In selected cases, due to ground water table conditions, the moleholes were built fully aboveground, with the lower story earthen bermed for semi-hardening. Today it is 14,011. Nose art, while almost ubiquitous during World War II and Korea, largely disappeared in the 1950s. 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. [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. Jul 1999. In June 1965, B-52s entered combat in Southeast Asia. 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 nine surviving jets are scattered from coast to coast most of them restored and on display. 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. The facility now operates as the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. Scrapped at Birmingham AL in 1997. . Air Base Group Headquarters. The worst building on base is the hospital. Honorable Discharged at the rank of E5 Staff Sgt. About ten years ago a group of old 97 OMS troops made a trip to see the old place. Unbeknownst to the crew, over seventy percent of the vertical stabilizer and rudder assembly had been sheared off. 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 . Arkansas Razorbacks. Transferred from the 97th Bomb Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark., this aircraft was flown to the museum in November 1978. I was stationed at Eaker from 89-91 in the comm building pictured. Blytheville AFB: See Eaker AFB: Bolling AFB ACTIVE: Location: Washington, DC . Though it is currently in a rough shape as an Air Force Base it doesnt have to be that way. 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 ). On January 31st, 2022, the Arkansas Aeroplex officially announced that work had been started on restoring Building 1225. Watch. 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. 97th Bomb Wing has a long and honorable history. The majority of the bases housing is still in use, a few buildings are in use, and the tarmac is now the Arkansas Aeroplex. 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. 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. Powerplant: Two Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp, 14-cylinder radial air-cooled engines, 1,200 horsepower each. In the late 1980s, the government, under congress had begun inspections on Air Force Bases. It was also a B-52 that made the first airborne hydrogen bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956. It seemed like every morning at 5:00 AM the flight line maintenance crews would fire up some of the airplanes engines. 35 57.54 N, 89 57.74 W. Marker is in Gosnell, Arkansas, in Mississippi County. Art flourished in some units (namely F-105 wings) and was banned in others. Armament: Four defensive .50-cal. The original, one-of-a-kind model was created by P.J. There were VIP transports (designated VC-47A/B) and there were SC-47s used as search and rescue aircraft. 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. Pinterest. Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: majesticholidays.com, +12423231410, +13088411818, +14132671187, +13856680111, +12815278722 Bahamas hotels, vacation tour packages by majestic holidays The hospital has been tightly sealed up. A total of 820 KC135s have been produced since 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. . Currently, there is a restoration program working to rebuild and reuse buildings that arent disappearing. This is like the B-52Gs with the North American AGM-28 Nuclear Hound Dog Missiles assigned to my base. It was around 1960 and I still recall vividly sitting in the cockpit of a B-52. BLYTHEVILLE ARMY AIRFIELD 1942. It was good to see jets setting on the tarmac, even if they are only civilian jets. 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). After a brief hiatus of less than a decade, the facility reopened as the Blytheville Air Force Base. Like many B-52s, 58-0183 was shuttled around through several units--in this case, no less than eleven bomb wings. This gallery is to showcase old photographs from Blytheville, Arkansas. 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. Airplane Photos & Aviation Photos - View, Search, or Upload Photos! 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. machine guns in tail plus up to 43,000+ lbs. The facility now operates as the Arkansas Aeroplex and Arkansas International Airport. There is a SAC Lapel Pin and two United States Air Force Lapel Pins that I have included in my display. Once more, however, the B-52G was called upon for the conventional role during Operation Desert Storm against Iraq in 1991. There are some items of interest in this photo of things that didn't appear on my uniform. Thanks to Dave Howell for posting this photo of Miss Piggy and her crew. or the notorious F-105 "Cherry Girl," which positioned a full-frontal nude girl strategically over the refueling port on the nose. Beechcraft AT-10, and Curtiss-Wright AT-9s. Blytheville Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base from 1942, until it closed in 1992. Photo by Democrat-Gazette file photo . Select from premium Blytheville Air Force Base of the highest quality. If the alert force had not received that second "stand down" code, they would have taken off; and (as we saw it, back then) if that happened, very soon, we would have been in the midst of a nuclear war. 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. Blytheville air force base photos. The B52 Stratofortress had solved every issue the Air Force ran into with earlier bombers. . Some were torn down. I hope they can save this base so that it doesnt get destroyed. [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. Three crewmen died in the crash. 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. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . 766 th BS headquarters. Nearly 750 were built before production ended in Oct. 26, 1962; 170 of these were B-52Ds. N503DN Delta Air Lines | Airbus A350-941 | Arkansas International Airport by M.J. Scanlon 17 . 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. Glad to see the alert pad will be saved. The communication building of the 97th Bombardment Wing is in terrible condition as well. The airfield was used as the Southeastern Training Command's flight training school, which closed in October 1945 after the Second World War ended. Leaving Little Rock as Arkansas only active base. Certain buildings are worth saving. The KC135 fuels other aircraft through an extendable boom on the aft of the aircraft. No photo description available. Armament: Four .50-cal. 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. The B-52 has set numerous records in its many years of service. Though, the program and its members were not considered truly military nor pilots until the 1970s. Building 1225, will be added to the collection of buildings as part of the future National Cold War Center. [1] It was located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. 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 base closed in 1992, and unfortunately most of the residential units north of Daisy Drive are vacant and have since . 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. Serial Number 61-0023 landed safely in Blytheville. ", From: www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/facility/bomber_alert.htm. In December 1972, after being repaired, it flew four additional missions over North Vietnam. 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. Transferred from the 97th Bomb Wing, Blytheville Air Force Base, Ark., this aircraft was flown to the museum in November 1978. Wing Headquarters. The KC135, along with the B52 is one of the only fixed wing aircraft with over fifty years of service. [1] It was located 3 miles (4.8km) northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. Blytheville Air Force Base aka Eaker Air Force Base. 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. 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. Assigned to Blytheville Air Force Base until deactivated in 1992. And in 1991, Eaker Air Force Base was on the top of the list. It is a peculiarly shaped building, like the rest of the buildings on the base. Mold and asbestos float through the air like dust that just got kicked up. 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.