Photo Set

George Air Force Base

Vacant housing blocks, a gutted base exchange, and derelict barracks left standing after the 1992 closure near Victorville

George Air Force BaseVictorville, CA

George Air Force Base, just north of Victorville, California, opened in 1941 as Victorville Army Air Field before being renamed in 1950 to honor Brigadier General Harold H. George, a pioneer of American strategic bombing doctrine. For five decades it trained fighter pilots through World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, and later housed Cold War squadrons flying the F-4 Phantom and the F-4G Wild Weasel in the high desert of the Mojave.

The 1988 Base Realignment and Closure Commission ordered the shutdown, and the Air Force completed its withdrawal in 1992, transferring roughly 5,300 acres to civilian and local authority control. What followed was an uneven redevelopment that left much of the base in suspension. Southern California Logistics Airport and Victor Valley College took over portions of the runways, hangars, and support infrastructure, while the residential tracts — ranch-style duplexes, officer quarters, barracks rows, a base exchange, and a community center — were largely abandoned in place.

More than three decades later, the old housing blocks still stand along their original curved streets, their addresses still legible on the stucco exteriors. Ceilings have collapsed, kitchens have been stripped to bare walls, and doors marked with spray-painted X's from post-closure inspections hang open or are gone entirely. The Mojave climate, with its wide temperature swings and relentless aridity, has accelerated the decay that neglect began.

This set is part of an ongoing series documenting abandoned places across the United States, recording what remains of sites that were once fully functioning communities before they were closed, transferred, and left behind.

Elevated walkway with shattered windows at abandoned George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure in 1992 during a round of nationwide base realignment. The elevated concrete walkway connected separate wings of the facility, letting personnel move between buildings without crossing the grounds below. After the closure, much of the property was redeveloped into the Southern California Logistics Airport, an aviation and industrial complex that reuses portions of the former runways and support buildings. Sections of the original base, including this passage, were left vacant, and decades without maintenance have left the windows broken out and the framing exposed.

Abandoned community center at closed George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, with deteriorating stucco and broken — George Air Force Base trained fighter and bomber crews from 1941 until Congress ordered its closure under the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure Act, with final withdrawal in 1992. During the Cold War, the base hosted Tactical Air Command units alongside its training mission. Structures like this one served the base's recreational and community functions, built to support thousands of stationed personnel and their families. Much of the property now falls within the Southern California Logistics Airport, a joint civilian-military reuse of the former base, while other sections remain undeveloped and abandoned.

Abandoned officer housing interior with shattered glass doors at closed George Air Force Base, Victorville. — George Air Force Base opened in 1941 as Victorville Army Airfield and was renamed in 1950 to honor Brigadier General Harold H. George. It operated for decades as a fighter training installation, hosting squadrons that flew the F-4 Phantom and later the F-4G Wild Weasel. The Base Realignment and Closure Commission ordered the facility shut down in 1988, and the Air Force transferred the property in 1992. Part of the former base became Southern California Logistics Airport, while many administrative and support buildings from its operational years were left vacant and have since deteriorated.

Deteriorated red doors with broken glass open onto an abandoned barracks interior at closed George Air Force Base in Victorville — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until it closed in 1992 as part of a nationwide round of military base realignments. It served as a training installation for Tactical Air Command fighter pilots through much of the Cold War. Since closure, many of its former buildings have sat empty, with door frames, glass, and interior fixtures stripped or destroyed over decades of exposure and vandalism. Part of the base's runways and support facilities were later absorbed into Southern California Logistics Airport, though a large share of the original structures remain vacant.

Gutted concourse of a base exchange at closed George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, with rusted railings and — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until it closed under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure process, with final shutdown in 1992. It served as a Tactical Air Command and later Air Combat Command installation, and its on-base community included a base exchange and commissary complex that functioned as the primary shopping center for resident personnel and their families. Since closure, portions of the former base have been redeveloped as Southern California Logistics Airport, while other structures, including former retail buildings, have been left vacant and stripped of fixtures.

Abandoned ranch-style housing units along a curved road at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated in Victorville, California, from 1941 until it closed in December 1992 under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure process. Originally established as Victorville Army Air Field, it later served as a Strategic Air Command and Tactical Air Command installation, home to bomber and fighter squadrons for five decades. Its family housing tracts, built in the ranch-style common to Cold War-era military construction, once housed hundreds of families stationed at the base. After closure, the property was redeveloped as Southern California Logistics Airport, but many of the old residential streets and housing rows sat empty for years afterward.

