March Air Reserve Base

March Air Reserve Base
Name	March Air Reserve Base
Ensign	United States Air Force roundel.svg
Nearest town	Riverside, California; Moreno Valley, California
Country	United States
Coordinates	33°53′44″N 117°15′12″W
Type	Air Reserve Base
Ownership	United States Department of Defense
Operator	United States Air Force Reserve Command
Controlledby	Fourth Air Force
Used	1918–present
Battles	World War II
Current commander	Colonel (Retired) placeholder

March Air Reserve Base is a United States Air Force Reserve installation located in western Riverside County, California near Riverside, California and Moreno Valley, California. Established during World War I and expanded through World War II and the Cold War, the base has hosted bomber, tanker, and fighter units and served as a strategic airfield, logistics hub, and civil airfield. It remains an active reserve installation with significant historical, operational, and community roles.

History

March traces its origins to 1918 as a training field for the Army Air Service during World War I and was later named for Second Lieutenant Peyton C. March Jr. (son of General Peyton C. March). In the interwar years the field served as a staging and maintenance site under the Air Corps Tactical School and the Air Mail scandal era reassignments. During World War II March Army Airfield expanded rapidly as a center for heavy bomber training, strategic deployment, and logistics supporting theaters including the Pacific Theater of World War II and the Aleutian Islands Campaign. Postwar, March became March Air Force Base during the establishment of the United States Air Force in 1947 and was central to Strategic Air Command operations, hosting nuclear-capable units amid Cold War deterrence. Throughout the Korean War and the Vietnam War the base supported deployments, aerial refueling, and electronic reconnaissance under commands such as Tactical Air Command and Military Airlift Command. In 1996 the installation transitioned to reserve status under the Air Force Reserve Command and was redesignated an Air Reserve Base, integrating active duty, reserve, and civilian aviation activities.

Facilities and Layout

The installation occupies extensive acreage in Riverside County, California with multiple runways, hangars, munitions storage, fuel farms, and maintenance complexes originally built for Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and later Boeing B-52 Stratofortress operations. Its airfield infrastructure includes long concrete runways used for heavy tanker and transport aircraft alongside apron space for transient units from Pacific Air Forces and Air Mobility Command. Support facilities include logistics warehouses tied to Defense Logistics Agency distributions, mission planning centers compatible with North American Aerospace Defense Command coordination, and family housing built during successive expansions like the 1940s military construction program and 1950s Cold War buildup. The base footprint interfaces with the March Joint Powers Authority and regional transportation networks including California State Route 60 and Interstate 215. Security areas encompass perimeter control points, force protection assets aligned with Air Force Office of Special Investigations protocols, and environmental monitoring stations.

Operations and Units

The host unit is the 452nd Air Mobility Wing of the Air Force Reserve Command, providing aerial refueling and airlift support in coordination with Air Mobility Command tasking. Tenant units have included the 163rd Reconnaissance Wing, 445th Airlift Wing (historically), and other Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard elements. The installation supports joint operations with United States Army Reserve units, Naval Reserve aviation detachments, and civil agencies such as Federal Emergency Management Agency during disaster response. Historically, strategic bomber wings like the 22nd Bombardment Group and reconnaissance squadrons of Strategic Air Command were major occupants. Training partnerships have involved Air Education and Training Command programs, and the base has been a forward staging ground for operations coordinated with United States Central Command and United States Indo-Pacific Command.

Aircraft and Equipment

Over its history the airfield hosted a succession of aircraft types, from Curtiss JN-4 trainers and Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers to postwar fleets such as the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Boeing B-47 Stratojet, and Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. The reserve era emphasizes tanker and transport aircraft including the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, Lockheed C-141 Starlifter, and later mobility platforms like the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus and Lockheed C-5 Galaxy transient operations. Special mission aircraft tied to reconnaissance and electronic warfare, such as variants used by Air Force Reconnaissance units, have also operated from the base. Ground equipment inventories have included tanker drogue systems, aerial refueling booms standardized under Air Mobility Command protocols, tactical communications suites compatible with Joint Tactical Radio System, and maintenance tooling for airframe and propulsion systems like Pratt & Whitney and General Electric jet engines.

Environmental and Community Impact

The base’s operations have shaped land use and environmental management in Riverside County, California with initiatives addressing soil remediation, groundwater monitoring, and air quality coordination under regional authorities such as the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Past activities prompted environmental reviews and cleanup efforts overseen by agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Environmental Protection Agency to remediate contaminants from fuel storage, firefighting foams containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and ordnance disposal areas. Community relations are managed through forums involving the March Joint Powers Authority, local governments including the City of Moreno Valley, and educational partnerships with institutions such as the University of California, Riverside to address impacts and redevelopment. Economic contributions include job creation, defense contracting with firms such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and regional planning involving Inland Empire growth strategies.

Heritage and Museums

The base preserves its aviation heritage through institutions like the March Field Air Museum, which curates collections of aircraft ranging from Douglas C-47 Skytrain transports to Cold War jet fighters and houses archives related to units such as the 452nd Air Mobility Wing and historical formations from World War II. Exhibits link to broader aviation history including collections on aerial refueling development, Strategic Air Command artifacts, and memorials for service members who served at the installation. The museum collaborates with veterans’ organizations such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars and participates in public education programs with schools across Riverside County, California. Preservation efforts include airframe restoration projects funded by public donations and partnerships with aerospace companies for conservation of historic military aircraft.

Category:Installations of the United States Air Force in California Category:Airports established in 1918