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US Airforce Bases Abroad

Aviano Air Base, Italy

Aviano Air Base is a United States Air Force airbase in northeastern Italy, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. It is located in Aviano municipality, at the foot of the Carnic Alps, about 15 kilometers from Pordenone. It had been built during 1911 to accommodate NATO forces. The host wing is the 31st Fighter Wing, which includes two F-16 fighter squadrons, an operations group, a maintenance directorate, a mission support group, and a medical group. Aviano's current mission is to conduct regional and expeditionary operations under NATO, SACEUR or national tasking.

Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan

Bagram Air Base is a military controlled airport and an army housing complex in Afghanistan. During the U.S-led invasion of Afghanistan (December, 2001) the base was secured by a team from the British Special Boat Service and it is expected that the military of the U.S. will remain there for a very long time. The base is presently occupied and maintained by the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army. Bagram Air Base has three large hangars, a control tower, and numerous support buildings. It covers an area of 32 acres (130,000 m²) accommodating five aircraft dispersal areas and new barracks together with office buildings are being constructed. The runway of the base was badly damaged during the attacks by Taliban in civil war after withdrawal of Soviet troops and subsequently it had been repaired by US, Italian and Polish military personnel. In addition to operation facilities, Bagram Air Base provides the main detention facility for persons detained by US forces in Afghanistan. The detainees have included senior members of Al-Qaeda and suspected Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.

Incirlik Air Base, Turkey

The Incirlik Air Base is an important air base in NATO's Southern Region. It is located in İncirlik, Turkey. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) began construction of the base in the spring of 1951. The USAF initially planned to use the base as an emergency staging and recovery site for medium and heavy bombers. The Turkish General Staff and the USAF signed a joint use agreement for the new base in December 1954. On February 21, 1955, the base was officially named Adana Air Base, with the 7216th Air Base Squadron as host unit. The site was later renamed Incirlik Air Base on February 28, 1958. The airbase has a United States Air Force (USAF) with several hundred British and Turkish personnel attached. The primary unit stationed here is the 39th Air Base Wing (39 ABW). The Incirlik Air Base has facilitated the following missions: • Reconnaissance missions: Countering the Soviet threat & responding Middle East crises • Lebanon crisis: Support & conducting trainings to NATO troops • Training site: Providing a suitable training area for squadrons deployed to Incirlik • Embargo: During embargo imposed by US, it remained open to all non-NATO activities • Humanitarian relief: Provided relief to displaced people during war in Kuwait & Iraq • After September 11, 2001: Supported the missions for the war in Afghanistan • Iraq War: Provided shoulder the burden and contribute in the global war on terrorism • South Asia earthquake (2005): Supported in the relief operation (Pakistan) • Hezbollah-Israel crisis 2006: Provided security for the 2,000+ U.S. citizens (15 days)

Kadena Air Base, Japan

Kadena Air Base is a United States Air Force base located in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, Japan. It is the hub of U.S. airpower in the Pacific, and home to the USAF's 18th Wing and a variety of associate units. The 18th Wing is the host unit at Kadena Air Base. In addition, the base hosts associate units from five other Air Force major commands, the United States Navy, and numerous other Department of Defense agencies and direct reporting units. Associate units operate permanently assigned, forward-based or deployed aircraft from the base on a daily basis. Associate units:

1. 353rd Special Operations Group 2. 733rd Air Mobility Squadron 3. 82nd Reconnaissance Squadron 4. 390th Intelligence Squadron 5. Air Defense Artillery Battalion, assigned to the 94th AAMDC. 6. 320th Special Tactics Squadron 7. 1st Special Operations Squadron 8. 17th Special Operations Squadron 9. 733rd Air Mobility Squadron 10. Det 1, 554th Red Horse Squadron 11. American Forces Network Detachment 11, AFNEWS 12. Det 3, Pacaf Air Postal Squadron 13. Det 3, Air Force Institute for Operational Health 14. Support Center Pacific, OO-ALC/Maly 15. Det 3, Wr-Alc Air Force Petroleum Office 16. Det 624, AF Office of Special investigations 17. Det 233, Air Force Audit Agency 18. Field Training Detachment Det 15, 372nd Training Squadron 19. Defense Commissary Agency 20. DoDDS Pacific Director's Office 21. DoD Dependents Schools Pacific-Okinawa District 22. U.S. Consulate Naha 23. U.S Marines Okinawa 24. Red Cross 25. United States Navy Use

NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Germany

NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, is located near Geilenkirchen, Germany. It was originally known as Royal Air Force (RAF) station Geilenkirchen, built after World War II.

It is the main operating airfield of the NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force (NAEW&CF) Command's E-3A Component (AWACS). The NATO Airborne Early Warning Force was created in January 1982 and is NATO's only multinational operational flying unit. It provides an early warning radar system to enhance NATO's air defense capabilities.

Seventeen E-3A aircraft are used for air surveillance and air operations communications support. Aircraft are flown by multinational crews from 12 nations including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and the United States.

US Airforce Bases in United States

Altus Air Force Base

Altus Air Force Base (USAF) is located in southwest Oklahoma. Originally called Altus Army Air Field (AAF), construction of the new base began in May 1942. The base became operational on January 1943, training new pilots on multi-engine aircraft. The base is ideally located at the flat landscape with favorable weather to flying with an average of 300+ days during each year. The base is a seasoned and a perfect location for young airmen to sharpen their skills. Over the next five decades, the base evolved to become the premier air mobility training location in the United States Air Force. The 97th Air Mobility Wing, which includes an operations group, a maintenance directorate, a mission support group, and a medical group, has been accommodated at the base. As the base moves into the twenty-first century it continues to perform the basic mission it started in 1943, providing a safe, comfortable location to train military personnel on the niceties of operating multi-engine aircraft. Altus' current mission is to train airlift and aerial refueling aircrews.

