La Junta (Spanish for "the junction") rests at the intersection of
the Santa Fe Trail with the Arkansas River. During World War II, La Junta had
an Army Air Force Training Base outside town. An Air Force detachment of the
Strategic Air Command remained there until modern flight simulators rendered
live flight unnecessary for pilot training manoeuvres in the 1980s. At least
one military aircraft crashed close by during such training manoeuvres.
The airport, located 5 miles (8.0 km) north of La Junta, has 77 acres
(31 ha) of tarmac and two runways which are still in use. One runway
(east-west) is 6,851
