
California during World War II was a major contributor to the
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
effort. California's long
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
coastline provided the support needed for the
Pacific War
The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War or the Pacific Theatre, was the Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II fought between the Empire of Japan and the Allies of World War II, Allies in East Asia, East and Southeast As ...
. California also supported the
war in Europe. After the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...
on December 7, 1941, most of California's manufacturing was shifted to the war effort. California became a major ship builder and aircraft manufacturer. Existing military installations were enlarged and many new ones were built. California trained many of the troops before their oversea deployment. Over 800,000 Californians served in the
United States Armed Forces
The United States Armed Forces are the Military, military forces of the United States. U.S. United States Code, federal law names six armed forces: the United States Army, Army, United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps, United States Navy, Na ...
. California agriculture, ranches and farms were used to feed the troops around the world.
California's long coastline also put the state in fear, as an attack on California seemed likely. California was used for the temporary and permanent
internment camp
Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without Criminal charge, charges or Indictment, intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects ...
s for
Japanese Americans
are Americans of Japanese ancestry. Japanese Americans were among the three largest Asian Americans, Asian American ethnic communities during the 20th century; but, according to the 2000 United States census, 2000 census, they have declined in ...
. The population grew significantly, largely due to servicemen who were stationed at the new military bases/training facilities and the mass influx of workers from around the U.S. in the growing defense industries. With all the new economy activity, California was lifted out of the
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
. Over 500,000 people moved to California from other states to work in the growing economy. California expanded its oil and mineral production to keep up with the war demand.
History
Economics and population growth
A total of 12% of all U.S. Government war contracts were awarded to California companies. A total of 17% of the war materials were made in California.
Mining
Mining is the Resource extraction, extraction of valuable geological materials and minerals from the surface of the Earth. Mining is required to obtain most materials that cannot be grown through agriculture, agricultural processes, or feasib ...
,
natural gas
Natural gas (also fossil gas, methane gas, and gas) is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium ...
, and
oil production
Petroleum is a fossil fuel that can be drawn from beneath the Earth's surface. Reservoirs of petroleum are formed through the mixture of plants, algae, and sediments in shallow seas under high pressure. Petroleum is mostly recovered from oil d ...
were active industries in California before World War II, and these rapidly expanded to support the war effort. Like
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, the mines and mining towns came to life again, due to an increase in demand for gold, copper, and silver. California oil production doubled, the
synthetic rubber
A synthetic rubber is an artificial elastomer. They are polymers synthesized from petroleum byproducts. About of rubber is produced annually in the United States, and of that amount two thirds are synthetic. Synthetic rubber, just like natural ru ...
industry created in California and California agricultural output almost tripled. In 1941 California oil production was 230,263,000 barrels; by the end of the war in 1945 the output was 326,555,000 barrels.
Raw material
A raw material, also known as a feedstock, unprocessed material, or primary commodity, is a basic material that is used to produce goods, finished goods, energy, or intermediate materials/Intermediate goods that are feedstock for future finished ...
was also shipped to California from
Lend lease
Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (), U.S. Allies. After the attack on Pearl Harbor and America entered the war, there was a quick build of new military bases,
airfield
An aerodrome, airfield, or airstrip is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for public or private use. Aerodromes in ...
s, training camps, and other military installations. New military construction projects and the emerging war industries in California brought in tens of thousands of workers from across America. After the war, many stayed in California, with some others returning to their home states. Towns and cities next to military and industrial facilities grew and had an increase in the economy.
California's population in 1940 was 6,907,387 and by 1950 it had grown to 10,586,223, a 53.3% increase. California received one eighth of all war orders. With the manpower shortage many women entered the workforce in manufacturing and other jobs held by men in the past. As factories added more shifts, a variety of stores and services increase operating hours. To retain workers, some businesses increased their
employee benefits
Employee benefits and benefits in kind (especially in British English), also called fringe benefits, perquisites, or perks, include various types of non-wage compensation provided to an employee by an employer in addition to their normal wage o ...
. Many military personnel who were trained in California returned after the war to tour the state, so California's
tourist
Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as being limited to holiday activity on ...
industries began to grow.
Food production
California's mild climate made it ideal for year-round
food production
The food industry is a complex, global network of diverse businesses that supplies most of the food consumed by the World population, world's population. The food industry today has become highly diversified, with manufacturing ranging from sm ...
. With many men overseas, there was labor shortage at harvest time. The need for extra workers at harvest brought in housewives and students. Some businesses even loaned workers to help with harvest and food packing as needed. The
Woman's Land Army of America
The Woman's Land Army of America (WLAA), later the Woman's Land Army (WLA), was a civilian organization created during the World War I, First and World War II, Second World Wars to work in agriculture replacing men called up to the military. Wome ...
was one of the organizations helping in food production. Even with the increase in food production there was mandatory
food rationing. Civilians were encouraged to plant
Victory garden
Victory gardens, also called war gardens or food gardens for defense, were vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens planted at private residences and public parks in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Germany during World War I a ...
s to help with the food shortage. The slogan "grow your own, can your own", was started at start of the war and referred to families growing and
canning
Canning is a method of food preservation in which food is processed and sealed in an airtight container (jars like Mason jars, and steel and tin cans). Canning provides a shelf life that typically ranges from one to five years, although under ...
their own food in victory gardens. With its mild climate most victory gardens were grown almost year-round.
Tires and gasoline were also rationed.
Rationing of wool fabric was also required during the war. This is one of the causes of the June 1943
Zoot Suit Riots
The Zoot Suit Riots were a series of riots that took place June 3–8, 1943, in Los Angeles, California, United States, involving United States Armed Forces, American servicemen stationed in Southern California and young Latino and Mexican ...
in Los Angeles.
Enemy aliens

* After the attack on Pearl Harbor it was feared that some Japanese Americans might be loyal to Japan. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed
Executive Order 9066
Executive Order 9066 was a President of the United States, United States presidential executive order signed and issued during World War II by United States president Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942. "This order authorized the fo ...
, which authorized the
Secretary of War
The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...
to set some military zones for the
internment of Japanese Americans
United States home front during World War II, During World War II, the United States forcibly relocated and Internment, incarcerated about 120,000 people of Japanese Americans, Japanese descent in ten #Terminology debate, concentration camps opera ...
. California had some of the U.S.
prisoner of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
camps and
Japanese Americans
are Americans of Japanese ancestry. Japanese Americans were among the three largest Asian Americans, Asian American ethnic communities during the 20th century; but, according to the 2000 United States census, 2000 census, they have declined in ...
internment camp
Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without Criminal charge, charges or Indictment, intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects ...
s.
War Relocation Authority
The War Relocation Authority (WRA) was a United States government agency established to handle the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. It also operated the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter in Oswego, New York, which was t ...
built both temporary and permanent relocation camps. As aliens they had to register in accordance with the law and were required to turn in all weapons and short-wave radios. Japanese Americans first were sent to one of California's 11 temporary relocation camps, like the two in southern California:
Pomona assembly center and the
Santa Anita assembly center. From these centers many were sent to other states and some were sent to California's
Manzanar War Relocation Center, California or the
Tule Lake War Relocation Center
The Tule Lake War Relocation Center, also known as the Tule Lake Segregation Center, was an Internment of Japanese Americans, American concentration camp located in Modoc County, California, Modoc and Siskiyou County, California, Siskiyou count ...
. Even with internment, a number of American-born Japanese (or
Nisei
is a Japanese language, Japanese-language term used in countries in North America and South America to specify the nikkeijin, ethnically Japanese children born in the new country to Japanese-born immigrants, or . The , or Second generation imm ...
) volunteered to join the U.S. armed services. The Nisei units fought well and are highly decorated units. Nisei joined all the U.S. armed branches, most joined the U.S. Army.
*
Camp Haan was built at near
March Air Reserve Base
March Air Reserve Base (March ARB), previously known as March Air Force Base (March AFB), is located in Riverside County, California, between the cities of Riverside, California, Riverside, Moreno Valley, California, Moreno Valley, and Perri ...
, the camp housed 1,200 Italian prisoners of war (POW). German POWs were also housed at the camp. In all
21 POW camps were built in California. A number of Italian POWs, pledged to help the United States. About 70% to 90% of the Italian POWs volunteered for
Italian Service Units
The Italian Service Units or ISUs were military units composed of Italian prisoners of war (POWs) that served with the Allies during World War II against Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan from May 1944 to October 1945. The armed forces of the ...
(ISU). Due to labor shortage the Italian Service Units helped on Army depots, arsenals, farms and hospitals, there they volunteered to work and received better housing, than the standard POW camps.
Camp Lamont was used for German POW volunteers to work on crops.
Camp Cooke held German POWs, now the site of
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Vandenberg may refer to:
* Vandenberg (surname), including a list of people with the name
* USNS ''General Hoyt S. Vandenberg'' (T-AGM-10), transport ship in the United States Navy, sank as an artificial reef in Key West, Florida
* Vandenberg S ...
. The
Stockton Ordnance Depot held 1,500 German prisoners from May 1944 till June 1946.
Attacks on California

* On February 23, 1942, the Japanese
bombed the Ellwood Oil Field. The
Ellwood Oil Field and oil refinery are located in
Goleta, California in the
Santa Barbara Channel
The Santa Barbara Channel is a portion of the Southern California Bight and separates the mainland of California from the northern Channel Islands. It is generally south of the city of Santa Barbara, and west of the Oxnard Plain in Ventura Co ...
.
Japanese submarine I-17 fired 16 shells at the Oil Field from its deck gun before running. This attack along with the
Niihau Incident
The Niʻihau incident occurred on December 7–13, 1941, when the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service pilot crash-landed on the Territory of Hawaii, Hawaiian island of Niihau, Niʻihau after participating in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Impe ...
started the fear of
the invasion of California. There was speculation that the battle group that attacked Hawaii would come to California next. There were no casualties and little damage in the attack.
News of the attack triggered an
invasion scare along the
West Coast of the United States
The West Coast of the United States, also known as the Pacific Coast and the Western Seaboard, is the coastline along which the Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. The term typically refers to the Contiguous United States, contig ...
.