Andersen Air Force Base

Andersen Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base on the northern end of the island of Guam, largely within the village of Yigo but also stretching into Dededo. It was built in 1944. The host wing is the 36th Wing of the Pacific Air Forces, which includes an operations group, a maintenance group, a mission support group, a medical group, and a contingency response group. Andersen's current role is that of a forward-based logistics-support center for exercise and contingency forces deploying throughout the Southwest Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.

Andrews Air Force Base

Andrews Air Force Base Maryland is located near to Washington, DC and is the home base of the U.S. presidential aircraft and it was built in 1945. The host unit is the 316th Wing, composed of an operations group and a mission support group. Andrews' current mission is that of emergency reaction and contingency response capabilities critical to national security, and support for Air and Space Expeditionary Forces. Originally it was known as Camp Springs Army Air Base. The base was renamed to Andrews Field in 1945 after Frank Maxwell Andrews, a pivotal figure in the development of the United States Air Force, who had died in an airplane accident in 1943. In 1962, Bolling Air Force Base ceased fixed-wing flight operations due to congestion at nearby National Airport, and these operations and assets were transferred to Andrews. There are two runways on the base; the western runway is 11,300 ft (3,440 m) in length, and the eastern runway is 11,700 ft (3,570 m) in length.

Arnold Engineering Development Center

Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), located on Arnold Air Force Base in the state of Tennessee, US. The center was initiated in 1951; and it was named for General Henry "Hap" Arnold, the father of the United States Air Force, and an air power visionary. Presently it is the most advanced and largest complex of flight simulation test facilities in the world. It operates 58 aerodynamic and propulsion wind tunnels, rocket and turbine engine test cells, space environmental chambers, arc heaters, ballistic ranges, and other specialized units. Currently, AEDC's prime contractor is the Aerospace Testing Alliance. It is a United States Air Force Materiel Command facility and national resource, developing practically every aerospace system in the U.S. government's inventory, including the Atlas, Titan, Minuteman and Peacekeeper ICBMs, the space shuttle, space station, and Projects Mercury, Gemini and Apollo.

Barksdale Air Force Base

Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base across the Red River from Shreveport (Louisiana and near Bossier City). Barksdale Field officially opened in 1933. It is named in honor of Lt. Eugene Hoy Barksdale, United States Army Air Corps, who lost his life on August 11, 1926, while flight testing an observation airplane. Barksdale Field was renamed Barksdale Air Force Base January 13, 1948. The 2d Bomb Wing is host which includes three B-52 bomber squadrons, an operations group, a maintenance group, a mission support group, and a medical group. Barksdale is home to the Eighth Air Force Museum which hosts static displays of numerous aircraft including a large display of past B-52's through the current model as the SR-71 Blackbird. The base is closed to the public. However, there is an annual open house when visitors are allowed. Visitors may also request to visit the museum during other days of the year.

Beale Air Force Base

Beale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base near Marysville, California, that was established in 1943. The host wing is the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, which includes an operations group, a maintenance directorate, a mission support group, and a medical group The Camp Beale also held training facilities for the 81st and 96th Infantry Division, a 1,000-bed hospital, and a prisoner of war camp. Dredge materials from the area's abandoned gold mines were used to build streets at the Camp. In January 1966, the very first SR-71 Blackbird to enter into service was delivered to the 4200th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at the base.

Bolling Air Force Base

Bolling Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Southwest Washington, D.C. between the Potomac River and Interstate 295 and is conjoined with Naval District Washington Anacostia Annex that was established in July 1918. The host wing is the 11th Wing, which includes an operations group, a maintenance directorate, a mission support group, and a medical group. In addition to the above, following establishments have also been accommodated at the base. • United States Air Force Band • United States Air Force Honor Guard • 844th Communications Group • 579th Medical Group

Bolling's current mission is to provide worldwide flagship ceremonial and musical ambassadorship, as well as comprehensive wartime base operating support to all assigned Air Force organizations and their personnel.

Brooks City-Base

Brooks City-Base is a former United States Air Force base in San Antonio, Texas, that was established in 1918. In 2002 Brooks AFB was renamed Brooks City-Base when the property was conveyed to the Brooks Development Authority as part of a unique project between local, state, and federal government. The Brooks Development Authority is the owner, operator, and developer of the Brooks City-Base property whose mission is to redevelop the property into a science, business, and technology center. The host wing is the 311th Human Systems Wing, which includes staff agencies and a mission support group. The Air Force is currently the largest tenant at Brooks City-Base. In addition the above, following establishments have also been accommodated at the base. 1. Air Force Institute for Operational Health 2. Performance Enhancement Directorate 3. USAF School of Aerospace Medicine 4. Aeronautical Systems Center 5. 59th Medical Squadron 6. 68th Information Operations Squadron 7. 77th Aeronautical Systems Group 8. 710th Intelligence Flight 9. Air Force Audit Agency 10. Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence 11. Air Force Medical Support Agency 12. Air Force Medical Operations Agency 13. Air Force Outreach Program Office 14. Air Force Research Lab 15. Naval Health Research Center Det 16. US Army Medical Research Det

Buckley Air Force Base

Buckley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Aurora, Colorado, that was established in 1943. The host wing is the 460th Space Wing, a unit of the Air Force Space Command. Buckley's mission is to provide combatant commanders with global surveillance, worldwide missile warning, homeland defense, and expeditionary forces. In addition to the above Buckley has 77 other tenants located on and off base, some of which are shown below: • 140th Wing and its CoANG 120th Fighter Squadron (F-16) • 566th Intelligence Squadron • 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion • Aerospace Data Facility • Air Force Audit Agency • Air Force Operational Testing and Evaluation Center (AFOTEC), Detachment 4 • Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 801 • Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC), Detachment 45 • Air Reserve Personnel Center • Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) • Army Aviation Support Facility • Buckley Support Team • Colorado Air National Guard • Colorado Army National Guard • Colorado Civil Air Patrol • Combined Task Force • Continental US NORAD Region • Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) • Ground Based Midcourse Defense • Headquarters, Joint Force Colorado (HQJF-CO) • Marine Air Control Squadron 23 (MACS-23) • Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center • Navy Information Operations Center • US Army Corps of Engineers

Cannon Air Force Base

Cannon Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Curry County, New Mexico. The host wing is the 27th Special Operations Wing, which includes three fighter squadrons, an operations group, a maintenance directorate, a mission support group, and a medical group. Cannon's mission is to maintain an F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter wing capable of day and night combat operations for war fighting commanders worldwide at any time.

