Black Rock Desert Gunnery Range: Difference between revisions

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Fulwider has maps and a photo.
Sahwave closed by July 1966.
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* Desert Magazine, "[http://www.scribd.com/doc/2403036/5/Here-and-There-on-the-Desert Here and There on the Desert]," October, 1958.  The Navy conducted firing practice for the first time since the end of WWII over the Basic Sahwave air-to-air gunnery range.  ''Is this south of the Black Rock Desert Gunnery Range?''.  The source is given as the Lovelock Review Miner.
* Desert Magazine, "[http://www.scribd.com/doc/2403036/5/Here-and-There-on-the-Desert Here and There on the Desert]," October, 1958.  The Navy conducted firing practice for the first time since the end of WWII over the Basic Sahwave air-to-air gunnery range.  ''Is this south of the Black Rock Desert Gunnery Range?''.  The source is given as the Lovelock Review Miner.
* [http://webpac.library.unlv.edu/search~S1/?searchtype=.&searcharg=b3079876 Elko Sectional Chart]," 1959, UNLV.  Information about restrictions for the ranges.
* [http://webpac.library.unlv.edu/search~S1/?searchtype=.&searcharg=b3079876 Elko Sectional Chart]," 1959, UNLV.  Information about restrictions for the ranges.
* "List of the U.S. Military Installations Affected By Secretary McNamara's Cutback Order," New York Times, November 20, 1964, p28. Sahwave closed by July 1966.

Revision as of 04:48, 24 February 2013

The Black Rock Desert Gunnery Range was in operation in the 1950's and possibly 1940's.

"An undated list of Gunnery Range and Target Area Releases Since World War II by the Twelfth Naval District (12ND) states that the North Range (Lovelock North) of the Lovelock Aerial Gunnery Range consists 676,758 acres of Public Lands and 41,241.34 acres of patented lands. The land was granted to the DoD from the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management(BLM) in a letter dated 13 January 1945. No records pertaining to the usage of this property from 1945 until 1949 were found. A letter Permit from the Department of the Interior dated 22 September 1949 granted 272,000 of the 718,000 acres to the DoD revoking the remaining 446,000 acres, stating that the 272,000 "is all that is available to the Navy." The DoD renamed the 272,000 acres to Black Rock Desert Gunnery Range." (FUDS Site Summary)

The Engle Act of 1958 (Public Law 85-337,H. R. 5538) is "An Act to provide that withdrawals, reservations, or re strictions of more than five -thousand acres of public lands of the United States for certain purposes shall not become effective until approved by Act of Congress, and for other purposes."

However, the act states "nothing in sections 1, 2, or 3 of this Act shall be deemed to be applicable" to "naval gunnery ranges in the State of Nevada designated as Basic Black Rock and Basic Sahwave Mountain."

The Elko Section Chart shows the restricted and caution areas on the front. The Black Rock Desert area (R-266) is north of the WPRR tracks. Sahwave (R-433) is south of the tracks. The entire area is in Fallon No. 1 (C-524) a caution area. The 1954 Pershing County Road Map shows R-266 and R-433.

Elko Sectional Chart Restrictions 1956
No. Name Activity Controlling Agency Altitude Time
R-266 Black Rock Desert Air-to-Air Gunnery, Rocket, Bombing and Photo Flash Bombs COMNABS 12 To 60,000 1 hr. before sunrise to 1 hr. after sunset, except Sundays
To 15,000 1 hr. after sunset to 0100, except Sunday
R-430 Sahwave Mountains Air-to-Air Gunnery COMNABS 12 Unltd. Unltd.
C-524 Fallon No. 1 Extensive Training NAAS Fallon, Nev. Unlimited 0800-2400

"Altitude given in feet. P - Prohibited R - Restricted C - Caution W - Warning"

"Unauthorized flight is not permitted within a Prohibited Area, or within a Restricted Area during the time of use and between the altitudes noted in the tabulation (Authorization may be granted by the controlling agency or by Executive Order of the President)."

"Flight within Caution Area is not restricted, but pilots are advised to exercise extreme caution."

"Time listed without letter suffix is local time." (COMNAB is an acronym for Commander, Naval Base, 12 is the Twelfth Naval District.)

See Also

External Resources

Historical Resources

  • Pershing County Road Map, 1954
  • Nell Murbarger, "Navy Land Grab in Nevada's Black Rock Country," October 1956, Desert Magazine.
  • Serial Set Vol. No. 11901, Session Vol. No.5 84th Congress, 2nd Session H.Rpt. 2856. July 21, 1956 "Title: Providing that withdrawals or reservations of more than 5,000 acres of public lands of the United States for certain purposes shall not become effective until approved by act of Congress. July 21, 1956. -- Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed."
  • Reno Evening Gazette, "Navy Helicopter Down in Humboldt" October 3, 1957. A helicopter went down near in the Jackson Creek area.
  • Desert Magazine, "Here and There on the Desert," October, 1958. The Navy conducted firing practice for the first time since the end of WWII over the Basic Sahwave air-to-air gunnery range. Is this south of the Black Rock Desert Gunnery Range?. The source is given as the Lovelock Review Miner.
  • Elko Sectional Chart," 1959, UNLV. Information about restrictions for the ranges.
  • "List of the U.S. Military Installations Affected By Secretary McNamara's Cutback Order," New York Times, November 20, 1964, p28. Sahwave closed by July 1966.