Drakes Bay Range Inventory Project Report - Sacramento District

SITE NAMES:
SITE SURVEY SUMMARY SHEET
FOR
DERP-FUDS SITE NO. J09CA7289
DRAKES BAY RANGE
Drakes Bay Range consisted of three major facilities: the Camp Hydle Maneuver Area,
the Wildcat Military Reservation, and the Drakes Bay Dive Bombing Range and Proposed Aerial
Mine Laying Area. The Camp Hydle Maneuver Area was also known as Camp Murphy's Ranch
and the Wildcat Military Reservation was also known as Wildcat. The Camp Hydle Maneuver
Area contained the Camp Hydle Skip and Dive Bombing Range, the Camp Hydle Target Practice
Area, and Camp Hydle, also known as the Camp Hydle Artillery Outpost. The Camp Hydle
Maneuver Area, the Camp Hydle Skip and Dive Bombing Range, the Camp Hydle Artillery
Outpost, the Camp Hydle Target Practice Area, the Wildcat Military Reservation, and the Drakes
Bay Dive Bombing Range and Proposed Aerial Mine Laying Area are names that will be used
throughout the remainder of this report. It is unclear exactly which facilities went with the
Drakes Bay Range and which ones belonged with the Point Reyes Gunnery Range, a separate
Formerly Used ~efense Site (FUDS). See Table 1for the breakdown of the two Ranges.
Information on the Point Reyes Gunnery Range can be found in the Inventory Project Report
(INPR) for that site. The Wildcat Military Reservation property is addressed under the Formerly
Used Defense Site No. J09CA0002.
LOCATION:
All of the sites at Drakes Bay are located within the Point Reyes National Seashore
(PRNS) in western Marin County, California, approximately 11 miles southwest of Inverness and
30 miles northwest of San Francisco, California. Drakes Bay is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to
the west and US.Highway 1 to the east. See Figure 2 for the location map. Camp Hydle was
located approximately one-half mile east of Limantour Beach, on a hill overlooking Drakes Bay.
The Camp Hydle Skip and Dive Bombing Range was located on Limantour Spit. The Camp
Hydle Target Practice Area was located in the Pacific Ocean. The Drakes Bay Dive Bombing
Range and Proposed Aerial Mine Laying Area was located near Chimney Rock in Drakes Bay.
The exact location of the two targets in the ocean, Camp Hydle Target Practice Area and Drakes

INPR, Drakes Bay Range
Bay Dive Bombing Range and Proposed Aerial Mine Laying Area, is unclear. The Wildcat
Military Reservation stood on a rugged promontory at Drakes Bay six miles southwest of Olema.
See Figure 3 for the layout of Drakes Bay and the neighboring properties.
SITE HISTORY:
During and after World War 11, Drakes Bay Range hosted training in skip bombing, dive
bombing, landing barge practice, and air sea rescue. Dive bombers operating from Hamilton
Army Airfield (AM), Santa Rosa AAF, and Naval Air Station (NAS) Alameda practiced in the
waters at Drakes Bay, Abbotts Lagoon, and Tomales Bay.
Camp Hvdle Maneuver Area
The property that formed the Camp Hydle Maneuver Area was leased from Leland
Murphy under lease W59-qm-713 which expired under its own terms at an undetermined time.
Lease W59-qm-7 13 was superseded by lease W59-qm-943 which secured the use of the property
for the United States Army Ground Forces. The Camp Hydle Maneuver Area was occupied by
the 4th Air Force by permission of the Western Defense Command. The Camp Hydle Maneuver
Area, the Camp Hydle Artillery Outpost, and the Camp Hydle Skip and Dive Bombing Range
were located on 10,532 acres. The Target Practice Area was located in the ocean withinDrakes
Bay. The Camp Hydle Target Practice Area was located beyond 100 yards from the mean high
tide. According to the DERP-FUDS Manual, July 1996, Chapter 3, Section 3-2b (I), "clean-up
of off-shore ordnance properties, beyond 100 yards of mean high tide, will not be eligible, except
-in special cases where a public exposure pathway exists." Since no such pathway exists for the
Camp Hydle Target Practice Area, the property is ineligible.
The Camp Hydle Maneuver Area, the Camp Hydle Artillery Outpost, and the Target
Practice Area were released on 15 February 1945, but lease W59-qm-943 was modified to
exclude the property required for the Camp Hydle Skip and Dive Bombing Range. Supplemental
Agreement No. 3 to that lease left a long sand spit (Limantour Spit) consisting of about 18 acres
for the Camp Hydle Skip and Dive Bombing Range. The Camp Hydle Skip and Dive Bombing
2

