Eaker Air Force Base Historic District, Arkansas International Airport, and Blytheville Municipal Airport. Albums. 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. It originally provided housing, school and community resources to the families of military personnel who were stationed at the adjacent Blytheville Air Force Base (which is now operated as Arkansas International Airport). 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. for another radio code that would tell him to turn around. When Castle closed in 1995, 57-6486 was retired and sent to AMARG in Arizona; it was scrapped soon thereafter as part of the START arms reduction treaty. of conventional or nuclear bombs, Engines: Eight Pratt & Whitney J57s of 12,100 lbs. 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. 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. Pictures, photos and images from Blytheville, AR. Photo Credit: The National Cold War Center. Desert Storm was the swan song for the B-52G. 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. 2023 Getty Images. Charles Fisher would forever be known as Mr. A bomber crew from Blytheville were among the first shot down during Operation Linebacker II, a December 1972 mission targeting complexes in North Vietnam. My other picture of "Valkyrie" was taken from the right side, but the other day I realized I had never posted the picture of the aircraft's nose art. Communism had shriveled in the world. In July 1991, she was retired, and as one of the Secret Squirrel aircraft, was donated to the Pima Air and Space Museum immediately. The project mainly serves to save the best buildings and bring buildings in the worst shape down for safety purposes. U.S. The base closed in December 1992 and has re-opened as a general aviation/commercial airport and industrial park known as the Arkansas Aeroplex. Collect, curate and comment on your files. 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". CENTCOM commander H. Norman Schwartzkopf demanded continual B-52 strikes-- eventually forty percent of all ordnance expended--and the results were devastating. During World War II, the site served as a training airfield as part of the 70,000 Pilot Training Program. 3 items. Altus AFB ACTIVE Need photos: Location: Altus, Oklahoma. I saw this jet fly Oct 25 1972 at the Blytheville AFB air show. machine guns in tail plus up to 60,000+ lbs. 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. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Currently, there is a restoration program working to rebuild and reuse buildings that arent disappearing. The USAF Thunderbirds flew the F-4E Phantom II from 1969 until Feb 1974 when they were retired due to the October 1973 fuel crisis. [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. The US needed a long range aircraft able to refuel other long range aircraft. The population suffered as well. 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. Pilot Mike Bush, Co Pilot Larry J Houser, EWO Wayne Carver, Navagtor Doug "D.R" Kincannon, Gunner Jack Alexander. Renamed Eaker Air Force Base in 1988 honoring Gen. Ira Eaker, the entire facility closed in 1992. After a brief hiatus of less than a decade, the facility reopened as the Blytheville Air Force Base. I had only three duty assignments, I began my service at Blytheville right out of Tech School as the Supply Representative to Base Procurement, then most of my time I was a "NORS Controller" responsible for keeping the Alert Aircraft and Nuclear Missiles supplied with parts. 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 . Enter your email address to subscribe to Abandoned Arkansas and receive notifications of new posts by email. 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". Note that the outrigger landing gear is off the ground: naturally, "Valkyrie" is empty of fuel, and so there is no wing droop. Transferred from the 97th Bomb Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark., this aircraft was flown to the museum in November 1978. See All. Air Base Group Headquarters. Louisiana was the aircraft's next stop when in May 1974 it was transferred to the 2nd Bombardment Group (H) at Barksdale AFB. Community Profile: Blytheville, Ark., Spreads Its Wings after Air Force Base Closing. 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. He arranged the trade of my old piece of crap Harley, arranged the financing so I could just get on my new motorcycle and drive away. 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. 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. "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. ", From: www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/facility/bomber_alert.htm. This is a photoshopped 1972 Suzuki Brochure that I have transposed my face over the riders face. This would determine if the base could go on operating in the future, or if it was deemed unnecessary to continue service. 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). Base Theater. Two B-52G bombers were readied to strike the Soviet Union with nuclear weapons if necessaryfor which the wing received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for its performance during the crisis. They could go out of the facility to visit family, go to a movie or the BX, but the whole crew had to go everywhere together. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Eaker Air Force Base is located approximately 3 miles northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas, on Interstate 55 between St Louis and Memphis. 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. The crew started to lose control of the plane and went to bail out. It is a peculiarly shaped building, like the rest of the buildings on the base. 