Charleston Air Force Base

Charleston Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in North Charleston, South Carolina. The city of Charleston purchased land in 1931 to build a new airfield. In December 1941, the Army Air Corps took control of the field, and by 1942 anti-submarine mission were being flown out of Charleston Army Air Field. Training for the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator was conducted there during World War II.

In 1946, the airfield changed to solely civilian use. In 1952, the city of Charleston and the Air Force agreed to joint-use of the runways. The Tactical Air Command re-established military operation at the base in 1952. On Mar. 1, 1956 the base was transferred to the Military Air Transport Service (MATS). In 1966 MATS became the Military Airlift Command and in October 1991, was renamed Air Mobility Command.

The host wing is the 437th Airlift Wing together with 315th Airlift Wing (AFRC), 1st Combat Camera Squadron, 373rd Training Squadron Det 5, 412th Logistics Support Squadron OL-AC, Air Force ROTC Det 772, Civil Air Patrol - Charleston Composite Squadron, Pratt & Whitney, Southeast Air Defense Sector OL-A, United Airlines and US Navy Construction.

Charleston's mission is to fly C-17s and provide airlift of troops and passengers, military equipment, cargo, and aero-medical equipment and supplies.

Columbus Air Force Base

Columbus Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Lowndes County, Mississippi, treated for statistical purposes by the United States Census Bureau at a census-designated place. The base was started on 26 June 1941, when the War Department approved establishment of an Army Air Field for the Columbus area. The host wing is the 14th Flying Training Wing, which includes staff agencies, an operations group, and a mission support group. Columbus' mission is to conduct undergraduate pilot training, as well as perform quality assurance for contract aircraft maintenance.

Creech Air Force Base

Creech Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Indian Springs, Nevada, it was built in 1942. The 42d Attack Squadron was formed at Creech on November 8, 2006 as the first Reaper squadron. On May 1, 2007 operational control of the base was moved from Nellis to the 432nd Wing which was reactivated and assumed control of the base. The host unit is the 432nd Wing, which has six operational squadrons, one maintenance squadron, and six Reapers and 60 Predators.

Along with being the aerial demonstration training site for the Thunderbirds, the base plays a major role in the ongoing war on terrorism. The base is home to the MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle which flies daily in Afghanistan and Iraq. The base is also home to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Battlelab whose mission is to work with the war fighter and identify problems that can be solved using innovative UAV solutions.

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona. There are 7,000 military and 1,600 civilian employees who work on the base are paid $199 million annually, and the base has an estimated $750 million economic impact on Tucson as a whole.

The host wing is the 355th Fighter Wing, which includes an operations group, a maintenance group, a mission support group, and a medical group.

Davis-Monthan's mission is to train A-10 and OA-10 pilots and to provide A-10 and OA-10 close support and forward air control to ground forces worldwide. D-M, as it is also called, is best known for "The Boneyard" – the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, the long term storage facility (and, in some cases, final resting place) for excess or unused government aircraft.

Dover Air Force Base

Dover Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force in the state of Delaware. The base was built in 1941. The base is home to the 436th Airlift Wing, known as the "Eagle Wing", and the 512th Airlift Wing, referred to as the "Liberty Wing". It was the only base to solely operate the massive C-5 Galaxy, with two active flying squadrons (the 3rd Airlift which now operates the C-17 Globe-master III and 9th Airlift) and two Air Force Reserve flying squadrons (the 326th and the 709th). It is the home base for the largest military mortuary in the Department of Defense, and has been used for processing military personnel killed in both war and peacetime. The mortuary was used in 1978 for the victims of the Jonestown mass murder/suicide, 1986 for identifying the remains of the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger, and in 2003 for the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia. It was also a major site for identifying the remains of military personnel killed in the 9/11 attacks. It is also home to the Air Mobility Command Museum.

Dyess Air Force Base

Dyess Air Force Base is a military airport located five miles (8 km) southwest of the central business district (CBD) of Abilene, a city in Taylor County, Texas, USA. The base was built in 1942. Dyess AFB was originally known as Abilene Air Force Base until it was renamed in December of 1956, after Lt. Col. William E. Dyess. One of the many unique features of Dyess is its extensive collection of static military aircraft on display. Collectively known as the "Linear Air Park," it contains 30 aircraft from World War II to the present, many of them formerly based at Dyess, and is located along the base's main road, Arnold Blvd. All but one plane has been flown before. Its most recent addition is the first operational B-1B Lancer, known as "The Star of Abilene," which made its final flight in 2003. It can be seen at the front gate to Dyess along with a recently retired C-130 Hercules located on the other side of the road (both the B-1B and C-130 are based at Dyess). Another unique feature of Dyess is its main source of energy. Most of the energy Dyess receives is from wind energy (readily available in windy West Texas), and is considered one of the "greenest" bases in the U.S. Air Force.

