England Air Force Base
This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2012) |
England Air Force Base Alexandria Air Force Base Alexandria Army Airfield | |
---|---|
Part of Tactical Air Command (TAC) | |
Rapides Parish, near Alexandria, Louisiana | |
Coordinates | 31°19′39″N 92°32′55″W / 31.32750°N 92.54861°W |
Type | Air Force Base |
Site information | |
Controlled by | United States Air Force |
Site history | |
Built | 1942 |
In use | 1942–1992 |
Garrison information | |
Garrison | 23d Tactical Fighter Wing (1972–1992) |
England Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Louisiana, located 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest of Alexandria and about 170 miles (270 km) northwest of New Orleans. Originally known as Alexandria Army Air Base, on 23 June 1955 the facility was renamed England Air Force Base in honor of Lt Col John Brooke England (1923–1954).[1]
The base was closed in 1992. The airfield and buildings are now Alexandria International Airport. Three episodes of The Crocodile Hunter were recorded in this base because the area is an important area for conservation.
History
The base was opened on 21 October 1942 and during the
On 10 October 1950, the United States Air Force reopened Alexandria Air Force Base during the Korean War. The station's primary mission was tactical fighter operations for Tactical Air Command.
Its major operating units were:
- 67th Airdrome Squadron, 1 February 1943 – 25 March 1943
- 471st Bombardment Group, 1 May 1943 – 7 May 1943
- 469th Bombardment Group, 7 May 1943 – 1 April 1944
- 221st AAF Base Unit, 25 March 1944 – 1 March 1945
- 329th AAF Base Unit, 1 March 1945 – 23 September 1946
- 4416th Base Complement Sq, 23 October 1950 – 22 December 1950
- 137th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 22 December 1950 – 2 May 1952
- Composite Air National Guard wing activated to Federal Service due to Korean War
- Flew Republic Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, France
- Flew Republic
- 132d Fighter-Bomber Wing, 2 May 1952 – 1 January 1953
- Iowa ANG Wing activated to Federal Service replacing reassigned 137th FBW
- One operational squadron (124th FIS). Flew Republic straight winged F-84s. Returned to state control.(F-84Fs were not assigned to front line units until January 1954-please see pages 42/3 in POST WORLD WAR TWO FIGHTERS 1945–73 U S Government Printing Office)
- 366th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 January 1953 – 1 April 1959
- Active duty Air Force wing activated at Alexandria AFB. Three operational squadrons (North American F-86F "Sabre"jet aircraft by end of 1953.
- Active duty Air Force wing activated at Alexandria AFB. Three operational squadrons (
- Wing became first TAC unit to perform six-month TDY rotations with NATO at Aviano AB, Italy, with rotations continuing to support NATO in France and Italy. Redesignated 366th Tactical Fighter Wing 1 July 1958. Inactivated 1 April 1959 as part of a general budgetary reduction of USAF wings. Aircraft transferred to Air National Guard.
- Wing became first TAC unit to perform six-month TDY rotations with NATO at
- 420th Air Refueling Squadron (Tactical), 18 March 1954 – 4 October 1955
- (Activated at England AFB, equipped with Boeing KB-29P.
- (Activated at England AFB, equipped with
- First unit in TAC of its type. Provided TAC with independent air refueling capability. Reassigned to RAF Sculthorpe, England.
- First unit in TAC of its type. Provided TAC with independent air refueling capability. Reassigned to
- 622d Air Refueling Squadron (Tactical), 18 July 1955 – 1 April 1964
- Activated at England AFB, assigned to 4505th Air Refueling Wing, Langley AFB, Virginia1 July 1958.
- Activated at England AFB, assigned to 4505th Air Refueling Wing,
- Equipped with turbojet-augmented Boeing KB-50J(1957–64) aircraft. Aircraft became obsolescent and unit inactivated 1 April 1964.
- Equipped with
- 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 April 1959 – 27 April 1966
- According to AIR FORCE COMBAT WINGS 1947–1977(GPO) pages 194/5 and 214, the 366th FBW had two FB Groups under it: 366th & 401st. The 366th WING became a TFW in July 1958 and inactivated in April 1959. Meanwhile, the 401st FBG upgraded to a FBW in September 1957 and remained in place with four squadrons of F-100D/Fs. The aircraft and most of the personnel of the 366th Wing were transferred to other units in TAC and overseas. There was no redesignations of any 366th squadrons to 401st squadrons.
- Four tactical fighter squadrons (612th, 613th, 614th, 615th) redesignated from former 366th TFW units. Participated in numerous firepower demonstrations, tactical exercises and maneuvers in the United States and overseas, and deployed its tactical squadrons to bases in Europe and the Middle East in support of NATO. Deployed to Torrejon Air Base, Spain.
