History of Our Airports
Columbia Airport, Ralph Field Columbia, CA
Columbia Airport was built in 1934 and dedicated in 1935 as Ralph Field.
“Through federal aid, the Civil Conservation Corps and the support of the American Legion, the airport site was cleared off and leveled. It was officially dedicated as Ralph Airport on June 16, 1935.
According to a Works Progress Administration job card: WPA Project No. 65-3-1872, Amount approved $26,386, approval date 10-18-35 “Construction of Administration building and runway. Airport improvement.”
The majority of the airport’s construction was carried out by CCC company 752, stationed at Camp Yankee Hill “under the technical supervision of the Sonora [Tuolumne County] Ranger Unit of the California Division of Forestry and the Management Direction of the Stanislaus National Forest, 5th Region, USFS.”
The airport was project #54 and included:
Development, including clearing of 45.2 acres at old Brady Field, near community of Columbia
Construction of two 2400-2500 airplane landing strips at Old Brady Field, near community of Columbia.
Project 54 was completed on 24 April, 1934. On 27 April, 1934 Co. 752 vacated CCC Camp Yankee Hill, P-213, returned to the 7th Corps Area and was assigned to CCC Camp Plainview, F-21, Plainview, Arkansas. Six months later the constructors of Ralph Field returned to their home state and CCC Camp Thayer, Hebron, Nebraska
Many other companies occupied Camp Yankee Hill P-213. However, none attained the accomplishments of Co. 752. Most of the heavy work having been completed, only cosmetic and maintenance work was accomplished at Ralph Field.”
In the late 1950's "Fire Bombing" was being developed and the first ire fighting aircraft were flow out of Columbia Airport in WW2 surplus Stearman trainers that were commonly converted into crop dusters.
Sonora Flying Service operated a number of surplus WW2 aircraft out of Columbia well into the late 1960's.
The Columbia Air Attack Base, located near Columbia State Park in the CDF Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit, was established in the late 1950s in conjunction with the US Forest Service. CDF took over the administration of the base from the Forest Service in 1966. It remained a joint operation until 1975 when the Forest Service relocated.