Blytheville Air Force Base aka Eaker Air Force Base. [3] Unfortunately, Eaker Air Force Base topped the Strategic Air Command's list of base closures in 1991 and with the Cold War coming to an end, the installation was officially chosen; in March 1992, the last aircraft left the base. 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. All the glass is shattered. "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. The Strategic Air Command had reached the end of the road. It is a peculiarly shaped building, like the rest of the buildings on the base. The nine surviving jets are scattered from coast to coast most of them restored and on display. In the late 1980s, the government, under congress had begun inspections on Air Force Bases. Fill out the form and sign up to help us protect: By signing up, you are not committing to anything, you are simply subscribing to be notified of upcoming volunteer dates. Most of the Gs ended their days sliced into pieces in the Arizona desert. Currently, there is a restoration program working to rebuild and reuse buildings that arent disappearing. 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. 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. I also lived in the dorms that are pictured. After it became operational in 1955, the B-52 remained the main long-range heavy bomber of the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War, and it continues to be an important part of the USAF bomber force today. 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. It seemed like every morning at 5:00 AM the flight line maintenance crews would fire up some of the airplanes engines. If you served in Blytheville Air Force Base, Join TWS for free to reconnect with service friends. 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. The 17th Bombardment Wing (H) at Anderson AB was this aircraft's next duty station, arriving there in January 1973. I saw this jet fly Oct 25 1972 at the Blytheville AFB air show. 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. Collect, curate and comment on your files. New in 1960. Property is disposed of, and the government cleans up after itself. Airport information, from map to hotels to aeronautical information. Looking for someone that served with you? Alas LRAFB was where we flew C119s to summer camp, but always hoped foe a fly in there. 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. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. machine guns in tail plus up to 43,000 lbs. The Ritz Theater from the outside circa. Merged with: Blytheville herald-news (non-extant), to form: Blytheville courier news. Eaker Air Force Base (1942-1992) was a front-line United States Air Force base for over 40 years. "Valkyrie" was known to the USAF as 58-0183, a B-52G Stratofortress. My 1966 Ford Mustang was setting in the parking lot the day we watched this jet fly. This one is at the old (now closed) SAC base near Blytheville, Arkansas. "Valkyrie" would fly a few more missions during the war, the only time she would drop bombs in anger. Several C-47s were fitted with pontoons and redesignated C-47C. The walls are riddled with holes. . Abandoned Arkansas had noticed while touring the base, the former base bank had been torn down the week prior to January 1st, 2022. B.R.A.C. BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. Who knew that 41 years later I would have a new Mustang or even still be alive. Today, "Valkyrie" still wears her 1991-era SIOP camouflage and a SAC badge on the nose; the nose art is on the port side. Eaker Air Force Base Historic District, Arkansas International Airport, and Blytheville Municipal Airport. 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. 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. Hopefully the site will become available again for us. Movie Theater. The exhibits are impactful and tell the story of Base history. Who knew that 41 years later I would have a new Mustang or even still be alive. The National Cold War Center will be an entirely brand new building itself. Wing Headquarters. In June 1965, B-52s entered combat in Southeast Asia. I only ask that you send older photos (probably sometime before 1970).and they can be of People, Places in Blytheville, and Things. (photo courtesy of Delta) On Tuesday, June 2, 2020, Delta Air Lines . The United States no longer needed bombers and fuel-tankers to be on 24/7 alert. We share a body likeness and dress and I had an orange helmet but most of the time I wore my Easy Rider Flag helmet. Though it is currently in a rough shape as an Air Force Base it doesnt have to be that way. The nose art trend continued through Operation Desert Storm--though some of the ladies were censored or temporarily taped over to avoid offending Saudi religious officials--but then began to disappear again during the 1990s. As I recall, crew members were typically on alert for 10 days of every month. The Cold War had come to and end. Buildings have collapsed in that time frame. And this is a photo of the HULK 46 design that the . Find Blytheville Air Force Base stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. It was rolled out of Boeings Wichita plant. In July 1991, she was retired, and as one of the Secret Squirrel aircraft, was donated to the Pima Air and Space Museum immediately. 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. Blytheville air force base photos. After it became operational in 1955, the B-52 remained the main long-range heavy bomber of the US Air Force during the Cold War, and it continues to be an important part of the USAF bomber force today. The facility now operates as the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. [1] It was located 3 miles (4.8km) northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. 1950's. Janet Austin - Duplessis. 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. Though it is referred to these names, the airport officially goes by Arkansas Aeroplex. 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. Thule is the only air force base with no aircraft and a tugboat. if I remember correctly it was one of the rooms pictured (162). [1], During the Vietnam War the 97th Bomber Wing at Blytheville supported strike operations throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. If was really not abandoned til 10 year ago becuae I went to preschool on the base then I got shut down because all of us got sick becuase the heat and air went out. Lots of good memories. Unit of Service: 311th Tactical Airlift Squadron; Air National Guard. Blytheville AFB was created in 1942 as a location for pilot training, originally named Blytheville Army Airfield. 