Edwards Air Force Base

Edwards Air Force Base is located in California, United States. The airbase originally was known as the Muroc Army Air Field. It was built in 1933 and was renamed on December 8, 1949 in memory of U.S. Air Force test pilot Glen Edwards, who died while testing the Northrop YB-49. It accommodates 412th Test Wing and is currently operated by the 95th Air Base Wing. The airbase has been designated as the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC). The United States Air Force Test Pilot School and NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center are at Edwards, almost every United States military aircraft since the 1950s has been at least partially tested here; as such it has been the site of many aviation breakthroughs as a result. Edwards has a history of few notable occurrences including Chuck Yeager's famous flight where he broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1, test flights of the North American X-15, the first landings of the Space Shuttle, the 1986 around-the-world flight of the Rutan Voyager. In addition to the above, the base is one of the largest purchasers of renewable energy in the nation, deriving 60 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, and is a lead partner in the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership.

Eglin Air Force Base

Eglin Air Force Base is located in Florida, United States. It was built in 1933 and started to be used with effect from June 14, 1935. The base is the home of the United States Air Force 96th Air Base Wing of the Air Force Materiel Command, and is also headquarters for more than 45 associate units.

Eglin is one of the largest Air Force bases in the world, covering 724 square miles (1,875 km²) of reservation and 97,963 square miles (253,723 km²) of water ranges in the Gulf of Mexico. Eglin employs more than 8,500 military and approximately 4,500 civilians.

In addition to the above during 1998, as part of the Air Forces' strategic plan to guide the service into the 21st century, the Air Force Development Test Center became the Air Force Materiel Command's Air Armament Center (AAC), responsible for development, acquisition, testing, and fielding all air-delivered weapons.

Eielson Air Force Base

Eielson Air Force Base is located in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. It is part of the 'Fairbanks, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area'. As of the 2000 census, the population of the base is 5,400. The base's longest runway is 14,500 feet long. The base is named for polar pilot Carl Eielson. Eielson is home to the 354th Fighter Wing which is part of Pacific Air Forces Eleventh Air Force. The 354th Fighter Wing mission is "To train, deliver, maintain and support combat power across the globe with the following units.

   * 354th Operations Group (Tail Code: AK)
   * 354th Maintenance Group
   * 354th Medical Group
   * 354th Fighter Wing Staff Agencies
   * 354th Mission Support Group
   * Tenant Units

Ellsworth Air Force Base

Ellsworth Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base near Rapid City, South Dakota and is home to the B-1B Lancer. The base was built in 1942. The host wing is the 28th Bomb Wing, which includes an operations group, a maintenance directorate, a mission support group, and a medical group. The base controls all air space 40 miles (64 km) around its area, including all landings in nearby Rapid City Regional Airport, Rapid City, South Dakota. In addition to the South Dakota Air & Space Museum is also accommodated at the base.

Elmendorf Air Force Base

Elmendorf Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base adjacent to Anchorage, Alaska, the largest city in Alaska. The base was built and in use since 1940. It is the home of the Headquarters, Alaskan Command (ALCOM), Alaskan NORAD Region (ANR), Eleventh Air Force (11 AF), and the 3rd Wing (HQ Alaskan Command, Alaskan NORAD Region). Elmendorf's mission is to support and defend U.S. interests in the Asia Pacific region and around the world by providing units who are ready for worldwide air power projection and a base that is capable of meeting PACOM's theater staging and throughput requirements.

F. E. Warren Air Force Base

Francis E. Warren Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Laramie County, Wyoming, United States, near the city of Cheyenne. The base was established in 1867. It is the oldest continuously active military installation within the Air Force. According to the United States Census Bureau, the base has a total area of 13.1 km² (5.0 mi²). 12.9 km² (5.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it is water.

The host wing is the 90th Space Wing, (20th Air Force, AFOSI, Wyoming Civil Air Patrol, Area Defense Counsel, 153rd Command and Control Squadron) which operates the LGM-30 Minuteman ICBM, with silos in Southeast Wyoming, Western Nebraska, and Northern Colorado.

Fairchild Air Force Base

Fairchild Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Spokane County, Washington, United States. The base was built and is in use since 1942. The host wing is the 92nd Air Refueling Wing, (141st Air Refueling Wing, 509th Weapons Squadron, 336th Training Group, 368th Recruiting Squadron, Joint Personnel Recovery Agency, 373rd Training Squadron Det 13, AFOSI Det 22) which flies the KC-135R and the UH-1N Huey.

Washington State has the distinction of having more warheads than four of the six known nuclear nations. These warheads are concentrated in two places (Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane and the Kitsap Submarine Base across Puget Sound, on the Hood Canal).

Goodfellow Air Force Base

Goodfellow Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in San Angelo, Texas. Goodfellow AFB is named after first lieutenant John J. Goodfellow, Jr. who died during World War I while conducting aerial reconnaissance behind enemy lines. The administration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt purchased the land on which Goodfellow sits to build an advanced air training base. The new San Angelo Air Corps Basic Flying School was established on 17 August 1940. In 1941 the base was officially renamed Goodfellow Field. Throughout World War II and afterwards, Goodfellow trained pilots on such planes as the T-6 Texan and the B-25 Mitchell. The base was then transferred from Air Training Command to the U.S. Air Force Security Service. Goodfellow's mission changed to what it is today; the base's runway is no longer in operation. In 1966, the mission expanded further to include joint-service training for other branches of the service.

On 1 July 1993, the 17th Training Wing was activated on Goodfellow AFB and special instruments training and fire protection began to be taught there. Goodfellow's main mission is cryptologic and intelligence training for the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Also, special instruments training and fire protection is taught here. It is the home of the 17th Training Wing.

Grand Forks Air Force Base

Grand Forks Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located in Grand Forks County, North Dakota 15 miles (24 km) west of the city of Grand Forks, North Dakota on U.S. Highway 2. Grand Forks AFB was built as an Air Defense Command fighter-interceptor air base. The site for the base was chosen in 1954 and the land was paid for by the citizens of Grand Forks, which is located 15 miles west of the city. The beginning of the 5,400 acre air base started in 1956 with the construction of a 12,300-foot runway. In 1957, the air base brought the 478th Fighter Group into service. It is part of the "Grand Forks, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area" or "Greater Grand Forks". As of the 2000 census, the base CDP had a total population of 4,832. It is the home of the 319th Air Refueling Wing, which consists of the KC-135 Stratotanker. It is under the Air Mobility Command.

