Castle Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base located northeast of Atwater, northwest of Merced and about 115 miles south of Sacramento, California.The base, located in unincorporated Merced County, was closed in 1995 pursuant to a Base Realignment and Closure Commission decision following the end of the Cold War and the disestablishment of Strategic Air Command. It is now known as the Castle Airport Aviation and Development Center.HistoryThe airfield was opened on 20 September 1941 as the Army Air Corps Basic Flying School, one of the fields utilized to meet the needs of the 30,000 Pilot Training Program. It provided basic air training for beginning pilots and crewmen. Many pilots and crews were trained here during the war including a number of Women's Air Service Pilots (WASPs).Auxiliary air fields used by Merced Army Air Field during the war were: Merced Municipal Airport Auxiliary Field No. 1 Ballico Auxiliary Field No. 2 Howard Auxiliary Field No. 3 Athlone Auxiliary Field No. 4 Potter Auxiliary Field No. 5 Merced New Municipal Airport Auxiliary Field No. 6 Mariposa Auxiliary Field
