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. Altus AFB ACTIVE Need photos: Location: Altus, Oklahoma. 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. Once more, however, the B-52G was called upon for the conventional role during Operation Desert Storm against Iraq in 1991. Albums. See original furniture from the famous alert compound, pictures, uniforms & other memorabilia including a . The 456th completed deployments to Anderson AB in Guam with this B-52G. Currently, the wet carpet has molded over and over again. 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. The B-52 Stratofortress force had always been intended to be supplemented by newer designs, allowing older types and eventually the B-52 itself to be retired. Profile pictures. Dave Howell, RN Bob Gilbert, Gunner Rick Watson, EW Chuck Kinkhead, N Can't remember, CP Kevin Rice. Enter your email address to subscribe to Abandoned Arkansas and receive notifications of new posts by email. Since then, there have been only 744 aircraft built by Boeing. The heavier steel fuel tanks of the tall-tail series were replaced by integral fuel tanks, in which the entire wing served as a tank. I was stationed there from 1966-69. Pinterest. The Library. Old Movies. The KC135 replaced the KC97, as the latter could not keep up with newer, larger and faster aircraft. Nearly 750 were built before production ended in the fall of 1962; 170 of these were B-52Ds. Description based on: Vol. I have been to the former base and tarmac many times in the 2010s for Sports Car Club of America events. By October of the same year the aircraft was moved to Robins AFB, Georgia. 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. Dental Clinic. This would determine if the base could go on operating in the future, or if it was deemed unnecessary to continue service. 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. In its prime, it housed over 3,000 service members, and a whole fleet of Strategic Air Command B52 BUFF Stratofortresses. 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. 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. My 1966 Ford Mustang was setting in the parking lot the day we watched this jet fly. [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 facility now operates as the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. The base contributed greatly to the economic and . Donate to our causeCheck out our books! 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. Blytheville Air Force Base was established in 1942 as a pilot training station. 4 items. Since 1955, the B52 Stratofortress has been Americas go-to long-distance strategic bomber. Find Blytheville Air Force Base unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. 10 free downloads. Eaker Air Force Base is located approximately 3 miles northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas, on Interstate 55 between St Louis and Memphis. These women had proved their selves capable of flying aircraft such as the B25 and the B29. Lots of good memories. The B-52 has set numerous records in its many years of service. A total of 820 KC135s have been produced since 1956. At the former Blytheville (Eaker) Air Force Base, now Arkansas International Airport, Delta Air Lines has stored many aircraft because of the downturn of passengers due to the 2020 Corona Virus. Military Photos; Military Reunion Stories; Military Service Map; Military Cadences; Military Jokes; Military Lingo; Great Military Web Pages; Recommended Military Books; Today in Military . 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 ). Scrapped at Birmingham AL in 1997. 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. 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. The effect on the neighboring towns of Gosnell and Blytheville the closure had on were tremendous. I single had a wonderful time on my motorcycle that summer when I arrived at Blytheville Air Force base and my motorcycle was a major reason for my fond memories of a carefree time in my youth. Property is disposed of, and the government cleans up after itself. 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. Some of the land has since been declared a National Historic Landmark. Who knew that 41 years later I would have a new Mustang or even still be alive. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. 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. Movie Theater. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Sara Robertson ([email protected]) 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 . School trips were to other countries LOL. Jun 18, 2016 - blytheville afb photos | Blytheville Air Force Base, Blytheville . BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. The National Cold War Center will be an entirely brand new building itself. As crew chiefs we had all spent many tours in the mole hole. In July 1991, she was retired, and as one of the Secret Squirrel aircraft, was donated to the Pima Air and Space Museum immediately. Suggest edits to improve what we show. I hope they can save this base so that it doesnt get destroyed. . Evans was from Osceola AR. The aircraft in question was tail number 61-0023. 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). thrust each. Arkansas had six Army airfields. Buildings have collapsed in that time frame. Marker is at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Chestnut Drive, on the right when traveling east on Memorial Drive. Find the perfect adversary concept stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. 2, no. Rick O'Kelley was drafted in Oct 1971 and enlisted in the USAF November 10 1971 on delayed enlistment. CENTCOM commander H. Norman Schwartzkopf demanded continual B-52 strikes-- eventually forty percent of all ordnance expended--and the results were devastating. BX and Cafeteria. Blytheville was the only two engine training base in Arkansas. The B-52 had 8 engines but the two AGM-28 engines could also be used for take off and getting up to altitude. In June 1975 the aircraft was sent to the 97th Bombardment Wing (H) residing at Blytheville AFB, Arkansas. My job was to keep the alert aircraft supplied with the parts they needed to be mission ready. The exhibits are impactful and tell the story of Base history. Learn how your comment data is processed. The KC135 Stratotanker, as most other notary aircraft, was born out of necessity. In December 1972, after being repaired, it flew four additional missions over North Vietnam. Blytheville Air Force Base, Blytheville . Three crewmen died in the crash. [1] Other aircraft stationed at Blytheville AFB included: KC-97 refueler, B-52G bomber, KC-135A tanker, T-33 jet fighter, and the T-37 traineramong others. 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. It was rolled out of Boeings Wichita plant. 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. Base Fire Station. About Westminster Village . Located on the former Eaker Air Force Base (also known as Blytheville Air Force Base), a few blocks inside the west gate. It was renamed Eaker Air Force Base in 1988, in honor of General Ira Eaker, an aviation pioneer and second . I really hope some other people can find this service and get in touch with people like I did. 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. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. I thanked my dad for my upbringing. 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). Granted today, the area has stayed well populated due to industrial jobs, but Blythevilles unemployment rate is four percent higher than the national average (pre-covid). My USAF service had no connection to the Thunderbirds other than Juliet and I saw this Thunderbird perform at Blytheville Air Force Base Oct 25 1972. Links: Thule AFB . For the families, GI's, and community that was Blytheville AFB By that time, the B-52G had already been tested in combat, with mixed results. Would love hear your stories or your thoughts. 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 Southeast Asia War Tour Boeing B-52D Stratofortress BUFF LF USAF Museum (9202) Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 3-10-2019. 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. As I recall, crew members were typically on alert for 10 days of every month. Electrical work and flood damage repair have begun. On the evening in question, Bruce was working for a local radio station, performing tests on their transmitters. The nine surviving jets are scattered from coast to coast most of them restored and on display.