Walker Air Force Base
Walker Air Force Base Air Force base | |
---|---|
Site history | |
Built | 1941 |
In use | 1941–1967 |
Walker Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force base located three miles (5 km) south of the central business district of
Walker AFB was named after General
History
What became Roswell Army Air Field was acquired by the United States Army Air Forces in 1941 from rancher David Chesser for the purpose of establishing a Military Flying Training Center and Bombardier School. From the beginning, it was designed as a large, expansive facility, given the excellent flying weather in New Mexico. The airfield consisted of seven concrete runways, two parallel North/South 7329x200 and 7000x200; two parallel NE/SW 7200x200 and 5655x200; two parallel NW/SE, 6964x200 and 5900x200 and one E/W runway 6884x200 (E/W).
In addition, no fewer than nine auxiliary landing fields for overflow and touch/go landing/takeoffs were established in the area. Enough construction was completed for the base and airfield to be activated and assigned to the United States Army Air Corps Training Command on 20 September 1941.
World War II
The Roswell Army Flying School was activated on 20 September 1941. Its mission was the training of third-phase aviation cadets in twin-engine aircraft. The school operated Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan twin-engine trainers and four (548th, 549th, 550th and 551st) Two-Engine Flying Training Squadrons. In addition to the flying school the Bombardier's school, operated 3 training squadrons also flying the AT-11.
In 1943, three additional twin engine flying training squadrons were added and two additional squadrons were added to the Bombardiers school as additional runways became available. Over 300 trainers filled the large parking ramp, which included
Until the fall of 1944,
Although there was a bombing target adjacent to the runway, the only items dropped from an aircraft were bags of sand or flour. The practice bombing and gunnery ranges were due south of the air field and on Matagorda Island along the Texas Gulf coast.
In addition to the airfield, the Roswell Prisoners of War (POW) camp was built for up to 4,800 POWs. Most of the POWs housed at the camp were German and Italian soldiers captured during the North African campaign. The POWs were actually used as construction laborers on local projects and many of Roswell's parks were built by POWs. The Spring River, which passes through downtown Roswell, was lined with concrete and stones using POW labor. The prisoners used stones of different colors to form an Iron Cross in the riverbed.
With the end of World War II, the training mission at Roswell AAF ended on 1 November 1945. The base was designated as a permanent Army Air Force facility and jurisdiction of the base was transferred to 238th Army Air Forces Base Unit, Second Air Force, Continental Air Command.
Strategic Air Command
The
In April 1946 many of the group's
Squadrons assigned to the 509th were:
- 393d Bombardment Squadron
- 715th Bombardment Squadron
- 830th Bombardment Squadron
On 10 July 1946, the group was renamed the 509th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy). With the creation of the United States Air Force as a separate service, the group became the combat component of the 509th Bombardment Wing on 17 November 1947, although it was not operational until 14 September 1948, when Colonel John D. Ryan was named commander.
The wing pioneered a new concept on 30 June 1948, when the
In January 1954, the
The
33rd Fighter Group
The
- 59th Fighter Squadron(F-51, F-84)
- 60th Fighter Squadron (F-51, F-84)
The group was initially attached to the 509th Bombardment Group to perform fighter escort duties. The group was redesignated as the 33rd Fighter Wing on 15 October 1947. It remained at Roswell until 16 November 1948 when it was transferred to
6th Bombardment Wing
The
However the three squadrons of the wing (24th, 39th, 40th) were soon re-equipped with SAC's new heavy bomber,
The B-36D was the first major production model of the bomber, being equipped with two pairs of General Electric J47-GE-19 turbojets in pods underneath the outer wings to assist the six R-4360-41 piston engines. The B-36D flew fairly well on just four or even three piston engines, so it was common practice to shut down some of the engines during cruise. The turbojets were normally used only for speed dashes over the target area or for takeoff. The 6th conducted strategic bombardment training with the aircraft, being deployed at
The phaseout of the B-36 began in 1957, when the wing began receiving the new Boeing B-52 Stratofortress jet bomber. They were flown by its existing squadrons. The last of the B-36s departed Walker in 1958.
