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Vernalis Naval Auxiliary Air Station, California

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Aerial view of the Vernalis runway circa 1943 In late 1942, the Navy started work on two auxiliary stations in the San Joaquin Valley near the small and isolated communities of Vernalis and Crows Landing. At Vernalis, 16 miles west of Modesto, 700 acres were purchased to build a base to support two multi-engine patrol squadrons. The navy formally inaugurated as Naval Auxiliary Air Facility Vernalis on June 8, 1943, with the function of being the auxiliar base for Alameda Naval Air Station and counting with a single 4,000 ft. tarmac runway.

In November the same year, the existing runway was extended to 7000 ft. and were added some buildings and gasoline storage capacity. In the meantime, base's designation changed to the definitive denomination as Vernalis Naval Auxiliary Air Station. During this time, VB-148 and VB-150 operated there but in the spring of 1944, the Navy realized that the airfield at Crows Landing, located 18 miles to the southeast counted with concrete runways. As this base would be better suited for these heavier planes the two stations swapped missions and thereafter, Vernalis hosted only carrier squadrons.

With the arrival of carrier units, Vernalis added a 160 acre dive bombing range. Also in this time several improvements were done in the field: the addition of a 4000 x 150-ft. crosswind runway, permanent runway lighting and a Seabee installed catapult and arresting gear. Finally, at a strafing range on the Diablo Mountain Range to the west, a silhouette of a submarine was painted on rocks for strafing practice.

After the war, Vernalis initially was chosen to remain open; however, Crows Landing received the nod due to its concrete runways. On October 15, 1945, Vernalis was placed on caretaker status and finally abandoned three months later. After that in several aerial maps of the time the installation airfield was labeled as "Closed. Emergency only."

Balloons: Born again

In the 1950's the site would be used again by the US Air Force, being denominated according several sources as "Vernalis Geophysics Annex" and operated by the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratory. The first use was related to a country wide project started by the Air Force called "Moby Dick" and intended to study the high altitude wind patterns. For this project, Vernalis -among other bases- was choosed to launch stratospheric balloons wich traveled throught the US and landed in sites as far as Mexico, Canada and even Europe. After this project was finished several other balloons mission take place there during the decade including some flight test of balloon surveillance equipment and a series of launches to test launch techniques and systems in the framework of a project to detonate a nuclear device under a balloon wich take place at the Eniwetok Proving Grounds in 1958. That was the last known use of the base.

In the last decade the property has been used for various purposess including scrap metal, scrap wood processing, and fertilizer manufacturing businesses. The only remains of the older facility is the flag pole and some older buildings.

External Reference: Vernalis history at Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields web site

Table of balloon launches from this site


Click here to see references, abreviations and hour conventions.

