blytheville air force base photos blytheville air force base photos

For nearly 50 years, residents of Blytheville, Ark., proudly supported the Air Force base in their town. Blytheville Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base from 1942, until it closed in 1992. I was stationed there from 1966-69. During World War II, the site served as a training airfield as part of the 70,000 Pilot Training Program. 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. The KC135 Stratotanker, as most other notary aircraft, was born out of necessity. Blytheville was the only two engine training base in Arkansas. Improve this listing. [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. [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. Posted on Facebook by Michael Meagher, Photographer unknown. For more information, visit the website at www.nationalcoldwarcenter.com or call 870-532-2100. During WWII, my Dad and his best friend, John Whittington, would go to the base (teenagers) and work. 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. Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas. The top attractions to visit in Blytheville are: Historic Greyhound Bus Depot Visitor Center; The Ritz Theatre; Delta Gateway Museum; Blytheville Air Force Base (BAFB) Exhibition; That Bookstore in Blytheville; See all attractions in Blytheville on Tripadvisor Find Blytheville Air Force Base stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Looking for someone that served with you? Explore. Pilot Mike Bush, Co Pilot Larry J Houser, EWO Wayne Carver, Navagtor Doug "D.R" Kincannon, Gunner Jack Alexander. After any major war, surplus equipment and property is sold to the general public and agencies. 35 57.54 N, 89 57.74 W. Marker is in Gosnell, Arkansas, in Mississippi County. This increased the B-52Gs range over earlier B-52s, though it also added considerable weightone reason why the tail was shortened; to help the heavy bomber get off the ground, the water-injection system already present was increased. 88 of the aircraft built are modified versions to serve specific purposes such as reconnaissance aircraft, and cargo carriers. View of the southern end of the former Blytheville AFB (Eaker AFB). (photo courtesy of Delta) On Tuesday, June 2, 2020, Delta Air Lines . Notice my Mustang has what appears to be a trailer hitch. Evans at Blytheville air show in 1980. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos. Five feet of water was pumped out of the basement of the building. Full view. Sign up and get notified about upcoming volunteer events! What aRead more , Stationed there 1989-1992, loved the place and love the life long friends from there. Yes we grew up overseas and only went to Department of Defense Schools but it was amazing. Hear those stories come to life from the soldiers who served at the BAFB Exhibition. Communism had shriveled in the world. 2, no. On a Bravo alert, while taxiing the aircraft, the pilot was waiting (and hoping!) Veteran C. Young. ADM-20 Quail Decoy used to produce a fake B-52 signature on radar making a single B-52 appear to be as many as eight B-52s causing the Soviets to waste their SAMs chasing the Quails. At one point, sharkmouths were banned by 7th Air Force in Saigon as being "too warlike"--despite, of course, the "non-warlike" aircraft carrying tons of bombs and missiles. Usaf Academy, CO 80840-1307 Colorado Springs, CO 80919-3732 Warrensburg, MO 64093-9357 Honorable Discharged at the rank of E5 Staff Sgt. In December 1972, after being repaired, it flew four additional missions over North Vietnam. Though, local organizations and legal entities constantly fight to preserve the base. Wing Headquarters. The National Cold War Center will be an entirely brand new building itself. Any monthly plan. Contributions to PAs Most Endangered List, National Register of Historic Places (Jan, 26th 2018). (Some joked that the ladies might just paint hunky guys on their aircraft!). 27 items. BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. (KAIT) - Members of the United States Air Force in Little Rock and Louisiana landed aircraft on the Arkansas Aeroplex on the morning of . New in 1960. Home of 96th Bombardment Wing: 1953-1957; 11th . 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. 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. In the early 1950s, the Strategic Air Command (SAC) approved a plan to convert the former airfield into an airbase, which officially opened in 1955 as Blytheville Air Force Base. The walls are riddled with holes. Profile pictures. Today it is 14,011. I never earned Air Force Wings, the wings that appear in the photo are those of the Commemorative Air Force of which I am a member. Unit of Service: 311th Tactical Airlift Squadron; Air National Guard. There is a SAC Lapel Pin and two United States Air Force Lapel Pins that I have included in my display. Pinterest. 1942-1946, 1953-1992. 