Blytheville was the only Advanced training base in Arkansas. NCO Club. May be an image of text that says 'David Pride 2000' No photo description available. 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. It was immediately assigned to the 72nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy) at Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico. 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. 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. BX and Cafeteria. Profile pictures. "A B52 with a full nuclear payload, is the seventh most powerful country in the world.". On the evening in question, Bruce was working for a local radio station, performing tests on their transmitters. No photo description available. [1], During the Vietnam War the 97th Bomber Wing at Blytheville supported strike operations throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. Details on 57-6486 are sparse; it may have seen combat over Vietnam with another unit. 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). And this is a photo of the HULK 46 design that the . Blytheville AFB was created in 1942 as a location for pilot training, originally named Blytheville Army Airfield. Capt. Today, "Valkyrie" still wears her 1991-era SIOP camouflage and a SAC badge on the nose; the nose art is on the port side. Most of the Gs ended their days sliced into pieces in the Arizona desert. The base contributed greatly to the economic and . Lots of good memories. 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 . 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. I have been to the former base and tarmac many times in the 2010s for Sports Car Club of America events. Beechcraft AT-10, and Curtiss-Wright AT-9s. Extensive efforts to offset the negative economic effects on the community of Blytheville were undertaken by local and federal officials, who cleaned up the site and then distributed the land to various organizations, including the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Base Fire Station. Photo by Democrat-Gazette file photo . In selected cases, due to ground water table conditions, the moleholes were built fully aboveground, with the lower story earthen bermed for semi-hardening. Retired from service in December 2019, MD-88 N907DL is stored at the former Blytheville (Eaker) Air Force Base, now Arkansas International Airport, in Blytheville, Arkansas. 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. The exhibits are impactful and tell the story of Base history. 766 th BS headquarters. However, some F-15E Strike Eagle units have begun painting nose art again, so reports of its demise is probably premature. An exploration of the base's history and its impact on the community. Its' soft start" with hours on Friday's and Saturday from about 12:00pm to 4:00pm, will take some trip planning. . 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". 326th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron; 21 July 1942-30 April 1944 2111th Army Air Forces Base Unit; 1 May 1944-16 June 1945 Became Blytheville Air Force Base / Eaker Air Force Base (1951-1992) Now: Arkansas International Airport (IATA: BYH, ICAO: KBYH, FAA LID: BYH) (1992-Present) Newport Army Air Field, 6 miles northeast of Newport Blytheville herald-news Blytheville courier news (DLC)sn 89051348 Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: majesticholidays.com, +12423231410, +13088411818, +14132671187, +13856680111, +12815278722 Bahamas hotels, vacation tour packages by majestic holidays Memphis Discovery Tour . TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. When I arrived in July 1972, Blytheville Air Force Base's B-52s, KC-135s, pilots, navigators, electronic warfare officers, tail gunners and many . Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos. Available for both RF and RM licensing. 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 airplane dismantler used most of the tarmac we were using and we havent been back since before covid. But it is well-worth the visit. Jul 1999. Arkansas had six Army airfields. Blytheville AFB became fully operational when it was equipped with a wing of three squadrons of B-57 bomber on 19 July 1955. The first of 12 model aircrafts that were once housed at the Blytheville Air Force Base (later Eaker Air Force Base) was delivered on Wednesday to the exhibition building. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. The National Cold War Center at the former Eaker Air Force Base in Blytheville announced Monday that it had received a $400,000 grant from the Division of Arkansas Heritage Cultural Institutions Trust Fund.A spokesperson said the money would be used to . Known as Operation Secret Squirrel, this 34-hour mission was at the time the longest aerial mission ever flown, and was not surpassed until the strikes on Afghanistan in 2001. Engines: Eight P&W J57-P-43WB turbojets, 13,750 lbs thrust each w/ water injection, Weight: 168,445 lbs empty; 488,000 lbs max, Speed: 636 mph max at 20,800 ft; 523 mph cruise, Range: 4,100 miles w/10,000 lb bomb load; 7,976 miles ferry, Armament: Four .5 in machine guns; payload 50,000 lbs bombs & missiles. Love Photoshop, a little bit of work and #3 does a flyby just for me 41 years later. 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. machine guns in tail plus up to 43,000 lbs. A photo of my Mustang in the snow at Barker's Trailerpark in Blytheville Arkansas. Since then, there have been only 744 aircraft built by Boeing. The population suffered as well. BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. Explore. Photographer unknown. All of these were under the Strategic Air Command. Though, local organizations and legal entities constantly fight to preserve the base. It was located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. Was the first KC-135E conversion in 1982. Blytheville air force base photos. Far in the northeast corner of Arkansas, five miles west of the Mississippi River, the city of Blytheville remembers a prosperous past while hoping for a bright future. When 58-0183 got its nose art, it was assigned to the 97th Bomb Wing at Blytheville AFB, Arkansas, but it would carry its nose art into combat during the First Gulf War as part of the 2nd BW at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. 