Epler Field, (

Eglin Air Force Base Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in the western Florida Panhandle, located about southwest of Valparaiso in Okaloosa County. The host unit at Eglin is the 96th Test Wing (formerly the 96th Air Base Wing). The ...

Auxiliary Field #7), is a satellite airfield located west-northwest of the Main Base, 18.2 miles west of

Valparaiso, Florida Valparaiso is a city in Okaloosa County, Florida, Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. As of the United States Census, 2010, 2010 census, the city population was 5,036. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2018 estimates, the city had a popul ...

. It is designated Site B-12.

Overview

Auxiliary Field 7 is named Epler Field for Col. Robin E. Epler, deputy commander (Technical) of the

Air Proving Ground Command The Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command (AAF PGC) was the primary testing command of the United States Army Air Forces (1946-47), and then the United States Air Force (1947-57). In March 1946, the Army Air Forces Center was redesignated the A ...

Eglin Field Eglin may refer to: * Eglin (surname) * Eglin Air Force Base, a United States Air Force base located southwest of Valparaiso, Florida * Federal Prison Camp, Eglin, a Federal Bureau of Prisons minimum security prison on the grounds of Eglin Air Forc ...

, Florida, killed 28 January 1944 in the crash of A-20G-10-DO Havoc, ''42-54016'', one mile (1.6 km) NE of

Crestview, Florida Crestview is a city in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. The population was 27,134 at the 2020 census, up from 20,978 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Okaloosa County. With an elevation of above sea level, it is one of the h ...

History

The history of Epler Field is largely unknown, and the exact date of construction of Epler Field is undetermined. It was opened in 1942 and was constructed in a similar manner to a fully equipped base with three 4,000-foot runways, a large parking ramp, at least one hangar and numerous support buildings. On 20 November 1951 The Army located its

United States Army Ranger United States Army Rangers, according to the US Army's definition, are personnel, past or present, in any unit that has the official designation "Ranger". The term is commonly used to include graduates of the US Army Ranger School, even if t ...

training camp at Epler Field to provide realistic jungle/swamp training. In January 1970, the camp moved to its present location at

Biancur Field Biancur Field, ( Eglin Air Force Base Auxiliary Field #6, , is a satellite airfield located northwest of the Main Base, 5.9 miles north-northeast of Valparaiso, Florida. It is also known as site "Test Site B6". Overview The U.S. Army Ranger faci ...

(Auxiliary Field #6). The movement of the Ranger training camp was apparently the last active use of the field. All structures have been removed from the station area and the runways are shown as inactive. However, Epler is still an operating airfield that is used to support special operation activity within the Eglin complex. It is also known as Test Area B-12. Aerial imagery shows several

F-4 Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...

airframes on the parking ramp, along with an F-4 on the northwest runway end. There are also many stored shipping containers on the southwest runway end. The airfield remains under the jurisdiction of the 96th Air Base Wing (96 ABW) as part of the active Eglin base and is not accessible to the public. A large tower, with a radome is visible at the north end of the former station area

References

{{Reflist
Abandoned Airfields: Epler Field / Eglin Air Force Aux #7

Fields of the United States Air Force Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Florida Airports in Florida Airports in Walton County, Florida 1942 establishments in Florida

Overview

History

See also

References