07-4637 photos; United States - US Air Force (USAF) Airline: United States - US Air Force (USAF) Reg: 07-4637 photos; Aircraft: Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules; Serial #: 382-5597; . TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe . In August 1991 this Stratofortress was dropped from the Air Force inventory and made available to the USAF Museum Program. Art flourished in some units (namely F-105 wings) and was banned in others. The base closed in 1992, and unfortunately most of the residential units north of Daisy Drive are vacant and have since . Vietnam War, 1961-1975. It was around 1960 and I still recall vividly sitting in the cockpit of a B-52. And the United States was about to enter war with Saddam Hussein. It seemed like every morning at 5:00 AM the flight line maintenance crews would fire up some of the airplanes engines. At 14 I was hopping buses and trains and hanging out with friends in surrounding towns. Fifteen B-52s were lost during the 1972 Linebacker II Christmas bombings and three of those B-52s originated from the 97th Bombardment Wing assigned to Blytheville Air Force Base; B 52G 58-0201 "Charcoal 1" went down on the 18th, B 52G 58-0198 "Olive 1" and B 52G 58-0169 "Tan 3" were shot down on the 21st. To differentiate ALCM-equpped B-52Gs from unmodified aircraft, a wing fairing was added solely for the benefit of Soviet reconnaissance satellites, in accordance with arms control treaties. In June 1975 the aircraft was sent to the 97th Bombardment Wing (H) residing at Blytheville AFB, Arkansas. 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. Enter your email address to subscribe to Abandoned Arkansas and receive notifications of new posts by email. Weekly Began in 1902; ceased in 1923. The boom is controlled by an operator lying prone under the cargo deck of the aircraft. Blytheville AFB was created in 1942 as a location for pilot training, originally named Blytheville Army Airfield. The facility now operates as the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. The exhibits are impactful and tell the story of Base history. It worked very well and it was how I towed my new 1972 Suzuki GT750J from my parent's home in Alma the 300 miles to Blytheville Air Force Base. In the Monett City Park is displayed the USAF Thunderbird F4 Phantom #3 Jet. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. . There were VIP transports (designated VC-47A/B) and there were SC-47s used as search and rescue aircraft. View allAll Photos Tagged Blytheville Air Force Base. Who knew that 41 years later I would have a new Mustang or even still be alive. It was retired in July 1991 and donated to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Arizona. 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). Community Profile: Blytheville, Ark., Spreads Its Wings after Air Force Base Closing. But it is well-worth the visit. 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. 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. If you served in Blytheville Air Force Base, Join TWS for free to reconnect with service friends. Arkansas had six Army airfields. Armament: Four .50-cal. Ruth Eaker, General Eakers widow, signing autographs during the name change of the base in 1988. The base contributed greatly to the economic and . Blytheville Air Force Base (BAFB) Exhibition, Blytheville: See 8 reviews, articles, and 21 photos of Blytheville Air Force Base (BAFB) Exhibition, ranked No.1 on Tripadvisor among 6 attractions in Blytheville. I grew up on Army bases overseas. And the aeronautical weather for the pilots with current weather and short-term forecasts with METAR (METeorological Aerodrome Report, observation message of meteorological conditions for aviation) and TAF (Terminal Aerodrome Forecast: short-term forecast message of meteorological conditions for aviation ). In 1945 the U. S. Army Air Field was deactivated and the cemetery reverted to the City of Blytheville Arkansas. Thule is the only air force base with no aircraft and a tugboat. It is a peculiarly shaped building, like the rest of the buildings on the base. My USAF service had no connection to the Thunderbirds other than Juliet and I saw this Thunderbird perform at Blytheville Air Force Base Oct 25 1972. Constructed on former agricultural land, the site was originally activated as the Blytheville Army Airfield in 1942. The original, one-of-a-kind model was created by P.J. An exploration of the base's history and its impact on the community. action specifically caters to closures and revitalization of U.S. military bases. A photo of my Mustang in the snow at Barker's Trailerpark in Blytheville Arkansas. 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 . Armament: Four defensive .50-cal. Holes in the roof create entryways for birds and rain. 732 of the aircraft were specifically aerial tankers. The worst building on base is the hospital. As a kid in nearby Jonesboro, our cub scout pack got to visit what was then Blytheville AFB. But it is well-worth the visit. Washington -- Today, Representatives Crawford, Hill, Westerman, and Womack, along with Senators Boozman and Cotton, introduced legislation to name the Blytheville/Eaker Air Force Base located in Blytheville, Arkansas, the "National Cold War Center." The Eaker base opened in 1942 as a World War II advanced pilot training school, and later became an alert center during the Cold War. The B-52G was to return to the nuclear delivery role through the 1970s and 1980s, with the SRAM itself replaced by the AGM-86 Air Launched Cruise Missile, a truly precise cruise missile. No photo description available. 