Hanscom Air Force Base

Hanscom Air Force Base, initially and briefly designated Bedford Army Air Base, is a U.S. Air Force facility in Bedford, Massachusetts. It was built and started functioning in 1942. It is the headquarters of the Electronic Systems Center (ESC), one of the product centers of the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC). In addition to this primary function, which is its host unit, Hanscom supports the Air Force Research Laboratory's Sensors and Space Vehicles directorates, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, the MITRE Corporation, and various other companies and groups related to the Department of Defense.

Hickam Air Force Base

Hickam Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the City and County of Honolulu on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i. A new air field was built in 1934. The new airfield was dedicated on 31 May 1935 and named in honor of Lt. Col. Horace Meek Hickam, a distinguished aviation pioneer who was killed in an aircraft accident the previous November 5 at Fort Crockett in Galveston, Texas. Hickam AFB shares its runways with adjacent Honolulu International Airport under a shared-use agreement that creates a single airport complex. Hickam AFB consists of 2,850 acres (12 km²) of land and facilities bordering Pearl Harbor. The Hickam AFB main gate is reached via Nimitz Highway (State Rte. 92) from Honolulu, and shares its western terminus with the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard main gate.

Hill Air Force Base

Hill Air Force Base is an installation of the United States Air Force operating under the auspices of the Air Force Materiel Command. It is located in northern Utah, south of the city of Ogden, adjacent to the cities of Clearfield, Roy and Layton and is approximately 29 miles north of Salt Lake City. It was originally built in 1939 as the Ogden Air Depot; it was soon named Hill Field after Major Plover Peter Hill, who had died testing a Boeing Model 299 aircraft. Presently following units have been accommodated at the base. 1. Ogden Air Logistics Center 2. 75th Air Base Wing 3. 84th Combat Sustainment Wing 4. 309th Maintenance Wing 5. 388th Fighter Wing 6. 419th Fighter Wing 7. 508th Aircraft Sustainment Wing 8. 526th ICBM Systems Wing 9. 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron The base also houses the 30-acre Hill Aerospace Museum, which contains over 80 historical aircraft. In addition to its mission as a logistics-materiel base, Hill also serves as host to the 388th Fighter Wing, currently composed mostly of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. The installation is projected to serve as a host installation for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, which is currently in production.

Holloman Air Force Base

Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Otero County, about 6 miles SW of Alamogordo, New Mexico. It is the home of the 49th Fighter Wing. Holloman Air Force Base was established in 1942 as Alamogordo Air Field six miles west of Alamogordo, New Mexico; it was renamed in 1948 after Col. George Holloman, a native of Rich Square, North Carolina and pioneer of early rocket and pilot-less aircraft research. From May to June 2006, Holloman served as a major shooting location for the motion picture Transformers. Airmen from Holloman as well as other bases served as extras or advisors to the production.

Keesler Air Force Base

Keesler Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Biloxi, Mississippi. The base is home of the 81st Training Wing, and the base is responsible for training airmen who have just completed basic training as well as additional training they will need for upcoming assignments. On average, Keesler has 4,700 students on base at a time. Much of the training they receive is in the field of electronics, such as wideband maintenance, ground radio, information technology, avionics, and cryptography. The 81st Training Wing also trains personnel in the field of meteorology, to include observing, weather analysis and forecasting, radar operations, and tropical cyclone forecasting. The 81st Medical Group is also located at the base, and operates the second largest medical center in the Air Force. Other groups assigned to Keesler AFB include the 45th Airlift Squadron which provides the only C-21 training in AETC, the Air Force Reserve Command's 403rd Wing, which provides airlift support as well as serving as parent to the 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, also known as the Hurricane Hunters. Keesler AFB is one of the largest technical training wings in the United States Air Force, and in Air Education and Training Command (AETC).

Kirtland Air Force Base

Kirtland Air Force Base is located in the southeast quadrant of Albuquerque, New Mexico, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was built in 1942. The installation is home to the 377th Air Base Wing, Kirtland AFB's host organization. The mission of the wing is to provide world-class munitions maintenance, readiness and training, and base operating support to approximately 76 Federal government and 384 private sector tenants and associate units. Among these is the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Defense Nuclear Weapons School, the mission of which is to provide nuclear weapons core competencies and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high explosive (CBRNE) response training to DoD, other Federal and State Agencies, and National Laboratory personnel. The Air National Guard unit on KAFB is the 150th Fighter Wing, which is part of the Air Combat Command.

Lackland Air Force Base

Lackland Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located in the western area of San Antonio, Texas, USA. Lackland Air Force Base built in 1941, and it was originally part of Kelly Field. One year later, it became an independent organization—the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center. In 1948, the facility was named Lackland AFB after Brigadier General Frank Lackland. Lackland gained a flying mission when adjacent Kelly Air Force Base closed in 2001. The two-mile-long runway is now a joint-use facility between Lackland AFB and the city of San Antonio. Lackland hosts a collection of vintage military aircraft on static display, including a B-52 Stratofortress bomber, Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, C-121 Constellation, and a B-25 Mitchell bomber. In addition, with the closure of Kelly AFB Lackland gained the section of base known as Security Hill. Security Hill is home to numerous Air Combat Command units such as the 67th Network Warfare Wing and the Air Intelligence Agency. All units on Security Hill are considered tenant units.

