Under the command of the 326th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, pilots would train in aircraft such as theBeechcraft AT-10, and Curtiss-Wright AT-9s. The rest I earned via my service to my country. Any and all donations are appreciated.
Blytheville Air Force Base | ELG Law Summary of H.R.859 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): To authorize references to the museum located at Blytheville/Eaker Air Force Base in Blytheville, Arkansas, as the "National Cold War Center". Description based on: Vol. The aircraft on display saw extensive service in Southeast Asia and was severely damaged by an enemy surface-to-air missile on April 9, 1972. Arkansas had six Army airfields. Was the first KC-135E conversion in 1982. The facility now operates as the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. 97th Bomb Wing has a long and honorable history. of conventional or nuclear bombs. I was stationed at 3 bases that closed during this BRAC (Eaker, George and Chanute) and took an early out at the same time (volunteer compensated RIF in 1992). MEMORIES. The facility now operates as the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. During the second World War, the United States needed more areas to train pilots, and launch aircraft to respond to the threat on the Eastern front. The airbase was phased out years ago, but Blytheville has emerged as a steel production center and agri-business is strong. Once more, however, the B-52G was called upon for the conventional role during Operation Desert Storm against Iraq in 1991. Like the Arc Light strikes of Vietnam, Iraqi forces on the ground could not hear or see B-52s before they struck. Housing for members of the military and their families was developed between 1957 and 1962 north and south . Unbeknownst to the crew, over seventy percent of the vertical stabilizer and rudder assembly had been sheared off. The base contributed greatly to the economic and . 6 'Cat And Mouse' UFO Chase Over Cannon AFB January 1976. Abandoned Arkansas had noticed while touring the base, the former base bank had been torn down the week prior to January 1st, 2022. Two North American AGM-28 nuclear Hound Dog Missiles were carried under the wings of the B-52 while eight Quails were carried in the bomb bay. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos. "Valkyrie" would fly a few more missions during the war, the only time she would drop bombs in anger. On June 10, 1942, the U.S. Army opened an advanced pilot training school at Blytheville, Arkansas. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. It launched rescue missions from the base to Grenada in 1983 and in August 1990, the pilots of the 97th Bomber Wing began practicing for missions in the Middle East and eventually supported Operation Desert Storm. The nine surviving jets are scattered from coast to coast most of them restored and on display. Cover photos. During the Korean War, when many USAF units were based in Japan and crews lived with their families, wives got to see up close the often risque nose art their husbands painted on their aircraft--and were not pleased with what they saw. Blytheville, Walnut Ridge, Grider, Newport, Stuttgart, and Adams Field. NUMBER BUILT: Douglas built a total of 10,047 C-47s and derivatives. With the end of the war the base was closed, only to be reopened 15 July 1955 as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) base which was home to B-57 and B-52 . Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. View of the southern end of the former Blytheville AFB (Eaker AFB). Copyright 2009-document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) - Abandoned Atlas Foundation - board@AbandonedAtlas.com | Designed By Prairie Nation Creative, LLC - Disclaimer, Eaker Air Force Base (Click the Thumbnails to See Full Album), Extras (sirens, wildlife, monument, signs). The incident over Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico on January 21, 1976, would not only stretch to a second night but was also witnessed by pure chance by a student journalist known only as "Bruce.". If you served in Blytheville Air Force Base, Join TWS for free to reconnect with service friends. Jun 18, 2016 - blytheville afb photos | Blytheville Air Force Base, Blytheville . Sheila Russell Thurber. Nearly 750 were built before production ended in the fall of 1962; 170 of these were B-52Ds. 1942-1946, 1953-1992. No photo description available. Note that the outrigger landing gear is off the ground: naturally, "Valkyrie" is empty of fuel, and so there is no wing droop.