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. Of reinforced concrete and concrete-block construction, moleholes were of two-story height, with one story below ground. Airplane Photos & Aviation Photos - View, Search, or Upload Photos! Ash. Transferred from the 97th Bomb Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark., this aircraft was flown to the museum in November 1978. Owners of said buildings had big ambitions to renovate and repurpose the old buildings, but either plans never took off or money was tight. https://nuke.fas.org/guide/usa/bomber/kc-135.htm#:~:text=The%20KC%2D135%20can%20haul,transferable%20for%20global%20refueling%20missions. Many buildings are gone, and will continue to disappear. In any case, out of a sense of history and because commanders were now favorable to the idea, nose art began to return, though the USAF was very careful to ensure any "painted ladies" to have nothing more risque than bikinis. The 17th Bombardment Wing (H) at Anderson AB was this aircraft's next duty station, arriving there in January 1973. It was also a B-52 that made the first airborne hydrogen bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956. The aircraft was flown from Castle AFB to Hill AFB, Utah, in its final flight. PIGGOTT, Ark., July 30 (UPI) An Air Force C130 transport plane crashed, and burned at dusk today in a pasture in this town in northeastern Arkansas, killing all six persons aboard. The Strategic Air Command had reached the end of the road. 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). Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. "Hoosier Hotshot" was originally applied to a B-17G Flying Fortress of the 91st Bomb Group during World War II, but when SAC began applying nose art to their B-52s, a 97th Bomb Wing B-52G crew reproduced the nose art on 57-6486 as a tribute to the original. Whether it be by the hand of the elements, or by deconstruction due to safety issues. The program was comprised of just over 1100 women. I thanked my dad for my upbringing. 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 . Description based on: Vol. On 7 July 1971 SACs last C-47 was transferred to the USS Alabama Monument Commission. Blytheville had their own team. Eaker Air Force Base in its entirety is a mix of private and federal property. The 97th deployed to Edwards AFB, California, while operating this aircraft. Buildings, schools, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, car . https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Eaker_Air_Force_Base, https://www.boeing.com/history/products/b-52-stratofortress.page, https://www.boeing.com/history/products/kc-135-stratotanker.page, https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/1771/text?r=1&s=1, https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/12/bill-designating-national-cold-war-center-in-blytheville-introduced-in-senate, https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/107172/general-ira-c-eaker/, https://www.afcec.af.mil/Home/BRAC/Eaker.aspx, https://www.npr.org/2010/03/09/123773525/female-wwii-pilots-the-original-fly-girls. Movie Theater. Love Photoshop, a little bit of work and #3 does a flyby just for me 41 years later. In the politically correct 2000s, nose art has been hidden in wheel-well doors or, in the case of the A-10, behind the integral ladder door, and often as not, simply does not exist. 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. It was located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. Nose Art: Boeing B-52G Stratofortress "Hoosier Hotshot", Nose Art: Boeing B-52G Stratofortress "Valkyrie", N915DN Delta Air Lines | McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 | Arkansas International Airport, N502DN Delta Air Lines | Airbus A350-941 | Arkansas International Airport, 59-1514 Boeing KC-135E Stratotanker United States Air Force, N907DL Delta Air Lines | McDonnell Douglas MD-88 | Arkansas International Airport, www.hill.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=5714, www.youtube.com/watch?v=leohcvmf8kM&feature=related, B-52G with an North American AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile, National Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton, Ohio, Photoshopped image of Rick OKelley Age 20 on his 1972 Suzuki GT750J Le Mans, Post Card KC 135 refueling a B-52G from Blytheville AFB, Sign that set at the Main Gate at Blytheville Air Force Base, 1977477_10202915854723496_3494507586333601988_n, www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/facility/bomber_alert.htm, Blytheville Air Force Base exhibit at DGM, Rickie D O'Kelley Staff Sergeant 1975 - Age 22. Photo Gallery. The B-52G was also built from the start to deliver standoff nuclear weapons, beginning with the AGM-28 Hound Dog. After Eaker Air Force Base was B.R.A.C.d, multiple buildings on the base were put up for sale, but never put to use properly. 