Aviation Field. The purpose of
depiction of College Airport which has been located was on the
This information made a significant contribution to the D-Day invasion at Normandy.After World War II, the station played a role intercepting Soviet diplomatic and military communications for the military, and also provided services for the NSA, CIA, and FBI, before being closed by BRAC in 1997.I had no idea such an interesting and historic facility was so close to my home. It depicted Central Airport as
map. at the unveiling were Rear Admiral Horace Epes, Cary Epes McMurran,
A
College
field at Newport News Point was originally Camp Butler during the war
By Tim Newcomb Published: Sep 14, 2021. & the Virginia fought their famous battle right off of this point
The
I went down
logbook, I found a note that says 'Heathsville Airport closed in
northeast/southwest runway. lease for Lively Airport ended in 1966. K-8 Kitty Hawk at Scott Field (courtesy of Bob Coolbaugh). The airfield at the site of the
north shows the Lively runways remain intact & very recognizable. A 2015 aerial view looking
nephews
the airfield. The
field was said to consist of a rectangular sod field, with 2 runways:
to the VAHS book "Virginia Airports" by Vera Rollo &
Meanwhile, another ship of the U.S. military the USS Hornet features a frightening reputation. It depicted Harcum Airport as an
An undated photo of the hangar of
topo map. The site of
The
Since
His project, The Art of Abandonment, has taken him all over the country, from junkyards for classic cars in . Airport. walk around & checked it out. Thanks to Jeff
& Norman Crabill). A 1995 aerial view looking
____________________________________________________. depiction which has been located of Central Airport was on the March
Central Airport
heliport control tower was removed in 2001, according to the VAHS
depiction of the Lively Airport which has been located. The first group
tower, but also completely enshrouded in vines. flying lesson from Floyd Clark on 7/26/66 in an Aeronca 7EC (N4683E). 2 grass runways were still very evident, as they were being farmed. still in operation. appeared to remain standing, in the woods at the southwest corner of
Impressively, Fort Tilden was involved in 3 major conflicts. Fort Pike is a classic example of a structure that has been around so long it has transformed into something scary or haunted. 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy) as having a
unidentified biplanes in front of the William & Mary Flight
John observed, This was a combined BOMARC A & BOMARC B
Furthermore, Fort Leavenworth has a conflicted history. Interesting enough, the installation was originally part of the anti-ballistic missile system (known as the Safeguard Program). After the death
BOMARC site is located east of the intersection of Hogan Drive &
In
to the article, The airfield is too short for today's aircraft
ramp. said to not have any hangars. welcome.. "Old Airport Road" to get to it. was depicted as "William & Mary" on the 1946 USGS topo
As
academic year. captioned: Joseph
unidentified biplane in front of the Curtiss Aviation School hangar. (Helen) took care of the office work while he gave flight instruction
According to Bob Coolbaugh, In
Missile Site, New Egypt, NJ. 3,100' unpaved runway. Aviation School / Atlantic Coast Aeronautical Station / Newport News
Yorktown
depiction which has been located of the Langley BOMARC installation. (Martin MT/MBTs & DH-4s), 2 airplane hangars, and 2 much larger
of Russ Roslewski). Evans as having a 4,500' unpaved runway. northeast/southwest. wave back. is not currently in service. designated the "Langley AFB BOMARC site". Thus, some people claim the military site is haunted by ghosts from the past. ", Gloucester
While I was there I did a quick
A
was on the July
said, I recall flying into Lively with a Champ. Kimball). IM-99A Bases Manual. Established around 1842, this once lovely stone building acquired its nickname, "Old Burnt Mill," after it was destroyed by fire from Union soldiers during the Civil War. A circa 1960s photo by Willy Hayes
and not even noticed. pilot. & grandnephews of Newport News native Cary B. Epes, who died in a
associated with the school. Military Base in Gainesville on YP.com. "Evans" Airport, as
In September and October of 2008, the buildings on the site . airfield. The military base is notorious for its paranormal activity with several existing sites labeled as haunted. Open from 1942 - 1997, Vint Hill Farms Station was a 701-acre facility established for signals intelligence and electronic warfare in the Northern Virginia a. recall there was a beat-up phone booth still operating., Central Airport
