UXO Site selected: Perry Bombing and Gunnery Range, FL
General Area: Day (Perry), FL

Site Type/Program: FUDS

Location: Perry Bombing and Gunnery Range consists of 12,522.47 acres and is located partially in Lafayette and Taylor Counties about two and one-half miles west, northwest of the town of Day, Florida. The site was developed and named in association with Perry Army Air Field at Perry, Florida.

Brief History: On 19 February 1943, Headquarters, III Fighter Command requested that an aerial ground gunnery range (12 targets) and a practice dive bombing range be constructed near Perry, Florida. The U.S. Government acquired 12,522.47 acres of land in Taylor and Lafayette Counties, Florida, located about 13 miles northeast of Perry Army Air Field (AAF) in order to construct the Perry Bombing and Gunnery Range. The range needed to accommodate the 140 fighter pilots stationed at Perry AAF. Fighter Pilot Replacement Training Center Units within the III Fighter Command also used this range. On 24 July 1943, the Third Air Force requested authority for the construction of a demolition bombing target at the Perry Bombing and Gunnery Range. By 4 August 1943, the Jacksonville District Engineer received authorization to build an air-to-ground gunnery range, a practice bombing range, and a 20' by 20' range operations and supply building. Fighter Combat Crew Training Stations located at Dale Mabry Field, Perry AAF, and Thomasville AAF used the Perry Bombing and Gunnery Range. On 12 May 1944, Headquarters, Army Air Forces authorized the construction of a demolition range, a strafing range, and a skip bombing range at the Perry Bombing and Gunnery Range. The demolition bombing range would be constructed (using white shell or limestone) with three concentric rings five feet wide at 100', 200', and 500' intervals. The impact area would be cleared to a radius of 2,300' with a 10' (later changed to 20') firebreak at 5,000' radius. Also, a 25' standard range control tower would be constructed. The strafing range would be located on the center line of the existing air-to-ground gunnery range and the skip bombing range dimensions would need 1,000' by 4,000' of cleared land. Modification of all III Fighter Command ground gunnery ranges for use as rocket ranges went into effect by 7 April 1945. Construction of the rocket range at Perry Bombing and Gunnery Range (located 252' from the west marker of the dive bombing range) ended by 26 April 1945. Pilots also used the practice dive bombing range at Perry Bombing and Gunnery Range for rocket firing. Sometime during 1946, the War Department declared the Perry Bombing and Gunnery Range surplus. Currently the site is privately owned and used for timber harvesting.
Range / Site Description:

Associated Munitions:

Activities Completed: The Archives Search Report was completed by the St. Louis District in April 1997.

Issues: Considering the soft nature of the soils in the former Perry Bombing and Gunnery Range and the presence of numerous swamp areas there, ordnance items could possibly remain on this site.

Other Information: EE/CA (RAC 4)
UXO Site Maps no map available
Perry Bombing and Gunnery Range- Click Map for Larger View
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