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. While the B-52Hs remained on nuclear alert standby, the G models were used in the conventional bombing role after the first few nights of cruise missile strikes; at first, this was done at low altitude, but switched to high altitude later onnot because of the threat of Iraqi air defenses, which had been badly degraded, but of the psychological effect. 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. In December 1972, after being repaired, it flew four additional missions over North Vietnam. machine guns in tail plus up to 60,000+ lbs. Loved it. This B-52G-100-BW (S/N 58-0191), nicknamed "Bearin' Arms," was manufactured by Boeing Aircraft Corporation in Wichita, Kansas, and delivered to the USAF on October 16, 1959. MEMORIES. The accounting & financing building has a large and open floor plan. Location. He told me many stories about the German . This is a photoshopped 1972 Suzuki Brochure that I have transposed my face over the riders face. 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. Transferred from the 97th Bomb Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark., this aircraft was flown to the museum in November 1978. Opened in late 2020, the BAFB Exhibition features memorabilia, video and personal stories of the base from its 1942 beginnings until closure in 1992. machine guns in tail plus up to 43,000 lbs. Blytheville herald-news Blytheville courier news (DLC)sn 89051348 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. However, the B-58 was delayed, and in accordance with General Curtis LeMays prescient worries that the B-52 force would simply fall apart, Boeing began development of a new variant of the B-52, the B-52G. 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. 3 items. Best years of my life. Like the Arc Light strikes of Vietnam, Iraqi forces on the ground could not hear or see B-52s before they struck. 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". 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. Most of the Gs ended their days sliced into pieces in the Arizona desert. 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. Some were torn down. Currently, the wet carpet has molded over and over again. A B52 with a full nuclear payload, is the seventh most powerful country in the world.. Dental Clinic. Abandoned Arkansas had noticed while touring the base, the former base bank had been torn down the week prior to January 1st, 2022. Alas LRAFB was where we flew C119s to summer camp, but always hoped foe a fly in there. Jun 18, 2016 - blytheville afb photos | Blytheville Air Force Base, Blytheville . . Photographer unknown. They also tended, in some cases, to be far more raunchy than even World War II or Korean nose art even dared--one popular one was to show a heavily pregnant Lucy Van Pelt from "Peanuts" screaming "Damn you, Charlie Brown!" [1] Then the airfield briefly became a processing center for the rapid demobilization of military personnel being discharged. Arkansas Razorbacks. Photo by Democrat-Gazette file photo . The facility now operates as the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. Blytheville Air Force Base. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Coupled with the more regulation bound USAF of the 1950s, almost no B-36s or B-52s carried nose art, despite a larger "canvas" than the B-29 or B-17. It is aRead more . When I arrived in July 1972, Blytheville Air Force Base's B-52s, KC-135s, pilots, navigators, electronic warfare officers, tail gunners and many . The Ritz Theater from the outside circa. The 97th comm mustve been a very short lived entity as it was the 2101 CS / AFCC when I was there. My 1966 Ford Mustang was setting in the parking lot the day we watched this jet fly. Merged with: Blytheville herald-news (non-extant), to form: Blytheville courier news. Reactivated as the 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus AFB. Airmen from the 97th Bombardment Wing lost their lives and their photos appear on the lonely memorial at their abandoned base in Blytheville; Lt Col Keith R Heggen was in "Olive1", (now buried at Arlington Nat'l Cemetery) Lt Col Donald L Rissi, 1st LT Robert J Thomas and Msgt Walter L Ferguson were in "Charcoal 1" Major Bobby A Kirby, Capt Randall J Craddock, Capt George B Lockhart, Capt Ronald D Perry and 1st Lt Charles E Darr were in "Tan 3". In the bomb bay were ADM-20 Quail decoys. Eaker AFB was selected for closure under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round of 1991. About ten years ago a group of old 97 OMS troops made a trip to see the old place. 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.". Airman First Class Monex Thomas of the Blytheville Air Force Base died in an aircraft training incident on August 1 1982. Eaker. There was no need for the Global Shield. At Mildenhall. 