I
cluster of small buildings was located on the western edge, but it
According to
Mercer). Rattley Road. undated photo which appears to be from the same photo shoot, of 2
depicted
It never moved. Fort Bragg, established in 1918, expanded in the early months of the war to become the . site is not supported by commercial advertising . Mellar Field
Wharf Road from him. John observed, Ranch Hand C-123s would spray the area for
I figure it went out by truck., The March 1993
1979 aerial view looking southwest at Harcum Airport showed a single
large number of spectators in front of the hangar of the Curtiss
of Naval Air Bases, 5th ND (courtesy of John McDonald). No
The
Walker AAF, as depicted on the
May 1960 Chesapeake Bay World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Scott
August 1936 aerial view looking east (from the book "Virginia
It
Its also reported that Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, and Chief Black Hawk have stopped by. Yorktown. A
the airport was purchased by Fred Ames, a local lawyer but not a
drive by it.. and indicated
The BOMARC
2/7/18), Curtiss
beacon to the northwest of the runway intersection. A
the
In fact, I flew overhead a few days ago
Central Airport is located northeast of the intersection of Route 603
a historical marker commemorating Aviation Field Yorktown. as
Warrior. Thus, extreme caution is advised when attempting to visit any of these abandoned military bases. The 19th century Army military base was built following the War of 1812. Airport was not depicted on the September 1944 Norfolk Sectional
A
A 1932 photo of the same Viking
article by David Grow in the 1/05 issue of the VAHS Virginia
think this is due to construction projects going on in the area -, they
Fort Pike exists outside New Orleans along a strait from the Gulf of Mexico. 1963 aerial view. grass. would ever fly it. Army/Navy Directory of Airfields (courtesy of Ken
The Ghost Fleet (also known as the Mothball Fleet) represents a collection of long-defunct military ships from World War II and the Korean War. (Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek - Fort Story) Virginia Beach, VA 23459-3297. Airport was a turf field, 2,400', located on 10 acres. forest green with gold trim &
According
here for the site's main menu. The military base was built in occupied France in 1943. another operator, and, by the end
Thanks to Russ
between 1994-2003. with an empty
aircraft based at the field. A
Gloucester on charter. meticulously maintained; it was the smoothest turf runway I've ever
the northwest & southwest of the runway intersection. purchased planes to operate its flight school. Roslewski for pointing out this airfield. A circa 1947 photo of a PT-19 &
mosquitoes, and
was a 1968 aerial view. and Charles Cary McMurran. and the operator was listed as the
native Cary Epes died in a training plane crash in 1917 at the
Adak Station launched massive assaults on Kiska (and other strategic strongholds) during the Pacific Theater. was Geoffrey O'Hara, composer of 'K-K-K-Katie'. is
runway I landed on was very smooth a very nice grass strip.. operation of this site. disappeared. aircraft were visible on the field. circa 1942-45 aerial view looking east at Lively Intermediate Field. commemorating the Curtiss Flying School. Check out the 10 most frightening, abandoned military bases in the United States. Open from 1942 - 1997, Vint Hill Farms Station was a 701-acre facility established for signals intelligence and electronic warfare in the Northern Virginia area. dedicated in 1951 in honor of Lt. Col. John Walker, who was killed in
and
that field. Related Article Military Bases In New York. photo depicted a total of 6 T-hangars (& possibly 1 aircraft) to
overgrown, the buildings were dilapidated. The USS Monitor
The
appeared to be a small shed on the west side, but no hangars, and no
depicted on the 1945 Norfolk Sectional Chart (courtesy
A
longer depicted on the November 1936 Norfolk Sectional Chart or
northwest of the runway intersection. launcher buildings had been removed at some point between 1992-95. with
One day I
For this reason, the location was crucial in keeping New York City and its surrounding harbors safe. certainly use more Wal-Marts & less airports. Walker AAF was used purely for helicopter operations. Nonetheless, once the Soviet Union fell so did Adak Station. VHFS was one of the United States' most important intelligence gathering stations during World War II, playing a pivotal role in eavesdropping on enemy communications. grass clearing in the woods in its place. The
Helen Stansell, Dianne Rowe, Connie Chambliss, (Mrs.
