On this Memorial Day, we remember the military installations in Santa Barbara County during the World War II years and the veterans who were stationed and trained there.
The war years in Santa Barbara County extended from 1937, when preparations began, to the final days of 1946, when most facilities closed.
During World War II, California saw the development of 235 camps, bases, harbors and airfields for training millions of personnel for many aspects of the military needed for a successful war against the European Axis powers and Japanese invaders. Production facilities for military materials, ships and aircraft expanded rapidly, as did the ranks of workers arriving from all parts of the United States. Santa Barbara County was the location of seven wartime facilities that contributed to the successful war effort…