In June 1965, B-52s entered combat in Southeast Asia. BLYTHEVILLE AIR FORCE BASE EXHIBITION. . The KC135 Stratotanker, as most other notary aircraft, was born out of necessity. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Blytheville Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base from 1942, until it closed in 1992. The aircraft in question was tail number 61-0023. No photo description available. Blytheville had their own team. 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. Compared to hose style fueling systems, flying booms of KC135s are very unforgiving to errors. Three crewmen died in the crash. Who knew that 41 years later I would have a new Mustang or even still be alive. Honorable Discharged at the rank of E5 Staff Sgt. Jwt708 Well-Known Member. Housing for members of the military and their families was developed between 1957 and 1962 north and south . The original, one-of-a-kind model was created by P.J. (For some reason, this "Hotshot" never got eyes.). Select from premium Blytheville Air Force Base of the highest quality. Electrical work and flood damage repair have begun. From its days as an Army Airfield until closing in 1992 as a major Strategic Air Command facility, the Blytheville Air Force Base told many stories. Had many good times there. Ritz. My family and I were stationed here from about 1964 until 1970. Branch of Service: Air Force. if I remember correctly it was one of the rooms pictured (162). Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. 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. My job was to keep the alert aircraft supplied with the parts they needed to be mission ready. Some of the land has since been declared a National Historic Landmark. This would determine if the base could go on operating in the future, or if it was deemed unnecessary to continue service. Eaker Air Force Base was originally named Blytheville Army Airfield when it was built in 1942. A bomber crew from Blytheville were among the first shot down during Operation Linebacker II, a December 1972 mission targeting complexes in North Vietnam. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe . 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. The aircraft was set on course to Boeings headquarters in Wichita, Kansas. An exploration of the base's history and its impact on the community. The B52 Stratofortress was the answer to all the problems found in the Convair B36 Peacemaker and the B24. The base was deactivated in 1945 at the end of World War II. The 97th comm mustve been a very short lived entity as it was the 2101 CS / AFCC when I was there. Watch. Find the perfect adversary concept stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. The walls are riddled with holes. [1] Then the airfield briefly became a processing center for the rapid demobilization of military personnel being discharged. In the Monett City Park is displayed the USAF Thunderbird F-4E Phantom II #3 Jet. Looking for someone that served with you? But, right before the first man could bail, the pilot had realized they had marginal control over the aircraft. [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. Currently, the main tarmac is used as Blythevilles airport. 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. In December 1972, after being repaired, it flew four additional missions over North Vietnam. 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. Officials had hoped, after hearing rumors of the base's possible closure, that the name would endear the base among military leaders and be enough to incentivize its continued existence. Nose art, while almost ubiquitous during World War II and Korea, largely disappeared in the 1950s. The 1980s saw something of a resurgence--oddly enough, mostly among Strategic Air Command units. As the Cold War ended, "Valkyrie" was assigned to her last duty station with the 2nd BW at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, but she would have one last mission. Of the 3,778 acres the base is comprised of, two thirds of the land is abandoned. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Coupled with the more regulation bound USAF of the 1950s, almost no B-36s or B-52s carried nose art, despite a larger "canvas" than the B-29 or B-17. Ash worked from a photograph of the B-52 Blytheville plane. However, the B-58 was delayed, and in accordance with General Curtis LeMays prescient worries that the B-52 force would simply fall apart, Boeing began development of a new variant of the B-52, the B-52G. Sheila Russell Thurber. Transferred from the 97th Bomb Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark., this aircraft was flown to the museum in November 1978. It is a peculiarly shaped building, like the rest of the buildings on the base. Thank you! Marker is at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Chestnut Drive, on the right when traveling east on Memorial Drive. The airplane dismantler used most of the tarmac we were using and we havent been back since before covid. The base contributed greatly to the economic and . 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". Americans did not have to fear every day of an imminent Soviet missile strike. Thousands of jobs were lost. The group was awarded two Distinguish Unit Citations during WWII and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crises. Almost immediately, this was proven to be a vain hope: the only aircraft able to replace the B-52 was, it seemed, another B-52. The Air Force needed a long-distance bomber that could travel all the way to the former U.S.S.R., drop a payload on a target and travel back without needing refueling. Airwomen were tasked with testing electronics of aircraft, testing aircraft by means of flights, and ferrying aircraft. The nine surviving jets are scattered from coast to coast most of them restored and on display. The 456th completed deployments to Anderson AB in Guam with this B-52G. Blytheville Air Force Base, Blytheville . This has been an ongoing project for over a year. 