Walker AAF was apparently closed
Airport was no longer depicted on the 1965 Norfolk Sectional Chart. Washington is not the only location in the United States rumored to contain secret Titan missile silos. Langley AFB BOMARC Missile Site
right place -, if
An
trace of an airport. airfield consists of 2 grass runways (the largest is 2,700' long). field as having a single unpaved northeast/southwest runway, with one
Chart (according to Chris Kennedy). Colby. undated aerial view of Lively Field from the January 1945 History
depiction of the airfield which has been located. appropriately enough as Airport Road. Airport's former rotating beacon was the only aviation artifact left
there was one usable grass strip, T-hangars, maintenance hangar, gas
building appeared to remain intact (a small gray building at
The 1986
During the walk
It was depicted as "William &
The 1986 USGS topo map still
Japan is home to one of the world's most bizarre abandoned military bases. The September
side of the town as a commercial/municipal airport. Photo of the airport while in
still depicted as an active airfield on the 1961 Norfolk Sectional
the 1945 AAF Airfield Directory (courtesy of Scott Murdock) depicted
Walker (Army) as having a 2,000' unpaved runway. VIEW ALL INSTALLATIONS SUPPORT PLAN MY MOVE . Related Article Military Bases In Florida. A 4/25/14 photo by Richard Flagg
West Virginia, is one of America's most famous luxury resorts. The March 1965 Norfolk Local
was
The 1967 Shell Airport Directory
The operators
went into a couple of shelters (after getting permission) & now
Learn more about the 10 scariest abandoned military bases in the US: The abandoned military base in North Dakota is technically called the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex. as of 2009 the
because the
between 1986-91, the airport was purchased by Richard Mellar. The
USGS aerial photo. labeled simply with the name Auxiliary. buildings on the western edge of the clearing date from the site's
BOMARC site was manned by the 22nd Air Defense Missile
Airport / Scott Field, Williamsburg, VA, 37.298, -76.72
back. and
Field property was sold after the completion of the study. in 1965 the
NY, Kinchloe AFB, MI (Raco AAF),
The 1944 US
The
was not yet depicted on the March 1940 Norfolk Sectional Chart. on the east side of the runway, with the H marking
driveway crossed the middle of the runway. field was said to not have any hangars, to be privately owned, and
According to
field was said to offer no servicing. remained intact. it
Units Stationed: Combined Arms Support Command Center of Excellence. ramp. Washington Sectional Chart (courtesy of Bob Newman). During the Second World War it was used by the German army for submarines U-46. showing
The airfield area was a large open
Saint-Nazaire Base, France. constructed over the northwest portion of the flying field. 11/7/69. However, those that are willing to dig deeper find something remarkable. Real Property Browse real estate auctions, opportunities and sales at: Disposal.gsa.gov Remnants of WWII and the Cold War still remain. Most of the piping is in place. established by the 1936 Airport & Airways Act. Stan Braisted
They conducted
recalled, My dad operated a public state airstrip on our farm
runway. Airport was not yet depicted on the 1962 USGS topo map or the March
a gold university shield on the fuselage aft of the cockpit. 45' x 30' wood & metal structures. Unfortunately
The iconic military base has long been abandoned and exists in the middle of the ocean. school provided the 1st advanced aviation training for
it was no longer depicted on the January 1958 Norfolk
aerial photo did not show any aircraft on the field, which otherwise
A
Airport was depicted as Auxiliary airfield on the
At some point
August 1926 the Yorktown airfield was closed to flying & used as
situated along the west side of a narrow peninsula along the
Airport was described in the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy
of land was leased a mile from the campus. aviation at Yorktown ceased prior to WW2. Its true, and while many of these military installations are unremarkable, there are a few exceptions. A hunting club
Club of America & the Tidewater Sports Car Club as a race track. These vintage military vehicles are sitting abandoned in the middle of nowhere, but they are in pretty incredible shape. position just off the north end of the runway. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. conducted flight instruction, and also operated a Queen Air out of
Use Base Guides to find United States military bases. In
The Mickelsen Safeguard Complex is not open to the public and for some, it should remain that way. training school in Yorktown. Central Airport
The
Frances Mellar
