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 Base — Victorville, 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.

Modernist concrete building with silhouetted figures in upper window at abandoned George Air Force Base in Victorville. — George Air Force Base opened in 1941 near Victorville, California, and served as a training installation for fighter pilots through the Cold War. The Air Force closed it in 1992 under a round of base realignment cuts, leaving behind housing, administrative buildings, and connecting structures like this elevated walkway. Much of the site was later redeveloped into the Southern California Logistics Airport, though clusters of the original concrete buildings remain standing, their windows broken out and interiors stripped over three decades of exposure. The raised, glass-lined passage once linked separate wings of the facility, allowing staff to move between buildings without crossing the grounds below.

Abandoned modernist residential building with large windows at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated in Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure under the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure program, with the final withdrawal completed in 1992. The base served as a training center for fighter and bomber crews, later becoming home to Tactical Air Command units during the Cold War. Buildings like this one, with its angled roofline and glass-paneled sunroom, were part of the base's community and recreational facilities built to support thousands of stationed personnel and their families. After the base closed, the surrounding city took over portions of the property for redevelopment, but many structures, including this one, were left to decay. The site is now part of the Southern California Logistics Airport, though pockets of the old base remain frozen in their 1990s abandonment.

Abandoned residential building interior with broken windows and debris at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base opened in 1941 as Victorville Army Airfield and was renamed in 1950 to honor Brigadier General Harold H. George. For decades it served as a fighter pilot training center, home to squadrons flying the F-4 Phantom and later the F-4G Wild Weasel. The Base Realignment and Closure Commission ordered its shutdown in 1988, and the Air Force turned the property over in 1992. Much of the former base was redeveloped as Southern California Logistics Airport, though numerous administrative and residential buildings from the base's operational years were left standing and later fell into disrepair.

Deteriorated interior hallway with red doors and graffiti-covered walls at abandoned George Air Force Base. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until it closed in 1992 under a national round of military base realignments. During its active years the base trained Tactical Air Command pilots and served as a key installation through World War II and the Cold War. Since closure, many of its buildings have stood empty, stripped of fixtures and hardware, their doorframes and windows broken out over decades of exposure and vandalism. Portions of the former base were redeveloped into Southern California Logistics Airport, but a large share of the original structures remain vacant and deteriorating.

Abandoned interior corridor with rusted metal railings and graffiti-covered walls at George Air Force Base. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure process, with final shutdown in 1992. The base supported Tactical Air Command and later Air Combat Command units, housing thousands of personnel and their families in an on-site community that included its own retail and services complex. Base exchange and commissary facilities like this one served as the primary shopping hub for residents, functioning much like a small-town shopping center. Since the closure, much of the former base has sat vacant or been redeveloped piecemeal as Southern California Logistics Airport, leaving structures like this one stripped of fixtures and open to decay.

Abandoned residential buildings at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California at dusk. — George Air Force Base operated in Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure process, with the base shutting down in December 1992. Built originally as Victorville Army Air Field, it later became a Strategic Air Command and Tactical Air Command installation, home to bomber and fighter squadrons over five decades. The base's family housing tracts, built in the ranch-style common to Cold War-era military construction, once held hundreds of units for service members and their families. After closure, the property was redeveloped as Southern California Logistics Airport, though large sections of the old residential streets and housing rows were left standing and empty for years afterward.

Deteriorated interior courtyard with debris and bare branches visible through broken glass doors at George Air Force Base. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Act, with the base shutting down in 1992. Housing units built for officers and enlisted families were left standing after the closure, and many have sat vacant for decades since. The base's residential blocks, once maintained by the Air Force, fell under the control of various redevelopment agencies as plans for reuse stalled repeatedly over the years. Broken windows and overgrown yards mark many of these former quarters, remnants of a military community that once numbered in the thousands during the Cold War era.

Interior of abandoned residential building at George Air Force Base showing orange-lit room with bare tree visible through broken — George Air Force Base operated as a U.S. Air Force installation near Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure under the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure Commission, with the last units leaving in 1992. The base's family housing sat vacant for decades afterward, left to weather and vandalism as redevelopment plans for the site stalled. Portions of the former base were later repurposed as Southern California Logistics Airport, though many residential structures were never reclaimed and continued to deteriorate. Interiors like this one, with failing ceilings and broken windows, reflect that long stretch of neglect rather than any single event.