To provide air defense of the base, United States Army
In September 1959, the 24th and 30th Bombardment Squadrons joined the newly assigned 4129th Combat Crew Training Squadron to train B-52 and
The
The wing was redesignated the 6th Strategic Aerospace Wing on 1 May 1962. On 25 June 1965, the 310th Air Refueling Squadron was attached to the wing. It flew KC-135A aircraft until the base was closed and the unit was moved to
579th Strategic Missile Squadron
In 1960,
Although Chaves County residents took patriotic pride in the news of the missile squadron's arrival, Roswell residents submitted 10 permit requests for bomb shelters in October 1961 as construction went ahead.
The 579th SMS received its first missile on 24 January 1962. In April 1962, a completed liquid oxygen plant built at Walker AFB was turned over to the Air Force. The squadron completed missile installation approximately one month before the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Roswell's sites developed a notorious reputation due to three missile explosions. On 1 June 1963, launch complex 579-1 was destroyed during a propellant loading exercise. On 13 February 1964 an explosion occurred during another propellant loading exercise, destroying launch complex 579-5. Again, a month later, on 9 March 1964, silo 579-2 fell victim to another explosion that occurred during a propellant loading exercise.
These missiles were not mated with their warheads at the time of the incidents. The only injury reported was that of a crewman running into barbed wire as he fled a site.
The accidents at Walker and at other Atlas and Titan I sites accelerated the decision to inactivate these systems. On 25 March 1965 the 579 SMS was inactivated and the Air Force removed the missiles from their silos. After being demilitarized, the former missile sites reverted to private ownership.
686th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
Walker AFB was selected to be part of the planned deployment by
A temporary radar site (L-46) was activated at Walker AFB in 1950 to protect the approaches. L-46 was located in an old government housing building, with a complement of less than 100 personnel of the 120th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron. The 120th AC&W Squadron consisted of members of the federalized Arkansas Air National Guard, called to active duty during the Korean War. The station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes.
Designated to receive a new radar as part of the mobile radar program, this radar site continued to be operational on a Lashup basis in late 1952 using an AN/TPS-1B radar. A more permanent facility at Walker was operational, with the 686th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron activated on 1 October 1953, replacing the federalized ANG unit which was inactivated. The squadron consisted of about 150 Officers and Airmen.
The 686th AC&W Squadron operated
In addition to the main facility, Walker operated several
- Santa Rosa, NM (M-90B): 34°51′40″N 104°45′25″W / 34.86111°N 104.75694°W
- Sierra Blanca, TX (M-90E): 31°41′53″N 105°22′57″W / 31.69806°N 105.38250°W
In March 1963 the Air Force ordered the site to shut down. Operations ceased 1 August 1963. Today the cantonment area is still extant, now used by the physical plant crew of the Eastern New Mexico University – Roswell (ENMU-R). The radar site at Walker is decrepit and abandoned, with refuse around buildings and the concrete road badly cracked and deteriorated.
Closure
In 1967, the Air Force announced that Walker AFB would be closed. This was during a round of stateside base closings and consolidations as the Defense Department struggled to pay the expenses of the
Walker AFB was officially closed on 30 June 1967. It has since been redeveloped by civil authorities into the Roswell International Air Center. Large numbers of out-of-service aircraft are stored on the parking ramps and disused taxiways/runways for refurbishment and sale. In addition, the Boeing Company uses RIAC for braking performance testing of its aircraft, most recent was the testing of the BF Goodrich carbon brakes on the 737-900ER model. Also testing on brakes was performed on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The Eastern New Mexico University has built a large campus on the west side of the former base, however much of the base still has the look and feel of the former Air Force Base. Many former Air Force buildings, including aircraft hangars, maintenance shops, barracks, and office buildings have been reused for private interests. The large housing area still exists, with the former government housing units in private hands. Large numbers of buildings have also been removed or torn down, leaving large areas of vacant land with streets and former parking lots and concrete foundations.
