Jenner Bombing Target Archive Search Report Findings

More documents

Recommendations

Info

4 SITE HISTORY 4.1 HISTORICAL SITE SUMMARY 4.1.1 General Site History Section 4 – History Page 14 ARCHIVES SEARCH REPORT – FINDINGS Jenner 12th Naval District Target No. 29 Jenner, CA The Navy built Jenner 12th Naval District Target No. 29 as one of over thirty bombing and rocket targets within the 12th Naval District in California and Nevada during World War II. Target No. 29 was directly associated with Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS) Santa Rosa, which was approximately 20 miles to the east. NAAS Santa Rosa was one of a dozen subordinate NAAS and Naval Air Station (NAS) activities under the 12 th Naval District, Naval Air Bases at NAS Alameda. The 12 th Naval District officially established NAAS Santa Rosa on 29 June 1943, a year and a half prior to acquisition of Target No. 29. NAAS Santa Rosa had a total of three subordinate range activities, including divebombing and rocket targets: Petaluma 12th Naval District Target No. 9 i Jenner12th Naval District Target No. 29 Stewart’s Point 12th Naval District Target No. 30 10 Before acquiring the property for the Jenner bomb target, the Navy received approval from the Interdepartmental Air Traffic Control Board (IATCB) for the target location at N38 o 26' 00", W123 o 07' 00” on 26 July 1944 (though given to the second, the coordinates are an approximation). Although the 1.5-mile radius Danger Area for this site was published on Aeronautical Charts as early as 7 December 1944, the Navy had not received real estate rights to the site. By the 14 th , the “targets for this site have been constructed and the area is now suitably improved for use” and condemnation proceedings were requested for the Navy to take immediate possession of the land. The Navy acquired leases for the two parcels of land on 29 December 1944. 11 Although aligned with NAAS Santa Rosa, the bomb and rocket targets within the 12 th Naval District appear to have been available for use by the dozens of subordinate activities under the Naval District command along with the Army. 12 The research found no documentation in regards to specifics of the layout for Target No. 29, though a site map shows it to be a single circular target. Typical 12 th Naval District dive bombing targets on land were suppose to consist of a 250 foot cleared area, with an interior 50 foot radius, 4 foot wide, wooden plank circle. The target center was to be a 12-foot square platform with a 3-foot diameter bull’s eye. A typical dive-bombing target might also have additional markings along the two axes in line with rake stations, though i The Saint Louis District is concurrently preparing ASRs on Targets No. 9 and No. 30, at Petaluma and Stewart’s Point. The project numbers are J09CA7298 and J09CA1032.
Section 4 – History Page 15 ARCHIVES SEARCH REPORT – FINDINGS Jenner 12th Naval District Target No. 29 Jenner, CA it appears that Target 29 did not have rake stations. The aerial photo analysis confirmed this general layout. 13 Following the end of the war, NAAS Santa Rosa remained in service. As of 8 January 1946, the Navy planned on temporarily retaining Target No. 29. It remained in use by units from NAS Alameda and NAAS Santa Rosa through February and had a tentative release date of 30 June. However, both leases for the property were terminated on 1 March 1946, prior to the lease expiration. The entire site eventually became part of the Sonoma Coast State Beaches state park in the Russian River/Mendocino District. 14 4.1.2 Summary of Ordnance and Explosives Activities Investigation of historical records did not specifically indicate the types and quantities of ordnance used on site by the 12 th Naval District. The INPR site inspection found debris from MK-23 bombs. The MK-23 was one of three types of typical Miniature Practice Bombs of the period made of iron, zinc or lead (i.e., AN-MK 5 MOD 1, AN-MK 23, AN- MK 43). The presence or use of other types of practice bombs made of sheet metal, such as the typical 100-pound practice bombs, MK VII or XV, was not confirmed. 