*
Fu-Go balloon bombs were the other attack on California and 14 other states. Japanese launched fire bomb balloons across the Pacific Ocean. These high-altitude balloons carried bombs and incendiary explosives. In California 25 fire bomb balloons were found, none caused injuries in California. The balloon bombs were launched in Japan from November 3, 1944, to April 1945. On February 23, 1945, a
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinc ...
plane shot down a balloon near
Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa (Spanish language, Spanish for "Rose of Lima, Saint Rose") is a city in and the county seat of Sonoma County, California, Sonoma County, in the North Bay (San Francisco Bay Area), North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, Bay A ...
. On January 10, 1945, an
Army P-38 shot down a Fu-Go balloon near
Alturas, California
Alturas ( Spanish for "Heights"; Achumawi: ''Kasalektawi'') is the only incorporated city in Modoc County, California of which it is also the county seat. Located in the Shasta Cascade region of Northern California, the city had a population ...
* Ships off the California coast were attacked: (escaped), (sank), (escaped), (sank), (damaged),
SS ''H.M. Storey'' (escaped, sank later),
SS ''Camden'' (sank), (damaged), (sank), (escaped),
SS ''Connecticut'' (damaged), (Sank), and
SS ''Idaho'' anker(minor damage). In the attacks, eight seamen were killed and others injured. After the attack on Pearl Harbor the
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, Potsdam Declaration, when it was dissolved followin ...
sent five
Submarine
A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...
s,
I-17,
I-19,
I-23 I-25
Interstate 25 (I-25), also known as the Pan-American Freeway, is a major Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway, serving as the main route through New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. I-25 st ...
and
I-26, to attack ships off coastal California.
*
Due to fear California coastal cities turned off lights or blacked out windows at night. Some radio stations went off the air and civil ships were ordered to stay in port. Commercial air travel was grounded.
A military defense system was installed up and down the coast, that included
blimp
A non-rigid airship, commonly called a blimp (Help:IPA/English, /blɪmp/), is an airship (dirigible) without an internal structural framework or a keel. Unlike semi-rigid airship, semi-rigid and rigid airships (e.g. Zeppelins), blimps rely on th ...
s, patrol ships,
artillery batteries, and aircraft.
* The sense of danger caused the "
Battle of Los Angeles." On February 24 and 25, 1942 Los Angeles civil defense thought there was an attack and so 1,440 rounds of U.S.
anti-aircraft
Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-ba ...
ammunition was fired at what turned out to be a non-existent enemy. Reports of an unidentified aircraft started blackout and shooting of reported incoming aircraft. There was crazed and inaccurate reporting of the event at the time. The only damage in the city was self-inflicted from anti-aircraft fire coming down. The event exposed the defenselessness of the West Coast, as California was defended by only 16 modern warplanes at the time.
* After the war it was learned that Tokyo had planned a December 24, 1941 attack on
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port in San Diego County, California, near the Mexico–United States border. The bay, which is long and wide, is the third largest of the three large, protected natural bays on California's of ...
.
Japanese submarine I-10 was to be the leader of seven other submarines that were to shell the
U.S. Navy at San Diego Bay. The attack was called off with the subs only 20 miles off the California coast.
Ammunition

California was a major supplier of ammunition for the war.
Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant in Stanislaus County and
Benicia Arsenal were two of the largest ammunition makers. In
San Bernardino the Western Stove Company built
incendiary bombs.
The largest World War II accident in California was the
Port Chicago disaster. The
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were a ship class, class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Although British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost cons ...
SS ''E. A. Bryan'' exploded on July 17, 1944, while being loaded with ammunition. About 4,600 tons (4,173 tonnes) of explosives had been loaded in the ship's holds at the time. The explosion killed 320 sailors and civilians and injured 390 others.
Hollywood
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood ...
's
motion-picture industry continued to make
movies
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, since ...
during the war. In addition to
entertainment
Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and Interest (emotion), interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but it is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have deve ...
film
A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...
s, Hollywood made
training films and films to raise morale. The 1942 film ''The Arm Behind the Army'' showed how important home support of the war was.
Bob Hope
Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...
volunteered with the
United Service Organizations
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
(USO) and entertained troops during World War II and for decades later (1941 to 1991). Hope brought many Hollywood stars with him on his USO tours.
Desi Arnaz
Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986), known as Desi Arnaz, was a Cuban-American actor, musician, producer, and bandleader. He played Ricky Ricardo on the American television sitcom ''I Love Lucy'', in whi ...
was stationed at
Birmingham General Army Hospital in
Van Nuys, California
Van Nuys ( ) is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Van Nuys City Hall, Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley ...
during the war to entertain the troops there. Arnaz had a bad knee and so was transferred to the US Army Medical Corps. Arnaz also coordinated with the stars that visited the hospital.
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
famously dedicated a large portion of their business to making
propaganda films.
War Bond sales
To help pay for the war the U.S. sold
war bonds
War bonds (sometimes referred to as victory bonds, particularly in propaganda) are debt securities issued by a government to finance military operations and other expenditure in times of war without raising taxes to an unpopular level. They are ...
. With its booming economy during World War II, Californians was one of the top of
U.S. War Bonds sold. Much of the advertising for war bonds was donated. The spirit of sacrifice was never stronger for the defense of democracy and a way of honoring the sacrifices of American troops. Named after the 1942 ''
Hollywood Victory Caravan
The Hollywood Victory Caravan was a two-week cross-country railroad journey in 1942 that brought together two dozen film stars to raise money for the Army and Navy Relief Society. It was sponsored by the Hollywood Victory Committee, Hollywood Vict ...
'', Paramount-produced film promoted bond sales in a 1945, post War. The short film included Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Alan Ladd, William Demarest, Franlin Pangborn, Barbara Stanwyck, Humphrey Bogart, and others. Other heroes like boxing
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed "the Brown Bomber", Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He r ...
and
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul DiMaggio (; born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio, ; November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), nicknamed "Joltin' Joe", "the Yankee Clipper" and "Joe D.", was an American professional baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career ...
sold war bonds.
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein (14 March 187918 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who is best known for developing the theory of relativity. Einstein also made important contributions to quantum mechanics. His mass–energy equivalence f ...
donated the original copies of his manuscript on the theory of relativity for auction to raise money for war bonds.
California National Guard
California National Guard was mobilized and called to active duty in August 1940. The US Army recruited the first group to deploy to the war in Europe. The others troops called up were sent to the Pacific war. Between 1940 and 1941 about 12,000 California National Guard troops were called up to service in federal duty. Some troops were used for the defense of California and Hawaii. California National Guard was used for coast patrols, security guards for the Army Air Force bases, railroad bridges, rail tunnels and major dams. Major training bases are
Camp Roberts and
Camp San Luis Obispo.
Civil defense
Due to the attack on Pearl Harbor and on California civil defense systems were started in California.
Office of Civilian Defense
Office of Civilian Defense was a United States federal emergency war agency set up May 20, 1941, by to co-ordinate state and federal measures for protection of civilians in case of war emergency. Its two branches supervised protective function ...
was founded on May 20, 1941, and the
Office of Civil Defense in May 1941. The
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a Congressional charter, congressionally chartered, federally supported Nonprofit corporation, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliaries, auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CA ...
was started on December 1, 1941, in which civilian planes and spotters were used in air reconnaissance, search-and-rescue, and transport. After the attacks on California the
Coast Guard Auxiliary
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGAUX, CGAux, or USCG Aux) is the uniformed, civilian volunteer component of the United States Coast Guard. Congress established the military organization, unit on 23 June 1939, as the United States Coa ...
, became very active in the use of civilian boats and crews for reconnaissance and search-and-rescue. Towers were built along coastal California, staffed with spotters to look for enemy aircraft working with the
Ground Observer Corps. In February 1942 the Federal government started ''
War Time'', ending in September 1945. With ''War Time'' California time was renamed to ''
Pacific War Time'' with special
Daylight Savings times. The
Women Airforce Service Pilots
The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) (also Women's Army Service Pilots or Women's Auxiliary Service Pilots) was a civilian women pilots' organization, whose members were United States federal civil service employees. Members of WASP became t ...
(WASP) started on August 5, 1943, used 1,074 civilian women pilots to fly new warplanes from the factories to Army airfields for training and deployment points. WASP pilots also towed targets for live anti-aircraft artillery practice, towed gliders for practice landings, simulated strafing missions, and transported cargo. WASP California headquarters was at
Santa Ana Army Air Base,
Merced Army Airfield,
Minter Field, and
Victorville Army Airfield
Railroads
American railroads moved 70% of all
freight
In transportation, cargo refers to goods transported by land, water or air, while freight refers to its conveyance. In economics, freight refers to goods transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. The term cargo is also used in ...
transported in the United States in 1940. During World War II the
passenger
A passenger is a person who travels in a vehicle, but does not bear any responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination or otherwise operate the vehicle, and is not a steward. The vehicles may be bicycles, ...
and
freight
In transportation, cargo refers to goods transported by land, water or air, while freight refers to its conveyance. In economics, freight refers to goods transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. The term cargo is also used in ...
volume increased vastly. Railroads moved about 90% of the military's cargo need and transported 98% of military personnel. Railroads worked overtime to keep up with demand. It was patriotic to avoid all unnecessary travel, to give space needed for troop movement. Railroad brought troops to California training centers and camps. Railroad brought workers to California's growing
defense industry. During World War II rail-line moved to
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover (locomotive), power source is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is con ...
s and away from the labor-intensive
steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, Fuel oil, oil or, rarely, Wood fuel, wood) to heat ...
s. The Army had special
hospital cars built to move wounded soldiers, one operated out of San Francisco.
Research
The development of new systems was a key to winning the war. World War 2 brought about many new technologies. Some California colleges and universities joined in the
V-12 Navy College Training Program
The V-12 Navy College Training Program was designed to supplement the force of commissioned officers in the United States Navy during World War II. Between July 1, 1943, and June 30, 1946, more than 125,000 participants were enrolled in 131 colleg ...
training volunteers for Navy commission.
Some California universities also had classes for
aeronautical engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is s ...
, resident inspectors of ordinance and naval material, and a liaison for the
National Defense Research Committee.
*
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory (often shortened as Los Alamos and LANL) is one of the sixteen research and development Laboratory, laboratories of the United States Department of Energy National Laboratories, United States Department of Energy ...
– Top secret
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program undertaken during World War II to produce the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States in collaboration with the United Kingdom and Canada.
From 1942 to 1946, the ...
*
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech) is a private research university in Pasadena, California, United States. The university is responsible for many modern scientific advancements and is among a small group of institutes ...