In 2005, the base was used for a secret Foo Fighters concert celebrating the band's tenth anniversary.[2]
Previous names
- Roswell Army Flying School, 1941–1942
- Roswell Army Air Field (RAAF), 1942–1947
- Roswell Air Force Base, 1947–1948
- Walker Air Force Base, 1948–1967
Major commands to which assigned
- West Coast Air Corps Training Center, 1941–1943
- Western Flying Training Command, 1943–1945
- Second Air Force, 1945–1946
- Strategic Air Command, 1946–1967
Major units assigned
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SM-65F Atlas Missile Sites
The 579th Strategic Missile Squadron operated twelve missile sites, of one missile at each site.
- 579-1 (1962–1963)*, 0.8 mi NW of Acme, NM 33°35′52″N 104°20′27″W / 33.59778°N 104.34083°W
- 579-2 (1962–1964)*, 8.1 mi ENE of Acme, NM 33°38′27″N 104°12′10″W / 33.64083°N 104.20278°W
- 579-3, 16.1 mi ENE of Acme, NM 33°41′17″N 104°04′29″W / 33.68806°N 104.07472°W
- 579-4, 12.7 mi ENE of Rio Hondo, NM 33°25′31″N 104°11′17″W / 33.42528°N 104.18806°W
- 579-5 (1962–1964)*, 20.0 mi SE of Acme, NM 33°25′24″N 104°02′54″W / 33.42333°N 104.04833°W
- 579-6, 12.4 mi ESE of Hagerman, NM 33°04′24″N 104°07′12″W / 33.07333°N 104.12000°W
- 579-7, 4.2 mi E of Hagerman, NM 33°06′16″N 104°15′29″W / 33.10444°N 104.25806°W
- 579-8, 7.3 mi S of Hagerman, NM 33°00′15″N 104°20′22″W / 33.00417°N 104.33944°W
- 579-9, 2.5 mi ENE of Sunset, NM 33°21′17″N 105°02′07″W / 33.35472°N 105.03528°W
- 579-10, 11.2 mi E of Sunset, NM 33°22′21″N 104°52′59″W / 33.37250°N 104.88306°W
- 579-11, 6.2 mi W of Arroyo Macho del, NM 33°35′58″N 104°34′33″W / 33.59944°N 104.57583°W
- 579-12, 16.7 mi NW of Acme, NM 33°43′47″N 104°34′05″W / 33.72972°N 104.56806°W
* Missile explosion destroyed site
See also
- Ivor Parry Evans
- Roswell International Air Center
- New Mexico World War II Army Airfields
- 38th Flying Training Wing (World War II)
- Central Air Defense Force (Air Defense Command) (34th Air Division)
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- ^ "Brig. Gen Kenneth Newton Walker".
- ^ Blistein, Jon (20 September 2019). "Foo Fighters Release 2005 Roswell Concert for 'Storm Area 51 Day'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office 1961 (republished 1983, Office of Air Force History, ISBN 0-912799-02-1).
- Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
- Mueller, Robert (1989). Volume 1: Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. USAF Reference Series, Office of Air Force History, United States Air Force, Washington, D.C. ISBN 0-16-002261-4
- Krauss, Robert (2005) The 509th Remembered: A History of the 509th Composite Group as Told by the Veterans Themselves, 509th Anniversary Reunion, Wichita, Kansas 509th Press ISBN 0-923568-66-2
- Lloyd, Alwyn T. (2000), A Cold War Legacy, A Tribute to Strategic Air Command, 1946–1992, Pictorial Histories Publications ISBN 1-57510-052-5
- Turner Publishing Company (1997), Strategic Air Command: The Story of the Strategic Air Command and Its People. Turner Publishing Company ISBN 1-56311-265-5
- USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers—1908 to present
- ArmyAirForces.com
- Strategic-Air-Command.com
External links
- Official website of the Walker Air Force Base Museum
- Whiteman AFB, Missouri – Current home of the 509th Bombardment Wing
- 6th Bombardment Wing
- 579th Strategic Missile Squadron
- Walker AFB at Strategic Air Command.Com
- B-36 operations Walker AFB 1955–1957
- Current-Day Walker AFB Photos
- Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Roswell Area (Information on auxiliary airfields of Roswell AAF)