INPR, Drakes Bay Range
Range was released on 31 December 1946. The actual leases for this property have not been
located, only references to theses leases have been located.
The Camp Hydle Artillery Outpost was located approximately one-half mile east of
Limantour Beach, on a hill over looking Drakes Bay. Mr. Charlie Zetterquist, a long time
resident of the Point Reyes area, stated that there were cement filled sandbags stacked around
three or four guns. Several of these sandbag shaped cement blocks are still located on the
hillside and were observed during a recent site visit. During World War II, the Camp Hydle
Artillery Outpost's guns performed target practice against towed targets in Drakes Bay. Other
sources indicate that Battery B, a battery of four 155mm guns of the 56th Coast Artillery was
stationed on Limantour Beach at Drakes Bay beginning 7 December 1941. The guns stood under
camouflage nets on the beach. Nearby stood a tent used as a plotting room and the Battery's
assigned searchlights and anti-aircraft machine guns. Observation crews with telephones and
range scopes were positioned along the bay. The four gun battery had a large degree of
autonomy for firing on suspected targets. No other battery units were in the area. Due to this
information, it is believed that the Camp Hydle Artillery Outpost was Battery B of the 56th Coast
Artillery. Interviews suggest that the DoD used the Camp Hydle Artillery Outpost located one-
half mile east from Limantour Beach, on a hill, overlooking Drakes Bay as an Artillery Outpost
during World War II. However, no information or physical evidence exists to support the exact
target location for these activities, their frequency of use, or their specific types of use.
The Camp Hydle Skip and Dive Bombing Range was located on Limantour Spit at
Drakes Bay which was part of the property leased for Camp Hydle Maneuver Area. Mr. Lee
Murphy, Jr., the son of Mr. Leland Murphy and a long time resident of the Point Reyes area,
discovered a small practice bomb on Limantour Spit in 1947. No other evidence indicating the
type of ordnance used at this facility has been found. The exact dates of the use of this range are
unclear. No Department of Defense Action is Indicated (NDAI) for this area.
Drakes Bay Dive Bombing Range and Proposed Aerial Mine Laving Area
3

* INPR, Drakes Bay Range
Drakes Bay Dive Bombing Range was located in the ocean near Drakes Bay. The exact
location of the target is unclear. According to Mrs. Scotty Mendoza, a landowner at Point Reyes,
aircraft from Hamilton AAF dropped bombs which did not explode at a target near Chimney
Rock inside of Drakes Bay. The target was towed by boat to this location each time it was used.
These aircraft approached the target from the northeast and passed directly over the "B" Ranch
house as they dove toward the target. According to Mrs. Mendoza, the target practice in Drakes
Bay began in December 1941 and did not end until shortly after the conclusion of the war.
According to a memorandum from Headquarters, Continental Air Forces dated 6 March
1946, when Santa Rosa AAJ? was being excessed, the decision was made to retain the Drakes
Bay Gunnery Range for use by pilots from Hamilton AAF and to attempt to re-establish the
danger area with the Interdepartmental Air Traffic control Board. This gunnery range was an
over-water range and did not restrict water navigation. The Drakes Bay Gunnery Range is
believed to be the same area as the Drakes Bay Dive Bombing and Proposed Aerial Mine Laying
Area.
Prior to 1952, aerial mine laying practice was conducted in Drakes Bay by Naval Aviators
from NAS Moffet Field and NAS Alameda. This target was located in the ocean. The exact
location is unknown. On 31 July 1953, the District Public Works Officer, H.T. Ransford,
requested the re-establishment of a permanent danger zone for the area that was used for practice
aerial mine laying in Drakes Bay. United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) - San
Francisco denied this request after a public hearing on the matter.
According to a memorandum from Commander Fleet Air, Alameda, dated 4 March 1952,
the Government initiated action to rescind the Drakes Bay Danger Area when target ranges at
Crows Landing were to be activated. No description of the location of the Drakes Bay Danger
Area has been located. The Drakes Bay Dive Bombing Range and Proposed Aerial Mine Laying
Area was located beyond 100 yards of the mean high tide. According to the DERP-FUDS
Manual, July 1996, Chapter 3, Section.3.2b (I), "clean-up of off-shore ordnance properties,
beyond 100 yards of mean high tide, will not be eligible, except in special cases where a public
4
.