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. On June 10, 1942, the U.S. Army opened an advanced pilot training school at Blytheville, Arkansas. [1] Then the airfield briefly became a processing center for the rapid demobilization of military personnel being discharged. Blytheville Air Force Base was established in 1942 as a pilot training station. I completed USAF Technical School in Denver Co the end of June 1972 and received two weeks leave before reporting to my base and when I arrived home my old farm boss, USAAF Veteran Bill Morriss had a brand new Suzuki motorcycle in his garage. [1], The base closure cost the community over 700 civilian jobs, but half of these were recovered through the adaptive reuse of the former base, such as United States Post Office's utilization of the base in the late 1990s as an airport hub during the holidays, some of the base housing being converted by Westminster Village of the Mid-South for a retirement community, the construction of a $2.5 million sports complex by the local community, and the private investment of some $3 million for the creation of the Thunder Bayou Golf Course. 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. It was also a B-52 that made the first airborne hydrogen bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956. On the opening night of the war, a group of B-52s took off from Barksdale AFB, Louisiana and struck targets in Iraq with ALCMs, in a 34-hour nonstop round trip mission, a record that stood until 1996. The plane . Links: Thule AFB . During Eaker's height, Blytheville was roughly the same size as Jonesboro, Smith said. There are some items of interest in this photo of things that didn't appear on my uniform. Like the Arc Light strikes of Vietnam, Iraqi forces on the ground could not hear or see B-52s before they struck. 4 items. 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. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. [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. It is the USAFs main aerial fueling aircraft. On January 31st, 2022, the Arkansas Aeroplex officially announced that work had been started on restoring Building 1225. The airfield was used as the Southeastern Training Command's flight training school, which closed in October 1945 after the Second World War ended. Club was demolished. A bomber crew from Blytheville were among the first shot down during Operation Linebacker II, a December 1972 mission targeting complexes in North Vietnam. Transferred from the 97th Bomb Wing at Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas, this aircraft was flown to the Museum in November 1978. Blytheville, Walnut Ridge, Grider, Newport, Stuttgart, and Adams Field. 3 items. Charles Fisher would forever be known as Mr. Constructed on former agricultural land, the site was originally activated as the Blytheville Army Airfield in 1942. Marker is at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Chestnut Drive, on the right when traveling east on Memorial Drive. Some of the land has since been declared a National Historic Landmark. Since its organization on 21 March 1946, SAC had continuously used C-47s or Gooney Birds as they were usually called, for support and administrative purposes. Though, local organizations and legal entities constantly fight to preserve the base. Formerly the site of family housing for Eaker Air Force Base, Westminster Village is a non-profit community. It launched rescue missions from the base to Grenada in 1983 and in August 1990, the pilots of the 97th Bomber Wing began practicing for missions in the Middle East and eventually supported Operation Desert Storm. Housing for members of the military and their families was developed between 1957 and 1962 north and south . The B-52 has set numerous records in its many years of service. Those dorms were pristine (almost new if I remember correctly) when they were abandoned. Air Base Group Headquarters. Owners of said buildings had big ambitions to renovate and repurpose the old buildings, but either plans never took off or money was tight. The last duty station for this aircraft was with a previous owner, the 93rd Bombardment Wing (H) at Castle AFB, where it arrived in December 1988. Rick O'Kelley was drafted in Oct 1971 and enlisted in the USAF November 10 1971 on delayed enlistment. Luckily, the nose art was removed first and donated to the nearby Pima Air and Space Museum. or the notorious F-105 "Cherry Girl," which positioned a full-frontal nude girl strategically over the refueling port on the nose. The majority of buildings have suffered the same fate. The Museums C-47 was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and delivered to the USAAF on July 14, 1944. Places to visit . In December 1972, after being repaired, it flew four additional missions over North Vietnam. Once more, however, the B-52G was called upon for the conventional role during Operation Desert Storm against Iraq in 1991. In May 1962 the aircraft returned to the Boeing factory in Kansas for wing modification and strengthening to counteract the fatigue cracks occurring in the B-52 fleet. The current BAFB Exhibit is housed in the former B52 crew briefing building, and will continue to be an exhibit. . Was stationed there from 1967 to 1970 with 97th AMS, the old A&E Squadron. Posted on Facebook by Michael Meagher, Photographer unknown. U.S. 3 talking about this. Since then, there have been only 744 aircraft built by Boeing. The WASP program tasked select women with many key roles on airfields across the nation. An exploration of the base's history and its impact on the community. 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. Photographer unknown. ", From: www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/facility/bomber_alert.htm. In the years leading up to the reunification of Germany, the U.S. government sought out to begin a process that would eventually end in many bases like Eaker, to be closed. Best years of my life. Dave Howell, RN Bob Gilbert, Gunner Rick Watson, EW Chuck Kinkhead, N Can't remember, CP Kevin Rice. View allAll Photos Tagged Blytheville Air Force Base. Some commanders, such as General Charles Donnelly in USAFE (no relation to the author) reportedly considered making names and/or nose art on USAFE aircraft a requirement. In its prime, it housed over 3,000 service members, and a whole fleet of Strategic Air Command B52 BUFF Stratofortresses. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. In 2020, both Arkansas senators proposed a bill to designate the museum in Blytheville. of conventional or nuclear bombs, Engines: Eight Pratt & Whitney J57s of 12,100 lbs. machine guns in tail plus up to 43,000+ lbs. In 1942, at the graduation ceremony it was believed that women could not fly as well as men. 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. Deactivated at the close of the conflict, the base was reactivated in the 1950s as Blytheville Air Force Base and was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in 1988 . The KC135 replaced the KC97, as the latter could not keep up with newer, larger and faster aircraft. View of the southern end of the former Blytheville AFB (Eaker AFB). Its' soft start" with hours on Friday's and Saturday from about 12:00pm to 4:00pm, will take some trip planning. Certain buildings are worth saving. May be an image of text that says 'David Pride 2000' No photo description available. 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; . The Iron Curtain was torn down. 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!" JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 4 million screened photos online! When Operation Linebacker and especially Linebacker II taxed the Southeast Asia-based B-52D fleet to the limit, President Richard Nixon authorized the G models to be deployed to Vietnam as well. My family and I were stationed here from about 1964 until 1970. 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). Dental Clinic. Explore. Vietnam War, 1961-1975. Posted June 9th, 2014 by NFFF & filed under Uncategorized. A B52 with a full nuclear payload, is the seventh most powerful country 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. Gym - Center of Wing's Athletic Activities. The base closed in December 1992 and has re-opened as a general aviation/commercial airport and industrial park known as the Arkansas Aeroplex. Ash worked from a photograph of the B-52 Blytheville plane. VetFriends.com helps reunite veterans from the Air Force daily. If you can make it, even for an hour, we will be glad to have you! It was closed as a military base in 1992 at the end of the Cold War pursuant to BRAC action and now operates as Arkansas International Airport . At 14 I was hopping buses and trains and hanging out with friends in surrounding towns. The hospital has been tightly sealed up. The Southeast Asia War section of the Modern Flight Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/). 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". [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. 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). Evans was from Osceola AR. Any monthly plan. for another radio code that would tell him to turn around. My 1966 Ford Mustang was setting in the parking lot the day we watched this jet fly. 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 ). After extensive renovations, the "BAFB Exhibition", at the former Blytheville/Eaker Air Force Base, is open for business. Communism had shriveled in the world. Honorable Discharged at the rank of E5 Staff Sgt. 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. Evans at Blytheville air show in 1980. In 1945 the U. S. Army Air Field was deactivated and the cemetery reverted to the City of Blytheville Arkansas. Roof repairs began on February 19, 2022. Arkansas Razorbacks. Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment 3. The aircraft in question was tail number 61-0023. 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 . The exhibits are impactful and tell the story of Base history. In December 1972, after being repaired, it flew four additional missions over North Vietnam. 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. Armament: Four .50-cal. Thank you! During the weekend of February 21st, 2022, the former N.C.O. Finally, again to save weight, the tail gunner position was eliminated in favor of a remote-controlled barbette, with the gunner moved forward to the crew compartment. See All. 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. Armament: Four defensive .50-cal. Many DC-3 and C-47s are still in operation, nearing the end of their first half century of service and looking like they could go another half century. During World War II, the site served as a training airfield as part of the 70,000 Pilot Training Program. by Ryan Nix, Photos by Jamison Mosley. And the United States was about to enter war with Saddam Hussein. Photo from Facebook. Mold and asbestos float through the air like dust that just got kicked up. This is like the B-52Gs with the North American AGM-28 Nuclear Hound Dog Missiles assigned to my base. Though, due to high traffic in that area, the aircraft had to change its course and headed for Blytheville Air Force Base instead. The 62nd Bombardment Wing (H) at Fairchild AFB, Washington, took possession of this B-52G in September 1983 but the aircraft was transferred to the 93rd Bombardment Wing (H) at Castle AFB, California, the following February. 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. Art flourished in some units (namely F-105 wings) and was banned in others. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); http://www.fi-aeroweb.com/Defense/KC-46-Tanker.html#:~:text=Compared%20to%20the%20KC%2D135,cargo%20and%20aeromedical%20evacuation%20capabilities.&text=The%20KC%2DX%20Program%2C%20the,current%20KC%2D135%20tanker%20fleet. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "blythevilleairforcebase" Flickr tag. Base Closure What happened to Blytheville, Arkansas? FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Sara Robertson (Sara.Robertson2@mail.house.gov) Arkansas Delegation Introduces Legislation to Designate Blytheville Air Force Base as National Cold War Center 2/7/2023 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 herald-news Blytheville courier news (DLC)sn 89051348 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). It was always fascinating to hear stories about how papers were left on desks and furniture left abandoned. I was stationed at Blytheville AFB in the late 1950s when it was a new SAC base and the first B-52s arrived. The G models most noticeable feature was its 8-foot shorter tail, done to ease maintenance and to save weight. . This is a photoshopped 1972 Suzuki Brochure that I have transposed my face over the riders face. Blytheville Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base from 1942, until it closed in 1992. My first year I worked in Procurement which is to the far right edge in this photo, it is the last building on the left along Memorial Drive, the wide street going left to right.
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