Philip John Rovang Collection | Library of Congress In 1988, the facility was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in honor of World War II General of the Eighth Air Force, Ira C.
blythevilleairforcebase photos on Flickr | Flickr Brave Men from the 97th Bombardment Wing Historical Marker Operated by the 97th Bombardment Wing based at Eaker AFB, Blytheville AR. Deactivated at the close of the conflict, the base was reactivated in the 1950s as Blytheville Air Force Base and was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in 1988 . The majority of the bases housing is still in use, a few buildings are in use, and the tarmac is now the Arkansas Aeroplex. Building 1225 is currently registered on the National Register Of Historic Places and is quoted as being the crown jewel of the National Cold War Center campus. Though Phase Two of the project is underway (as of February 2022), there have been no announcements of when the museum will officially open.
Blytheville Air Force Base Exhibition | Blytheville, AR | Arkansas.com Formerly the site of family housing for Eaker Air Force Base, Westminster Village is a non-profit community. Our B-52s had the Vietnam War Camo paint while this appears to have the Pre-Vietnam War SAC paint which our bombers had before their Vietnam days. It is very possible the paint that is peeling on the walls is lead-based. When Vietnam ended and the USAF got back to peacetime, nose art once more disappeared. From its days as an Army Airfield until closing in 1992 as a major Strategic Air Command facility, the Blytheville Air Force Base told many stories. Hopefully the site will become available again for us. The Iron Curtain was torn down. . Wing Headquarters. Thanks VetFriends. . for another radio code that would tell him to turn around.
Mississippi Counties - North Sawba Cemetery - ARGenWeb It is the USAFs main aerial fueling aircraft. As Soviet air defenses increased in numbers and lethality, the B-52 was switched from high-altitude attack to low-altitude penetration; the job of Hound Dog-equipped B-52s was to use the nuclear-tipped primitive cruise missiles to destroy SAM defenses, giving the follow-on B-52s equipped with gravity nuclear weapons a better chance at reaching their targets. Best years of my life. If you wish to support our current and future work, please consider making a donation or purchasing one of our many books. The KC135 Stratotanker, as most other notary aircraft, was born out of necessity. After it became operational in 1955, the B-52 remained the main long-range heavy bomber of the US Air Force during the Cold War, and it continues to be an important part of the USAF bomber force today. As part of Operation Secret Squirrel, "Valkyrie" would be part of a record setting 34-hour bomb mission from Barksdale to Iraq and back again.
Group bringing new life to historic air base | News | jonesborosun.com Suggest edits to improve what we show. Blytheville Eaker Air Force Base - KBYH, USA - Arkansas; By: Brady Brooks Photos | Profile | Contact; In May 1962 the aircraft returned to the Boeing factory in Kansas for wing modification and strengthening to counteract the fatigue cracks occurring in the B-52 fleet. All photos. Unit of Service: 311th Tactical Airlift Squadron; Air National Guard. Memphis Discovery Tour . In 1988, the based was renamed to honor World War II General, Ira C. Eaker. On January 31st, 2022, the Arkansas Aeroplex officially announced that work had been started on restoring Building 1225. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. N503DN Delta Air Lines | Airbus A350-941 | Arkansas International Airport by M.J. Scanlon 17 .
National Cold War Center in Blytheville receives $400K grant from Watch. The plane . Photo by Democrat-Gazette file photo . All the glass is shattered. Links: Thule AFB . Vietnam War, 1961-1975. Pictures, photos and images from Blytheville, AR. Photographs are from numerous people and I encourage you to send me your photos if you want to add to the Blytheville collection. Photo Credit: The National Cold War Center. [3] Unfortunately, Eaker Air Force Base topped the Strategic Air Command's list of base closures in 1991 and with the Cold War coming to an end, the installation was officially chosen; in March 1992, the last aircraft left the base. In June 1975 the aircraft was sent to the 97th Bombardment Wing (H) residing at Blytheville AFB, Arkansas. In 1972, all of the bombers were temporarily moved to Guam before being returned to Blytheville AFB, at which time the installation resumed normal functions. Blytheville Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base from 1942, until it closed in 1992. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. This gallery is to showcase old photographs from Blytheville, Arkansas. ", From: www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/facility/bomber_alert.htm. Airwomen were tasked with testing electronics of aircraft, testing aircraft by means of flights, and ferrying aircraft. As a CAP cadet 1966-1969 the lore of this base was discussed often. As the Cold War ended, "Valkyrie" was assigned to her last duty station with the 2nd BW at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, but she would have one last mission. It was retired in July 1991 and donated to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Arizona. Eaker Air Force Base was complete with swimming pools, tennis courts, a grocery store, a dental office, a nine hole golf course, a theater, multiple clubs, visitation centers, a gym, and on-base housing for military families. I don't have a clue who captured or created this image but this is it is an excellent computer generated image of a Pre-Vietnam War SAC Paint Scheme with a North American AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile.