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. The 97th deployed to Edwards AFB, California, while operating this aircraft. Would love hear your stories or your thoughts. There was no need for the Global Shield. I have been to the former base and tarmac many times in the 2010s for Sports Car Club of America events. This is like the B-52Gs with the North American AGM-28 Nuclear Hound Dog Missiles assigned to my base. Military. 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!" Blytheville AFB became fully operational when it was equipped with a wing of three squadrons of B-57 bomber on 19 July 1955. What aRead more , Stationed there 1989-1992, loved the place and love the life long friends from there. [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. Ritz. The G models were not equipped with the same robust electronic countermeasures suite as the Ds, nor did their crews have the same training. Old Movies. Was stationed there from 1967 to 1970 with 97th AMS, the old A&E Squadron. 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. 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. The B52 Stratofortress was the answer to all the problems found in the Convair B36 Peacemaker and the B24. 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. Blytheville Eaker Air Force Base - KBYH, USA - Arkansas; By: Brady Brooks Photos | Profile | Contact; There were trainer versions designated TC-47 and reconnaissance versions designated RC-47. [1], On 15 July 1955, the facility was reopened as Blytheville Air Force Base (AFB), when the 461st Bombardment Wing was moved from Hill Air Force Base in Utah. Find the perfect adversary concept stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. Camo with white under belly North American AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile on display at the Global Power Museum at Barksdale Air Force Base. The aircraft in question was tail number 61-0023. And this is a photo of the HULK 46 design that the . May be an image of text that says 'David Pride 2000' No photo description available. 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. Scanned from 35mm Negative. To differentiate ALCM-equpped B-52Gs from unmodified aircraft, a wing fairing was added solely for the benefit of Soviet reconnaissance satellites, in accordance with arms control treaties. In 1942, at the graduation ceremony it was believed that women could not fly as well as men. 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. 2, no. 766 th BS headquarters. This one is at the old (now closed) SAC base near Blytheville, Arkansas. [3] Six more men from the 97th were also lost in Vietnam, whose names are recognized on a memorial placard at the former base. Glad to see the alert pad will be saved. 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. Movie Theater. 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). [1] It was located 3 miles (4.8km) northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. 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. The boom is controlled by an operator lying prone under the cargo deck of the aircraft. Who knew that 41 years later I would have a new Mustang or even still be alive. Who knew that 41 years later I would have a new Mustang or even still be alive. Find Blytheville Air Force Base stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. 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. It was always fascinating to hear stories about how papers were left on desks and furniture left abandoned. 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 Blytheville Air Force Base Alert Center and Alert Apron constructed as part of a national expansion of Strategic Air Command Facilities across the United States and its Territories, to help in creating a "program to safeguard nuclear deterrence" through the SAC Alert program. 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. The Cold War had come to and end. c/n 18002/T0417. The walls are riddled with holes. Operated by the 97th Bombardment Wing based at Eaker AFB, Blytheville AR. My Heritage. Honorable Discharged at the rank of E5 Staff Sgt. . The last model 61-0040, was produced in 1962. Eaker Air Force Base was located on 3,778 acres of land between the communities of Gosnell and Blytheville in Mississippi County. 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. This Abandoned Air Force base is located three miles Northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. Its' soft start" with hours on Friday's and Saturday from about 12:00pm to 4:00pm, will take some trip planning. Donate to our causeCheck out our books! In 2020, both Arkansas senators proposed a bill to designate the museum in Blytheville. Eaker AFB was selected for closure under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round of 1991. Armament: Four defensive .50-cal. In August 1991 this Stratofortress was dropped from the Air Force inventory and made available to the USAF Museum Program. During WWII, my Dad and his best friend, John Whittington, would go to the base (teenagers) and work. Home of 96th Bombardment Wing: 1953-1957; 11th . Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe . Unbeknownst to the crew, over seventy percent of the vertical stabilizer and rudder assembly had been sheared off. Military Photos; Military Reunion Stories; Military Service Map; Military Cadences; Military Jokes; Military Lingo; Great Military Web Pages; Recommended Military Books; Today in Military . 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. ADM-20 Quail Decoy used to produce a fake B-52 signature on radar making a single B-52 appear to be as many as eight B-52s causing the Soviets to waste their SAMs chasing the Quails. 