World War II Airports

Our geo adventures have taken us to two airports recently. Both airports were once attached (not physically) to Williams Airbase in WWII and used as training operations.



Rittenhouse Army Airfield is now in the unincorporated community of San Tan and is physically near the Williams Gateway Airport, now Phoenix-Mesa airport, the one used by Allegiant Airlines. 

Built during WWII as a Williams AFB satellite; currently used for training by helicopter crews at Papago Army Airfield.

5000' runway

Area now used by folks flying ultra light planes

A stag horn cholla with buds

The yellow pods were from last year's flowers and fruits

Coolidge Airport was also on our caching destination list. We spent time in the ruins area of the WWII base and then stopped at the airfield before leaving.

The Coolidge Municipal Airport was originally constructed in the early 1940’s by the U.S. Department of the Army.  Originally constructed as an air transport command base, Coolidge Army Airfield served as an auxiliary operating base for Williams Field during World War II.  The original airfield was constructed with three runways in a triangular configuration.  Of these three runways, two remain.

The concrete foundations of barracks and offices are still visible.

Desert plants are encroaching some of the foundations.

Smooth river rocks lined some of the sidewalks.

Can you guess the use of this building?

Yep. Latrine. One porcelain toilet is still attached.

Yes, a swimming pool! 

I had read on the cache description that the swimming pool 

was still visible and accessible. It was 'hidden' in a mound of dirt.

Built in a man-made hill rather than dug below ground level.

The stone bath house/changing house is still standing.

It allowed for some creatively framed photos.

The steps to the swimming pool concrete deck.

Since the building in the background is newer than WWII,

I am guessing the plane remains are also more recent.

After exploring the WWII part of the airport, we drove over to the active Coolidge Airport.

This is the only original building from the WWII days.

The hanger had some planes inside. We did not enter it.

Mostly small planes use the airport today. 

Half a dozen or more planes were anchored on the tarmac.

Six or nine steel buildings also held small planes.

We visited with this woman for a bit, hoping to get some

information about the history of the airport.

We learned she was from England and her flying partner

was from Germany. We knew more about the airport than they did.

We should have asked them how and why they were in 

Coolidge AZ.

Another unusual spectacle

Campers: RVs, 5th Wheels, Motorhomes and small travel trailers

were parked here and there at the operational part of the airport.

It looked like people were staying/living in them. 

And if that wasn't enough of an adventure, we drove through a settlement looking for a road into the desert for a specific geocache. We never did find the road to our destination, but did find this...

These sculptures are expensive, and huge!

So unexpected in any development, much less this small one,

in the middle of nowhere.

All of them were draped in strings of lights,

maybe Christmas lights?

I couldn't help but take some photos.

You never know what you might find

on a geocaching adventure!