– aeronautical – wind tunnels – rocketry
*
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...
– Manhattan Project
*
Stanford University
Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...
– radar microwave research
*
University of California-San Diego –
Frequency modulation
Frequency modulation (FM) is a signal modulation technique used in electronic communication, originally for transmitting messages with a radio wave. In frequency modulation a carrier wave is varied in its instantaneous frequency in proporti ...
Sonar
Sonar (sound navigation and ranging or sonic navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigate, measure distances ( ranging), communicate with or detect objects o ...
to track multiple targets with a single ping and large Sonar crystals.
*
University of California, Riverside
The University of California, Riverside (UCR or UC Riverside) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Riverside, California, United States. It is one of the ten campuses of the University of Cali ...
– V-12 Navy College
*
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...
– V-12 Navy College –
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a Diving mode, mode of underwater diving whereby divers use Scuba set, breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface breathing gas supply, and therefore has a limited but variable endurance. The word ''scub ...
*
Occidental College
Occidental College (informally Oxy) is a private liberal arts college in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1887 as a coeducational college by clergy and members of the Presbyterian Church, it became non-sectarian in 1910. It is ...
– V-12 Navy College
* Early
Penicillin
Penicillins (P, PCN or PEN) are a group of beta-lactam antibiotic, β-lactam antibiotics originally obtained from ''Penicillium'' Mold (fungus), moulds, principally ''Penicillium chrysogenum, P. chrysogenum'' and ''Penicillium rubens, P. ru ...
experiments were done at the Kaiser Richmond Shipyards.
*
Skunk Works – Planes and jets
*
Hewlett-Packard
The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly shortened to Hewlett-Packard ( ) or HP, was an American multinational information technology company. It was founded by Bill Hewlett and David Packard in 1939 in a one-car garage in Palo Alto, California ...
built
oscillator
Oscillation is the repetitive or periodic variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states. Familiar examples of oscillation include a swinging pendulum ...
s for
proximity fuze
A Proximity Fuse (also VT fuse or "variable time fuze") is a fuse that detonates an explosive device automatically when it approaches within a certain distance of its target. Proximity fuses are designed for elusive military targets such as air ...
and
microwave
Microwave is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than other radio waves but longer than infrared waves. Its wavelength ranges from about one meter to one millimeter, corresponding to frequency, frequencies between 300&n ...
Signal generator
A signal generator is one of a class of Electronics, electronic devices that generates electrical signals with set properties of amplitude, frequency, and wave shape. These generated signals are used as a stimulus for electronic measurements, typ ...
used in radar and counter-radar measures.
*
Hedy Lamarr Hollywood actor with
George Antheil
George Johann Carl Antheil ( ; July 8, 1900 – February 12, 1959) was an American avant-garde composer, pianist, author, and inventor whose modernist musical compositions explored the sounds – musical, industrial, and mechanical – of the ear ...
invented Frequency-hopping spread spectrum for the Navy.
Veterans
After the war
Operation Magic Carpet started to bring the troops home, some brought home
war brides. On October 30, 1944, Governor
Earl Warren
Earl Warren (March 19, 1891 – July 9, 1974) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 30th governor of California from 1943 to 1953 and as the 14th Chief Justice of the United States from 1953 to 1969. The Warren Court presid ...
started the California Veteran's Commission. The Commission worked to help veterans re-entry into civilian life. The Commission working with
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing lifelong healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers an ...
,
California Military Department
The California Military Department is an list of California state agencies, agency defined under the California Military and Veterans Cod§ 50 It includes the California National Guard (California Army National Guard, Army and California Air Nati ...
, state agencies, local governments, and community groups like:
American Legion
The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States, U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It comprises U.S. state, state, Territories of the United States, U.S. terr ...
,
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), formally the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States Armed Forces, United States war veterans who fought in wars, Military campaign, campaig ...
, and
Disabled American Veterans. Many
Veterans Health Administration
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the component of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) led by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health that implements the healthcare program of the VA through a Nationali ...
facilities were opened in the state.
Veteran's Bond Act of 1943 helped veterans to purchase a home or farm. Veterans started families, that is called the
baby boom
A baby boom is a period marked by a significant increase of births. This demography, demographic phenomenon is usually an ascribed characteristic within the population of a specific nationality, nation or culture. Baby booms are caused by various ...
,
birth rate
Birth rate, also known as natality, is the total number of live childbirth, human births per 1,000 population for a given period divided by the length of the period in years. The number of live births is normally taken from a universal registr ...
s increased in the
U.S. and California.
Manufacturing
Ship building

California became a major builder of ships for the war. Under the
Emergency Shipbuilding program, cargo ships like Liberty ships and
Victory ships were built in days, not the normal months. Ships that could be repaired overseas greatly reduced repair time, so
California shipyards also built
floating dry docks like the
Large Auxiliary Floating Dry Docks and
Medium Auxiliary Floating Dry Docks. As fear of an attack on California seemed likely, the War Department requested some ships be built at an inland ports, so many new ships were built at the
Port of Stockton, seventy nautical miles from the ocean. Henry J. Kaiser built day care centers at his shipyards in Richmond.
Kaiser Steel was headquartered in
Fontana, California. Some of the ships were given to the
Allies of World War II
The Allies, formally referred to as the United Nations from 1942, were an international Coalition#Military, military coalition formed during World War II (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers. Its principal members were the "Four Policeme ...
through the
Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (),3,000 Hurricanes and >4,000 other aircraft)
* 28 naval vessels:
** 1 Battleship. (HMS Royal Sovereign (05), HMS Royal Sovereign)
* ...
act of March 11, 1941. At the end of the war there was a surplus of ships and most
shipyard
A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are shipbuilding, built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Compared to shipyards, which are sometimes m ...
s were closed. Surplus ships were either sold or put into the
Navy Reserve Fleet, like the
Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet. California ship yards:
Los Angeles
Major
*
California Shipbuilding on
Terminal Island
Terminal Island, historically known as , is a largely artificial island located in Los Angeles County, California, between the neighborhoods of Wilmington, Los Angeles, Wilmington and San Pedro, Los Angeles, San Pedro in the city of Los Angeles ...
, a
Bechtel
Bechtel Corporation () is an American engineering, procurement, construction, and project management company founded in San Francisco, California in 1898, and headquartered in Reston, Virginia in the Washington metropolitan area. , the '' E ...
shipyard
** 306 Liberty cargo ships
** 101 Victory cargo ships
** 30 attack transports (Victory hulls)
** 30 tankers (Liberty hulls)
*
Consolidated Steel Corporation
The Consolidated Steel Corporation was an American steel and shipbuilding business. Formed on 18 December 1928, the company built ships during World War II in two main locations: Wilmington, California, and Orange, Texas. It was created by the mer ...
in
Wilmington and
Long Beach
Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...
** 2
P1 attack transports
** 10
C2
** 78
C1-B and C1-S-AY1
** 55
C1-M-AV1
** 32 attack transports
** 18 frigates
*
Bethlehem Shipbuilding San Pedro on Terminal Island, 26 destroyers
*
Todd Pacific Shipyards, Los Angeles Division San Pedro
** 10 large auxiliaries
** formerly
Los Angeles Shipbuilding and Drydock Corporation, change of management during the war
*
Western Pipe and Steel, 12 destroyer escorts, 11 cutters, 7 icebreakers, 32
LSM
** not to be confused with Western's primary shipyard in South San Francisco
Minor
*
Hodgson-Greene-Haldeman,
Long Beach
Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...
,
Type V ship wood
tugboat
A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...
s.
*
Fellows & Stewart in Wilmington, Sub chaser and rescue boat
*
Harbor Boatbuilding at Terminal Island, Minesweeper,
Torpedo Boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval ship designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs were steam-powered craft dedicated to ramming enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes. Later evolutions launched variants of ...
, Sub Chaser, & rescue boat
*
Wilmington Boat Works in Wilmington, Sub Chaser, Harbor Tug, Rescue boat
* Pacific Boat, Terminal Island, Wood BC Deck Barge
* Patten-Blinn Lumber, Los Angeles, Knockdown Wood BK Barge
* Long Beach Boat, Long Beach Army J Boat
* J. E. Haddock Company, San Pedro,
AFDL42 Float dock
*
Al Larson Boat Shop in San Pedro, Minesweeper and Sub Chaser
* American Pipe in Los Angeles, Barges
* Standard Steel in Los Angeles, Steel Barge BK
* Ashbridge Boatworks Los Angeles Army J Passenger Boat
*
San Pedro Boatworks, San Pedro, Army J Patrol Boat
*
Garbutt-Walsh Inc. in San Pedro, covered Barge
* Wilson Company in Wilmington, US Army Tug
*
United Concrete Pipe Corporation in Long Beach ships
*
Peyton Company in Newport Beach, Sub Chaser and Harbor Tug
*
Ackerman Boat in Newport Beach, Sub Chaser and Harbor Tug
San Francisco
Major
*
Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation
**
Union Iron Works
*** 4 cruisers, 36 destroyers, 12 destroyer escorts
*** 5
C1-B cargo in 1940/1941
**
Alameda Works Shipyard
*** 8
P2 transports
*
Richmond Shipyards
The four Richmond Shipyards, in the city of Richmond, California, United States, were run by Permanente Metals and part of the Kaiser Shipyards. In World War II, Richmond built more ships than any other shipyard, turning out as many as three ships ...
:
**
Kaiser Richmond No. 1 Yard; Oceans, Libertys, Victorys
**
Kaiser Richmond No. 2 Yard; Liberty, Victory
**
Kaiser Richmond No. 3 Yard;
Type C4-class ship
**
Kaiser Richmond No. 4 Yard;
Landing Ship, Tank
A Landing Ship, Tank (LST) is a ship first developed during World War II (1939–1945) to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto a low-slope beach with no dock (maritime), docks or pier ...
s (LST)s, Tugs
*
Mare Island Naval Shipyard
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard (MINSY or MINS) was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean and was in service 142 years from 1854 to 1996. It is located on Mare Island, northeast of San Francisco, in Vallejo, Califor ...
in
Vallejo, 31 destroyer escorts, 18 submarines
*
Moore Dry Dock Company
Moore Dry Dock Company was a ship repair and shipbuilding company in Oakland, California.
In 1905, Robert S. Moore, his brother Joseph A. Moore, and John Thomas Scott purchased the National Iron Works located in the Bayview-Hunters Point, S ...
in
Oakland
Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is ...
