Castle Air Force Base
| Castle Air Force Base Merced Army Airfield | |
|---|---|
| Part of Strategic Air Command | |
| Merced County, near Atwater, California | |
2006 USGS Aerial Photo | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Air Force Base |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 37°22′50″N 120°34′05″W / 37.38056°N 120.56806°W |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1941 |
| In use | 1941–1995 |
Castle Air Force Base (Castle AFB, 1941–1995) is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base in California, northeast of Atwater, northwest of Merced, and about 115 miles (185 km) south of Sacramento.
The Central Valley base in unincorporated Merced County was closed in 1995, pursuant to a Base Realignment and Closure Commission decision after the end of the Cold War and the disestablishment of Strategic Air Command (SAC). It is now known as the Castle Airport Aviation and Development Center.