INPR, Drakes Bay Range
exposure pathway exists." Since no such pathway exists for the Drakes Bay Dive Bombing
Range and Proposed Aerial Mine Laying Area, the property is ineligible.
Site Deactivation and Current Uses
The area around Drakes Bay comprises the PRNS. This National Seashore was
established by President Kennedy in 1962, and is operated by the National Park Service under the
Department of Interior. At present, the park contains over 140 miles of hiking trails, three visitor
centers, biking trails, and four hike-in campgrounds. Activities available to the public include
whale watching, horseback riding, bird watching, and lighthouse tours. Many of the ranches
purchased by the Government continue to be operated as dairies and cattle ranches under long
term leases.
SITE VISITS:
Two site visits were conducted at the site. The first occurred on 8 April 1998 when
TechLaw Inc. was contracted by the USACE to prepare a Preliminary Assessment of Eligibility
(PAE) for the site. .The second visit occurred on 29 April 1999 when USACE representatives
visited the site.
TechLaw Inc.
Messrs. Steven Clonts and Gene Barber of TechLaw conducted a site visit of Drakes Bay
on April 8, 1998. The purpose of that visit was to make observations about the current condition
of the site and to identify any features that might relate to the operations by the DoD.
TechLaw representatives were accompanied to the former location of Camp Hydle by Mr.
Charlie Zetterquist. Mr. Zetterquist pointed out Limantour Spit, and the remains of the cement
filled sandbags that protected the Camp Hydle artillery guns.
TechLaw proceeded to the eastern tip of the Point Reyes headlands and noted the location
of Chimney Rock. TechLaw personnel noticed two cement blocks embedded in the rock atop
Chimney Rock. These blocks appeared to have metal bars protruding from them. A large piece
of rusty metal was also seen near the blocks. It appeared that this material had been used to
5

INPR, Drakes Bay Range 6
support a structure of some sort. This trail is well used by the public and an observation area is
located at the end of the trail.
As a result of the site visit, TechLaw developed the following conclusions:
The PRNS is widely used by the public for recreational purposes, and the historic
cattle ranches and dairies are still in operation over most of the site.
The trails on the Point Reyes headlands are heavily traveled by park visitors.
All of the bombing targets referenced in this report have been removed.
Several of the structures historically utilized by the Government still stand on the
PRNS.
No evidence was discovered of live ordnance at any of the aerial bombing target areas
investigated (TechLaw, 1998)
USACE. Environmental Design Section (EDS)
The site visit for the USACE was conducted on April 28, 1999, by Ms. Tracie Billington
and Mr. Scott Duren of the USACE, and Mr. Clinton Huckins, USACE Unexploded Ordnance
(UXO) Safety Specialist from Fort Ord, California.
USACE personnel hiked along Limantour Spit, which was used by the army and was
known as Camp Hydle Skip and Dive Bombing Range. While hiking on and off the trail along
the spit, USACE was unable to locate any evidence suggesting DoD use of the property. No
ordnance was seen, and no anomalies were located with a Schonstedt Model GA-52Cx fluxigate
magnetometer. No anomalies were found on the beach either. The off-shore Drakes Bay Dive
Bombing Range and Proposed Aerial Mine Laying Area was observed along with the Camp
Hydle Target Practice Area. These areas are a good distance from the shore.
CATEGORY OF HAZARD: NDAI
AVAILABLE STUDIES AND REPORTS:

INPR, Drakes Bay Range
1. TechLaw hc., Lakewood Colorado. Preliminary Assessment of Eligibility, Drakes Bay,
dated July 31, 1998. Contract No. DACW05-95-0004, Task Order No, 0009, prepared
for the Department of the Army. Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, Sacramento,
California.
PA POC: Mr. William Mullery, CESPK-ED-EB, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento
District, (916) 557-6944:
RAC FORM: Attached (Appendix B)
DISTRICT POC: Mr. William Mullery, CESPK-ED-EB, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Sacramento District, (9 16) 557-6944.
7

DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION PROGRAM
FORMERLY USED DEFENSE SITES
FINDINGS AND DETERMXVATION OF ELIGIBILITY
DRAKES BAY RANGE
MARINCOUNTY, C ALIFO~
SITE NO. J09CA728900
FINDINGS OF FACT
1. Drakes Bay Range is located in Marin County, California, and is located approximately 11
miles southwest of Inverness and 30 miles northwest of San Francisco, California. It lies within
the Point Reyes National Seashore. Drakes Bay Range consisted of three major facilities: the
Camp Hydle Maneuver Area, the Drakes Bay Dive Bombing and Proposed Aerial Mine Laying
Area, and the Wildcat Military Reservation. The Wildcat Military Reservation site is addressed
under the Former Defense Site Property No. J09CA000200. The Camp Hydle Maneuver Area
was leased from Leland Murphy under lease W59-qm-713 which expired under its own terms at
an undetermined time. Lease W59-qm-943 superseded lease W59-qm-713. The Camp Hydle
Maneuver Area consisted of the Camp Hydle Skip arid Dive Bombing Range, the Camp Hydle
Target Practice Area, and the Camp Hydle Artillery Outpost. Drakes Bay Dive Bombing Range
was located in the ocean near Drakes Bay. The exact location of the target is unclear and a
permit for the use of this target has not been found. The Drakes Bay Dive Bombing and
Proposed Aerial Mine Laying Area are not eligible properties.
2. During World War I1 the former Camp Hydle Maneuver Area performed target practice against
towed targets in Drakes Bay out past Chimney Rock and monitered bomb targeting accuracy in
Drakes Bay.
3. Camp Hydle Maneuver area (lease W59-qm-943) was excessed prior to April 1945.
Supplemental Agreement No. three of lease W59-qm-943 allowed the DoD to exclude the 18
acres on Limantour Spit that was used for the Camp Hydle Skip and Dive Bombing Range. The
Camp Hydle Skip and Dive Bombing Range was released on 31 December 1946. The release
date for the Drakes Bay Dive Bombing Range and Proposed Aerial Mine Laying Area is unclear.
The Drakes Bay Range and surrounding area comprise the Point Reyes National Seashore. The
PRNS was established by President Kennedy in 1962.At present the park contains over 140 miles
of hiking trails, three visitor centers, biking, four hike in camp grounds, whale watching,
-
.-

DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION PROGRAM
FORMERLY USED DEFENSE SITES
FINDINGS AND DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY
DRAKES BAY W GE
MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
SITE NO. J09CA728900
FINDINGS OF FACT
horseback riding, bird watching, and lighthouse tours. Many of the ranches purchased by the
Government continue tobe operated as dairies and cattle ranches under long term leases.
DETERMINATION
Based on the forgoing findings of fact, within the property that comprised the former
Drakes Bay only the Camp Hydle Maneuver Area (10,532 acres) has been determined to
be formerly used by the Department of Defense (DoD). Therefore this site is eligible for
the Defense Environmental Restoration Program for Formerly Used Defense Sites
established under 10 USC 2701 et seq.
Date
Y
Commanding

EDPUBUC\ENVlRONMENTAL\EDS\PROJECTS\K-ROSE\BODEKROl .DWG. 06/22/99, 1 :1. (1 /I XP)
Bodega
. SITE LOCATION I
NOTES:
REF: TECHLAW, INC.
HEAD DRAFT FINAL CALlFORl
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT REPORT
CONTRACT NO. DACW05-95-D-0004
TASK ORDER NO. 0009
DRAKES BAY
LOCATION MAP
SCALE: . FIGURE:
NOTED 2

X(EY
~ 1Locations 1 Are Approximnte
/
1. Old Poil;t IZcycs Lifcsnving Sbtion nnd Auxiliary Lnnding
2. U.S. Coast Gunrd Lifeboat Stntion
3. U.S. Const Gunrd Dwclling
4. U.S.Const Gunrd Lookout
I
I
i
5. Rnkc Stations
6. "A" Rnnch Bnrrncks, DPP, Radar. Wntcr Towcr. nnd Paint Racks I
Gn. Point Rcycs Lighlhousc
7. "13" Ranch 13nrmckg'
I
I
R. -. Radar -
9. RCA Rndio
4
1
'
Aerinl Minc ~ n~ing !, Arm , ,
12. Cnmp I-Iydlc
13. Cnn~p Hydlc ~ ni~ct Prncticc Arcn
14. wildcut Militnry Rcscrvntion
IS. Tomnlcs Boy Bombing Tnrget Nenr Hog lslnnd ! 1 1
I
1G. Proposcd Dillon Bcnch Bombing Tnrget i
17. Tomalcs Point Acrinl Minc Lnying Rangc I
I
18. Abbotts Lngoon Bombing Targct
I
I
.--
I I
13 PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT REPORT
CONTRACT NO. DACW05-95-0-0004
TASK ORDER NO. 0009
NOTES: GOV'T FACILITIES AT DRAKES BAY
AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE ASSOCIATION
ZALE:
' NOTED
FIGURE
3
/I