,
C2 Cargo
*
Western Pipe and Steel Company in San Francisco, Cargo
*
Marinship, in
Sausalito, a
Bechtel
Bechtel Corporation () is an American engineering, procurement, construction, and project management company founded in San Francisco, California in 1898, and headquartered in Reston, Virginia in the Washington metropolitan area. , the '' E ...
shipyard
** 78
T2 tanker
The T2 tanker, or T2, was a class of oil tanker constructed and produced in large numbers in the United States during World War II. Only the T3 tankers were larger "navy oilers" of the period. Some 533 T2s were built between 1940 and the end of 1 ...
s, 15
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were a ship class, class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Although British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost cons ...
s
Minor
*
Oakland Estuary
The Oakland Estuary is the strait in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, separating the cities of Oakland, California, Oakland and Alameda, California, Alameda and the Alameda (island), Alameda Island from the East Bay mainland. On its weste ...
**
United Engineering Company, 21 fleet tugs
**
General Engineering, 23 steel minesweepers and 4 steel net layers
**
Pacific Coast Engineering
**
Pacific Bridge Company
**
Cryer & Sons, Four Navy coastal cargo ships
**
W. F. Stone & Son, Minesweeper, Tug and Sub Chaser
** Independent Iron Works, Barge
** Poole & McGonigle, YFD-19
*
Hunters Point Naval Shipyard (repairs only?)
*
Kneass Boat Works in San Francisco Five Sub Chaser and a Tug
*
Hunt Marine Service in Richmond, patrol boat, tug
*
Soule Steel in San Francisco, Barge
* Judson Pacific, San Francisco, Steel BG Gasoline Barge
* Barrett & Hilp in San Francisco,
concrete barge
*
Anderson & Cristofani in San Francisco Patrol Craft (YP), APc
* California Steel Products in Richmond, Gasoline Barge
*
Martinolich Shipbuilding Company, San Francisco, Self-Propelled Barge
*
Madden, Lewis in Sausalito, Tug
*
Sausalito Shipbuilding in Sausalito, Steel Barges
Other
*
Pollock-Stockton Shipbuilding Company in
Stockton,
Net layer,
Dry Dock
A dry dock (sometimes drydock or dry-dock) is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Dry docks are used for the construction, maintenance, ...
*
Eureka Shipbuilding,
Fields Landing tugboats
*
Concrete Ship Constructors in
National City Type B ship barges
*
Barrett & Hilp, Concrete Ships in South San Francisco – barges
*
Colberg Boat Works in Stockton, Minesweeper, Tug,
Sub chaser
*
Stephens Bros. Boat Builders in Stockton,
Picket Boat, Tug,
Rescue Boat
*
Hickinbotham Brothers in Stockton (Guntert and Zimmerman ), Barge, Cargo, Tug
*
Kyle and Company in Stockton,
Coastal tanker
*
Clyde W. Wood in Stockton, Tug, Cargo
* Nicholson, D. W. in Stockton, San Leandro and Oakland, Wood BC Deck barge
* Stockton Steel Fabrications Company in Stockton
*
Basalt Rock Company in Napa, Rescue Ship, barge
*
Campbell Industries in San Diego, four
minesweeper
A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping.
History
The earliest known usage of ...
s
*
Fulton Shipyard in Antioch, Minesweeper, Tug, and
Troopship
A troopship (also troop ship or troop transport or trooper) is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime. Troopships were often drafted from commercial shipping fleets, and were unable to land troops directly on shore, typic ...
*
Chicago Bridge Eureka, Eureka,
AFDM
*
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, commonly referred to as NASSCO, is an American shipbuilding company with four shipyards located in San Diego, Norfolk, Virginia, Norfolk, Bremerton, and Mayport (Jacksonville), Mayport. It is a division ...
NASSCO in San Diego, US Army KD Barges
*
Lynch Shipbuilding in San Diego, Rescue Tug and Coastal cargo
*
San Diego Marine, San Diego, Minesweeper and Sub Chaser
*
South Coast Shipbuilding in Newport Beach, Minesweeper, Sub Chaser and Crash boat
*
Victory Shipbuilding in Newport Beach, Harbor Tug and Sub Chaser
*
Moore Equipment Company in Stockton
YSD
* Aetna Iron & Steel in San Diego YSR Barge
* Sacramento Shipbuilders in Sacramento, Barge
* Stanwood Shipyard in Stanwood, BCL Wood Barge
* Krem, Kau & Son, Pittsburg, Army J Passenger Boat
* Steinbrenner, Otto, Sacramento, Wood BC Deck Barge
* Olson Lumber, Alhambra, Knockdown Wood BK Barge
* National Iron Works, San Diego, Knockdown Steel BK Barge
Aircraft manufacturers
Built in California during World War 2 were:
B-17 Flying Fortress
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engined heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). A fast and high-flying bomber, the B-17 dropped more bombs than any other aircraft during ...
,
Lockheed P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinc ...
,
Douglas C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for tro ...
,
Douglas SBD Dauntless,
Douglas A-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and attack aircraft, ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during ...
,
Lockheed Ventura
The Lockheed Ventura is a twin-engine medium bomber and patrol bomber of World War II.
The Ventura first entered combat in Europe as a bomber with the RAF in late 1942. Designated PV-1 by the United States Navy (US Navy), it entered combat in ...
,
Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar
The Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar is an American passenger transport aircraft of the World War II era, developed as part of the Model 10 Electra family, specifically from the Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra.
Design and development
Sales of the 1 ...
,
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
The Lockheed P-2 Neptune (designated P2V by the United States Navy prior to September 1962) is a Maritime patrol aircraft, maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. It was developed for the US Navy by Lockheed Corporation, Lockh ...
,
Lockheed Constellation
The Lockheed Constellation ("Connie") is a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner built by Lockheed Corporation starting in 1943. The Constellation series was the first civil airliner family to enter widespread use equipped with a pressurized cab ...
,
Douglas P-70 Nighthawk,
Douglas DC-5,
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
The Douglas C-54 Skymaster is a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and the Korean War. Like the Douglas C-47 Skytrain derived from the DC-3, the C-54 Skymaster was derived from a civilia ...
,
Douglas BTD Destroyer,
Douglas A-33,
Douglas TBD Devastator,
Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer,
Northrop A-17,
Northrop BT,
Northrop N-3PB,
Northrop P-61 Black Widow
The Northrop P-61 Black Widow is a twin-engine United States Army Air Forces fighter aircraft of World War II. It was the first operational U.S. warplane designed specifically as a night fighter.
Named for the North American spider '' Latrodec ...
,
McDonnell FH Phantom,
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...
,
Consolidated PB2Y Coronado
The PB2Y Coronado is a large flying boat Maritime patrol aircraft, patrol bomber designed by Consolidated Aircraft, and used by the US Navy during World War II in bombing, antisubmarine, medical/hospital plane, and transport roles. Obsolete b ...
,
Consolidated TBY Sea Wolf,
Consolidated B-32 Dominator,
Consolidated P-30,
North American B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Brigadier General Billy Mitchell, William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allies of World War ...
,
North American P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed by James H. Kin ...
,
Vultee A-31 Vengeance,
Vultee BT-13 Valiant,
Vultee P-66 Vanguard,
Vultee V-11
The Vultee V-11 and V-12 were United States, American stressed-skin monocoque monoplane attack aircraft of the 1930s. Developed from the Vultee V-1 single-engined airliner, the V-11 and V-12 were purchased by several nations for their armed forc ...
,
Interstate Cadet,
North American T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan is an American single-engined advanced trainer aircraft, which was used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), United States Air Force (USAF), United States Navy, Royal Air Force, Ro ...
,
Douglas A-20 Havoc
The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) is an American light bomber, attack aircraft, Intruder (air combat), night intruder, night fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft of World War II.
Designed to meet an Army Air Corps requirement for ...
,
Lockheed C-69 Constellation
The Lockheed C-69 Constellation is a four-engined, propeller-driven military transport aircraft developed during World War II. It was co-developed with the Lockheed Constellation airliner.
It first flew in 1943, and production of the 22 constru ...
,
Consolidated PBY Catalina
The Consolidated Model 28, more commonly known as the PBY Catalina (U.S. Navy designation), is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft designed by Consolidated Aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s. In U.S. Army service, it was designated as the OA- ...
,
Interstate TDR,
Timm N2T Tutor,
Ryan PT-22 Recruit,
Ryan ST and the
Waco CG-4 / Timm CG-4A . The
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and ...
built in Burbank was delivered to Canada and then the United Kingdom starting in 1939. By the end of the war California had 70% of the aerospace manufacturing in the United States and had built over 200,000 planes.
Hughes H-4 Hercules
The Hughes H-4 Hercules (commonly known as the ''Spruce Goose''; Aircraft registration, registration NX37602) is a prototype strategic airlift flying boat designed and built by the Hughes Aircraft Company. Intended as a transatlantic flight t ...
,
Victory Trainer and
Bartlett Zephyr were built in California, but not used. The
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech) is a private research university in Pasadena, California, United States. The university is responsible for many modern scientific advancements and is among a small group of institutes ...
in
Pasadena, California
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...
started a ''School of Aeronautics'' and other aeronautic research labs in the early 1920s, this helped California become a major aerospace manufacturing center.
Aircraft manufacturers of World War II in California:
*
Douglas Aircraft Company
The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, aerospace and military, defense company based in Southern California. Founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas Sr., it merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell D ...
in
Santa Monica
Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
,
El Segundo,
Long Beach
Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...
, and
Torrance
*
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace manufacturer. Lockheed was founded in 1926 and merged in 1995 with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin. Its founder, Allan Lockheed, had earlier founded the similarly named but otherwise-u ...
in Burbank
*
Vega Aircraft Corporation
The Vega Aircraft Corporation was a subsidiary of the Lockheed Aircraft Company in Burbank, California responsible for much of its parent company's production in World War II.
