Blythe Airport was established by the Civil Aeronautics Administration in the late 1930s as an emergency landing field on the Los Angeles to Phoenix airway.
A commercial airport opened in April 1940.

The airport was leased by the United States Army in 1942.
Between 1942 and 1944, the U.S. War Department acquired 4,248.12 acres in fee from various private parties, 6.54 acres of public domain land by transfer, 282.61 acres by lease from the County of Riverside, a 1.98-acre easement, and a 0.63-acre permit.
The Army encroached on another 20.18 acres, increasing the total acquisition for Blythe Army Air Field to 4,560.06 acres.
Over 650 buildings and other types of military facilities and improvements were constructed at this airfield, including hangars, office buildings, barracks, warehouses, runways and taxiways, water and sewer systems, a hospital, and fuel and ordnance storage.
The base was advertised as the "World's Healthiest Air Base".

In addition to the main facility at Blythe, several auxiliary airfields were built.

Gary Field          33°40′45″N 114°38′36″W
Now W R Byron Airport
Desert Center AAF  33°45′10″N 115°19′35″W
Now Desert Center Airport
During World War II the airfield was known as Blythe Army Air Field and was used by the United States Army Air Forces.
The use of the site began on May 14, 1942.
Blythe AAB was built for the I Troop Carrier Command but was given up by that command, without ever occupying it, to the Fourth Air Force as part of the United States Army Desert Training Center (DTC) was established by General George S. Patton shortly after the outbreak of the war, Blythe was the only air field with construction already under way.
For six months, the air field served as the sole air support base for the Army maneuvers under way at the DTC.

The 46th Bombardment Group and later the 85th Bombardment Group occupied the field during the CAMA days and flew a variety of planes including A-31 Vengeances and A-36 Apaches.
Once air fields were established at three new locations within the DTC (Thermal, Rice and Desert Center), Blythe field was no longer required for the Army's desert exercises.
After General Patton was sent to North Africa, the name of the training center was changed to the California-Arizona Maneuver Area (CAMA).
The 46th and 85th Bomb Groups were reassigned.

The Army Air Forces then used Blythe as a heavy bombardment crew training base for the Second Air Force 16th Bombardment Training Wing 358th Combat Crew Training School.
The field's mission was changed to the training of combat air crews prior to shipment overseas.
The 85th Bombardment Group and the 390th Bombardment Group were active at Blythe AAF in 1942 and 1943.
Up to 75 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses were flown and maintained at the base.
During 1943 and 1944, Blythe AAF was used for squadron pilot training, then in December 1944 reverted to an active heavy bombardment base with Consolidated B-24 Liberators.

Known units assigned to Blythe Army Airfield were:
390th Bombardment Group (Heavy) April 1942 – 1943.
B-17 Flying Fortresses were active at Blythe AAF in 1942 and 1943.

46th Bombardment Group (Light) 23 May 1942 – November 1942.
A-20 Havoc
85th Bombardment Group (Light) 23 May 1942 – November 1942.
A-20 Havoc
85th Bombardment Group (Dive) 2 November – 11 December 1942 A-24 Dauntlesses
34th Bombardment Group (Heavy) 15 December 1942 – April 1944.
B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators
398th Bombardment Group (Heavy) April 1943– .
B-17 Flying Fortresses
At its peak in December 1943 the base had a population just short of 8000 uniformed and civilian personnel.
This was twice the population of the city of Blythe, the only community within a one hundred mile radius.
By April 1944 only a housekeeping force was assigned to the base.
By July 1944 the field was abandoned by the Army and declared surplus.
126 airmen were killed in Blythe Army Air Base-related accidents.

Blythe Army Air Field later became a sub-base of Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base) on 30 June 1945, and was inactivated on 18 October 1945, although
Blythe Airport was established by the Civil Aeronautics Administration in the late 1930s as an emergency landing field on the Los Angeles to Phoenix airway. A commercial airport opened in April 1940.
The airport was leased by the United States Army in 1942. Between 1942 and 1944, the U.S. War Department acquired 4,248.12 acres in fee from various private parties, 6.54 acres of public domain land by transfer, 282.61 acres by lease from the County of Riverside, a 1.98-acre easement, and a 0.63-acre permit. The Army encroached on another 20.18 acres, increasing the total acquisition for Blythe Army Air Field to 4,560.06 acres. Over 650 buildings and other types of military facilities and improvements were constructed at this airfield, including hangars, office buildings, barracks, warehouses, runways and taxiways, water and sewer systems, a hospital, and fuel and ordnance storage. The base was advertised as the "World's Healthiest Air Base".
In addition to the main facility at Blythe, several auxiliary airfields were built.
Gary Field          33°40′45″N 114°38′36″W
Now W R Byron Airport
Desert Center AAF  33°45′10″N 115°19′35″W
Now Desert Center Airport
During World War II the airfield was known as Blythe Army Air Field and was used by the United States Army Air Forces. The use of the site began on May 14, 1942. Blythe AAB was built for the I Troop Carrier Command but was given up by that command, without ever occupying it, to the Fourth Air Force as part of the United States Army Desert Training Center (DTC) was established by General George S. Patton shortly after the outbreak of the war, Blythe was the only air field with construction already under way. For six months, the air field served as the sole air support base for the Army maneuvers under way at the DTC.
The 46th Bombardment Group and later the 85th Bombardment Group occupied the field during the CAMA days and flew a variety of planes including A-31 Vengeances and A-36 Apaches. Once air fields were established at three new locations within the DTC (Thermal, Rice and Desert Center), Blythe field was no longer required for the Army's desert exercises. After General Patton was sent to North Africa, the name of the training center was changed to the California-Arizona Maneuver Area (CAMA). The 46th and 85th Bomb Groups were reassigned.
The Army Air Forces then used Blythe as a heavy bombardment crew training base for the Second Air Force 16th Bombardment Training Wing 358th Combat Crew Training School. The field's mission was changed to the training of combat air crews prior to shipment overseas. The 85th Bombardment Group and the 390th Bombardment Group were active at Blythe AAF in 1942 and 1943. Up to 75 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses were flown and maintained at the base. During 1943 and 1944, Blythe AAF was used for squadron pilot training, then in December 1944 reverted to an active heavy bombardment base with Consolidated B-24 Liberators.
Known units assigned to Blythe Army Airfield were:
390th Bombardment Group (Heavy) April 1942 – 1943. B-17 Flying Fortresses were active at Blythe AAF in 1942 and 1943.
46th Bombardment Group (Light) 23 May 1942 – November 1942. A-20 Havoc
85th Bombardment Group (Light) 23 May 1942 – November 1942. A-20 Havoc
85th Bombardment Group (Dive) 2 November – 11 December 1942 A-24 Dauntlesses
34th Bombardment Group (Heavy) 15 December 1942 – April 1944. B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators
398th Bombardment Group (Heavy) April 1943– . B-17 Flying Fortresses
At its peak in December 1943 the base had a population just short of 8000 uniformed and civilian personnel. This was twice the population of the city of Blythe, the only community within a one hundred mile radius. By April 1944 only a housekeeping force was assigned to the base. By July 1944 the field was abandoned by the Army and declared surplus. 126 airmen were killed in Blythe Army Air Base-related accidents.
Blythe Army Air Field later became a sub-base of Muroc Army Air Field (now Edwards Air Force Base) on 30 June 1945, and was inactivated on 18 October 1945, although 
Blythe Airport