Abandoned residential buildings with bare trees along cracked pavement at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated in Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure round, with the last personnel leaving in 1992. The base served as a training center for fighter and attack pilots for much of the Cold War, home to squadrons flying the F-4 Phantom and later the F-16. Its housing areas, built to accommodate thousands of military families, included rows of duplex and fourplex units laid out along interior streets much like a small town. After the closure, the surrounding property was redeveloped as Southern California Logistics Airport, though large sections of the old family housing were left standing and eventually abandoned. Decades of vacancy have left the streets cracked and overgrown, with the concrete curbs and pavement markings the clearest remaining trace of the neighborhood's original layout.

Abandoned residential buildings line a cracked road at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated from 1941 until its closure in 1992 under the federal Base Realignment and Closure program, a casualty of post-Cold War defense cuts. At its peak the base supported thousands of Air Force personnel and their families, with base housing built to accommodate airmen stationed there for tactical fighter training. The residential streets, curbs, and driveways remain intact decades after the base shut down, though the buildings that lined them have been stripped and left to deteriorate. Part of the former base was later redeveloped into Southern California Logistics Airport, but sections of the old housing area were simply abandoned in place. The San Bernardino Mountains rise to the north, the same backdrop that would have greeted residents commuting to the flight line each morning.

Abandoned residential building with broken windows and dry vegetation at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base, near Victorville, California, served as a training and fighter base for the Army Air Forces beginning in 1941 and later became a Tactical Air Command installation before its closure in 1992 under a federal base realignment program. Family housing on the base included rows of single-story duplex units built to accommodate enlisted and officer personnel and their families during decades of active service. After the base shut down, the surrounding land and its residential streets were transferred for civilian reuse as part of the Southern California Logistics Airport, though many of the original housing units, numbered 712 and 714 among them, were never redeveloped. The base's history spans World War II training operations through Cold War-era jet fighter squadrons stationed there into the early 1990s.

Abandoned residential building with bare trees along cracked pavement at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure in 1992 under the federal Base Realignment and Closure program. The base housed fighter and bomber squadrons over its history, including F-4 Phantom and F-111 units during the Cold War era. Its residential neighborhoods, built to house service members and their families, were left standing after decommissioning, and many structures have sat vacant for decades. Parts of the former base were later redeveloped into Southern California Logistics Airport, though sections of the old housing area remain untouched.

Abandoned residential building with damaged roof and broken windows at George Air Force Base in Victorville. — George Air Force Base traces back to 1941, when the Army Air Corps opened Victorville Army Air Field as a bombardier and gunnery training site. It was renamed in 1950 for Brig. Gen. Harold Lee George, a pioneer of American strategic bombing doctrine, and later served as a Strategic Air Command installation during the Cold War. The base closed in 1992 under a federal Base Realignment and Closure order, and its residential blocks were left to the desert. Much of the property has since been folded into the Southern California Logistics Airport, though rows of former family housing still stand empty, their doors and windows marked with spray-painted X's from post-closure inspections.

Deteriorated interior of abandoned residential building at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated as a United States Air Force installation near Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure under the 1992 Base Realignment and Closure Act. The base once housed thousands of military families in on-site residential units built to support tactical fighter squadrons stationed there during the Cold War. After decommissioning, much of the housing stock was left to deteriorate, with plumbing fixtures, cabinetry, and interior finishes stripped or scattered by scavengers and time. The surrounding high desert climate, with its wide temperature swings and dry air, has accelerated the decay of wood and drywall in these vacant structures. Parts of the former base were later redeveloped into Southern California Logistics Airport, though many residential blocks remain untouched ruins.

Abandoned single-story residential building with broken windows at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated in Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure in 1992 under the federal Base Realignment and Closure program. Ranch-style homes like this one once housed Air Force families assigned to the base's fighter and tactical training squadrons. After decommissioning, ownership of much of the residential area passed to the Southern California Logistics Airport authority, and many structures were left vacant rather than demolished. Some of the housing stock dates to the 1950s expansion of the base during the Cold War buildup. Empty for decades, the property has since become a well-known site for urban exploration in the Mojave Desert region.

