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| Sites: |
| Name | Acres | Located | Description |
| Big Lagoon Bombing Target | 153.03 | Big Lagoon | The DoD acquired a leasehold interest in the property at Big Lagoon through condemnation proceedings on June 13, 1944. The property consisted of approximately 153 acres in Humboldt County, CA. In 1944, Fleet Air Alameda designated NAAS, Arcata as a training station for forward rocket firing and in April 1944, Alameda sent Fleet Air Training Detachment 1 (Fleet) to install rocket targets and set up a training program. The first target, located in Big Lagoon, was completed in June 1944, but the adverse weather prevented full utilization of the facilities. From September 1944 until June 1945, the rocket training program was accelerated to a very high degree with the average size carrier-based squadron completing its training in the course of one week. Due to the heavy fog in the area the NAAS, Arcata underwent a change in its mission and the station was approved for the installation of an experimental Fog Dispersal Unit. During the initial period of this installation, the rocket training program continued at a high speed, with weather conditions exceptionally favorable. However, around the first of June 1945, the activities of the Landing Aids Detachment were centered in the immediate vicinity of the runways, even to the extent of tearing up runways and taxi strips for the laying of pipe lines. As a result, it was felt that the rocket training program could not be continued further under the existing hazardous conditions. On July 1, 1945, the Fleet withdrew from the station altogether, stripping its targets and removing all "CASU", squadron, and Fleet personnel and equipment. The condemnation leasehold was terminated on April 14, 1946. |
| Capetown Gap Filler Annex | 4.38 | Capetown | On 23 March 1946, the United States Army Air Force acquired .28 fee acre and 4.10 easement acres from Mr. Donald P. Coombe. Total acreage acquired was 4.38. The site was known as Capetown Gap Filler Annex (Z-33A, Humboldt County, CA. The site was used by the Air Force Air Defense Comand for a radar transmitter. Improvements to the site consisted of a one-mile unpaved access road, and a concrete block building with radar transmitter, and an underground fuel storage tank. |
| Section, Seaplane, Lighter Than Air Base | 508.24 | Eureka | A total of 508.24 were acquired, 478.24 acres in fee and 30 acres in settlement of TAKING CA Civil Case #4513. These bases were used as a seaplane base, an airship landing and mooring area, and a Coast Guard Station. On 22 March 1946, the War Assets Administration declared the acrage surplus and they were deeded to the City in two deeds. |
| Naval Auxiliary Air Station Arcata | 665.39 | Mckinleyville | On 23 Sep. 1942, the Dept. of the Army acquired 442.34 acres by lease from the County of Humboldt. In 1944 the 442.34 acres was transferred to the Dept. of the Navy and on 4 Nov. 1944, the Navy acquired an additional 223.05 acres of which 218.45 acres were acquired in fee from 23 individual landowners and 4.6 acres by permanent easement from one additional landowner. The total acreage for the site was 665.39. The site was known as the Arcata Auxiliary Naval Air Station and also as the Landing Aids Experiment Station. It was situated in Humboldt County, CA and used by the U.S. Navy as a training facility for flight operations in foggy conditions. The improvements were aircraft hangers, a control tower/office building, housing, aircraft fuel and storage facilities, and a fog dispersal system. On 31 Jan. 1956, the Administrator of General Services conveyed the property to the County of Humboldt (current owner) by quitclaim deed. The deed contained both a recapture clause and a clause absolving the US for restoration. |
| Mount Pierce Radio Relay Annex | 0.13 | Scotia | On 21 April 1953, the US Government acquired .13 lease acre from the Pacific Lumber Company. Total acreage acquired for the site was .13 acre. The site was known as the Mount Pierce Radio Relay Annex and was used by the US Air Force as an unmanned radio relay station. Improvements included a concrete block structure, two wooden antenna poles, and above ground tank supports. Records indicate that the .13 lease acre was terminated on 1 July 1960, and that title to the above improvements was assumed by Pacific Lumber Company (current owner). |
| Trinidad Dive Bomb Range | Trinidad | ||
| Trinidad Bombing Target | 640.00 | Trinidad | On October 6, 1944, a Lis Pendens, Civil No. 5006, was filed with the Northern Division of the United States District Court of California for 640 acres of land owned by the Hammond Lumber Company, located in the northern half of Humboldt County, California,northeast of the city of Trinidad. The land is located approximately 24 miles north of Eureka, and 298 miles north of San Francisco. The actual lease has not been located. However, an undated document titled"Gunnery Range and Target Areas Released Since World War II-12 Naval District" listed Trinidad Dive Bombing and Air to Air Gunnery Range, totaling 640 acres, as being acquired through a Leasehold Condemnation on October 1, 1944. According to the "History of the Hamilton Field Air Base Area, 1929 -March 1944," Hamilton was to serve as the supplying agency for the "station at Trinidad" as indicated in a Fourth Air Force Memorandum dated June 4, 1943. The History further stated that the station was removed from Hamilton Field's jurisdiction in the fall of 1943. The nature of the supplies being delivered, the U.S, Air Force's interest in the property, and whether or not this station is related to the Trinidad Bombing Target issues are unknown. The above 640 acres of land was not acquired by the Navy until 1944. An attachment to a memorandum from the District Public Works Officer dated November 21, 1944 lists Trinidad as a gunnery area under Naval Auxiliary Air STation(NAAS), Arcata. A list of leases attached to a memorandum dated July 26, 1944, lists a Dive Bombing Site near"Trinidad" for NAAS Arcata. An undated document titled "Gunnery Range and Target Areas Released Since World War II- 12-Naval District," indicates the leasehold of 640 acres acquired by the Government on October 1, 1944 was terminated on March 4, 1946, returning the land to Hammond Lumber Company. No additional references to deactivation have been located. |
| Humboldt Bay Bombing Target | Urika | N/A |