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. machine guns in tail plus up to 60,000+ lbs. 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. . A bomber crew from Blytheville were among the first shot down during Operation Linebacker II, a December 1972 mission targeting complexes in North Vietnam. Any monthly plan. Yes we grew up overseas and only went to Department of Defense Schools but it was amazing. Who knew that 41 years later I would have a new Mustang or even still be alive. Eaker Air Force Base was home to a group of Strategic Air Command B-52 bombers and more than 3,000 military personnel before closing in 1992. In 2020, both Arkansas senators proposed a bill to designate the museum in Blytheville. By that time, the B-52G had already been tested in combat, with mixed results. About Westminster Village . 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. Americans did not have to fear every day of an imminent Soviet missile strike. Only ten B-52Gs survive today as museum pieces. It is planned to be its own exhibit within the system of buildings. The program was comprised of just over 1100 women. 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. Albums. 10 free downloads. During WWII, my Dad and his best friend, John Whittington, would go to the base (teenagers) and work. Ruth Eaker, General Eakers widow, signing autographs during the name change of the base in 1988. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. The National Cold War Center is planned to be the largest collection of history and information on the decades that made up the war in the world. 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 June 1972 General Brown assumed command of the 416th Bombardment Wing at Griffiss Air Force Base, N.Y. 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. In 1942, at the graduation ceremony it was believed that women could not fly as well as men. Three crewmen died in the crash. Contributions to PAs Most Endangered List, National Register of Historic Places (Jan, 26th 2018). On 16 January 1991, she was one of seven B-52s that would fly from Barksdale to fire cruise missiles at Saddam Hussein's Iraq on the first night of Operation Desert Storm. Base Closure What happened to Blytheville, Arkansas? The small gold Hap Arnold Wings that appear just below my name tag was a gift from the widow of a deceased WWII USAAF pilot. Hill Aerospace Museum officially received the aircraft for static display on July 11, 1991. [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. The current BAFB Exhibit is housed in the former B52 crew briefing building, and will continue to be an exhibit. In 1988, the facility was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in honor of World War II General of the Eighth Air Force, Ira C. Eaker. Charles Fisher would forever be known as Mr. 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. Assigned to Blytheville Air Force Base until deactivated in 1992. The G models were not equipped with the same robust electronic countermeasures suite as the Ds, nor did their crews have the same training. Roof repairs began on February 19, 2022. Operated by the 97th Bombardment Wing based at Eaker AFB, Blytheville AR. This is a photoshopped 1972 Suzuki Brochure that I have transposed my face over the riders face. 35 57.54 N, 89 57.74 W. Marker is in Gosnell, Arkansas, in Mississippi County. The Iron Curtain was torn down. action, the base has sat mostly dormant. The 97th deployed to Edwards AFB, California, while operating this aircraft. The hospital is also a very large (plan wise) building, so it is very possible to get lost inside the building without a map. Loved it. Offering the freedom of maintenance-free independent living with the flexibility of an affordable rental program, Westminster Village enables you to remain close to the best of Blytheville near fishing at Big Lake, as well as convenient access to Memphis . It was around 1960 and I still recall vividly sitting in the cockpit of a B-52. The Air Force packed up and left. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Improve this listing. Washington, DCMay 26, 2020.Today, Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) joined Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-1), Congressman French Hill (AR-2), and Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-4) in announcing the introduction of legislation to name the Blytheville/Eaker Air Force Base located in Blytheville, Arkansas the "National Cold War Center." The air force base was established in 1942 as a . 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. In June 1965 B-52s entered combat in Southeast Asia. The original, one-of-a-kind model was created by P.J. N503DN Delta Air Lines | Airbus A350-941 | Arkansas International Airport by M.J. Scanlon 17 . 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 . The B-52 has set numerous records in its many years of service. The Cold War had come to and end. 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. Note that the outrigger landing gear is off the ground: naturally, "Valkyrie" is empty of fuel, and so there is no wing droop. The base was deactivated in 1945 at the end of World War II. Cover photos. 