Abandoned residential buildings with bare tree at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure round, with the last personnel leaving in 1992. The base once housed thousands of Air Force families in on-site residential units built to support fighter and bomber squadrons stationed there during the Cold War. After closure, the surrounding land and buildings were transferred to local authorities for redevelopment as the Southern California Logistics Airport, though many of the original housing blocks were left standing and unused. Decades of neglect have left the stucco duplexes stripped of doors and fixtures, with wild grasses and dead trees now growing through the yards where military families once lived.

Abandoned residential building with boarded windows at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Act, with the last personnel departing in 1992. The base housed fighter and bomber squadrons over five decades, including F-4 Phantom and F-111 units during the Cold War era. Two-story barracks and housing blocks like this one were left standing after decommissioning, stripped of utilities and left to weather in the Mojave Desert climate. Parts of the former base were later redeveloped into Southern California Logistics Airport, though many residential and support structures were simply abandoned in place.

Abandoned residential structures and bare tree at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Act, with the last personnel departing in 1992. The base served as a training center for fighter pilots, including F-4 Phantom and F-111 crews during the Vietnam War era. Its former housing blocks, built to shelter enlisted families and officers, have sat empty for decades, stripped of doors and windows and left to the Mojave climate. Part of the site was later redeveloped into Southern California Logistics Airport, but rows of barracks like these remain untouched, fenced off from public use.

Abandoned residential building numbered 129 at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, with broken windows and debris. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure round, with the base shutting down fully in 1992. The property, numbered 129 here, was part of a residential section built to house Air Force personnel and their families during the base's decades as a fighter training installation. Since closure, the Southern California Logistics Airport and Victor Valley College have taken over portions of the former base, but many of the old housing units were left standing and unmaintained. The Mojave Desert climate has accelerated the deterioration of these structures, with broken windows and stripped interiors now common throughout the abandoned residential blocks.

Broken glass doors of abandoned residential building at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure under the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure round, with the Air Force officially shutting it down in 1992. Base housing units like this one were built to accommodate military families stationed at the facility, which served as a training base for fighter squadrons for much of the Cold War. After closure, the property passed to local redevelopment authorities, and many residential structures were left vacant and stripped of fixtures. The Southern California Logistics Airport now operates on part of the former base's runways and hangars, while sections of the old housing area remain empty and deteriorating.

Abandoned residential building at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California, with deteriorated concrete foundation and — George Air Force Base operated from 1941 to 1992 near Victorville, California, training fighter pilots for World War II, Korea, and Vietnam before closing under a round of federal base realignment. Base housing units like this one sheltered airmen's families during the installation's five decades of active use. The Air Force transferred the property to local authorities after closure, and much of the housing stock was left to decay rather than demolished or repurposed. Southern California Logistics Airport now operates on part of the former base, using its runways for aircraft storage and testing, while sections of the original residential neighborhoods remain vacant.

Abandoned residential building at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated near Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure under the Base Realignment and Closure program in 1992. The base once housed fighter and training squadrons, including F-4 Phantom units during the Cold War era, along with the family housing needed to support thousands of assigned personnel. After closure, much of the residential stock was left standing, and stucco duplexes like this one were never demolished or reoccupied. The surrounding land was later redeveloped as Southern California Logistics Airport, but pockets of the old housing tracts remain, slowly deteriorating in the Mojave Desert climate.

Abandoned residential buildings and cracked pavement at George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. — George Air Force Base operated in Victorville, California, from 1941 until its closure in 1992 under a federal base realignment order. The base once housed fighter squadrons, including F-4 Phantoms and later F-4G Wild Weasels, supporting Cold War-era training operations in the Mojave Desert. Base housing units like these sheltered military families stationed at George for decades before the closure emptied the property. The site has since been redeveloped in part as Southern California Logistics Airport, though sections of the former residential blocks remain vacant.

Abandoned residential buildings and dry vegetation at 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 peak during the Cold War, the base served as a fighter pilot training center, home to 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