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. [1] It was located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. Today. When Vietnam ended and the USAF got back to peacetime, nose art once more disappeared. Whether it be by the hand of the elements, or by deconstruction due to safety issues. It was retired in July 1991 and donated to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Arizona. Constructed on former agricultural land, the site was originally activated as the Blytheville Army Airfield in 1942. Beechcraft AT-10, and Curtiss-Wright AT-9s. This is a photoshopped 1972 Suzuki Brochure that I have transposed my face over the riders face. The B-52 had 8 engines but the two AGM-28 engines could also be used for take off and getting up to altitude. After extensive renovations, the "BAFB Exhibition", at the former Blytheville/Eaker Air Force Base, is open for business. 1950's. Janet Austin - Duplessis. View of the southern end of the former Blytheville AFB (Eaker AFB). All photos (32) Top ways to experience nearby attractions. 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. Base Fire Station. 6 'Cat And Mouse' UFO Chase Over Cannon AFB January 1976. 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. There was some concern that female aircrew--which were becoming far more common in the 1980s than in years previously--would object to the nose art, but no such objections materialized. 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. It is the USAFs main aerial fueling aircraft. This B-52G-100-BW (S/N 58-0191), nicknamed "Bearin' Arms," was manufactured by Boeing Aircraft Corporation in Wichita, Kansas, and delivered to the USAF on October 16, 1959. Eleven of these jets were flown from 1969 to Feb 1974 when they were retired due to the oil crisis. 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: BAFB Exhibition - Blytheville/Eaker AFB - See 9 traveler reviews, 32 candid photos, and great deals for Blytheville, AR, at Tripadvisor. I was an army brat and a military wife along with an army civilian off and on over the years. 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). The Ritz Theater from the outside circa. 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 . After World War II the C-47s were used in the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. May be an image of text that says 'David Pride 2000' No photo description available. And this is a photo of the HULK 46 design that the . "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. (Some joked that the ladies might just paint hunky guys on their aircraft!). Military Photos; Military Reunion Stories; Military Service Map; Military Cadences; Military Jokes; Military Lingo; Great Military Web Pages; Recommended Military Books; Today in Military . Arkansas Razorbacks. Blytheville AFB experienced a great deal of activity throughout the Cold War era, when for instance, the 97th Bombardment Wing went on airborne alert on 22 October 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Air Base Group Headquarters. of conventional or nuclear bombs, Engines: Eight Pratt & Whitney J57s of 12,100 lbs. In June 1972 General Brown assumed command of the 416th Bombardment Wing at Griffiss Air Force Base, N.Y. machine guns in tail plus up to 60,000+ lbs. 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. 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. Pilot Mike Bush, Co Pilot Larry J Houser, EWO Wayne Carver, Navagtor Doug "D.R" Kincannon, Gunner Jack Alexander. This Abandoned Air Force base is located three miles Northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. Available for both RF and RM licensing. Today the base is mostly in a decrepit state of disrepair. On January 31st, 2022, the Arkansas Aeroplex officially announced that work had been started on restoring Building 1225. c/n 18002/T0417. Love Photoshop, a little bit of work and #3 does a flyby just for me 41 years later. Timeline photos. 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. After extensive renovations, the "BAFB Exhibition", at the former Blytheville/Eaker Air Force Base, is open for business. It has the exact same problems as the hospital, though both buildings trade off on extremities. The Cold War had come to and end. About Westminster Village . Certain buildings are worth saving. TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. Use code: FLICKR10, International Air Tattoo 1987 - RAF Fairford. Today it is 14,011. 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. Vietnam saw a return of nose art (or, in the case of the F-105, "armpit art" as it was carried beneath the high wing), but while pilots and crews didn't have to worry about irate wives, they did have to worry about irate commanding officers, some of whom saw nose art as unprofessional and childish. For more information, visit the website at www.nationalcoldwarcenter.com or call 870-532-2100. The WASP program tasked select women with many key roles on airfields across the nation. On a Bravo alert, while taxiing the aircraft, the pilot was waiting (and hoping!) It was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in 1988, in honor of General Ira Eaker, an aviation pioneer and second . . The Southeast Asia War section of the Modern Flight Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/). Mr. Gorbachev tore down that wall. In 1988, the based was renamed to honor World War II General, Ira C. Eaker. 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 . 4 items. There was no need for the Global Shield. Camo with white under belly North American AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile on display at the Global Power Museum at Barksdale Air Force Base. My 1972 Suzuki looked exactly like the one in the brochure. The 17th Bombardment Wing (H) at Anderson AB was this aircraft's next duty station, arriving there in January 1973. I grew up on Army bases overseas. After any major war, surplus equipment and property is sold to the general public and agencies. It is aRead more . 