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| Closed United States military bases | |
|---|---|
| Name | Closed United States military bases |
| Country | United States |
| Type | Closed military installations |
| Used | Various periods |
| Fate | Closure, realignment, transfer, redevelopment |
Closed United States military bases
Closed United States military bases encompass former Forts, Naval Air Stations, Air Force Bases, Marine Corps Air Stations, Coast Guard Stations, and other installations formerly operated by the United States Department of Defense, United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard. Closures span from early post‑Revolutionary demobilizations through Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) rounds of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Many facilities played roles in conflicts such as the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and their fates reflect shifting strategic priorities, technological change, and domestic policy.
From colonial-era fortifications like Fort Ticonderoga through 19th‑century posts including Fort Sumter and frontier posts such as Fort Laramie, the United States maintained a network of installations expanding under doctrines influenced by figures like Henry Knox and policies such as the Monroe Doctrine. Twentieth‑century mobilizations produced major complexes such as Fort Bragg, Pearl Harbor, Naval Station Norfolk, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base; many of their satellite sites later closed. Post‑Cold War restructuring, epitomized by congressional BRAC commissions, shifted closures after debates involving legislators including Daniel Inouye and John McCain. International closures followed treaties and realignments connected to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Treaty of San Francisco (1951), and bilateral agreements with host nations such as Japan and Germany.
Closures derive from strategic reassessment tied to events like the end of the Cold War, technological advances exemplified by systems at Area 51 and Redstone Arsenal, fiscal pressures addressed by legislation such as the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990, and political negotiations involving local stakeholders and federal representatives. Additional drivers include force structure changes after operations like Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom, arms control agreements such as the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, and interoperability needs with partners like United Kingdom and South Korea. Environmental liabilities at installations such as Camp Lejeune and changes in aviation technology affecting sites such as Moffett Federal Airfield influenced decisions. The BRAC process involved analyses from entities including the General Accountability Office and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Army-era closures include frontier posts like Fort Apache and major depots such as Rock Island Arsenal facilities later consolidated. Navy reductions closed Naval Air Station Cecil Field, Naval Station San Diego facilities reconfigured, and overseas hubs like Naval Base Subic Bay in the Philippines ended after agreements with leaders including Ferdinand Marcos. Air Force closures targeted bases such as Pease Air Force Base, Grissom Air Reserve Base changes, and Cold War missile sites tied to Minuteman deployments. Marine Corps deactivations affected stations like Camp Pendleton adjunct properties and logistics sites supporting Okinawa operations. Coast Guard realignments shuttered some stations while preserving ports like Boston Harbor. Many closures intersect with historic events including Pearl Harbor attack consequences and postwar drawdowns after World War II.
Contamination issues at former bases involve hazardous waste, Per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), petroleum, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), solvents such as trichloroethylene, and unexploded ordnance. Sites like Camp Lejeune and former shipyards at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard became focal points for litigation and remediation overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Defense Environmental Restoration Program, and state agencies including the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. Superfund designations and Cooperative Agreements guided cleanup at locations such as Moffett Federal Airfield and former depots associated with Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Cleanup efforts reference laws like the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and involve partnering organizations such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration when marine resources are affected.
Base closures altered local economies in communities dependent on payrolls and contracts from installations like Watertown Air Force Depot and Loring Air Force Base, influencing employment trends tracked by agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics and economic development authorities including Local Redevelopment Authorities. Political leaders including governors and members of Congress often lobbied BRAC outcomes; affected municipalities such as San Diego, Hastings (Nebraska), and Okinawa Prefecture pursued mitigation. Social infrastructure—housing, schools like those in Department of Defense Education Activity, and healthcare systems tied to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center networks—faced reconfiguration. Economic recovery strategies drew on federal programs such as the Economic Development Administration and state-level incentives.
Many former installations were converted into civilian airports (e.g., Moffett Federal Airfield), industrial parks such as Charleston Naval Complex redevelopment, educational campuses like University of California, Davis expansions on surplus land, cultural sites preserving National Register of Historic Places listings, or conservation areas exemplified by former ranges transferred to the National Park Service. Partnerships with entities like the Historic Preservation Office and private developers produced projects at sites like Presidio of San Francisco and Fort Monroe that balance heritage with economic reuse. Adaptive reuse examples include museums at National Museum of the United States Army‑adjacent properties and mixed‑use developments at former navy yards such as Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Closure processes invoke statutes including the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990, administrative review by BRAC commissions, and judicial appeals in federal courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Environmental liabilities implicate CERCLA and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, while land conveyance uses instruments like public benefit conveyances administered through agencies including the General Services Administration and state land offices. International base withdrawals require diplomatic channels involving Department of State negotiations and Status of Forces Agreements with host nations such as Japan and Germany. Stakeholder engagement integrates local redevelopment authorities, tribal governments such as Tohono O'odham Nation where applicable, and congressional oversight committees including armed services committees.
Category:Closed military installations of the United States