How it all Began...
In the early fall of 1944, as a result of America's accelerated missile program, it became evident that a land range somewhere in the United States would be required so missiles could be test fired and recovered after flight for further study. These studies would provide data to aid in the development of future missiles for military application.

A group of specially-selected officers and civilians representing the War Department and the Corps of Engineers visited all sites designated as "possible." One area, in the Tularosa Basin of southern New Mexico, fit the bill. It would eventually become White Sands Proving Ground (WSPG). In a Real Estate Directive dated Feb. 8, 1945, the seeds for WSPG were sown. This document declared the area to be of military necessity. The majority of selected land which would make up WSMR was already under the control of the War Department. It was comprised of Fort Bliss Antiaircraft Firing Range, Dona Ana Target Range, Castner Target Range and Alamogordo Army Air Field's Alamogordo Bombing Range.

In addition to acreage controlled by the Army, other public domain and private lands would be added in the following years to comprise the new proving ground.