Hereford Field

The closure was a direct result of military decommissioning. Hereford Field was built as a WWII auxiliary training airfield. With the end of the war, the vast pilot training programs were drastically scaled down, rendering numerous satellite fields like Hereford redundant. It was not closed for economic reasons, safety issues, or a specific accident, but because its mission was complete.

The site of the former Hereford Field is now completely occupied by a high-security military installation. It is the location of the U.S. Army Electronic Proving Ground's (USAEPG) C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) Campus, a key facility associated with the nearby Fort Huachuca. This campus, which includes a prominent structure known as the 'Black Tower', is used for testing and evaluating advanced military electronics and communications systems. All remnants of the original runways and airfield infrastructure have been removed and built over.

Hereford Field, also known as Hereford Army Airfield, was a significant component of the United States' home front effort during World War II. It was established circa 1943 as one of several satellite airfields for the larger Douglas Army Airfield. Its primary role was to support the advanced training of bomber pilots and crews. Pilots flying B-25 Mitchell and A-26 Invader bombers used Hereford for essential practice in take-offs, landings, and emergency procedures away from the main base's heavy traffic. As part of the massive network of training fields in the desert Southwest, it played a crucial role in preparing thousands of airmen for combat operations in the European and Pacific theaters.

There are zero prospects for reopening Hereford Field as an airport. The land has been fully repurposed for a critical and active national security mission by the U.S. Army. The site is now a secure, purpose-built military electronics testing facility, making any conversion back to an aviation role completely infeasible.