Riverbank, US 🇺🇸 Closed Airport
US-11142
-
158 ft
US-CA
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 37.723499° N, -120.889999° E
Continent: NA
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: CA17
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| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
E/W |
2485 ft | 40 ft | ASPH | Active |
| Type | Description | Frequency |
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The airport was closed sometime between 1965 and 1968. It was still depicted as an active airfield on the 1965 San Francisco Sectional Chart but was absent from the 1968 edition, indicating its closure within that three-year window.
The closure was due to a cessation of military need. The airfield, known as Peterson Field, was built to serve the adjacent Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant (RAAP). As the operational requirements of the plant changed and scaled down in the late 1960s, the dedicated airfield was no longer considered necessary and was subsequently decommissioned along with other parts of the facility.
The site of the former airport is now part of the Riverbank Industrial Complex, also known as the Riverbank Business Park. The original X-shaped runway pattern is still clearly visible from satellite imagery. However, the paved surfaces are no longer used for aviation and are in a state of disrepair. The area is actively used for industrial purposes, primarily for open-air storage of vehicles, large pipes, shipping containers, and other industrial materials. Several large industrial buildings have also been constructed on the former airfield grounds.
Peterson Field was a military airfield constructed around 1942-1943 during World War II. Its sole purpose was to provide logistical support for the Riverbank Ordnance Plant (which later became the RAAP), a major producer of steel cartridge cases and other munitions. The airport handled military transport aircraft carrying personnel, high-priority cargo, and official visitors. It featured two paved 3,500-foot runways in an 'X' configuration, allowing for takeoffs and landings in multiple wind conditions. It remained an active military support field for over two decades through WWII, the Korean War, and into the Vietnam War era.
There are no plans or prospects for reopening Peterson Airport. The land has been completely repurposed for industrial and commercial use by the City of Riverbank. The runways are obstructed, degraded, and would require complete reconstruction. Given the significant investment in the current industrial park and the proximity of other active airports like Modesto City-County Airport (KMOD), reopening the site for aviation is considered logistically and economically infeasible.