732 of the aircraft were specifically aerial tankers. 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. Because it was an Air Force base, the airport has room and facilities that are not available in many other complexes. This has led to the current dilapidated state of some buildings. "A B52 with a full nuclear payload, is the seventh most powerful country in the world.". 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. 2023 Getty Images. The Iron Curtain was torn down. Under the command of the 326th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron, pilots would train in aircraft such as theBeechcraft AT-10, and Curtiss-Wright AT-9s. Its' soft start" with hours on Friday's and Saturday from about 12:00pm to 4:00pm, will take some trip planning. 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. VetFriends.com helps reunite veterans from the Air Force daily. The Blytheville Air Force Base SAC alert area is located east of the southern end of the runway, situated at the center of the fenced area long the alert parking area. Thanks VetFriends. I have been to the former base and tarmac many times in the 2010s for Sports Car Club of America events. PIGGOTT, Ark., July 30 (UPI) An Air Force C130 transport plane crashed, and burned at dusk today in a pasture in this town in northeastern Arkansas, killing all six persons aboard. By August 1973, they had flown 126,615 combat sorties with seventeen B-52s lost to enemy action. 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. machine guns in tail plus up to 43,000+ lbs. [1], In 1988, the U.S. Air Force officially renamed Blytheville AFB to Eaker AFB in commemoration of World War II General Ira Eaker, the former commander of the 8th Air Force. Doors and numerous truckloads of metal were being hauled off the alert pad. Currently, there is a restoration program working to rebuild and reuse buildings that arent disappearing. This view also shows how well 58-0183 is preserved, and the EVS bulges beneath the B-52's nose. There were trainer versions designated TC-47 and reconnaissance versions designated RC-47. This does not include 149 civil aircraft impresses before delivery. Yes we grew up overseas and only went to Department of Defense Schools but it was amazing. The Southeast Asia War Tour Boeing B-52D Stratofortress BUFF LF USAF Museum (9202) Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 3-10-2019. In 1942, at the graduation ceremony it was believed that women could not fly as well as men. At one point, sharkmouths were banned by 7th Air Force in Saigon as being "too warlike"--despite, of course, the "non-warlike" aircraft carrying tons of bombs and missiles. Eaker Air Force Base was located on 3,778 acres of land between the communities of Gosnell and Blytheville in Mississippi County. There were VIP transports (designated VC-47A/B) and there were SC-47s used as search and rescue aircraft. For the families, GI's, and community that was Blytheville AFB 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. My father manufactured this and built a front wheel carrier for my motorcycle so I could mount the front wheel and removed the chain and allow the rear wheel to freely roll as we towed it down the road. 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. Blytheville was the only Advanced training base in Arkansas. Hopefully the site will become available again for us. All of these were under the Strategic Air Command. 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. Armament: Four defensive .50-cal. Only ten B-52Gs survive today as museum pieces. 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. 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 exhibits are impactful and tell the story of Base history. 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. Eaker Air Force Base (1942-1992) was a front-line United States Air Force base for over 40 years. A strong gust of wind has pushed the rear of the aircraft left then right. The newer B-52Hs had turbofan powerplant, which was more fuel efficient, and START arms control treaties required the dismantling of the B-52G force after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. The facility now operates as the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. Airmen from the 97th Bombardment Wing lost their lives and their photos appear on the lonely memorial at their abandoned base in Blytheville; Lt Col Keith R Heggen was in "Olive1", (now buried at Arlington Nat'l Cemetery) Lt Col Donald L Rissi, 1st LT Robert J Thomas and Msgt Walter L Ferguson were in "Charcoal 1" Major Bobby A Kirby, Capt Randall J Craddock, Capt George B Lockhart, Capt Ronald D Perry and 1st Lt Charles E Darr were in "Tan 3". Published: Jan. 11, 2022 at 6:25 PM PST. Hear those stories come to life from the soldiers who served at the BAFB Exhibition. The Hound Dog was withdrawn in the 1970s and replaced with the AGM-69 SRAM, which could be carried in groups of 20 rather than just two of the huge Hound Dogs. Though it is currently in a rough shape as an Air Force Base it doesnt have to be that way. Photographs are from numerous people and I encourage you to send me your photos if you want to add to the Blytheville collection. I'm fairly certain I saw this aircraft at an airshow at Malmstrom AFB in the 1980s, as the nose art is familiar, but it may be wishful thinking on my part. 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). The top attractions to visit in Blytheville are: Historic Greyhound Bus Depot Visitor Center; The Ritz Theatre; Delta Gateway Museum; Blytheville Air Force Base (BAFB) Exhibition; That Bookstore in Blytheville; See all attractions in Blytheville on Tripadvisor My 1966 Ford Mustang was setting in the parking lot the day we watched this jet fly. It boasted a vibrant downtown and it had an eclectic population due to the wide variety of people the base brought to the city. 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 .
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