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. Those dorms were pristine (almost new if I remember correctly) when they were abandoned. My father was a pilot in SAC throughout his career (bombers and tankers); he and the other bomber and tanker crews spent a whole lot of time, away from their families, living in this bunker. Today. Over 1,000,000 pictures Thule is the only air force base with no aircraft and a tugboat. At 14 I was hopping buses and trains and hanging out with friends in surrounding towns. 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. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. 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. Eaker. The KC135 replaced the KC97, as the latter could not keep up with newer, larger and faster aircraft. Eaker Air Force Base in its entirety is a mix of private and federal property. action specifically caters to closures and revitalization of U.S. military bases. Of the 3,778 acres the base is comprised of, two thirds of the land is abandoned. Airwomen were tasked with testing electronics of aircraft, testing aircraft by means of flights, and ferrying aircraft. On January 11th, during Agile Combat Employment training exercises performed by the U.S. Air Force at Eaker Air Force Base, work had begun on the restoration process of Building 1225. Transferred from the 97th Bomb Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark., this aircraft was flown to the museum in November 1978. The exhibits are impactful and tell the story of Base history. 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. 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. 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. I took this from the back seat of the P-51 Mustang Gunfighter. Ruth Eaker, General Eakers widow, signing autographs during the name change of the base in 1988. 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. The Southeast Asia War section of the Modern Flight Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/). Thousands of jobs were lost. Tom Sylvester used to look up at the sky above Blytheville in the 1970s, watch the planes fly out of the nearby Air Force base and dream about being able to glide among the clouds. Under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 the United States government is obligated to consider utilization, procurement and disposal of government property. During the second World War, the United States needed more areas to train pilots, and launch aircraft to respond to the threat on the Eastern front. The facility now operates as the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. All photos. 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. of conventional or nuclear bombs, www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=294. 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. The B-52G is missing its missile pylon because these were removed and destroyed as a condition of he SALT treaty launcher reduction conditions. The Library. Blytheville herald-news Blytheville courier news (DLC)sn 89051348 Notice my Mustang has what appears to be a trailer hitch. Though it is currently in a rough shape as an Air Force Base it doesnt have to be that way. Links: Thule AFB . No photo description available. During the weekend of February 21st, 2022, the former N.C.O. These windowless alert quarters were identical everywhere, with tunnel-like egress covered in corrugated steel. Today it is 14,011. 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. By August 1973, they had flown 126,615 combat sorties with seventeen B-52s lost to enemy action. It was good to see jets setting on the tarmac, even if they are only civilian jets. Because it was an Air Force base, the airport has room and facilities that are not available in many other complexes. 6 'Cat And Mouse' UFO Chase Over Cannon AFB January 1976. The KC135 Stratotanker, as most other notary aircraft, was born out of necessity. Some of the land has since been declared a National Historic Landmark. In 1988, the based was renamed to honor World War II General, Ira C. Eaker. In 1988, the facility was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in honor of World War II General of the Eighth Air Force, Ira C. There were VIP transports (designated VC-47A/B) and there were SC-47s used as search and rescue aircraft. "Valkyrie" was known to the USAF as 58-0183, a B-52G Stratofortress. My job was to keep the alert aircraft supplied with the parts they needed to be mission ready. As a kid in nearby Jonesboro, our cub scout pack got to visit what was then Blytheville AFB. The Strategic Air Command had reached the end of the road. He served active duty March 21 1972 to March 20 1976. Upon his return to the United States in November 1970, General Brown was assigned as vice commander of the 97th Bombardment Wing at Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark., and took command of the wing in July 1971. Abandoned Arkansas had noticed while touring the base, the former base bank had been torn down the week prior to January 1st, 2022. The aircraft remained there until November when it was reassigned to the 320th Bombardment Wing (H) at Mather AFB, California. Blytheville, established as lumber mill town in the 1880s, has also served as a center for the cotton-growing industry, a Strategic Air Command (SAC) airbase and a gateway city for the Natural State. Wing Headquarters. Learn how your comment data is processed. By August 1973, they had flown 126,615 combat sorties with 17 B-52s lost to enemy action. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. The majority of buildings have suffered the same fate. . Luckily, the nose art was removed first and donated to the nearby Pima Air and Space Museum. About Westminster Village . 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. Love Photoshop, a little bit of work and #3 does a flyby just for me 41 years later. As a CAP cadet 1966-1969 the lore of this base was discussed often.
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