During World War II, Mojave hosted 29 aircraft squadrons, four Carrier Aircraft Service Detachments, and three Air Warning Squadrons. Many of the Corps' World War II aces received their gunnery training at Mojave. The Marines would eventually spend more than $7 million on the base, which totaled 2,312 acres (936 ha). Civilian employment at the base would peak at 176. Barracks were constructed to house 2,734 male and 376 female military personnel. The two existing runways were extended and a third one added. Marine Corps took over the airport and expanded it into Marine Corps Auxiliary Air Station (MCAAS) Mojave. įollowing the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the U.S. Kern County agreed the airport could be taken over by the military in the event of war. In 1941, the Civil Aeronautics Board began improvements to the airport for national defense purposes that included two 4,500 by 150 foot (1,372 by 46 m) asphalt runways and adjacent taxiway. The airport consisted of two dirt runways, one of which was oiled, but it lacked any fueling or servicing facilities. In 1935, Kern County established the Mojave Airport 0.5 miles (0.8 km) east of town to serve the gold and silver mining industry in the area.
The closest airfield to the city, formerly known as the Mojave Airport, is now part of the Mojave Air and Space Port. Besides being a general-use public airport, Mojave has three main areas of activity: flight testing, space industry development, and aircraft heavy maintenance and storage. Located near Edwards Air Force Base, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, and Palmdale Regional Airport, Mojave has a rich aerospace history. 20 Mule Team Terminus: Sign in Mojave, CA Mojave Airport: aviation and military use