Shattered patio door and overgrown courtyard at abandoned officer housing, George Air Force Base, Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base closed in 1992 under the federal Base Realignment and Closure Act, ending more than five decades of Air Force operations near Victorville, California. Housing built for officers and enlisted families was left standing afterward, and much of it has never been reoccupied. Redevelopment agencies took control of the residential blocks in the years following closure, but reuse plans repeatedly stalled. Yards and patios in these former quarters have gone untended for decades, with broken glass and dead vegetation now common throughout the old housing tracts.

Interior of abandoned officer housing at George Air Force Base showing collapsed ceiling and broken windows. — George Air Force Base closed in 1992 following the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure Commission decision, ending more than five decades of Air Force operations near Victorville, California. Its family housing units were left standing afterward, unmonitored for years as redevelopment plans for the site repeatedly stalled. Copper theft, vandalism, and weather exposure gradually gutted many of the structures, collapsing ceilings and shattering windows throughout. Some portions of the former base later became Southern California Logistics Airport, but the residential blocks were largely left to deteriorate on their own.

Abandoned residential street at closed George Air Force Base in Victorville, California with deteriorating buildings and cracked — George Air Force Base operated in Victorville, California, from 1941 until it closed under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure round, with the last personnel departing in 1992. For much of the Cold War it trained fighter and attack pilots, hosting squadrons that flew the F-4 Phantom and later the F-16. Its family housing areas held rows of duplex and fourplex units arranged along interior streets, laid out like a small residential town rather than a typical military compound. When the base closed, the surrounding land became Southern California Logistics Airport, but large sections of the old housing were left standing rather than demolished. Decades later, the pavement markings and concrete curbs remain the clearest trace of streets that once ran through a neighborhood of thousands of military families.

Cracked asphalt street lined with deteriorating stucco buildings at abandoned George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated from 1941 until it closed in 1992 under the federal Base Realignment and Closure program, one of many installations cut as Cold War-era defense spending declined. At its peak the base supported thousands of Air Force personnel and their families, with on-base housing built for airmen assigned to tactical fighter training squadrons. Streets, curbs, and driveways from the old neighborhood remain in place today, even as the houses that once lined them have been gutted and left to decay. A portion of the former base was redeveloped as Southern California Logistics Airport, while other sections, including much of the old housing area, were simply left standing empty.

Abandoned duplex units 712 and 714 at closed George Air Force Base near Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base near Victorville, California operated as an Army Air Forces training installation starting in 1941 and later served as a Tactical Air Command fighter base before closing in 1992 under a federal realignment program. Its family housing included single-story duplexes built for enlisted personnel and their families. When the base closed, the land was repurposed as the Southern California Logistics Airport, but many residential streets, including this one, were left standing rather than redeveloped. Units 712 and 714 remain among the unaddressed duplexes still standing decades after the base's closure.

Abandoned residential street at closed George Air Force Base in Victorville, California with deteriorating buildings and bare — George Air Force Base closed in 1992 under the federal Base Realignment and Closure program after more than five decades of service, having opened in 1941 near Victorville, California. It hosted fighter and bomber squadrons through its history, including F-4 Phantom and F-111 units during the Cold War. The neighborhoods built for service members and their families were never demolished after decommissioning, leaving rows of vacant homes along the base's old residential streets. Part of the former base site is now Southern California Logistics Airport, but the housing areas remain largely untouched.

Abandoned residential unit at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California with marked windows and deteriorating roof. — George Air Force Base began in 1941 as Victorville Army Air Field, an Army Air Corps site for bombardier and gunnery training. It was renamed in 1950 for Brig. Gen. Harold Lee George, an early advocate of American strategic bombing doctrine, and spent its later decades as a Strategic Air Command installation during the Cold War. A 1992 Base Realignment and Closure order shut the base down, leaving its family housing units vacant. Portions of the former base now fall within the Southern California Logistics Airport, but rows of stucco duplexes remain standing, their doors and windows still marked with the spray-painted X's left by post-closure inspectors.

Gutted kitchen interior of abandoned officer housing at George Air Force Base, Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated northeast of Victorville from 1941 until it was shuttered under the 1992 Base Realignment and Closure Act. The residential blocks that once housed Air Force families were left standing after closure, and the Southern California desert has spent three decades working through the drywall, glass, and wood framing left behind. Broken window glass and stripped door hardware are typical of the housing stock here, most of which was never demolished or repurposed. A portion of the former base was redeveloped into Southern California Logistics Airport, but the family housing sections were largely bypassed and left to decay in place.

Abandoned ranch-style home at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, with deteriorating stucco and desert vegetation. — George Air Force Base operated in Victorville, California, from 1941 until its 1992 closure under the federal Base Realignment and Closure program. Ranch-style homes like this one housed Air Force families assigned to the base's fighter and tactical training squadrons, with much of the housing stock dating to the 1950s Cold War-era expansion. After decommissioning, ownership of the residential area passed to the Southern California Logistics Airport authority, which left many structures standing rather than demolishing them. Decades of vacancy have made the former housing area a frequent destination for explorers of abandoned Mojave Desert sites.

