Editing Sahuarita, Arizona (section)

===Sahuarita Bombing and Gunnery Range (1942–1978)===
[[Image:Basgen-Sahuarita-Airstrip.JPG|thumb|left|{{center|The former [[Sahuarita Airstrip]], with the Santa Rita Mountains in the background (2007).}}]]
The [[United States Army Air Corps]], from [[Davis–Monthan Air Force Base]], first used this {{convert|27046|acre|km2|adj=on}} range in April 1942 for practice bombing runs. The Sahuarita Flight Strip was completed in 1943, with a {{convert|5540|ft|m|adj=on}} paved runway, and the bombing runs ceased shortly thereafter. The site included 12 buildings in addition to the airstrip, and four observational towers. In 1950, bomber crews operating out of [[Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth|Carswell AFB]], Texas, restarted bombing runs on the range, which would last until 1962, with the airway strip remaining in use as an emergency landing strip thereafter. The Federal government soon released the land to the State of Arizona in 1978, who in turn leased the land to a cattle rancher. The former airstrip has been converted into a roadway that leads to "Sahuarita Park", while the remaining land remains in use for cattle grazing.
[[File:Sahuarita-Building-Titan Missle Museum-Titan Missle Nuclear Warhead.jpg|upright|thumb|Titan Missile Nuclear Warhead exhibited in the Titan Missile Museum]]
The [[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]] is continuing its longstanding efforts of identifying remaining munitions, preventing environmental contamination, and protecting several endangered species in the area, including jaguars, spotted owls, among others. Several different types of expended ammunition rounds can be found throughout the range, most of which found are 10 to 20&nbsp;mm anti-aircraft rounds. Shrapnel from the [[Aircraft ordnance|dropped ordnance]] also litters the range, as well as dozens of crushed olive drab ammunition boxes. Shell casings and magazine clips can also be found, along with [[JATO]] tanks and large cross targets, constructed of wood with orange reflectors for visibility from the air. The crosses were used as targets for the airmen in training. Many [[U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company|United States Tobacco Company]] tins have been found, discarded by the several different aviators who occupied the area during its military days. The actual [[airstrip]] is now used as a [[road]] leading to Sahuarita Park and the Edge Charter School, both of which were built among the remains of the older air force buildings.<ref name=airstrip>{{cite web|year=2004 |url=https://www.airfieldsfreeman.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030913013554/http://www.airfields-freeman.com/ |url-status=live |archive-date=September 13, 2003 |title=Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields |work=Sahuarita AF Flight Strip, Sahuarita, AZ |publisher=Paul Freeman |access-date=October 22, 2007 }}</ref><ref name=airstrip2>{{cite web | date = August 2006 | url = http://www.tucsonaz.gov/ets/SSAFR.pdf | title = Sahuarita Air Force Range | work = Site Inspection Report | publisher = U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | access-date = October 22, 2007 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080828050301/http://www.tucsonaz.gov/ets/SSAFR.pdf | archive-date = August 28, 2008 }}</ref>