Langley Air Force Base

Langley Air Force Base is located 3 miles north of Hampton, Virginia. The base was acquired in December 1916. Langley Air Force Base is the first military base built in the United States specifically for air power. The base is named for aviation pioneer Samuel Pierpont Langley. It is the home of the United States Air Force 1st Fighter Wing {Operational squadrons of the 1st Fighter Wing are: 27th Fighter Squadron (F-22A), 71st Fighter Squadron (F-15C/D) and 94th Fighter Squadron (F-22A)} and the 480th Intelligence Wing that is responsible for projects global vigilance, providing persistent world-class timely and tailored multi-discipline intelligence analysis to the war-fighter while directing reach-back/distributed operations.

Laughlin Air Force Base

Laughlin Air Force Base of the United States Air Force is located five miles (8 km) east of the central business district (CBD) of Del Rio, Texas, close to the border of the United States with Mexico. It was originally named Laughlin Army Air Field on March 3, 1943, after Jack T. Laughlin, a B-17 Flying Fortress navigator who became Del Rio's first WWII casualty when his plane was shot down over Java in January 1942. The field became just Laughlin Field on November 11 1943 and later an Air Force Auxiliary Field. It was closed in October 1945 and reopened with its present name on May 1, 1952. Laughlin AFB, the largest pilot training base in the USAF, is home to the 47th Flying Training Wing; on weekdays, the airfield sees more takeoffs and landings than any other airport in the country. The US Census identifies Laughlin as a "town" named Laughlin AFB, Texas. The population was 2,225 at the 2000 census.

Little Rock Air Force Base

Little Rock Air Force Base is a United States Air Force facility located in Jacksonville, Arkansas. It is the only C-130 training base for the Department of Defense, and trains C-130 pilots, navigators, flight engineers, and loadmasters, from all branches of the US military as well as 28 allied nations, in tactical airlift and aerial delivery. Little Rock AFB is home of C-130E, C-130H, and C-130J aircraft, as well as the C-130 Center of Excellence (schools for C-130E and C-130J crews). Construction of Little Rock Air Force Base begins on 6 November 1953 the base was officially activated by Strategic Air Command (SAC) on 1 August 1955, hosting SAC's 384th Bombardment Wing (BMW) and 70th Reconnaissance Wing. The 314th Airlift Wing is currently the host organization for the base. Other organizations at Little Rock AFB include the 463d Airlift Group, the 189th Airlift Wing, and the Mobility Weapons School. All four of these organizations fly the C-130 Hercules.

Luke Air Force Base

Luke Air Force Base is a large Air Force Base located west of Phoenix on the outskirts of the city of Glendale, Arizona. The base was built in 1941. Luke Air Force Base hosts the 56th wing; the largest fighter wing in the United States Air Force. The wing is composed of four groups, 27 squadrons, including eight fighter squadrons. The 56th FW is one of the most highly decorated units in Air Force history. Units flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon are the 21st, 61st, 62nd, 63rd, 308th, 309th, 310th, and 425th Fighter Squadrons. It has eight squadrons of F-16 Fighting Falcons and it is used to train pilots flying Sorties at Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range where they drop practice bombs. There are several tenant units on base, including the 944th Fighter Wing, assigned to 10th Air Force and the Air Force Reserve. It is named for the first aviator to receive the Medal of Honor– Lt. Frank Luke Jr. Born in Phoenix in 1897, the “Arizona Balloon Buster” scored 18 aerial victories during World War I (14 of these German observation balloons) in the skies over France before being killed, at age 21, on Sept. 29, 1918.

MacDill Air Force Base

MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) is a base of the United States Air Force in Hillsborough County, Florida, 8 miles south of Downtown Tampa at the tip of the Interbay Peninsula. MacDill Field was dedicated on April 16, 1941. It was named in honor of Col. Leslie MacDill, one of the Army's aviation pioneers who had been killed in an aircraft accident in 1938. The initial host unit was the 28th Air Base Squadron. In January 2001, the 310th Airlift Squadron was activated at the base, flying the CT-43 and EC-135. New C-37 aircraft were delivered starting in 2001, and the CT-43 and EC-135 have both been decommissioned. The 310th's primary mission is dedicated airlift support for the commanders of SOCOM and CENTCOM. With the addition of the 310th AS, the wing was given its current designation as the 6th Air Mobility Wing.

Malmstrom Air Force Base

Malmstrom AFB is a United States Air Force base located in Cascade County, Montana, USA. In 1939, the Great Falls Airport commission appealed to Harry H. Woodring, Secretary of War, to locate an Air Corps squadron at Great Falls, Montana. In 1941, the Civil Aeronautics Authority provided the money for the development of the Great Falls Municipal Airport. In May 1942, construction began on an Army Air Corps base six miles east of Great Falls. The base was known as East Base.

On June 15, 1956, Great Falls AFB was officially dedicated as Malmstrom AFB, after the name of vice wing commander, Colonel Malmstrom; he died when his plane crashed and the 4061st Air Refueling Wing arrived with its contingent of KC-97 tankers the next year. It is the home of the 341st Space Wing.

Maxwell Air Force Base

Maxwell Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) facility near Montgomery, Alabama, in Montgomery County, in the United States. One of the school's notable achievements was its development of two aerial acrobatics teams: the Flying Trapezers, in 1932, and the Skylarks, in 1935. In 1940, it was announced that the installation was to be converted into a pilot-training center. During following years, Maxwell was home to six different schools that trained U.S. military aviators and their support teams for wartime service. It is the headquarters of Air University, a major component of Air Education and Training Command, and is the Air Force's center for Professional Military Education (PME). The host unit is the 42nd Air Base Wing. Maxwell AFB hosts Air Force Officer Training School, one of the USAF commissioning sources. As of 2007, the base is one of two that host Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps summer field training encampments and will be the only base starting in summer 2008. The Civil Air Patrol holds headquarters at Maxwell. Also at Maxwell are the USAF Reserve 908th Airlift Wing and 357th Airlift Squadron, which operates eight C-130H aircraft.