Abandoned stucco duplexes at closed George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, with a dead tree and desert scrub. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until it was shuttered under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure round, with the last personnel departing in 1992. The base supported fighter and bomber squadrons through World War II, Korea, and the Cold War, and its residential blocks once housed thousands of Air Force families. After closure, much of the property was redeveloped as the Southern California Logistics Airport, but many of the original housing units were left standing rather than demolished. Decades on, the stucco duplexes sit stripped of doors and fixtures, with dead trees and wild grasses reclaiming the yards where military families once lived.

Abandoned two-story barracks at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, deteriorating in the desert. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until it closed under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Act, with the last personnel leaving in 1992. It served fighter and bomber squadrons for five decades, including F-4 Phantom and F-111 units during the Cold War. After decommissioning, two-story barracks and housing blocks like this one were left standing, stripped of utilities and exposed to the Mojave Desert climate. Part of the former base site was later redeveloped into Southern California Logistics Airport, but much of the residential and support housing was simply abandoned in place.

Abandoned residential buildings at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, with bare desert landscape. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until it closed under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Act, with the last personnel leaving in 1992. During its active decades the base trained fighter pilots, including F-4 Phantom and F-111 crews during the Vietnam War era. The housing blocks built for enlisted families and officers have sat vacant since closure, stripped of fixtures and left exposed to the Mojave Desert climate. Part of the former base was redeveloped into Southern California Logistics Airport, while sections of family housing were left standing and fenced off from public access.

Abandoned residential unit 129 at closed George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, with broken windows and deteriorated — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until it closed under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure round, with final shutdown in 1992. Unit 129 was part of a residential section built for Air Force personnel and their families during the base's decades as a fighter training installation. The Southern California Logistics Airport and Victor Valley College now occupy portions of the former base, but much of the old family housing was left standing and unmaintained after closure. Decades of exposure to the Mojave Desert climate have left the vacant units with broken windows and stripped interiors.

Broken double-pane glass doors at vacant officer housing at closed George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until it closed under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure round, with the Air Force ceasing operations there in 1992. Housing units like this one sheltered military families during the base's decades as a fighter training installation. After closure, ownership of the residential sections passed to local redevelopment authorities, and many structures were stripped of fixtures and left to deteriorate. Portions of the former base now form the Southern California Logistics Airport, while the old housing rows remain vacant.

Abandoned residential building at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, with deteriorated concrete foundation and — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 to 1992, training fighter pilots for World War II, Korea, and Vietnam before closing under a round of federal base realignment. Homes like this one housed airmen and their families during the base's decades of active service. After the Air Force transferred the property to local authorities, much of the residential stock was left standing rather than demolished, and decades of exposure have since collapsed roofs, walls, and cinderblock partitions throughout the neighborhood. Southern California Logistics Airport now operates on part of the former base, using its runways for aircraft storage and testing, while the old residential blocks remain largely untouched.

Abandoned stucco duplex at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until it closed under the Base Realignment and Closure program in 1992. Family housing on the base supported thousands of assigned personnel, including those attached to fighter and training squadrons stationed there during the Cold War. After closure, much of the residential stock was left standing rather than demolished, and stucco homes like this one went unoccupied and unmaintained. The surrounding land was later redeveloped as Southern California Logistics Airport, though pockets of the old housing tracts remain, overtaken by desert grasses and brush.

Abandoned officer housing at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, with cracked pavement and desert vegetation. — George Air Force Base operated in Victorville, California, from 1941 until it closed in 1992 under a federal base realignment order. During the Cold War it served as home to fighter squadrons flying F-4 Phantoms and later F-4G Wild Weasels, training crews for electronic warfare and air combat missions. Officer housing on base sheltered military families for decades before the closure left the neighborhood empty. Part of the former base has since been redeveloped as Southern California Logistics Airport, but sections of the old residential streets remain abandoned.

Vacant residential buildings on abandoned George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base sits just north of Victorville, California, on land the Army first used as a training field in the 1920s before the Air Force took it over in 1941 and named it for Brigadier General Harold H. George. At its Cold War peak, the base trained fighter pilots and hosted squadrons flying the F-4 Phantom and later the F-4G Wild Weasel. The 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission ordered its shutdown, and the Air Force officially closed George in 1992, transferring roughly 5,300 acres to civilian control. Much of the former base, including its residential housing tracts, has sat empty for decades, while other sections were redeveloped into the Southern California Logistics Airport and an adjoining business park.

George Air Force Base

Minneapolis Photographer