Truax Field Air National Guard Base

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Coordinates: 43°08′23″N 089°20′15″W / 43.13972°N 89.33750°W / 43.13972; -89.33750
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the civil use of this facility, see Dane County Regional Airport.

43°08′23″N 089°20′15″W / 43.13972°N 89.33750°W / 43.13972; -89.33750

Truax Field Air National Guard Base
AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
18/36 2,745 meters (9,006 ft) Concrete
3/21 2,194.5 meters (7,200 ft) Concrete
14/32 1,781.8 meters (5,846 ft) Concrete
Airfield shared with Dane County Regional Airport.
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Truax Field Air National Guard Base (IATA: MSN, ICAO: KMSN, FAA LID: MSN), also known as Truax Field, is a military facility located at Dane County Regional Airport. It is located five miles (8 km) northeast of the center of Madison, a city in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States.

Truax Field was named in honor of Wisconsin native Lieutenant Thomas L. Truax, who was killed in a

P-40
training accident in November 1941.

The airport is home to both the Wisconsin Army National Guard and the Wisconsin Air National Guard.

History

Originally known as Madison Army Airfield, Truax Field was activated as an

B-29 Superfortress
communications equipment. The host unit on the airfield was the 334th (later 3508th) Army Air Force Base Unit. On 17 September 1945, the airfield's mission was changed to that of a separation center, and it was closed as an active AAF airfield on 30 November 1945.

Conveyed to local civilian authorities, the "Madison Municipal Airport" also became the home of the

F-16 Fighting Falcon
.

Reactivated by the

F-80 Shooting Stars from Truax until returning to Milwaukee
in February 1952.

After some construction of additional runways, taxiways, aprons and support facilities, the

F-89 Scorpion
aircraft in a fighter-interceptor role.

On 9 April 1955, Truax AFB became the headquarters of ADC's

Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) automated control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft. SAGE, in later versions, could also automatically direct aircraft to an interception by sending commands directly to the aircraft's autopilot.

In the late 1950s, the aircraft assigned to the base changed to the

F-102 Delta Dagger and the 78th was replaced by the 327th Fighter-Interceptor Group, which arrived in 1956, replacing the 78th. The 327th's squadrons were the 61st, 323d and 325th
Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons.

In 1966, Headquarters, 30th Air Division, was reassigned to

F-106 Delta Dart
aircraft, while at the same time controlling numerous ground-based USAF radar squadrons.

By the late 1960s, the need for air defense against crewed aircraft was diminishing and the renamed Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) was consolidating and drawing down its forces. On 31 December 1967, the 20th AD was reassigned to Fort Lee AFS, Virginia and Truax AFB was deactivated as an active Aerospace Defense Command base in early 1968. Those portions of Truax AFB not reverting to civilian control were turned over to the Wisconsin Air National Guard as Truax Field Air National Guard Base and Dane County Regional Airport/Truax Field has been a joint military/civil airport ever since.

Truax Field ANGB remains the home installation of the

Lockheed F-16 Fighting FalconC/D multi-role fighter aircraft. The 115 FW has two distinct missions. The Federal mission under Title 10 USC is to staff and train flying and support units to augment Air Combat Command
general purpose fighter forces to effectively and rapidly project F-16 combat power anywhere in the world to perform wartime or peacetime missions as well as operations other than war. The 115 FW maintains mobilization readiness as part of the Air Reserve Component (ARC) and conducts training as directed by ACC. The State mission under Title 32 USC is to provide trained and equipped units to protect life and property and to preserve peace, order, and public safety as directed by the Governor of Wisconsin.

ADC units assigned

2020s

In April 2020, the Air Force announced that the F-35A Lightning II would be based at Truax Field, with the 115th Fighter Wing receiving its first aircraft in 2023.[2]

The 115 FW's last F-16 left Truax field in October 2022. The first three F-35As arrived in 25 April 2023.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Airport Diagram – Dane County Rgnl Truax Field (MSN)" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Air Force makes final basing decision for next two Air National Guard". US Air Force. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  3. ^ Hadley, Greg (28 April 2023). "Wisconsin Guard Wing Accepts First 3 F-35s". Air & Space Forces Magazine. Retrieved 10 August 2023.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

External links

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