WWII era Yellow Water Naval Air Gunnery School

[RMHoward]

Bob,
Ok i know which bridge you are talking about.  Its the road bridge that is closed off due to deteriation. That particular road led out to the main entrance of the school and is an exact extension of 103rd street.  You can still see where the guard shack foundation is in the roadway toward Normandy BLVD.   Ironically 103rd street (or what ever it was called during WWII) ran through the school and out the other side to Yellow Water road.   The railroad is almost due north of that bridge on the same creek.  The railroad line serviced the Eastern side of the school and ended shortly after crossing the creek at an old warehouse.  The warehouse foundation is still there with loading dock.  It was from under this very loading dock that some wild hogs came out last year (while i was walking by). Luckily they were just some females.  Didnt see the big male with tusks that i was sure was nearby.   I felt pretty helpless with no where to run or trees to climb.  I have actually considered arming myself if i went back in there, but dont have a CCW, and dont want to get in trouble.  Guess ill just carry a big stick or something.  Adjacent to the warehouse was the location of school's steam plant.  Nothing remains of it now, not even foundations.  The site of the steam plant is one of the sites being monitored for contamination (hence all the monitoring wells there).  The newer structure with sloped floors which is fenced off, is indeed newer and was used by the Navy for something while Cecil was open.  Not sure what.  I suspect barrels of hazardous waste that all military operations produce (I know because i was the haz/waste monitor for my squadron in the AF) were stored there until proper disposal could be arranged.  I know the Navy used various areas of the old school for things, lets say messy things that they didnt want to do on Cecil.  For instance, they burned off old/obsolete munitions in the area of the old skeet range. 
Rick

[Timkin]

This is by far one of the most interesting finds I have heard about.  On an unrelated subject, does anyone have pictures of the old "Airbase" Drive-In Theatre that was once on Roosevelt (US 17)  Southwest of NAS? If I am not mistaken , 84 Lumber is or was on the site. Not sure.. have not been along there in some time. I am pretty sure this place was closed when I came along ,but I well remember the Screen and the little guard shack at the entrance.

[Timkin]

I think an MJ tour of "The Ruins of Jacksonville: Yellow Water Naval Air Gunnery School" is in order, this is such a cool / interesting find.

[Ocklawaha]

ALL POINTS BULLETIN!

PLEASE!

Anyone going out to this site, please measure the height of the rail from the old target railroads. This rail might be salvageable and reusable to the LIVE STEAM or the RAILROAD PRESERVATION groups in the city if it is light enough.


OCKLAWAHA

[Timkin]

Good idea.. and I seriously doubt anyone would object/miss it if it "disappeared" .

[RMHoward]

Ock,
Most of what i have seen out there looks very similar to regular railroad size track. Some pieces laying here and there.   Not sure is there is a significant amount of that larger track out there.  HOWEVER, there was at least one oval shaped range that used a much lighter gauge track.  Some of it is still imbedded in berms in an area adjacent to the new FCCJ complex.  I looks like it would be a tough job digging it out of there.
Rick

[bobsim]

  Just can't let this thread go....

  Hey Ock, I went out today and measured those rails. These are the first ones I came across, I don't know how much is out there or where, Rick can probably answer that. I had some time on my hands and intentions of blazing trails and all that but it was kinda sloppy out there after the recent rains and well....call me a sissy.







  Rick, That pond you were curious about is man made but no sign of culverts or overflow drain. here are some views of all sides taken from: N 30°14.822' W081°54.251'.

[RMHoward]

Hi Bob,
Good photos.  The pond/lake almost has a "maintained" look to it.  Out of curiosity, i just checked my aereal images from the 40s, 50s, 60, and 70s.  This pond/lake is NOT visible in any of them.  So, it is a relatively new feature, whose reason for existence is a mystery.  Kind of strange to have an almost perfectly square lake show up out in the middle of no where.  I guess only the Navy knows.  Maybe a stocked lake used by Navy personnel for fishing/recreation?  Just a guess.  Another possibility is that this area was contaminated long ago because of dumping, lead, etc.  If that is the case, the Navy or Army Corp of Engineers  may have went in and removed the soil and hauled it to an appropriate site.  They may have just left it as is after soil removal, hence a pond/lake.  Thats another guess.  But, the land has been scraped clean in the old skeet/trap range area.  All the soil there was placed in barrels and removed.  Saw the barrels myself.  So, it is possible.  Nice pics.  Also, i would be amazed if those rails could be re-used.  But, i aint no railroad expert for sure.

PS Bob, i responded to your email.   Did you receive it?  Never heard back from you.  Sometimes my Gmail is kind of wacky.
Rick

[Timkin]

I definitely want to go visit this place.. its incredibly cool.

Ock.......... In your extensive collection of photos,,would you have any of Lee Field/ and of  The Airbase Drive-in on Roosevelt? I vaguely remember the Drive in...very well remember the Base.

[RMHoward]

Timkin,
If you go to the link below and put "Green Cove Springs" in the search engine, lots and lots of pics of Lee Field will come up (along with some of Green Cove Springs).  The pics of the base are from 1960s after the base was closed, but still show a lot of the buildings.  Some of the pics are labeled "industrial complex".  There is close to 50 pics there of the old base.  The link is the Florida state archives.  Its a cool site for old Florida photos.  Also, the Clay County Archives, in GCS has some pics inside, if you can catch them when they are open.  Enjoy

Rick

http://www.floridamemory.com/PhotographicCollection/

[Overstreet]

..........  Kind of strange to have an almost perfectly square lake show up out in the middle of no where. ............

Not really. Timber growers put them in the woods to dry up the woods. It also provides watering holes for animals in game management and hunting lease areas.

[RMHoward]

The possibility that timber growers put this lake here to drain the woods makes a lot of sense to me.  Lots of pine timber here.  Also lots of timber harvesting going on in this area now.  As far as it being a watering hole for game, i dont think so.  There is tooo much water out there already.  Thanks for the possible solutions.
Rick

[Timkin]

Timkin,
If you go to the link below and put "Green Cove Springs" in the search engine, lots and lots of pics of Lee Field will come up (along with some of Green Cove Springs).  The pics of the base are from 1960s after the base was closed, but still show a lot of the buildings.  Some of the pics are labeled "industrial complex".  There is close to 50 pics there of the old base.  The link is the Florida state archives.  Its a cool site for old Florida photos.  Also, the Clay County Archives, in GCS has some pics inside, if you can catch them when they are open.  Enjoy

Rick

http://www.floridamemory.com/PhotographicCollection/

Appreciate that... Found a ton of older GCS Pics.. some buildings Id totally forgotten.

I hate getting old...but I guess it beats the alternative ...

[FIREMANJAX]

Hi folks,
    I have read with great interest all of the information in this thread. Heretofore, my interest was in the nuclear storage magazines. I built a website about them and with the permission of the contributors, would like to include the pictures and descriptions here concerning the gunnery range. I am looking forward to hiking the area and seeing everything up close. www.wpla.net
Best Regards,
Buddy Harris
WPLA.NET

[Timkin]

Id love to see this place.. it is very intriguing..