DateFlight DurationScientific ExperimentPayload landing site
8/1/195380 h 55 mMOBY DICKLast known position of the balloon in flight was 33.9º N - 85.8º W  
10/1/195316 hMOBY DICKIn Embry, Mississipi  
16/1/195352 h 20 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 43.4º N - 78.9º W  
18/1/195315 h 35 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 32.2º N - 117.3º W  
30/1/195320 h 30 mMOBY DICKIn Concepcion del Oro, Zacatecas, Mexico  
1/2/195351 h 6 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 33.0º N - 79.0º W   
3/2/195310 h 30 mMOBY DICKIn Morrison, Colorado   
5/2/195311 h 25 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 32.2º N - 112.9º W   
6/2/195320 h 55 mMOBY DICKIn Juan Aldama, Zacatecas, Mexico   
7/2/195313 h 25 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 34.2º N - 118.7º W   
8/2/195330 h 15 mMOBY DICK12 south of Saint Francis, Kansas   
10/2/195330 h 35 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 31.0º N - 109.2º W   
12/2/195332 h 40 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 33.8º N - 118.7º W   
13/2/195355 h 50 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 31.9º N - 114.5º W   
16/2/195318 h 50 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 35.6º N - 111.4º W   
17/2/195335 h 35 mMOBY DICKIn Sheridan Lake, Colorado   
19/2/195315,4 hMOBY DICK14 miles SW of Casa Grande - Arizona   
20/2/195329,4 hMOBY DICK10 miles S of Kirkland - Arizona   
21/2/195357,2 hMOBY DICK--- No data ---   
22/2/19539,6 hMOBY DICK11 miles E of Springfield - Colorado   
25/2/19539,4 hMOBY DICKPayload rescued landed in 37.3º N - 122.8º O   
26/2/195337,6 hMOBY DICK--- No data ---   
4/3/195322 h 25 mMOBY DICKIn Thompsonville, Illinois   
5/3/195336 h 10 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 35.6º N - 109.5º W   
6/3/195356 h 30 mMOBY DICKIn Hoehne, Colorado   
7/3/195344 h 40 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 37.9º N - 89.9º W   
8/3/19537 h 20 mMOBY DICK3 miles north and 5 miles east of Auburn, Nebraska   
9/3/195357 h 25 mMOBY DICKIn Kitty Hawk, North Caroline   
13/3/195321 h 35 mMOBY DICK18 miles north of Ogallala, Nebraska   
13/3/195313 h 10 mMOBY DICK30 miles northeast of No. Platte, Nebraska   
14/3/195321 h 20 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 38.5º N - 111.7º W   
16/3/195312 hMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 38.6º N - 116.9º W   
24/3/195338 h 40 mMOBY DICK3 miles southeast of Birchtree, Missouri   
30/3/195333 h 35 mMOBY DICK6 miles west of Nederland, Texas   
1/4/19538 h 20 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 37.8º N - 119.8º W   
9/4/195314 h 25 mMOBY DICKIn Lodge Pole, Nebraska   
11/4/195313 h 10 mMOBY DICKIn Hamblin, Brown County, Indiana   
14/4/19538 h 25 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 37.8º N - 114.8º W   
15/4/195332 h 20 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 30.0º N - 85.5º W   
16/4/19536 hMOBY DICK6 miles east of Mt. Vernon, Ohio   
17/4/19537 h 50 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 36.8º N - 117.8º W   
18/4/195326 h 55 mMOBY DICKIn Proctor, Nevada   
21/4/195382 h 20 mMOBY DICK4 miles southwest of Indian Springs Air Force Base, Nevada   
23/4/195356 h 30 mMOBY DICKThe payload was found on the Gulf of Mexico, near Port Aronsas, Texas   
26/4/195340 h 35 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 34.1º N - 115.3º W   
28/4/19539 hMOBY DICKIn Sabinas, Coahuila State, Mexico   
29/4/195329 h 25 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 42.3º N - 120.2º W   
1/5/19535 h 20 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 36.2º N - 116.5º W   
2/5/195313 h 35 mMOBY DICK1 mile west of Ariuaca, Arizona   
3/5/195351 h 40 mMOBY DICKIn Salina Spring, Arizona   
4/5/195332 h 55 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 33.3º N - 94.5º W   
7/5/195319 hMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 38.7º N - 117.2º W   
9/5/195313 h 30 mMOBY DICK5 miles NE of Potter, Nebraska   
11/5/195318 h 55 mMOBY DICK7 miles E of San Carlos, Arizona   