- Four tactical fighter squadrons (612th, 613th, 614th, 615th) redesignated from former 366th TFW units. Participated in numerous firepower demonstrations, tactical exercises and maneuvers in the United States and overseas, and deployed its tactical squadrons to bases in Europe and the Middle East in support of NATO. Deployed to
- 3d Tactical Fighter Wing, 9 January 1964 – 7 November 1965
- Reassigned from Yokota AB, Japan, Equipped with F-100 Super Sabres after arrival at England AFB.
- Reassigned from
- Four tactical fighter squadrons (90th, 416th, 510th, 531st)., with the 510th coming from Clark AB, RP and the 416th and 531st moving from Misawa AB Japan, each unit with about 25 F-100D/Fs, then trained and rotated its squadrons in detached status to Southeast Asia for combat duty. Reassigned to Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam. The 3rd Wing number transferred from Yokota AB Japan along with one squadron number, the 90th "Pair-O-Dice", in the spring of 1964, so the wing had four squadrons assigned.[citation needed]
- 834th Air Division, 1 July 1964 – 15 October 1966
- Assumed command and control over 3d and 401st Tactical Fighter Wings.
- After reassignment of wings, assumed remaining organization and operational squadrons of former 401st TFW. Deployed to South Vietnamese bases (834th AD to Phu Cat AB).
- After reassignment of wings, assumed remaining organization and operational squadrons of former 401st TFW. Deployed to South Vietnamese bases (834th AD to
- 1st Air Commando/Special Operations Wing 15 January 1966 – 15 July 1969
- 317th, 319th, 603rd Air Commando/Special Operations Squadrons
- Reassigned from Hurlburt Field Florida. Redesignated 1st SOW 8 July 1968. Reassigned to Hurlburt Field, Florida.
- 4410th Combat Crew Training Wing/Group 15 July 1969 – 31 July 1973
- 6th Special Operations Training Squadron, 427th, 4412th, 4532d Combat Crew Training Squadrons
- Wing reassigned from Hurlburt Field Florida. Redesignated as Group, 15 September 1970. Inactivated July 1973 due to US withdrawal from South Vietnam. Upon group inactivation, 6th SOTS reassigned to 1st SOW at Hurlburt Field but remained at England AFB until inactivation, January 1974.
On 15 September 1970, the 4403d Tactical Fighter Wing, a temporary Major Air Command-Controlled (MAJCOM) unit, activated at England. With its subordinate
On 1 July 1972, the
Air Defense Command
Alexandria (and later England) AFB was base for
In addition to the fighter-interceptor squadron, England AFB part of the planned deployment by
On 1 November 1954 the
In addition to the main facility, Air Defense Command operated three
- Delhi, LA (M-125A): 32°19′40″N 091°33′25″W / 32.32778°N 91.55694°W
- Weeks Island, LA (M-125C): 29°48′34″N 091°48′22″W / 29.80944°N 91.80611°W
- Lake Charles GFA, LA (M-125D): 30°11′05″N 093°10′30″W / 30.18472°N 93.17500°W
England AFB was a planned
The station was picked up by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after the ADC shut down operations. The site is still in operations using the FPS-20A, being known as Alexandria, Louisiana. Virtually all other parts of this old Air Force radar station have been removed. A golf course now occupies part of the old M-125 site.
Closure
In October 1990, the
See also
- Louisiana World War II Army Airfields
- List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations
Notes
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ "Alexandria and Pineville Salute England AFB, Louisiana", BP Industries, Inc., Midland, Texas, 1973, page 7.
- ^ Mueller, 170.
- ^ a b Document Detail for IRISNUM= 01113874 airforcehistoryindex.org
Further reading
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
- Mueller, Robert (1989). Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. USAF Reference Series, Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6
- Endicott, Judy G. (1999) Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. CD-ROM.
- Martin, Patrick (1994). Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. Schiffer Military Aviation History. ISBN 0-88740-513-4.
- Menard David R. (1998) Republic F-84: Thunderjet, Thunderstreak, & Thunderflash : A Photo Chronicle Schiffer Publishing ISBN 0-7643-0444-5
- Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
- USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers—1908 to present
- Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 – 1980, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
- Winkler, David F. (1997), Searching the skies: the legacy of the United States Cold War defense radar program. Prepared for United States Air Force Headquarters Air Combat Command.
- England AFB, LA
External links
- Memories of England Air Force Base
- England Air Force Base Archived 2015-09-29 at the Wayback Machine : England AFB photos, history, aircraft, map, static aircraft display, and more.