History
The company was first formed in August 1937 as the AiRove ...
in Burbank
*
Northrop Corporation
Northrop Corporation was an American aircraft manufacturer from its formation in 1939 until its 1994 merger with Grumman to form Northrop Grumman. The company is known for its development of the flying wing design, most successfully the B-2 Spiri ...
in
Hawthorne
*
Hughes Aircraft Company
The Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded on February 14, 1934 by Howard Hughes in Glendale, California, as a division of the Hughes Tool Company. The company produced the Hughes H-4 Hercules air ...
in
Playa Vista and Culver City
*
McDonnell Aircraft Corporation in Long Beach
*
Consolidated Aircraft
The Consolidated Aircraft Corporation was founded in 1923 in aviation, 1923 by Reuben H. Fleet in Buffalo, New York, the result of the Gallaudet Aircraft Company's liquidation and Fleet's purchase of designs from the Dayton-Wright Company as the ...
in San Diego (
Convair
Convair, previously Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, was an American aircraft-manufacturing company that later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Consolidated Aircraft and Vultee ...
after 1943)
*
Ryan Aeronautical in San Diego
*
North American Aviation
North American Aviation (NAA) was a major American aerospace manufacturer that designed and built several notable aircraft and spacecraft. Its products included the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F- ...
in Inglewood
*
Glenn L. Martin Company
The Glenn L. Martin Company, also known as The Martin Company from 1917 to 1961, was an American aircraft and aerospace industry, aerospace manufacturing company founded by aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin. The Martin Company produced many impo ...
in Santa Ana, HQ and design only
*
Harlow Aircraft Company in
Alhambra
The Alhambra (, ; ) is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Spain. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Muslim world, Islamic world. Additionally, the ...
*
Vultee Aircraft in Burbank and
Downey (
Convair
Convair, previously Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, was an American aircraft-manufacturing company that later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Consolidated Aircraft and Vultee ...
after 1943)
*
Interstate Aircraft
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National H ...
in
El Segundo
*
O.W. Timm Aircraft Company in
Van Nuys
Van Nuys ( ) is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley.
History
In 1 ...
*
Bartlett Aircraft in
Rosemead
*
Hiller Aircraft in
Berkeley
*
Morrow Aircraft Corporation in
San Bernardino
*
Skunk Works design HQ in Burbank
Vehicles manufacturers

During World War II all California civilian automobile manufacturing ended.
*
General Motors
General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...
South Gate Assembly built
Stuart M-5
The M3 Stuart/light tank M3, was a US light tank of World War II, first entered service in the British Army in early 1941 and saw action in the North African campaign in July 1941. Later an improved version of the tank entered service as the ...
and M5A1
light tank
A light tank is a Tank classification, tank variant initially designed for rapid movements in and out of combat, to outmaneuver heavier tanks. It is smaller with thinner vehicle armour, armor and a less powerful tank gun, main gun, tailored for ...
s at 500 per month.
*
General Motors
General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...
Oakland Assembly
Oakland Assembly was a Chevrolet manufacturing facility located in Elmhurst, Oakland, California. It was the first automobile plant established in Northern California to build Chevrolet vehicles. In 1916, Chevrolet opened the auto industry's firs ...
built
Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is an American aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon Technologies). Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation (especially ...
aircraft engines and munitions.
*
Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant in Richmond built 49,399
jeep
Jeep is an American automobile brand, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with other assets, from its previous owner, American Motors Co ...
s. The Ford plant also did completion work on
tank
A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; ...
s,
armored personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world.
Acc ...
s, armored cars and other military vehicles. Ford's Long Beach plant was leased to the Air Force and used as an Air Base.
*
Willys-Overland
Willys (pronounced , "Willis")
was a brand name used by Willys–Overland Motors, an American automobile company, founded by John North Willys. It was best known for its design and production of World War II–era military jeeps (MBs), Willys ...
Maywood, California plant was used by Lockheed to build subassemblies for
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and ...
.
*
Chrysler
FCA US, LLC, Trade name, doing business as Stellantis North America and known historically as Chrysler ( ), is one of the "Big Three (automobile manufacturers), Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn H ...
of California, Los Angeles, built 12,214 aircraft engines, 4,100 B-17 cabins and 688
PV-2 Harpoon cabins.
*
Studebaker Pacific Corporation of Los Angeles built engines for the B-17s and PV-2 Harpoons being built in Burbank.
*
Menasco Motors Company in Burbank, built aircraft
landing gear
Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for taxiing, takeoff or landing. For aircraft, it is generally needed for all three of these. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, s ...
for North American, Lockheed, Republic, General Dynamics, and other aircraft manufacturers. Menasco continued this work after the war.
*
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of Los Angeles built 1,550 turrets used on M5 tanks. Firestone also built 3,100 M5
tank tracks.
Engine Manufacturers
Joshua Hendy Iron Works was the biggest supplier of reciprocating engines for
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were a ship class, class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Although British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost cons ...
s in the country. It was also the
only manufacturer of large steam turbine propulsion systems on the West Coast.
* Marine triple expansion reciprocating
**
Joshua Hendy Iron Works in Sunnyvale
* Marine diesel
**
Enterprise Engine and Foundry Co. in San Francisco
**
Atlas-Imperial in Oakland
* Marine steam turbines
** Joshua Hendy in Sunnyvale
Military installations
Like other states in the
desert Southwest
The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural list of regions of the United States, region of the United States that includes Arizona and New Mexico, along with adjacen ...
, many of the new military installations built were
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
airbases. California's weather, wide open spaces, railroad connections, and access to ocean made it an ideal location for training pilots, also
armored vehicle
Military vehicles are commonly armoured (or armored; see spelling differences) to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets, shells, rockets, and missiles, protecting the personnel inside from enemy fire. Such vehicles include armoured fighti ...
s operators.
Desert Training Center
The largest
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
training installation in the history of the United States was the
Desert Training Center. To prepare troops for the battles in the
North African campaign
The North African campaign of World War II took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943, fought between the Allies and the Axis Powers. It included campaigns in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts (Western Desert campaign, Desert Wa ...
, the army had
General Patton build many desert training camps in
Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
and a few in
Arizona
Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
. The camps were built in the
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert (; ; ) is a desert in the rain shadow of the southern Sierra Nevada mountains and Transverse Ranges in the Southwestern United States. Named for the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous Mohave people, it is located pr ...
and
Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert () is a hot desert and ecoregion in North America that covers the northwestern Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur, as well as part of the Southwestern United States (in Arizona and California). It ...
. The open space let the Army and
Army Air Corps use live fire to train troops, test and develop equipment. Tactical doctrines, techniques, and training methods for combat were developed from this training. From 1 April 1942 to 1 July 1944, the complete training area covered 18,000 square miles. The camp reached from
Pomona, California
Pomona ( ) is a city in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. Pomona is located in the Pomona Valley, between the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city's population was ...
east to almost to
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...
and from
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. The city's population was 95,548 at the 2020 census, up from the 2010 census population of 93,064.
Yuma is the principal city of the Yuma, Arizona, Metropolitan ...
northward into the southern tip of
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a landlocked state in the Western United States. It borders Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the seventh-most extensive, th ...
.
California Army Divisional Camps
*
Camp Clipper and
Camp Essex
*
Camp Coxcomb
*
Camp Granite
*
Camp Ibis
*
Camp Iron Mountain
*
Camp Pilot Knob
*
Camp Young – Desert Training Center Headquarters
California Army Depots
*
Camp Freda Quartermaster Depot
*
Camp Desert Center
*
Camp Goffs – Depot and Infantry training.
*
Pomona Ordnance Depot
California Army Airfields

* Major airfields
**
Blythe Army Air Base
**
Desert Center Army Airfield
**
Thermal Army Airfield
**
Rice Army Airfield
** Shavers Summit Army Airfield (now
Chiriaco Summit Airport)
* Minor airfields
**
Camp Coxcomb Army Field (abandoned)
**
Camp Essex Army Field (abandoned)
**
Camp Goffs Army Field (abandoned)
**
Camp Ibis Army Field (abandoned)
**
Camp Iron Mountain Army Field
Desert Training Center California Hospitals
*
Banning General Hospital (
Banning, CA)
*
Camp Freda Hospital
*
Camp Desert Center Hospital
*
Camp Goffs Hospital
*
Torney General Hospital
*
Needles Station Hospital
*
Cherry Valley Hospital
US Army Bases
For World War 2 existing California Army bases were enlarged and many new bases were built. Bases were used for induction, training, deployment, supply depots, hospitals and housing of POWs.
*
Fort Irwin
Fort Irwin National Training Center (Fort Irwin NTC) is a major training area for the United States military in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin is at an average elevation of . It is located northeast ...
*
Fort Ord
Fort Ord is a former United States Army post on Monterey Bay on the Pacific Ocean coast in California, which closed in 1994 due to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) action. Most of the fort's land now makes up the Fort Ord National Monument, ...
*
Camp Funston
Camp Funston is a U.S. Army training camp located on the grounds of Fort Riley, southwest of Manhattan, Kansas. The camp was named for Brigadier General Frederick Funston (1865–1917). It is one of sixteen such camps that were established at ...
*
Fort Hunter Liggett
*
Parks Reserve Forces Training Area
*
Presidio of Monterey
*
Military Ocean Terminal Concord
*
Camp Anza
*
Camp Callan
*
Camp Kearny
*
Salinas Garrison
*
Camp Lockett
*
Fort Emory
*
Oakland Army Base
*
Fort Funston
Fort Funston is a former Seacoast defense in the United States, harbor defense installation located on the West Side (San Francisco), West Side of San Francisco in the southwestern part of the city. Formerly known as the Lake Merced Milita ...
*
Fort MacArthur
Fort MacArthur is a former United States Army installation in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California (now the port community of Los Angeles). A small section remains in military use by the United States Air Force as a housing and administrative ann ...
*
Camp Ashby
*
Fort Mason
Fort Mason, in San Francisco, California is a former United States Army post located in the northern Marina District, alongside San Francisco Bay. Fort Mason served as an Army post for more than 100 years, initially as a coastal defense site a ...
*
Fort McDowell
*
Fort Miley Military Reservation
*
Camp McQuaide
*
Camp Stoneman
*
Fort Point
*
Letterman Army Hospital
*
Hoff General Hospital
*
Fort Baker
*
Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg (formerly Fort Liberty from 2023–2025) is a United States Army, U.S. Army Military base, military installation located in North Carolina. It ranks among the largest military bases in the world by population, with more than 52,000 m ...
*
Camp Tanforan
*
Oakland Army Base
*
Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco (originally, El Presidio Real de San Francisco or The Royal Fortress of Saint Francis) is a park and former U.S. Army post on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, and is part ...
