Ghost Towns of the Second World War: Arizona’s Historic Military Sites

During the Second World War, Arizona’s open spaces, sparse population, and mild weather made it an ideal location for a wide range of military operations including combat training, POW camps, and flight training. By war’s end, more pilots received their wings in Arizona than in any other state. This presentation discusses the war’s impact on Arizona with a special focus on those sites that still have significant features, foundations, or remains from the war period. Using both historic and contemporary photographs, this presentation describes the original purpose of the remaining features at the sites and their significance to the war effort.

Raised in Flagstaff, Arizona, Erik Berg is an award-winning historian and writer with a special interest in the early twentieth century Southwest and the impact of science and technology. In addition to contributing to several books, his work has appeared in the Journal of Arizona History, Arizona Highways, and Sedona Magazine. A past president of the Grand Canyon Historical Society, Berg currently lives in Phoenix.