Blytheville: Return to Prosperous Past? - AMP 88 of the aircraft built are modified versions to serve specific purposes such as reconnaissance aircraft, and cargo carriers. The population suffered as well. Two B-52G bombers were readied to strike the Soviet Union with nuclear weapons if necessaryfor which the wing received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for its performance during the crisis. Mr. Gorbachev tore down that wall. An exploration of the base's history and its impact on the community. Photographer unknown.
Arkansas Razorbacks. There was some concern that female aircrew--which were becoming far more common in the 1980s than in years previously--would object to the nose art, but no such objections materialized. The model is on a 1/72 scale with a 26" wingspan. Have history here? My Heritage. I grew up on Army bases overseas. Sign up and get notified about upcoming volunteer events! Under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 the United States government is obligated to consider utilization, procurement and disposal of government property. 3 items. [2] In July 1959, the 97th Bombardment Wing subsequently assumed control of the base and brought with it the long-range B-52G bomber and the KC-135A Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft to support bomber operations. On January 10th, 1964, a B52H loaned to Boeing by the USAF was testing the structural integrity of, and new technology for the aircraft. Hear those stories come to life from the soldiers who served at the BAFB Exhibition. Was stationed there from 1967 to 1970 with 97th AMS, the old A&E Squadron. Psychiatry and Psychology 1 The KC135, along with the B52 is one of the only fixed wing aircraft with over fifty years of service.
H.R.859 - To authorize references to the museum located at Blytheville I was an army brat and a military wife along with an army civilian off and on over the years.
LIEUTENANT GENERAL BRUCE K. BROWN > Air Force > Biography Display - AF wikipedia.en/List_of_B-57_units_of_the_United_States_Air_Force.md at Base Theater. KC-135A - 61-0267 - 97th BW, Blytheville Air Force Base by Darren Currie 19 International Air Tattoo 1987 - RAF Fairford.
Rolls-Royce Offers Peek At The B-52's New Engines Undergoing Testing Photo Gallery I only ask that you send older photos (probably sometime before 1970).and they can be of People, Places in Blytheville, and Things. Currently, the main tarmac is used as Blythevilles airport. Certain buildings are worth saving. My first year I worked in Procurement which is to the far right edge in this photo, it is the last building on the left along Memorial Drive, the wide street going left to right. I was one of four Production Supervisors who coordinated the P-Check maintenance and retrofitting of existing 737-200's (42 aircraft) for MetroJet; this included all coach interiors and . Beechcraft AT-10, and Curtiss-Wright AT-9s. It was one of many air fields created in the country's interior during the war for this purpose. In July 1963 the aircraft was stationed at Beale AFB, California, with the 456th Bombardment Wing (H). (KAIT) - Members of the United States Air Force in Little Rock and Louisiana landed aircraft on the Arkansas Aeroplex on the morning of . During World War II, the site served as a training airfield as part of the 70,000 Pilot Training Program. Capt R.D. machine guns in tail plus up to 43,000 lbs. Photo by Democrat-Gazette file photo . As "Hoosier Hotshot," it flew first with the 97th BW at Blytheville AFB, Arkansas, then finished its career with the 93rd BW at Castle AFB, California. Building 1225, will be added to the collection of buildings as part of the future National Cold War Center. . The WASP program tasked select women with many key roles on airfields across the nation. Over 1,000,000 pictures
Blytheville Air Force Base Capehart Housing - Gosnell, Arkansas - Wikimapia The G models most noticeable feature was its 8-foot shorter tail, done to ease maintenance and to save weight. Today it is 14,011. At the former Blytheville (Eaker) Air Force Base, now Arkansas International Airport, Delta Air Lines has stored many aircraft because of the downturn of passengers due to the 2020 Corona Virus.
