Site selected: Pinecastle Jeep Range, FL

City: Orlando
County: Orange
Site Classification: Transferred
Site Type/Program: FUDS
Location: Pinecastle Jeep Range occupied approximately 12,483 acres of leased land in Orange County, east of Orlando, Florida. The range was located in Township 23S, Range 31E, Sections 8, 10, 11, and 14 through 34 and in Township 24S, Range 31E, Sections 2 and 3.
Brief History:
During 1943, the U.S. Government leased land in Orange County, Florida, for use as the Pinecastle Jeep Range. The site was also known as the Tactical Demonstration Range, the Orlando Range, Pinecastle Range, Pinecastle Bombing Range and the Pinecastle Chemical Demonstration Range. The range was an off-post site of Pinecastle Army Air Field (AAF). Pinecastle AAF used the range as a gunnery and demonstration range. The Army Air Forces Tactical Center at Orlando Army Air Base (AAB), used the site for testing and troop instruction in methods of tactical bombing and strafing. The bases that used the Pinecastle Jeep Range also had access to the nearby Lake Bryant (Ocala) Bombing and Gunnery Range. The Lake Bryant range received heavy high explosive bomb and rocket use during World War II. The Orlando AAB Demonstration Section conducted chemical and ordnance demonstrations at the former Pinecastle Jeep Range for students stationed at Orlando AAB. The demonstrations encompassed all phases of chemical attack and defense as well as usage of ordnance related equipment. Smoke, water sprays, and DDT had been used on this range. There was no information found that any live agents were dispersed there. Orlando Army Air Base had access to the nearby Withlacoochee Air Field site, (DERP-FUDS # I04FL0078), which was the live agent test area in the region. The demonstrations at the former Pinecastle Jeep Range provided the visual illustration of equipment and tactics taught in the classroom. The students observed the demonstrations from a protected ground shelter at the Pinecastle Range.

Munitions Types: Bomb, General Purpose; Bomb, M38A2, Practice; Spotting Charges for M38A2 Practice Bomb
Rocket, 5-Inch, HVAR; Small Arms, General; Bomb, Incendiary, AN-M76; Cluster, Aimable Incendiary Bomb, M21; Cluster, Incendiary Bomb, M7; Rocket, 11.75-Inch

Activities Completed: The Archives Search Report (ASR) for Pinecastle Jeep Range was completed by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District, in September 1997.

Issues: Potential existence for the following ordnance items have been identified through review of historical documents, air photo interpretation, and a personal site visit by the ASR inspection team. Bomb, General Purpose Bomb, M38A2, Practice Spotting Charges for M38A2 Practice Bomb Rocket, 5-Inch, HVAR Small Arms, General Bomb, Incendiary, AN-M76 Cluster, Aimable Incendiary Bomb, M21 Cluster, Incendiary Bomb, M7 Rocket, 11.75-Inch

Strategy: EE/CA

Current Intended Plan: Further Study

Source: USACE Web Site,   Date of Source: 20-May-98
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