McChord Air Force Base

McChord Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Pierce County, Washington. On 3 July 1940, the airfield was named McChord Field, in honor of Colonel William C. McChord, who had been killed in an accident near Richmond, Virginia the year before. It became independent of Ft. Lewis in 1947 following the creation of the Air Force under provisions of the National Security Act of 1947. The base is closed to the public. There is a museum on the base. However, it cannot be visited by the public due to lack of public access to the base. In contrast, some museums located on other U.S.A.F. bases are accessible to the public. Currently, it is the home of 62d Airlift Wing, 446th Airlift Wing, and the Western Air Defense Sector (WADS).

McConnell Air Force Base

McConnell Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Wichita, Kansas. Originally it was named Wichita Air Force Base; the name was changed to McConnell Air Force Base after less than a year in honor of Wichita brothers Fred and Thomas McConnell, both Air Force pilots and World War II veterans who died in airplane crashes. On 26 April 1991, a tornado devastated McConnell during the Andover, Kansas Tornado Outbreak. As a result of the tornado, the base constructed new facilities to replace the destroyed base services. Today, McConnell is home to the 22d Air Refueling Wing, the AFRC's 931st Air Refueling Group, and the Kansas Air National Guard's 184th Wing.

McGuire Air Force Base

McGuire Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located in parts of New Hanover Township and North Hanover Township, in Burlington County, New Jersey. McGuire AFB was opened as Rudd Field in 1937, as a single dirt-strip field that served a support role to adjacent Fort Dix. The field was expanded during World War II and was reassigned to the Air Force in 1949. The Air Force named the base after Major Thomas B. McGuire, Jr., who was killed in action in January 1945. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. McGuire Air Force Base accomplishes, hosting the flying needs of next-door neighbor Fort Dix (Army installation). For years, Fort Dix has been a gateway for army personnel shipping out to overseas locations. Air Force and civilian-contracted aircraft use McGuire's two runways to facilitate this mission. Many hundreds of thousands of Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps personnel have left the United States for overseas locations from McGuire Air Force Base.

Minot Air Force Base

Minot Air Force Base (Minot AFB) is a base of the United States Air Force in Ward County, North Dakota, 15 km (8 mi) north of the city of Minot. Construction of Minot Air Force Base initiated on 19 May 1956, and the base officially opened on 10 January 1957. On 1 June 1992, Air Combat Command (ACC) was formed, with Strategic Air Command being inactivated. In 1993 control of the ICBM force was transferred by ACC to Air Force Space Command. The 91st Missile Wing was assigned to AFSC on 1 July 1993. On August 30th, 2007 a 23d Bomb Squadron B-52 bomber accidentally took off with 6 nuclear warheads. Minot AFB it is the home of two major Air Force Wings. 1) The Air Combat Command (ACC) 5th Bomb Wing, 2) The Air Force Space Command (AFSC) 91st Space Wing.

Moody Air Force Base

Moody Air Force Base is located in Lowndes County, about 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Valdosta, Georgia. The base was built in 1940. Moody Air Force Base was named in memory of Major George Putnam Moody, an Air Force pioneer killed in May 1941, while serving with the Beech Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas. On 29 September 2006, the 347th Rescue Wing was designated to the 23rd Wing as the 347th Rescue Group. Along with accepting the 23rd Wing designation, Moody AFB will accept the responsibility of carrying on the historic Flying Tiger's heritage. The 23d Fighter Group will transfer from Pope AFB North Carolina in 2007, bringing two operational A/OA-10 fighter squadrons to Moody. The base is the home of the United States Air Force 23d Wing. The wing also supports Air Education and Training Command’s 479th Flying Training Group and Air Combat Command's 820th Security Forces Group in all operations.

Nellis Air Force Base

Nellis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base, in Clark County, Nevada, on the northeast side of Las Vegas. On January 2, 1941, the city bought an airstrip run by Western Air Express and leased it to the Air Corps three days later, the plan being to use the strip for both military and civilian aircraft. Nellis is the home of the USAF's Air Warfare Center of the Air Combat Command, a major training location for both US and foreign fighter aircraft pilots. The base is named for William Harrell Nellis, a Las Vegas resident and P-47 pilot who died in action during the Battle of the Bulge. The base consists of three major functional areas. Area I includes the airfield and most of the mission support functions. Area II is east of Area I and contains the munitions area. Area III It contains housing, Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital, and open-space.

Offutt Air Force Base

Offutt Air Force Base (Offutt AFB) of the United States Air Force is located in Sarpy County, Nebraska, United States. In 1918 the 61st Balloon Company of the Army Air Corp was assigned to Fort Crook at the close of World War I. In 1921, an airfield was built at the Fort as a refueling stop for mail and transcontinental flights and in 1924 the airfield was officially named Offutt Field in honor of 1st Lt. Jarvis Offutt. Offutt was an American pilot from nearby Omaha who was killed while flying with the Royal Air Force in France during World War I. It is home to the headquarters of the United States Strategic Command, the Air Force Weather Agency, and the 55th Wing. Its legacy includes the construction of the first two bombers to drop atomic bombs and nearly 30 years as the aerial command center for the United States in case of nuclear war during the Cold War.

Peterson Air Force Base

Peterson Air Force Base (Peterson AFB) is a base of the United States Air Force located at Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Peterson AFB was established on May 6, 1942 at the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport. It was renamed on December 13, 1942 from Colorado Springs Army Air Base to Peterson Field in honor of a fallen airman that lost his life in an aircraft crash on the base. The base began heavy bomber combat crew training in 1943 utilizing the B-24 Liberator. In June 1944 the mission at the base changed, this time to fighter pilot training employing P–40 War-hawks. Peterson AFB is home to US Northern Command, NORAD, Air Force Space Command, Army Space Command, the 21st Space Wing (host unit) and the 302d Airlift Wing (reserve). The Colorado Springs Post Office (ZIP Code 80914) serves Peterson AFB postal addresses.