Blytheville AFB Abandon housing drive by 2018 - YouTube Blytheville, established as lumber mill town in the 1880s, has also served as a center for the cotton-growing industry, a Strategic Air Command (SAC) airbase and a gateway city for the Natural State. Glad to see the alert pad will be saved. As a result, the B-52Gs took heavy casualties in the first days of Operation Linebacker II in December 1972, losing 15 aircraft; it was decided to pull the Gs out of operations after the first week. https://nuke.fas.org/guide/usa/bomber/kc-135.htm#:~:text=The%20KC%2D135%20can%20haul,transferable%20for%20global%20refueling%20missions. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe . In order to understand why Eaker Air Force Base closed, one has to dive into foreign, political, and socioeconomic issues of the late 1980s and early 1990s. [1], During the Vietnam War the 97th Bomber Wing at Blytheville supported strike operations throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Blytheville Air Force Base - O'Kelley Rick O'Kelley was drafted in Oct 1971 and enlisted in the USAF November 10 1971 on delayed enlistment.
Adversary concept hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy About Us | Westminster Village Blytheville Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base from 1942, until it closed in 1992.
The Blytheville Research Station - Arkansas Archeological Survey thrust each. This would determine if the base could go on operating in the future, or if it was deemed unnecessary to continue service.
BLYTHEVILLE AFB HOSPITAL: Reunite With 4 Other Veterans - VetFriends Upon his return to the United States in November 1970, General Brown was assigned as vice commander of the 97th Bombardment Wing at Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark., and took command of the wing in July 1971. Pilot Mike Bush, Co Pilot Larry J Houser, EWO Wayne Carver, Navagtor Doug "D.R" Kincannon, Gunner Jack Alexander. We share a body likeness and dress and I had an orange helmet but most of the time I wore my Easy Rider Flag helmet. The exhibit is on the old air base, which is now an FBO for the new steel and other corporations that fly in there, along with other airplane related functions. Whether it be by the hand of the elements, or by deconstruction due to safety issues. It is a peculiarly shaped building, like the rest of the buildings on the base. Blytheville herald-news Blytheville courier news (DLC)sn 89051348 Originally Blytheville Air Force Base, the base's official name was changed in 1988 to honor air pioneer and commander of the Mighty Eighth Air Force during World War II, Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker. The boom operators on KC-135s got a laugh over it, the pilots loved it, commanding officers were horrified and eventually ordered it removed.
Blytheville Air Force Base Archives - National Fallen Firefighters [1], On 15 July 1955, the facility was reopened as Blytheville Air Force Base (AFB), when the 461st Bombardment Wing was moved from Hill Air Force Base in Utah. The B-52 has set numerous records in its many years of service. Eaker. This Abandoned Air Force base is located three miles Northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. The 456th completed deployments to Anderson AB in Guam with this B-52G. This has led to the current dilapidated state of some buildings. After 30 years and learning the computer and finding VetFriends, I went to my first reunion of the USS Navasota AO-106. Photo Gallery. In June 1965, B-52s entered combat in Southeast Asia. Blytheville AFB became fully operational when it was equipped with a wing of three squadrons of B-57 bomber on 19 July 1955. What aRead more , Stationed there 1989-1992, loved the place and love the life long friends from there. The first DC-3s were ordered by the USAAF in 1941 under the designation C-47, but there was no way to predict that simple designation would become a legend, that over 10,000 would be built and that the plane would be listed by General Dwight Eisenhower as one of the four pieces of equipment most vital to our success in Africa and Europe. There were countless modifications to the C-47 fleet, some taking place at the factory and some in the field. In the Monett City Park is displayed the USAF Thunderbird F4 Phantom #3 Jet. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. It was around 1960 and I still recall vividly sitting in the cockpit of a B-52. Contributions to PAs Most Endangered List, National Register of Historic Places (Jan, 26th 2018).