12/5/195319 h 55 mMOBY DICK17 miles W of Needles, California   
13/5/195357 h 40 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 44.7º N - 84.2º W   
14/5/195311 h 18 mMOBY DICK4 miles E of Heron Lake, Minnesota   
15/5/19537 h 5 mMOBY DICKIn Lancaster, California   
17/5/19539 h 5 mMOBY DICKIn Macedonia, Ohio   
18/5/195326 h 50 mMOBY DICKIn Garden County, Nebraska   
19/5/195310 hMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 32.6º N - 111.0º W   
25/5/195312 h 30 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 47.2º N - 116.5º W   
26/5/195381 h 20 mMOBY DICKIn Ganado, Arizona   
3/6/19539 h 36 mMOBY DICK4 miles N of Maxbass, North Dakota   
4/6/195318 h 30 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 33.5º N - 109.2º W   
5/6/195312 h 20 mMOBY DICKIn Gloucester County, Virginia   
17/6/195310 h 30 mMOBY DICK15 miles E of Guadalupe Island, Mexico   
22/6/19536 hMOBY DICKIn Meeker, Colorado   
25/6/19537 h 50 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 39.0º N - 120.3º W   
26/6/19537 h 20 mMOBY DICKIn Orem Juab county, Utah   
30/6/19537 h 10 mMOBY DICK300 miles NE of Winnipeg. Canada   
8/7/195311 h 50 mMOBY DICKNE of Scotts Bluff, Nebraska   
12/7/19539 h 35 mMOBY DICKIn Plumas County, California   
19/7/195320 h 30 mMOBY DICKIn Holden, Utah   
1/8/19537 h 18 mMOBY DICKIn Cando, Saskatchewan Province, Canada   
13/8/195312 h 10 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 38.8º N - 121.4º W   
18/8/195312 h 30 mMOBY DICKIn Randolph, Utah   
26/8/19536 h 30 mMOBY DICKIn Cody, Wyoming   
31/8/195314 h 50 mMOBY DICK70 miles S of St.George, Utah   
16/9/195329 h 35 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 37.8º N - 123.7º W   
18/9/195326 h 10 mMOBY DICKIn Lexington, North Carolina   
23/9/195332 h 40 mMOBY DICK8 miles NW of McCamey, Texas   
25/9/195354 h 10 mMOBY DICKIn the Fenwick Island, Delaware   
27/9/19537 h 30 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 37.6º N - 118.2º W   
3/10/195325 h 36 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 36.5º N - 123.2º W   
4/10/19539 h 55 mMOBY DICKIn McGill, Nevada   
8/10/19538 h 20 mMOBY DICK11 miles S of Georgetown, Colorado   
13/10/195331 h 25 mMOBY DICKIn Shelton, Washington   
29/10/195380 h 35 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 43.8º N - 70.6º W   
30/10/195315 h 15 mMOBY DICKIn Ciudad Obregon, Sonora State, Mexico   
6/11/19536 h 40 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 35.3º N - 118.4º W   
15/11/195315 h 42 mMOBY DICKIn Mazapil, Zacatecas State, Mexico   
2/12/195316 h 10 mMOBY DICK19 miles NW of Albany, Texas   
7/12/195345 h 55 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 42.9º N - 70.8º W   
9/1/195416 hMOBY DICKIn San Angelo, Texas   
15/2/195423 h 30 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 35.4º N - 97.0º W   
18/2/195483 h 20 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 37.7º N - 96.3º W   
2/4/195432 h 50 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 33.6º N - 81.5º W   
3/4/195440 hMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 32.3º N - 79.9º W   
21/4/195457 h 20 mMOBY DICKIn Pinco Mesa, Tucunmari, New Mexico   
1/5/195455 h 50 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 40.2º N - 120.2º W   
2/5/195410 h 50 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 31.4º N - 113.2º W   
5/5/195433 h 10 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 32.9º N - 81.8º W   
12/5/195471 h 55 mMOBY DICKIn Floyd, Virginia   
13/5/19547 hMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 37.5º N - 116.1º W   
2/6/195425 h 40 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 37.5º N - 96.5º W   
3/6/195459 h 25 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 36.2º N - 74.6º W   
15/6/195411 h 40 mMOBY DICK50 mils S of Flagstaff, Arizona   
24/6/19548 h 25 mMOBY DICKPayload lost. Last known position of the balloon in flight was 37.5º N - 119.6º W   
Page generated on 25-Jan-2008 - 07:28:17pm

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