Williams Air Force Base - History

History

During March 1941, some citizens of Mesa, Arizona were actively working on obtaining an Air Corps facility located near their city. One of the sites seriously considered for the new airfield was on the Gila River Indian Reservation located near Chandler, Arizona. At the time, the land on which Williams would eventually be built was vacant and not used for agriculture due to a lack of irrigation. It had no homes or farms and was essentially desert with a few Indian ruins scattered on it. On their own initiative, the city of Mesa began to acquire rights to the property that was divided among 33 different owners. Agreements were made for a railroad spur line, along with the appropriate electric, water, telephone and gas services.

The hard work paid off with the announcement in June 1941 that the War Department had approved the site for an Army Air Corps base. Construction of the new base started on 16 July 1941, and initial construction was completed in December, making the base operational.

As of 10 December, the airfield had no name and a debate ensued on what to call the new base. It was initially named Mesa Military Airport. the name was changed October 1941 to Higley Field, the base being in the proximity of the town of Higley, Arizona. In February 1942, the growing military airfield's name was changed to Williams Field in honor of Arizona native 1st Lt Charles Linton Williams (1898–1927). Lieutenant Williams died on 6 July 1927 when his Boeing PW-9A pursuit aircraft crashed near Fort DeRussy, Hawaii.

As a flying school, numerous runways and auxiliary airfields were constructed. The main airfield consisted of three concrete 6000' runways aligned NE/SW, ENE/WSW and NE/SW. A blacktop landing area 5500'x1430' was aligned E/W to the south of the main field and a 4100'x 1350' blacktop landing area was aligned E/W to the south of the main field. Known auxiliary airfields were:

• Gilbert Field (Aux #1) 33°23′14″N 111°40′26″W / 33.38722°N 111.67389°W / 33.38722; -111.67389 (Gilbert Field)

Redeveloped in the 1970s. Today housing development S of US 60 in Gilbert, Arizona.

• Rittenhouse Field (Aux #2) 33°15′29″N 111°31′03″W / 33.25806°N 111.5175°W / 33.25806; -111.5175 (Rittenhouse Field Field)

Postwar used by USAF as an Air Force Auxiliary Field. Today used occasionally by Arizona National Guard, adjacent to suburbs of Gilbert, Arizona

• Casa Grande Field (Aux #3) 32°57′18″N 111°45′58″W / 32.955°N 111.76611°W / 32.955; -111.76611 (Casa Grande Field)

Today Case Grande MAP, Case Grande, Arizona

• Goodyear Field (Aux #4) 33°14′36″N 111°54′47″W / 33.24333°N 111.91306°W / 33.24333; -111.91306 (Goodyear Field)

Today Gila River MAP, SW of Chandler, Arizona

• Cochise Intermediate Field (Aux #5) 32°02′33″N 109°54′15″W / 32.0425°N 109.90417°W / 32.0425; -109.90417 (Cochise Field)

Built in the 1930s, Abandoned in the 1950s, today agricultural field, no remains

• Coolidge AAF 32°56′09″N 111°25′36″W / 32.93583°N 111.42667°W / 32.93583; -111.42667 (Coolidge AAF)

Was auxiliary until 1944, turned over to Air Transport Command in May 1944

• Cutter Field 33°21′11″N 110°40′03″W / 33.35306°N 110.6675°W / 33.35306; -110.6675 (Cutter Field)

Emergency landing field

• Ajo AAF 32°27′10″N 112°51′41″W / 32.45278°N 112.86139°W / 32.45278; -112.86139 (Ajo AAF)

Transferred from Luke AAF, June 1943. Part of the Gila Bend Gunnery Range

• Gila Bend AAFAF 32°53′15″N 112°43′12″W / 32.8875°N 112.72°W / 32.8875; -112.72 (Gila Bend AAFAF)

Transferred from Luke AAF, June 1943. Part of the Gila Bend Gunnery Range

• • Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #4: 32°43′11″N 112°51′14″W / 32.71972°N 112.85389°W / 32.71972; -112.85389
  • Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #5: 32°49′05″N 112°54′54″W / 32.81806°N 112.915°W / 32.81806; -112.915
  • Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #6: 32°53′05″N 112°48′59″W / 32.88472°N 112.81639°W / 32.88472; -112.81639