On 1 June 1943, the War Department leased
the land that composed the Mt. Campbell Rifle Range.
During the WWII period, troops fired from
100, 300, and 500 yard firing points. These weapons included
the M1903 Springfield Rifle, M1 Garand Rifle, and the M1 Carbine,
and the .45 caliber pistol. Using units included the Western
Signal Aviation Unit Training Center at Camp Pinedale, Hammer
Field and the Army Air Forces Ground Training Center at the Fresno
County Fairgrounds. Site improvements included a target area
consisting of an earth mound supported by a concrete retaining
wall and a target house next to the wall. After World War II,
members of the California National Guard's 185th Infantry Regiment
used the range for weekend training. Other organizations such
as the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force Reserve, other units
of the California National Guard, and perhaps even local civilian
law enforcement used the range.
California State Military
Department