*
Sacramento Army Depot
*
San Carlos War Dog Training Center
*
Camp Seeley El Centro
*
Camp Pinedale
*
Fresno Army Air Forces Training Center
*
Santa Anita Ordnance Training Center
The Santa Anita Ordnance Training Center also called Camp Santa Anita was a training center built for World War II. Santa Anita Ordnance Training Center Rifle Range was built is what is now the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in the Angele ...
*
Camp Roberts Army Base Monterey
*
Camp San Luis Obispo, (Camp Merriam)
*
San Joaquin Depot
**
Sharpe Facility
**
Tracy Facility
**
Lathrop Holding and Reconsignment
**
Lathrop Engineering Depot
*
Stockton Ordnance Depot
*
Sierra Army Depot in Herlong
*
Birmingham General Hospital
*
Mitchell Convalescent Hospital
*
Camp Ross
*
Benicia Arsenal
*
Camp Ono for POWs
*
Fort Barry
Fort Barry is a former United States Army installation on the West Coast of the United States, located in the Marin Headlands of Marin County, California, north of San Francisco. Opened in 1908, the fort was part of the Coast Artillery Corps a ...
*
Fort Cronkhite
*
Fort Ord Station Veterinary Hospital
*
DeWitt General Hospital
*
Camp Kohler
Camp Kohler was located in the northeast corner of unincorporated Sacramento County, California, United States, until it was destroyed by a fire in 1947. Initially a camp for migrant farm workers, it became the Sacramento Assembly Center a tempo ...
*
Camp Shoemaker
*
Camp Flint
*
Camp Tulelake
*
Camp Tracy
*
Radar Station B-71
*
Battery Chamberlin
Battery Chamberlin is an artillery battery in the Presidio of San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States. The battery is named in honor of Captain Lowell A. Chamberlin, who had served with distinction in the American Civil War, Civi ...
*
Camp Lamont for POWs
*
Milagra Ridge Military Reservation
*
Camp Ayres – Chino Supply Depot – Camp Chino
*
Pillar Point Military Reservation
*
Santa Monica Army Air Forces Redistribution Center
*
Hammond General Hospital
Air bases and airfield
Existing
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...
air bases were enlarged to house and train the many new crews needed. Almost all civilian airports and airstrips were converted to Army Air training centers. Almost all civilian air flights were cancelled. Many new airstrips and landing pads were built for pilot landing and take-off training. Air bases had housing and meals for the troops. Some airstrips and landing pads had no support buildings, as they were used only for landing and take-off training.
United States Army Air Corps World War II bases, airstrips and landing pads in California:
*
Beale Air Force Base
Beale Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base in Yuba County, California, Yuba County, California. It is outside Linda, California, Linda, about east of the towns of Marysville, California, Marysville and Yuba City, and abo ...
(Camp Beale), Marysville
*
Muroc Army Airfield now Edwards Air Force Base
**
March Field, Riverside
*
McClellan Air Force Base
McClellan Air Force Base (1935–2001) is a former United States Air Force base in California, located in the North Highlands, California, North Highlands area of Sacramento County, California, Sacramento County, northeast of Sacramento, Califo ...
, Sacramento
*
Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base now Travis Air Force Base
*
Camp Cooke now Vandenberg Air Force Base, Lompoc
*
Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base
*
Lemoore Army Air Field
*
Long Beach Army Air Field
*
Lomita Flight Strip
*
Ontario Army Air Field
*
San Bernardino Army Air Field
*
Van Nuys Army Air Field
*
Chino Airport
Chino Airport is a county-owned airport about three miles southeast of Chino, in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The Federal Aviation Administration's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2007–2011 classified it ...
*
Oxnard Air Force Base
*
Clover Field
Santa Monica Airport (Santa Monica Municipal Airport) is a general aviation airport largely in Santa Monica, California, United States, in the Greater Los Angeles area. It opened on April 15, 1923, making it one of the United States' oldest a ...
*
Merced Army Air Field
*
Camp Merced
*
Grand Central Air Terminal
*
Lockheed Air Terminal
*
Mines Field
*
Victorville Army Air Field
*
Hamilton Army Airfield
*
Bakersfield Army Air Field
*
Mather Air Force Base
Mather Air Force Base (Mather AFB) was a United States Air Force Base, which was closed in 1993 pursuant to a post-Cold War BRAC decision. It was located east of Sacramento, on the south side of U.S. Route 50 in Sacramento County, Californ ...
*
Norton Air Force Base
Norton Air Force Base (1942–1994) was a United States Air Force facility east of downtown San Bernardino in San Bernardino County, California.
Overview
For the majority of its operational lifetime, Norton was a logistics depot and heavy-l ...
*
Naval Auxiliary Air Station Salton Sea
*
McClellan Field
*
McChesney Field
*
Hammer Field
*
Santa Monica Army Air Base
*
Gardner Army Airfield
*
Bicycle Lake Army Airfield
*
Minter Field
*
Santa Maria Army Air Field
*
Lookout Mountain Air Force Station
*
Chico Field
*
Wendover Air Force Base`
*
Santa Ana Army Air Base
*
Palm Springs Air Base
*
Fresno Air Base
*
Chiriaco Summit Airport
*
Bishop Army Airfield
*
Blythe Army Airfield
*
Palmdale Army Airfield
*
Gary Army Airfield
*
Oakland Municipal Airport
*
Chico Army Air Field
*
Reno Army Air Base
*
Barstow-Daggett Airport
*
Mira Loma Quartermaster Depot
*
Montague Air Force Auxiliary Field
*
Napa Army Airfield
*
Willows Municipal Airport
*
Redding Army Airfield
*
Siskiyou County Army Airfield
*
Salinas Army Air Base
*
Delano Army Airfield
*
Capitola Airport
*
Meadows Field
*
Visalia Army Airfield
*
Hayward Army Airfield
*
Orland Auxiliary Field
*
Kirkwood Auxiliary Field
*
Vina Auxiliary Field
*
Campbell Auxiliary Field
*
Oroville Auxiliary Field
*
Sacramento Municipal Airport
*
Oroville Army Airfield
*
Siskiyou County Army Airfield
*
Redding Army Airfield
*
Boston Field
*
Huron Field
Helm Field also called Lemoore Auxiliary Army Airfield A-7 is a former US Army Airfield use for training during World War II. Helm Field was location in the town of Coalinga, California, 70 miles south of Fresno. Helm Field had two 3,000 foot run ...
*
Indian Field
*
Murray Field
*
West Field
*
Helm Field
*
Corcoran Municipal Airport
Corcoran Airport was a public use airport located two nautical miles (3.7 km) west of the central business district of Corcoran, a town in Kings County, California, United States. It is privately owned by Lakeland Dusters, Inc. The airpo ...
*
Porterville Army Airfield
Porterville Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) southwest of the central business district of Porterville, a city in Tulare County, California, United States. According to the FAA's Nation ...
*
Coalinga Municipal Airport (Old)
Coalinga Municipal Airport (Old) is a closed airport located 1 mile north of Coalinga, California. The airport was closed approximately in the year 2000; all aviation use was moved to the New Coalinga Municipal Airport.
History
It was establ ...
*
Buffalo Springs Airport
*
Needles Army Airfield
*
Shavers Summit Army Airfield
*
Rice Army Airfield
*
Half Moon Bay Flight Strip
*
Estrella Army Airfield
*
Santa Rosa Army Airfield
*
Thermal Army Airfield
*
Corcoran Airport
*
Douthitt Strip
*
Dos Palos Airport
*
Trauger Auxiliary Field
*
Hunter Auxiliary Field
*
Caliente Flight Strip
*
Franklin Auxiliary Airfield
*
Hawthorne Municipal Airport
*
Hayward Executive Airport
*
Hemet-Ryan Airport
*
Independence Airport
*
Inyo County Airport
*
Lancaster Airport
*
Adamson Landing Field
*
Mefford Field Airport
*
Palo Alto Airport
*
Gibbs Auxiliary Field
*
New Jerusalem Auxiliary Airfield
*
Porterville Army Airfield
Porterville Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) southwest of the central business district of Porterville, a city in Tulare County, California, United States. According to the FAA's Nation ...
*
Rankin Field
*
Redding Army Air Field
*
Lindbergh Field
*
San Francisco Airport
*
Sequoia Field
*
Stockton Army Airfield
*
Sherman Army Airfield
*
Kingsbury Auxiliary Airfield
*
Tracy Auxiliary Airfield
*
Modesto Auxiliary Airfield
*
Twenty Nine Palms Army Airfield
*
Visalia Army Air Field
*
War Eagle Field
*
Willows-Glenn Airport
*
Winters-Davis Flight Strip
*
Marysville Army Airfield
*
Parker Auxiliary Airfield
*
Kern Field Auxiliary Airfield
*
Allen Auxiliary Airfield
*
Conners Auxiliary Airfield
*
Taft Auxiliary Airfield
*
Cuyama Auxiliary Airfield
*
Wasco Auxiliary Airfield
*
Pond Auxiliary Field
*
Famoso Auxiliary Airfield
*
Dunlap Auxiliary Airfield
*
Semi-tropic Auxiliary Airfield
*
Poso Auxiliary Airfield
*
Lost Hills Auxiliary Airfield,
*
Hawes Auxiliary Airfield
*
Helendale Auxiliary Airfield
*
Howard Auxiliary Field
*
Athlone Auxiliary Field
*
Potter Auxiliary Field
*
Liberty Auxiliary Field
*
Victory Field Auxiliary Field
*
Grand Central Air Terminal
*
Montgomery Field
Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport is a public airport in San Diego, California, United States, six miles (10 km) north of downtown San Diego. The airport covers and has three runways, one public helipad, and two private helipads. The r ...
*
Condor Field
*
Fort Ord Army Airfield
*
Fritzsche AAF
*
Panamint Spring Auxiliary Airfield
*
Peik Auxiliary Field
US Naval Bases
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
's main marine bases were located in the deepwater ports of:
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port in San Diego County, California, near the Mexico–United States border. The bay, which is long and wide, is the third largest of the three large, protected natural bays on California's of ...
,
Port of Los Angeles
The Port of Los Angeles is a seaport managed by the Los Angeles Harbor Department, a unit of the Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles. It occupies of land and water with of waterfront and adjoins the separate Port of Long Beach. Promoted as "Amer ...