4 items. [5], For the civil use of this facility and airport information, see, Blytheville Air Force Base Strategic Air Command (SAC) Alert and Weapons Storage Areas Historic District, Last edited on 26 September 2022, at 16:47, U.S. National Register of Historic Places, AFCEC, "Eaker Air Force Base Community Relations Plan", "National Register of Historic Places: Weekly list", "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Blytheville Air Force Base Strategic Air Command (SAC) Alert and Weapons Storage Areas Historic District", "Arkansas Officials Seek Cold War Museum for Former Air Base", "Community Relations Plan for the Former Eaker Air Force Base Blytheville, Arkansas (July 2007}", Arkansas Northeastern College (formerly Mississippi County CC), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blytheville_Air_Force_Base&oldid=1112498994, Part of Strategic Air Command/Tactical Air Command, Continental Air Forces, 16 June 1945 21 March 1946, 25th Twin Engine Flying Training Group, 25 July 1942 29 February 1944, Army Air Force Pilot School, 3 May 1942 31 May 1945, 211th Army Air Force Base Unit, 1 May 1944 15 June 1945, 809th Army Air Force Base Unit, 16 June 1945 31 March 1946, 334th Army Air Force Base Unit, 1 April 1946 25 November 1946, 461st Bombardment Wing, 8 April 1956 1 April 1958, 4329th Air Base Squadron, 1 April 1958 1 July 1959, 97th Bombardment Wing, 1 July 1959 1 September 1991, This page was last edited on 26 September 2022, at 16:47. Louisiana was the aircraft's next stop when in May 1974 it was transferred to the 2nd Bombardment Group (H) at Barksdale AFB. Businesses have come and go, but the wear and tear of Mother Nature and Father time have taken their toll on many buildings on base. I was stationed there from 1966-69. This had the added benefit of giving the gunner an ejection seat, eliminating the need for a manual bailout system. The War Assets Administration officially closed down the installation in 1946, at which point control and responsibility for the land was transferred to the city of Blytheville. The airfield was used as the Southeastern Training Command's flight training school, which closed in October 1945 after the Second World War ended. Photo Credit: The National Cold War Center. The nose art of the B-52 version is a faithful reproduction of the B-17 version--one of the many Varga Girls that decorated World War II-era aircraft. For nearly 50 years, residents of Blytheville, Ark., proudly supported the Air Force base in their town. The United States no longer needed bombers and fuel-tankers to be on 24/7 alert. 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. Honorable Discharged at the rank of E5 Staff Sgt. The hospital has been tightly sealed up. . After any major war, surplus equipment and property is sold to the general public and agencies. For more information, visit the website at www.nationalcoldwarcenter.com or call 870-532-2100. The 97th comm mustve been a very short lived entity as it was the 2101 CS / AFCC when I was there. Electrical work and flood damage repair have begun. Buildings, schools, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, car . There were trainer versions designated TC-47 and reconnaissance versions designated RC-47. "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. I really hope some other people can find this service and get in touch with people like I did. My 1966 Ford Mustang was setting in the parking lot the day we watched this jet fly. Photo Gallery. There was no need for the Global Shield. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. NUMBER BUILT: Douglas built a total of 10,047 C-47s and derivatives. 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. After 30 years and learning the computer and finding VetFriends, I went to my first reunion of the USS Navasota AO-106. Five feet of water was pumped out of the basement of the building. Mold and asbestos float through the air like dust that just got kicked up. In August 1991 this Stratofortress was dropped from the Air Force inventory and made available to the USAF Museum Program. The B-52G entered service in February 1959, and eventually 193 would be built, making it the most produced B-52 variant. The aircraft remained there until November when it was reassigned to the 320th Bombardment Wing (H) at Mather AFB, California. This article was made possible by the help of Barrett Harrison, President of the Arkansas Aeroplex, Technical Sergeant Robert Charles, curator of the BAFB Exhibit, many Air Force veterans and the National Cold War Center. The US needed a long range aircraft able to refuel other long range aircraft. I also lived in the dorms that are pictured. Vietnam War, 1961-1975. The commanding general of the U.S. Army Air Forces, Henry Arnold, went as far as saying that he doubted a woman could control a B17. Blytheville Air Force Base was established in 1942 as a pilot training station. In the Monett City Park is displayed the USAF Thunderbird F4 Phantom #3 Jet. Best years of my life. Transferred from the 97th Bomb Wing at Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas, this aircraft was flown to the Museum in November 1978. 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. After a brief hiatus of less than a decade, the facility reopened as the Blytheville Air Force Base. This view also shows how well 58-0183 is preserved, and the EVS bulges beneath the B-52's nose. The 17th Bombardment Wing (H) at Anderson AB was this aircraft's next duty station, arriving there in January 1973. I only ask that you send older photos (probably sometime before 1970).and they can be of People, Places in Blytheville, and Things. 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. Posted to Facebook by William Travis. [4], It is a 247 acres (100ha) historic district which included 23 contributing buildings, 33 contributing structures, two contributing sites, a contributing object, as well as two non-contributing buildings. View allAll Photos Tagged Blytheville Air Force Base. BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. These windowless alert quarters were identical everywhere, with tunnel-like egress covered in corrugated steel. Photo from Facebook.
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