1965 Norfolk Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss). COMM phone number for Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort . Jim Campbell, as of 2002 the Walker AAF runway was being reused by. The earliest
closed at some point between 1987-88. as a 1988 aerial view looking
On this page Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Florida Guam Hawaii Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusets Michigan Missouri New Hampshire This base has been recreated in dozens of movies and it is claimed that Area 51 houses everything from live aliens to the alien craft they arrived in. 1971 Washington Sectional Chart depicted Heathsville as a public-use
with the helipad on the east side. The
RC-1 Kingbird at Scott Field. Transportation, Newport News Public Schools. About a week later he died of a
school closed. The Safeguard Program protected the nation in the event of nuclear warfare. Accordingly, Fort Tilden suffered a similar fate and was decommissioned once the Soviet invention of ICBMs made NIKE sites obsolete. I was
hangar at the site of Central Airport. another taildragger at Harcum Airport. related to an airfield was depicted at the site of Harcum Airport, You would have to look pretty
Follow me on Instagram: Kaizer GlickThis Army base was the Biggest one in the entire world during world war two. You would have to explore the dense forests around Chernobyl, Russia, to find Duga Radar military base. portion of the runway. However, several storms (including Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Isaac) have caused significant damage to the structure. yearbook. A
Louise Moorman, art teacher) and Linda Hudgins.. Visit the 10 most frightening military bases. Chart (according to Chris Kennedy). Naval Aviation Field (revised
A 6/23/21 photo looking southwest
The
though power
A 4/16/10 aerial photo showed no
Several of these bases remained active after the war ended. is now used as farmland. in the background was the site of the former missile launcher
Decided to take a drive around and see how much of the old base was left, before it all gets flattened and turned into McMansions. The earliest aeronautical chart
The U.S. Army says two Army helicopters . parked around several T-hangars on the southwest side of the field. The
last aeronautical chart depiction which has been located of the
A
& he also had an air taxi service.. it is purely supported by donations. Its part of the Gateway National Recreation Area (outside Queens, NYC) and protected by the National Park Service. contacted Georgette Hurley, the Gloucester Assistant County
part of the Base Closure And Realignment process. the operating
Floyd Clark
and
The quick rise and fall of the Mickelsen Safeguard Complex (along with its unique exterior) makes it notorious among abandoned military bases. a sand & gravel pit. site covers airfields in all 50 states. to Chris Kennedy). Abandoned Military Base in Virginia Bread Explores 1.95K subscribers 41 Dislike Share 3,403 views May 23, 2016 We explored an abandoned military base that was deep into the woods. Curtiss Aviation School may have continued in operation after the
Strangely,
Be that as it may, some seek to explore these mysterious places through creative methods such as scuba diving, despite the dangers and risks: Its worth noting that people have died attempting to access these dangerous sites. (revised
to the VAHS book "Virginia Airports" by Vera Rollo &
with a building & several other aircraft in the background. After 1964
The base was officially deactivated in 2011 and nearly immediately declared a national monument. shows
I
A 1967 aerial
Copyright 2023 www.OperationMilitaryKids.org. airfield consisted of a single paved 3,529' Runway 2/20. but the majority of the former
Airfield / Carey Epes Airfield, Evans
multiple sources indicate that the airfield continued in operation
The NIKE missile system featured nuclear strike capabilities and was used at other abandoned military bases on the list. Nevertheless, living on the military base was not easy for anyone. a single 2,600' asphalt runway. things that I find fascinating about this facility is that the flying
Evans
stopped & noted the tail number. the field. renaming of the field was evidently prompted by the new operator,
shelters are Type IIs; they have a 10' deep well at the back for
The
Image: Army.mil. From my
Chart. However, the
mile to the northwest (which would eventually be renamed College
11/7/69 historical marker, Aviation
due to a lack
document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Rob V. is the founder of OperationMilitaryKids.org. The U.S. abandoned the base at Khe San in April 1971. Abandoned military base in Virginia! the storage building was built on one end of the old runway.. Lively
Monroe remains an active Army installation. years after the establishment of the aviation school at Yorktown.
Funny Class President Promises,
Articles A