,
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay (Chochenyo language, Chochenyo: 'ommu) is a large tidal estuary in the United States, U.S. state of California, and gives its name to the San Francisco Bay Area. It is dominated by the cities of San Francisco, California, San ...
and the
Stockton Deepwater Shipping Channel
California’s Green Trade Corridor, is part of the Stockton Deepwater Shipping Channel
Stockton Deepwater Shipping Channel, also called the Baldwin-Stockton Deepwater Shipping Channel or Stockton Deep Water Channel, is a manmade deepwater wat ...
. The
US Navy during WW2 Pacific Fleet operated: ports, supply depots and airfields for
aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and hangar facilities for supporting, arming, deploying and recovering carrier-based aircraft, shipborne aircraft. Typically it is the ...
training, also
blimps used for patrol of the coast. Post World War II many shipyards became home of the
Pacific Reserve Fleet used to store the many surplus ships.
United States Navy World War II bases and stations in California:
*
Mare Island Naval Shipyard
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard (MINSY or MINS) was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean and was in service 142 years from 1854 to 1996. It is located on Mare Island, northeast of San Francisco, in Vallejo, Califor ...
, Vallejo, California, with Mare Island Naval Hospital
*
Naval Base San Diego
Naval Base San Diego is a United States Navy base in San Diego, California. It is the world's second largest surface ship naval base. Naval Base San Diego is the principal homeport of the United States Pacific Fleet, consisting of over 50 ships ...
, San Diego
*
Hunters Point Naval Shipyard
*
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake
Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake is a large military installation in California that supports the research, testing and evaluation programs of the United States Navy. It is part of Navy Region Southwest under Commander, Navy Instal ...
, China Lake Armitage Field
*
Naval Base Ventura County
Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) is a United States Navy base in Ventura County, California. Formed by the merger of Naval Air Station Point Mugu, NAS Point Mugu and Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme, CBC Port Hueneme, NBVC is a d ...
, Point Mugu
*
San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard
The San Francisco Bay Naval Shipyard was a short-lived shipyard formed in 1965 with the combination of the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard and the Mare Island Naval Shipyard. The combined yards were the largest naval shipyard in the world, but the d ...
*
Hunters Point Naval Shipyard
*
Naval Postgraduate School
Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is a Naval command with a graduate university mission, operated by the United States Navy and located in Monterey, California.
The NPS mission is to provide "defense-focused graduate education, including clas ...
, Monterey
*
Naval Air Station Alameda
*
Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Seal Beach
*
Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Point Mugu
*
Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme
*
Parks Reserve Forces Training Area
*
Naval Hospital Santa Margarita Ranch
*
Naval Reserve Center Santa Barbara
*
Naval Medical Center San Diego
Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) is a United States Navy hospital in San Diego, California. It is also known as Bob Wilson Naval Hospital and informally referred to as "Balboa Hospital", and "The Pink Palace", due to the stucco of the first ...
*
Naval Medical Research Unit One
*
Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego
*
Fort Rosecrans, now
Naval Base Point Loma
*
Naval Air Base San Pedro
*
Inyokern Auxiliary Field
*
Naval Base Coronado
Naval Base Coronado (NBC) is a consolidated Navy military base, installation encompassing eight military facilities in southern California, stretching from San Clemente Island, located 70 miles west of San Diego, to Mountain Warfare Training Camp ...
*
Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme
*
Naval Auxiliary Landing Field San Clemente Island
Naval Auxiliary Landing Field (NALF) San Clemente Island , also known as Frederick C. Sherman, Frederick Sherman Field, is a military airport located on San Clemente Island in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It has been owned by th ...
*
Naval Auxiliary Air Station Monterey
*
Long Beach Naval Shipyard
*
Crescent City Outlying Field
*
Army and Navy Academy
*
Terminal Island
Terminal Island, historically known as , is a largely artificial island located in Los Angeles County, California, between the neighborhoods of Wilmington, Los Angeles, Wilmington and San Pedro, Los Angeles, San Pedro in the city of Los Angeles ...
San Pedro
*
Point Arguello Radio Station
*
Naval Auxiliary Air Station Twentynine Palms
*
Naval Outlying Landing Field Imperial Beach
*
Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center in Los Angeles
*
Naval Air Station, Santa Ana
*
Moffett Federal Airfield
Moffett Federal Airfield , also known as Moffett Field, is a joint civil-military airport located in an unincorporated part of Santa Clara County, California, United States, between northern Mountain View and northern Sunnyvale. On November ...
– Naval Air Station
*
Naval Training Center San Diego
*
Rockwell Field
Rockwell Field is a former United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) military airfield, located northwest of the city of Coronado, California, on the northern part of the Coronado Peninsula across the bay from San Diego, California.
This airfield ...
*
Camp Hydle
*
Half Moon Bay Flight Strip
*
Naval Station Treasure Island
*
Naval Auxiliary Air Station Ream Field
*
Morris Reservoir Naval Weapons Test Site
*
Naval Outlying Landing Field San Nicolas Island
*
Rough and Ready Island Naval Supply Depot in Stockton
*
Naval Amphibious Base Coronado
*
McCormack General Hospital
*
Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific
*
Watsonville Airport
*
Silver Strand Training Complex
*
Camp Morena
*
Naval Outlying Field, Ocotillo Dry Lake
*
Naval Postgraduate School
Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is a Naval command with a graduate university mission, operated by the United States Navy and located in Monterey, California.
The NPS mission is to provide "defense-focused graduate education, including clas ...
*
Naval Auxiliary Air Station Vernalis
*
Naval Auxiliary Air Station, San Luis Obispo
*
Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range
*
Carrizo Impact Area
*
Navy Broadway Complex
*
Naval Air Auxiliary Station Watsonville
*
Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Santa Rosa
*
Naval Advance Base Personnel Depot, San Bruno
*
Auxiliary Air Station Monterey
* Naval Landing Force Equipment Depot in
Albany, California
Albany ( ) is a city on the east shore of San Francisco Bay in northwestern Alameda County, California, United States. The population was 20,271 at the 2020 United States census.
History
In 1908, a group of local women protested the dumping ...
*
Arcata, Naval Auxiliary Air Station
*
Camp Kearny
*
NASA Crows Landing Airport
*
Naval Hospital Corona
*
NAAS Brown Field
*
King City Naval Auxiliary Air Station
*
Amphibious Training Base, Castroville
*
U.S. Naval Air Facility Del Mar
*
Del Monte Navy Pre-Flight School
*
Dixon Naval Radio Transmitter Facility
*
Naval Auxiliary Air Facility Lompoc
*
Naval Auxiliary Air Station Hollister
*
Holtville Naval Auxiliary Air Station
*
Sand Hill Naval Auxiliary Landing Field
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Naval Air Station Livermore
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Naval Station Newport
Naval Station Newport (NAVSTA Newport) is a United States Navy base located in the city of Newport, Rhode Island, Newport and the town of Middletown, Rhode Island. Naval Station Newport is home to the Naval War College and the Naval Justice Scho ...
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Moffett Field airship hangars
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Naval Air Transport Service
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Concord Naval Weapons Station
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Point Molate Naval Fuel Depot
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Naval Auxiliary Air Station Miramar
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V-12 Navy College in Loma Linda,
Redlands,
UC and
Occidental College
Occidental College (informally Oxy) is a private liberal arts college in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1887 as a coeducational college by clergy and members of the Presbyterian Church, it became non-sectarian in 1910. It is ...
*
Long Beach Army Airfield
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Skaggs Island Naval Communication Station
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Naval Auxiliary Air Station Salton Sea
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Fleet and Industrial Supply Center, Oakland
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Naval Hospital Oakland
Naval Hospital Oakland, also known as Oak Knoll Naval Hospital, was a United States Navy, U.S. naval hospital located in Oakland, California that opened during World War II (1942) and closed in 1996 as part of the 1993 Base Realignment and Closur ...
*
United States Navy Net Depot Tiburon
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Naval Auxiliary Air Facility Mills Field
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Naval Convalescent Hospital, Santa Cruz
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Amphibious Training Base Morro Bay
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Navy Building 101 in San Francisco
* Yosemite Naval Convalescent Hospital at the
Ahwahnee Hotel
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San Leandro Naval Hospital
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Treasure Island Naval Auxiliary Air Facility
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Field Clark's Dry Lake
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Borrego Hotel Naval Outlying Landing Field
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Borrego Hotel Target Area
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Benson Bombing Range
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North Coyote Wells Naval Outlying Landing Field
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South Coyote Wells Naval Outlying Landing Field
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Jacumba Airport
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Rosedale Naval Outlying Landing Field
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Border Naval Outlying Landing Field
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Ramona Landing Field
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Eureka Auxiliary Field
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Arcata Naval Auxiliary Air Station
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Naval Industrial Reserve Repair Facility, Oakland
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Naval Reserve Armory, Oakland
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Naval Hospital Long Beach
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Alameda Naval Hospital
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Naval Convalescent Hospital Beaumont
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Naval Convalescent Hospital Arrowhead Springs
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Abel Field Outlying Field
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Brown-Fabian Airport Outlying Field
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Cope Field Outlying Field
* Gelderman Airport Outlying Field
* Heath NOLF
* Linderman Airport Outlying Field
* Livermore Airport Outlying Field
* May's School Field Outlying Field
* Rita Butterworth Airport Outlying Field
* Spring Valley Airport Outlying Field
* Wagoner Airport Outlying Field
* Camp Parks
*
Camp Shoemaker
* U.S. Naval Hospital Shoemaker
* Naval Outlying Landing Field Cotati
* Naval Outlying Landing Field Anaheim
* Naval Outlying Field Palisades
* Mile Square Farm Naval Outlying Field
* Haster Farm Naval Outlying Landing Field
* Horse Farm Naval Outlying Landing Field
* Seal Beach Naval Outlying Landing Field
* Otay-Mesa Naval Auxiliary Air Station
* Sweetwater Dam Naval Outlying Landing Field
* San Clemente Naval Auxiliary Air Station
US Marine Corps
Camp Pendleton became the main training grounds for training Marines including landing craft school, amphibious tractor school, beach battalion school, Amphibious warfare, amphibious communications school, and a medical field service school. Skills that would be used across the Leapfrogging (strategy), island hopping in the Pacific War and the war in Europe.
