page_title: Nevada during World War II
section_title: Military installations
hierarchical_section_title: Nevada during World War II / History / Military installations
caption_attribution_description: English: Las Vegas Army Airfield, 1942
context_page_description: Nevada during World War II was a time of great change that began immediately after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in December 1941. The population of Nevada grew significantly, largely due to an influx of service men who were stationed at several newly built military bases. The economy also improved as the number of workers steadily increased and new jobs became available.
context_section_description: Like other states in the Desert Southwest, most of the new military installations built were United States Army airbases. The state's weather, wide open spaces, railroad connections, and access to California made it an ideal location for training pilots. Las Vegas Army Airfield and Tonopah Army Airfield were created from existing airports and the military built four additional fields in 1942, including Indian Springs Field, Reno Army Airbase, and Naval Air Station Fallon. Ranges and emergency strips included the Battle Mountain Flight Strip, the Black Rock Desert Gunnery Range, Churchill Flight Strip, and Owyhee Flight Strip. Tonopah Army Air Field and Indian Springs each had five auxiliary airstrips, including Indian Springs' Forty-Mile Canyon Field and Groom Lake Field. Camp Williston, located at Boulder City, provided security for Henderson's Basic Magnesium Plant and the Hoover Dam.
caption: Las Vegas Army Airfield in December 1942
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