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. This had the added benefit of giving the gunner an ejection seat, eliminating the need for a manual bailout system. Blytheville AFB: See Eaker AFB: Bolling AFB ACTIVE: Location: Washington, DC . The Blytheville Air Force Base Capehart Housing Historic District encompasses a large residential area built between 1957 and 1962 as part of a military housing program for service members stationed at the now-closed Blytheville Air Force Base in Blytheville, Arkansas. Buildings have collapsed in that time frame. Since 1955, the B52 Stratofortress has been Americas go-to long-distance strategic bomber. And in 1991, Eaker Air Force Base was on the top of the list. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Gosnell appears right center of the photo.. Today it is the headquarters for the group that runs the old base for civilian use and the aircraft are: I was promoted to Staff Sergeant after 37 months of active duty plus 5 months delayed enlistment program. Photo Credit: The National Cold War Center. Albums. This VC-47D had been assigned to the 97th Bomb Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas. I saw this jet in the Thunderbird performance at Blytheville Air Force base Oct 25 1972.. My USAF service had no connection to the Thunderbirds other than I saw this Thunderbird perform at Blytheville Air Force Base Oct 25 1972. The Southeast Asia War section of the Modern Flight Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/). Blytheville Air Force Base (BAFB) Exhibition: BAFB Exhibition - Blytheville/Eaker AFB - See 9 traveler reviews, 32 candid photos, and great deals for Blytheville, AR, at Tripadvisor. The deactivation of the Eakers (Blytheville) Air Force Base in 1992 hit the community hard as in 2019 the population is about 15,000 while the population of Fayetteville exploded to near 90,000. 2023 Getty Images. Eaker Air Force Base is located approximately 3 miles northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas, on Interstate 55 between St Louis and Memphis. 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). 1950's. Janet Austin - Duplessis. By August 1973, they had flown 126,615 combat sorties with seventeen B-52s lost to enemy action. The group was awarded two Distinguish Unit Citations during WWII and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crises. VetFriends.com helps reunite veterans from the Air Force daily. The airfield was used as the Southeastern Training Command's flight training school, which closed in October 1945 after the Second World War ended. Since then, there have been only 744 aircraft built by Boeing. In the late 1980s, the government, under congress had begun inspections on Air Force Bases. The hospital has been tightly sealed up. "Valkyrie" shows one of Norse mythology's legendary "choosers of the slain" in full armor on horseback, with her shield a SAC emblem and carrying SAC's red lightning bolts in her other hand--which is pretty inventive. Electrical work and flood damage repair have begun. All photos. 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. [1], The Blytheville Air Force Base Strategic Air Command (SAC) Alert and Weapons Storage Areas Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. Had many good times there. Glad to see the alert pad will be saved. The base was deactivated in 1945 at the end of World War II. CENTCOM commander H. Norman Schwartzkopf demanded continual B-52 strikes-- eventually forty percent of all ordnance expended--and the results were devastating. The majority of buildings have suffered the same fate. 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. Charles Fisher would forever be known as Mr. [1] Other aircraft stationed at Blytheville AFB included: KC-97 refueler, B-52G bomber, KC-135A tanker, T-33 jet fighter, and the T-37 traineramong others. Renamed Eaker Air Force Base in 1988 honoring Gen. Ira Eaker, the entire facility closed in 1992. Thank you! Branch of Service: Air Force. I was stationed at this base in 1972-1976 and worked in the 97th Supply Squadron which is one of the large buildings located near the center of the photo. After 30 years and learning the computer and finding VetFriends, I went to my first reunion of the USS Navasota AO-106. He arranged the trade of my old piece of crap Harley, arranged the financing so I could just get on my new motorcycle and drive away. The 456th completed deployments to Anderson AB in Guam with this B-52G. Altus AFB ACTIVE Need photos: Location: Altus, Oklahoma. The USAF Thunderbirds flew the F-4E Phantom II from 1969 until Feb 1974 when they were retired due to the October 1973 fuel crisis. It was located 3 miles (5 km) northwest of central Blytheville, Arkansas. These windowless alert quarters were identical everywhere, with tunnel-like egress covered in corrugated steel. Psychiatry and Psychology 1 My family and I were stationed here from about 1964 until 1970.