Helendale, California

Helendale
Area Map
Helendale Schools
Silver Lakes

Helendale History

Keepsake vol One
Keepsake vol Two

  1. Inner cover page,
  2. School District
  3. Helen Becomes Helendale - 1918
  4. Helendale Teacherage
  5. Songs written for Helendale
  6. About the Fifth Annual Helendale Rendezvous
  7. Schedule of events -
  8. Self Guided tour
  9. An Old Landmark
  10. Life As A Boy In Lenwood, California
  11. Jack Gaffney Crew Chief, Nose Artist
  12. Growing Up On The Desert
  13. Life On The Desert As I Remember It
  14. Orebaugh Biography,
  15. Buzz Banks
  16. Eva Von Dettum Helendales Poetess
  17. Old Number 8
  18. Airplanes That Sailed Over The Victor Valley Skies In The Past
  19. Brief History of George Air Force Base
  20. Unsung Heroes
    21.

 

Route 66 Communities
in California

 

Keepsake vol Two

GEORGE AIR FORCE BASE

 

BRIEF HISTORY OF GEORGE AIR FORCE BASE

A tactical base for the 831st Air Division at the present time,
George Air Force Base has been the site of a multitude of military
aerial operations since its establishment in 1941.

From that date until 1947, the base was known as the Victorville
Army Air Field. In 1947, when the United States Air Force became a
separate and co-equal branch of the armed forces, this base was
redesignated as Victorville Air Force Base. On 23 September 1950,
in honor of the late Brigadier General Harold H. George, the base
was renamed George Air Force Base.

Brigadier General Harold H. George, for whom the base is named, was
born in Lockport, New York on 14 September 1892.

His military career started when he enlisted as a member of the 3rd
Infantry, New York National Guard. His flying training began in
1917 with the Curtiss Airplane in Mineola, Long Island and on 20
July 1917 he passed the test for rating of Reserve Military Pilot.

During the next twenty five years until his death in an aircraft
accident on 29 April 1942, General George's outstanding career
earned him many honors.

George Air Force Base was first constructed as a flying training
school, under the command of the Army Air Forces Western Flying
Command. In November of 1941, the training of glider pilots was
initiated and twin engine training was dropped.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, on 7 December
1941, hundreds of aircraft from Southern California were flown to
George as an emergency measure against further aggression towards
the mainland.

Subsequent to the start of the Korean conflict, the base came under
the Air Defense Command, and the first Fighter-lnterceptor Wing was
stationed here. It was charged with the responsibility of providing
protection of the coastal areas. Although the Air Defense Command
controlled the base, the l16th Fighter-Bomber Wing, a Tactical Air
Command unit, was stationed on the base for training prior to duty
in Korea.

 

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