GILLESPIE FIELD


'Gillespie Field' is a public airport located in the city of El Cajon in San Diego County, California, USA. This general aviation airport covers 852 acres and has three runways.

Contents
History
Museum
See also
References
External links

History


: ''Section reference dates.''[1]
In 1942 the United States Marine Corps chose a 688 acre site east of San Diego to conduct parachute training for the newly forming Parachute battalions. In September 1942 'Camp Gillespie' was completed and named in honor of Lieutenant Archibald Gillespie, a Marine officer who played a prominent role in the effort to separate California from Mexico in the 1840s.[2]
In February 1944, the camp was commissioned as Marine Corps Auxiliary Airfield Gillespie falling under the command of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. MCAAF Gillespie soon became responsible for Camp Pendleton Outlying Air Field. Among the units that transited and trained at MCCAF Gillespie were VMSB-141, Air Warning Squadron 10 and the Navy's VT-37.[3]
Overhead view of MCAAF Gillespie in June 1944.

In 1946, the airfield was turned over to San Diego County and was turned into a general aviation facility.[3]
In 1952, the County granted ownership of the facility by the federal government.
In 1971, the County Sheriff stationed ASTREA, the law enforcement aviation section, at the airport.
And in 1993, the San Diego Aerospace Museum located its restoration operations and a special exhibit at the field.

Museum


Gillespie is also the home of the restoration facility Gillispie Field Annex[5] for the San Diego Air and Space Museum (formerly San Diego Aerospace Museum).[6] It is open to the public and has on display many vintage and modern aircraft;[7] and has an Atlas ICBM rocket as it's gate guard, replica of the Spirit of St. Louis, and a recently restored F-102A Delta Dagger with drop tanks.

See also



★ List of United States Marine Corps installations

References



★ United States Marine Corps Air Stations of World War II, , M. L., Shettle Jr., Schaertel Publishing Co., ,
1. Gillespie Field (San Diego County web page)
2. Shettle(200):97
3. Shettle(200):98
4. Shettle(200):98
5. SDASM Gillispie Field Annex Restoration Facility
6. San Diego Air and Space Museum Official Site
7. Gillespie Field Annex Layout and Aircraft

External links



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