Looking Into the Past..blytheville Air Force Base and The Cold War All of these were under the Strategic Air Command. The B-47 Stratojet was slated to be replaced by a mix of both the heavy Stratofortress and the Convair B-58 Hustler high-speed medium bomber. "Valkyrie" was known to the USAF as 58-0183, a B-52G Stratofortress. Here's a little blurb about the alert facilities themselves (aka "mole holes"): "The SAC alert crew quarters, like the SAC command post, were partially below ground structures. This is the alert facility, or "mole hole," where bomber and tanker aircraft crew in the Strategic Air Command (SAC; USAF) lived while they were pulling alert duty during the Cold War. A photo of my Mustang in the snow at Barker's Trailerpark in Blytheville Arkansas. They could go out of the facility to visit family, go to a movie or the BX, but the whole crew had to go everywhere together. Blytheville, Arkansas was selected as a training location due to its proximity to the Mississippi River, where supplies could easily be shipped to and from the site. Blytheville Air Force Base. Many DC-3 and C-47s are still in operation, nearing the end of their first half century of service and looking like they could go another half century. Love Photoshop, a little bit of work and #3 does a flyby just for me 41 years later. Part of the reason was the USAF's adoption of "Combat Warrior," which was meant to instill a sense of history among its pilots and airmen, requiring the study of the USAF/USAAF historical record. In order to give the property on which the base was located back to the local authorities, the USAF hired a cultural resource management firm to conduct a survey of the archeological sites on the base property (Cande and Lafferty 1991). I thanked my dad for my upbringing.
Delta's cities show its plight; Blytheville, Pine Bluff face future Blytheville Air Force Base Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty An uphill battle for Blytheville - arkansasonline.com Some commanders, such as General Charles Donnelly in USAFE (no relation to the author) reportedly considered making names and/or nose art on USAFE aircraft a requirement. The Strategic Air Command had reached the end of the road. Gosnell reported losing over half its students. As the 97th Bomb Group it's B-17 were the first to drop bombs on the Germans in France in 1942. In 1945 the U. S. Army Air Field was deactivated and the cemetery reverted to the City of Blytheville Arkansas.
Blytheville Air Force Base - Air Force Unit Directory - togetherweserved In 1955 North Sawba Cemetery once again returned to government jurisdiction with the activation of Blytheville Air Force Base later renamed Eaker Air Force Base, until base closure December 1992. Location of Service: Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; Williams Air Force Base, Arizona; Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio; Vietnam; Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas; Des Moines Air National . At the height of the Cold War, Eaker Air Force Base was home to the 97th Bombardment Wing, the 42nd Air Division, the 97th Air Refueling Squadron, the 97th Supply Squadron, the 97th Organizational Maintenance Squadron, the 820th Medical Group, and many more. It was also a B-52 that made the first airborne hydrogen bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956. Lots of good memories. Photos from Blytheville Eaker Air Force Base - KBYH on JetPhotos Photos Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. The 1980s saw something of a resurgence--oddly enough, mostly among Strategic Air Command units. In August 1991 this Stratofortress was dropped from the Air Force inventory and made available to the USAF Museum Program. Timeline photos. The airport was developed from the closed Eaker Air Force Base (formerly Blytheville Air Force Base), after its closure by the U.S. Air Force in 1992. . Almost immediately, this was proven to be a vain hope: the only aircraft able to replace the B-52 was, it seemed, another B-52. For more information, visit the website at www.nationalcoldwarcenter.com or call 870-532-2100. For those wishing to explore BAFB history and its impact, the Blytheville Air Force Base Exhibition is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to tell "the story of the war that saved the world.". My last 8 months of service I was the NCOIC of the Repair Cycle Unit "DIFM Control", KC-135A - 61-0267 - 97th BW, Blytheville Air Force Base, N503DN Delta Air Lines | Airbus A350-941 | Arkansas International Airport. Property is disposed of, and the government cleans up after itself. The United States no longer needed bombers and fuel-tankers to be on 24/7 alert. U.S. Officers Club. Due to the high amount of asbestos flying around in the air, and the safety concerns.