* Camp Pendleton San Diego
* Marine Corps Air Station Miramar San Diego
* Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow Barstow, Yermo Quartermaster Sub-Depot
* Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego San Diego
* Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton
* El Toro Marine Corps Air Station
* Tustin Marine Corps Air Station
* Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara
*
Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range
* Camp Elliott
* Camp Matthews
* Gillespie Field
* Camp Las Pulgas Bivouac Area
* Camp Ensign
* Ensign Ranch Airfield
* Camp Dunlap
US Coast Guard
In times of war, like during World War II, the United States Coast Guard operated as a branch of the Department of the Navy. In California the Coast Guard operated out of the United States naval districts#12th Naval District, 12th Naval District. History of the United States Coast Guard#The 1940s, Coast Guard's World War 2 Navy support included use of Coast Guard cutters, patrol boats, bases, stations and lighthouses. Patrols and search and rescue missions being the main task.
["Ocean Weather Ships 1940–1980"](_blank)
Capt. R. P. Dinsmore, USCG (Ret). Retrieved 26 May 2014.[Bloodstained Sea, by Michael G. Walling, pp. 6–8][Mitchell Zuckoff, Frozen in Time p. 332]
United States Coast Guard World War II bases in California:
* Coast Guard Island Alameda
* Coast Guard Air Station San Diego
* Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco
* Coast Guard Station Golden Gate
* Hamilton Cove Seaplane Base
United States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine operated merchant ships out of California US Navy and private ports to supply goods needed around the world. Most merchant ships operated with Merchant navy#U.S. Merchant Marine, civilian merchants and United States Navy Armed Guard, US Navy armed guards to man the deck guns under the Merchant Marine Act of 1936. Merchant Marine operated many different types of ships, the most numerous type was the
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were a ship class, class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Although British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost cons ...
s and
Victory ships. Merchant Marine training was conducted by the Coast Guard.
The Maritime Service established several Merchant Marine training centers in California for World War 2:
* Port Hueneme, California (1941–1942)
* Avalon, California (1942–1945)
* Government Island (California), Government Island, California (1938–1943) (officers training also)
Gallery
File:"Let's give him enough and on time" - NARA - 514869.jpg, Norman Rockwell's ''Let's Give Him Enough and On Time''
File:USS Wadleigh (DD-689) at Mare Island Naval Yard, stern view.jpg, at Mare Island Naval Shipyard
The Mare Island Naval Shipyard (MINSY or MINS) was the first United States Navy base established on the Pacific Ocean and was in service 142 years from 1854 to 1996. It is located on Mare Island, northeast of San Francisco, in Vallejo, Califor ...
, 10 April 1945.
Image:Lockheed A-29 Hudson USAAF in flight c1941.jpg, Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and ...
in flight in 1941
File:Pomona, California. General view of assembly center being constructed on Pomona Fair Grounds for ev . . . - NARA - 536837.jpg, Pomona assembly center, temporary Detention Camp for Japanese Americans
File:SantaAnitaassemblycenter.jpg, Santa Anita assembly center 1942 with Military police, temporary detention Camp for Japanese Americans
File:Victory cargo ships are lined up at a U.S. west coast shipyard.jpg, Victory cargo ships are lined up at California Shipbuilding Corporation in Los Angeles, California.
File:Liberty Ship scaler HD-SN-99-02466.JPG, Eastine Cowner, a former waitress, at work on the Liberty ship
Liberty ships were a ship class, class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Although British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost cons ...
at the Kaiser shipyards, Richmond, California, in 1943.
File:Women working at Douglas Aircraft.jpg, Women at work on bomber, Douglas Aircraft Company
The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, aerospace and military, defense company based in Southern California. Founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas Sr., it merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell D ...
, Long Beach, California in October 1942
File:Lockheed plant, ca. 1942.jpg, P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinc ...
assembly line at the Lockheed plant, Burbank, California.
File:North American Aviation plant, Inglewood, CA.jpg, B-25 Mitchell bomber production line at the North American Aviation
North American Aviation (NAA) was a major American aerospace manufacturer that designed and built several notable aircraft and spacecraft. Its products included the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F- ...
plant, Inglewood, California, October 1942.
Image:WWII_USA_Ration_Book_3_Front.jpg, Rationing in the United States, US Ration Book No. 3 circa 1943, front
File:"How to Shop With Ration Book Two" - OAC - bk0007t0n59.jpg, "How to Shop With Ration Book Two", 1943 poster
Image:Battle of Los Angeles LATimes.jpg, Battle of Los Angeles, Photos from ''Los Angeles Times'', 26 February 1942
Image:Victory-garden.jpg, American WWII-era poster promoting Victory garden
Victory gardens, also called war gardens or food gardens for defense, were vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens planted at private residences and public parks in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Germany during World War I a ...
s
Image:These soldiers go up in the air to prove that the Army's new quarter ton truck can take it. - NARA - 195336.jpg , Army testing a California Ford Willys MB, GP (jeep) in 1941.
Image:Third-War-Loan-Schrieber-Poster.jpg, George Schreiber poster for the Series E bond, Third War Loan Drive (September 9 – October 1, 1943)
File:"Harvest War Crops, The Women's Land Army" - NARA - 514440.jpg, US Crop Corp poster
File:"WORK ON A FARM THIS SUMMER" - NARA - 513817.tif, US Crop Corp poster
File:USarmyHospitaltrain1944.jpg, US Army Hospital Train in 1944
File:Vultee Downey.jpg, Hanging an engine on a BT-13 Valiant trainer at the Vultee aircraft plant, Downey, California
image:OfficeofCivilianDefense1942.jpg, ''What Can I Do? The Citizen's Handbook for War'', U.S. Office of Civilian Defense 1942
image:Florene Watson in her P-51.jpg, Florene Watson shown preparing a P-51 Mustang, P-51D-5NA for a ferry flight from a factory at Inglewood, California
File:US_Army_HospitalCar1944.jpg, US Army Hospital Car in 1944
See also
* American Theater (1939–1945)
* Arizona during World War II
*
Desert Training Center
* Military history of the United States during World War II
* New Mexico during World War II
* United States home front during World War II
* Arnold Scheme
References
Further reading
* Allen, Robert L. ''The Port Chicago Mutiny: The Story of the Largest Mass Mutiny Trial in U.S. Naval History'' (2006
excerpt* Alvarez, Luis. "On Race, Riots, and Infrapolitics in Wartime Los Angeles." ''Revue francaise detudes americaines'' 1 (2012): 19–3
online* Collins, Keith E. ''Black Los Angeles: The Maturing of the Ghetto, 1940–1950'' (1980).
* Escobedo, Elizabeth Rachel. ''From coveralls to zoot suits: The lives of Mexican American women on the World War II home front'' (UNC Press Books, 2013).
* Foster, Mark S. "Giant of the West: Henry J. Kaiser and regional industrialization, 1930–1950." ''Business History Review'' 59.1 (1985): 1–23.
* Friedrich, Otto. ''City of Nets: A Portrait of Hollywood in the 1940s'' (Harper & Row, 1986).
* Johnson, Marilynn S. ''The second gold rush: Oakland and the East Bay in World War II'' (Univ of California Press, 1994).
* Koppes, Clayton R. and Gregory D. Black. ''Hollywood Goes to War: How Politics, Profits & Propaganda Shaped World War II Movies'' (The Free Press, 1987).
* Lange, Dorothea. ''Photographing the second gold rush: Dorothea Lange and the East Bay at War, 1941—1945'' (Heyday Books, 1995), a primary source.
* Leonard, Kevin Allen. ''The Battle for Los Angeles: Racial Ideology and World War II'' (2006).
* Lichtenstein, Alex, and Eric Arnesen. "Labor and the Problem of Social Unity during World War II: Katherine Archibald's Wartime Shipyard in Retrospect." ''Labor: Studies in Working-Class History of the Americas'' 3.1 (2006): 113–146.
* Lotchin, Roger. "The Triumphant Partnership: California Cities and the Winning of World War II" ''Southern California Quarterly'' 88.1 (2006): 71–95. [ online]
* Lotchin, Roger W. ''The Bad City in the Good War: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Diego'' (Indiana University Press, 2003)
* Lotchin, Roger W. ''Fortress California, 1910–1961: From Warfare to Welfare'' (U of Illinois Press, 2002). pp 131–170.
* Lotchin, Roger W., ed. ''The Way We Really Were: The Golden State in the Second Great War'' (U of Illinois Press, 2000); 10 essays by scholars
* Lotchin, Roger W. "California Cities and the Hurricane of Change: World War II in the San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego Metropolitan Areas." ''Pacific Historical Review'' 63.3 (1994): 393–420
online* Lotchin, Roger W. "World War II and urban California: city planning and the transformation hypothesis." ''Pacific Historical Review'' 62.2 (1993): 143–171
online* Lothrop, Gloria Ricci. "Unwelcome in Freedom's Land: The Impact of World War II on Italian Aliens in Southern California." ''Southern California Quarterly'' 81.4 (1999): 507–544.
* McLeod, Dean L. ''Port Chicago'' (2007
excerpt* Mitchell, Don. "Battle/fields: Braceros, agribusiness, and the violent reproduction of the California agricultural landscape during World War II." ''Journal of historical geography'' 36.2 (2010): 143–156.
* Nash, Gerald D. ''The American West Transformed: The Impact of the Second World War'' (1990)
* Parker, Dana T. ''Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II'' (2013).
* Sánchez, George J. ''Becoming Mexican American: Ethnicity, Culture and Identity in Chicano Los Angeles, 1900-1945'' (Oxford University Press, 1993).
* Starr, Kevin. ''Embattled Dreams: California in War and Peace, 1940-1950'' (Oxford University Press, 2002).
* Verge, Arthur C. “The Impact of the Second World War on Los Angeles.” The ''Pacific Historical Review'' 63#3 (1994): 289–314
online* Verge, Arthur C. "World War II" in ''A Companion to California History'' ed. by William Deverell and David Igler. (2008) pp 312–32
online
Japanese internment
* Leonard, Kevin Allen. "'Is That What We Fought for?' Japanese Americans and Racism in California, The Impact of World War II." ''Western Historical Quarterly'' 21.4 (1990): 463–482
online* Lotchin, Roger W. ''Japanese American Relocation in World War II: A Reconsideration'' (Cambridge University Press, 2018)
* Ng, Wendy L. ''Japanese American Internment During World War II: A History and Reference Guide'' (Greenwood, 2002).
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:World War II, California during
1940s in California
Military history of California, *
United States during World War II by state, California
Economy of California
United States home front during World War II, California during World War II
California in World War II, *