15 No direct evidence of the use of small arms strafing was found. The INPR located uncovered a hearsay account concerning tow targets being dropped in the area for “the Army to take back to Hamilton Field.” These tow targets were probably associated with the large Danger Area that extended about 85 miles into the Pacific Ocean at Jenner and not the smaller 1.5-mile radius Danger Areas for Target 29 on the edge of the coastline. 16 The use of high explosive (HE) bombs or pyrotechnics on Target No. 29 was not supported by any uncovered evidence. The NAAS Santa Rosa however had magazines for HE, pyrotechnics, fuzes and detonators, and an inert storehouse. None of the reviewed historical documents indicate that rockets were used on this site. Supporting the assessment that rockets and HE bombs were not used at this location is the 1.5 mile radius Danger Area at Target No. 29, as opposed to 3 mile Danger Areas around the two other targets associated with NAAS Santa Rosa (i.e. Petaluma and Stewart’s Point). 17 4.1.3 Summary of Chemical Warfare Material Activities The archive search uncovered no documentation relating to CWM at Jenner 12th Naval District Target No. 29. The archive search team found no indication that the Navy conducted CWM training, storage or disposal at this site. 4.1.4 Certificates of Clearance The archive search did not reveal any certificates of ordnance clearance, decontamination or dedudding associated with Jenner 12th Naval District Target No. 29.
Page 1 and 2: Defense Environmental Restoration P
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents ii ARCHIVES SEARC
Page 5 and 6: 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 AUTHORITY Sectio
Page 7 and 8: 2 PREVIOUS SITE INVESTIGATIONS 2.1
Page 9 and 10: Month Section 3 - Site Description
Page 11 and 12: Section 3 - Site Description Page 7
Page 17: 3.6.6 Typical Cross Sections of the
Page 21 and 22: Section 4 - History Page 17 ARCHIVE
Page 23 and 24: Entry 253, Index to Central Corresp
Page 29 and 30: 4.2.11 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Page 33 and 34: 4.3 SUMMARY OF INTERVIEWS Section 4
Page 37 and 38: 5 REAL ESTATE 5.1 CONFIRMED DOD OWN
Page 39 and 40: Section 6 - Site Inspection Page 35
Page 41 and 42: 8 TECHNICAL DATA OF ORDNANCE AND EX
Page 43 and 44: APPENDIX A REFERENCES Appendix A Re
Page 45 and 46: Appendix A References A-2 ARCHIVES
Page 51 and 52: APPENDIX B Appendix B - Abbreviatio
Page 53 and 54: Appendix B - Abbreviations, Acronym
Page 55 and 56: USATHMA U.S. Army Toxic and Hazardo
Page 57 and 58: TEXT / MANUALS Appendix C - Text /
Page 59 and 60: BOMB, PRACTICE, 100-LBS, Mk 15 Mod
Page 61 and 62: Appendix C - Text / Manuals Page C
Page 63 and 64: Section No. Report / Study Appendix
Page 65 and 66: Appendix D - Reports / Studies Page
Page 67 and 68: Appendix D - Reports / Studies Page
Page 69 and 70:
Appendix D - Reports / Studies Page
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
ARCHIVES SEARCH REPORT - FINDINGS J
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92:
Page 93 and 94:
APPENDIX E Appendix E - Letters / M
Page 95 and 96:
Appendix E - Letters / Memorandums
Page 97 and 98:
Page 99 and 100:
APPENDIX E-2 Appendix E - Letters /
Page 101 and 102:
Page 103 and 104:
Page 105 and 106:
Page 107 and 108:
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
Page 115 and 116:
Page 117 and 118:
Page 119 and 120:
APPENDIX E-7 Appendix E - Letters /
Page 121 and 122:
Page 123 and 124:
Page 125 and 126:
Page 127 and 128:
APPENDIX F Appendix F - Real Estate
Page 129 and 130:
APPENDIX H Appendix H - Interviews/
Page 131 and 132:
Appendix H - Interviews/Points of C
Page 133 and 134:
TABLE OF CONTENTS Appendix I - Pres
Page 135 and 136:
Photo #3 Jenner 12th Naval District
Page 137 and 138:
APPENDIX K Appendix K- Historical M
Page 139 and 140:
Page 141 and 142:
Page 143 and 144:
Page 145 and 146:
Page 147 and 148:
SITE SAFETY AND HEALTH PLAN (SSHP)
Page 149 and 150:
Page 151 and 152:
Page 153 and 154:
19. Other (specify) ARCHIVES SEARCH
Page 155 and 156:
Page 157 and 158:
Page 159 and 160:
Page 161 and 162:
Page 163 and 164:
Page 165 and 166:
SITE SURVEY SAFETY BRIEFING (Check
Page 167 and 168:
Page 169 and 170:
APPENDIX M Appendix M - Report Dist
Page 171 and 172:
PLATES Plates ARCHIVES SEARCH REPOR
Page 173 and 174:
Plates Page 2 - Plates ARCHIVES SEA
Page 175 and 176:
pn Branch iusslan Gulch Crab - JENN
show all

Jenner Bombing Target Archive Search Report Findings

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?