Randolph Air Force Base

Randolph Air Force Base (Randolph AFB) is a base of the United States Air Force located in Universal City, Texas, near San Antonio. Randolph AFB was dedicated in June 20, 1930, as a flying training base and continues in that mission today. It serves as headquarters of the U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command. It is known as "the Showplace of the Air Force" because of the Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture in which all structures including hangars were constructed. The symbol of the base is a large tower atop building 100, housing the 12th Flying Training Wing (FTW) headquarters, known throughout the Air Force as "the Taj Mahal" or simply "The Taj". The base also accommodate the Air Force Personnel Center, Air Force Manpower Agency, Air Force Office of Special Investigations Field Investigations Region 4, and the Air Force Recruiting Service. Randolph AFB operates parallel runways on either side of its main installation facilities and conducts 24-hour-a-day flight training operations.

Robins Air Force Base

Robins Air Force Base (Robins AFB) is a base of the United States Air Force in Houston County, Georgia, United States. The War Department approved the building the Georgia Air Depot on 14 June 1941. Several months’ later construction began on the base. The base was called by many names but, in 1943 the base was redesignated Warner Robins Army Air Depot in honor of Brigadier General Augustine Warner Robins, one of the Army Air Corps’ first General Staff Officers. During World War II maintenance, supply, and logistics field team members were trained at the base. The base supported both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In 1974 the base was redesignated with its present name. The city is in the Macon metropolitan area, and is the single largest industrial complex in Georgia, employing a work force of over 25,584 civilian, contractor, and military members. The population was 3,949 at the 2000 census.

Schriever Air Force Base

Schriever Air Force Base (Schriever AFB) is a base of the United States Air Force located approximately 10 miles (16 kilometers) east of Peterson AFB near Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Schriever Air Force Base was built in May 1983. It was originally called Falcon Air Force Station. In 1985 the 2d Space Wing was activated at the base. The wing took operational control of the Air Force Satellite Control Network in October 1987. In June 1988, the base was redesignated as Falcon Air Force Base. On 30 January 1992 the 2d Space Wing was inactivated and the 50th Space Wing took its place. It is home to Air Force Space Command's 50th Space Wing, which provides command and control for more than 170 Department of Defense warning, navigational, and communications satellites. Also housed at Schriever AFB are the Joint National Integration Center and the Space Innovation & Development Center. Schriever AFB is the main control point for the Global Positioning System (GPS).

Sheppard Air Force Base

Sheppard Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base adjacent to Wichita Falls, Texas. Sheppard Air Force Base officially opened as an Army Air Corps training center in October, 1941. It was established on 300 acres (1.2 km²) just south of Kell Field. It is home of the 82d Training Wing and the 80th Flying Training Wing, home of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) Program. The ENJJPT Wing is a uniquely manned multinational organization with a USAF wing commander and a German Air Force operations group commander in the top two leadership positions. Command and operations officers' positions in the flying training squadrons rotate among the participating nations, while the commander of the 80th Operations Support Squadron is always from the USAF. Additionally, officers from all 13 participating nations fill subordinate leadership positions throughout the wing. Eight nations--Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Turkey and the United States--provide instructor pilots based on their number of student pilots. Canada, Greece, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom do not have student pilots in training, but do provide one instructor pilot. As an example of this totally integrated structure, an American student pilot may have a Belgian instructor pilot, a Dutch flight commander, a Turkish section commander, an Italian operations office, and a German squadron commander. Sheppard AFB shares its runway with Wichita Falls Municipal Airport.

Travis Air Force Base

Travis Air Force Base is located in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Travis Air Force Base handles more cargo and passenger traffic through its airport than any other military air terminal in the United States and is known as the "Gateway to the Pacific". The Base has a long and proud history of supporting humanitarian airlift operations at home and around the world. Today, the Base includes approximately 7,260 active military personnel, 3,770 civilians and 4,250 reservists. Travis AFB has a major impact on the community as a number of military families and retirees have chosen to make Fairfield their permanent home. Travis AFB is the largest employer in the City and Solano County as well, and the massive Travis workforce has a local economic impact of more than $1 billion annually. The Base also contributes a large number of highly skilled people to the local labor pool. David Grant Medical Center, a 265-bed, $200 million dollar facility, serves both in-service and retired military. The base’s host unit, the 60th Air Mobility Wing, is the largest wing in the Air Force's Air Mobility Command, with a versatile fleet of 26 C-5 Galaxies, 27 KC-10 Extenders, and 13 C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. There is 1 Navy E-6B Mercury aircraft assigned to VQ3 Detachment. The base is also host to David Grant USAF Medical Center, an Air Force teaching hospital.

Vandenberg Air Force Base

Vandenberg Air Force Base is a United States military installation with a spaceport, in Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The base, nicknamed "VandyLand" by Air Force personnel, was originally established in 1941 as the US Army's Camp Cooke. Presently Vandenberg accommodates the 30th Space Wing & 14th Air Force. The base is responsible for satellite launches for military and commercial organizations, as well as testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Vandenberg is also used for the launch of non-military satellites into polar orbits. At Vandenberg, Space and Missile Heritage Center preserves and displays artifacts and memorabilia to interpret the evolution of missile and spacelift activity from the beginning of the Cold War through current non-classified developments in military, commercial, and scientific space endeavors. In addition to the above Vandenberg is assuming new roles with the creation of the Joint Functional Component Command for Space (JFCC SPACE).

Whiteman Air Force Base

Whiteman Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force in Johnson County, Missouri, United States. The base was activated in 1942 during World War II as Sedalia Glider Base. In 1951 it passed to Strategic Air Command and was modified for use by heavy bombers. First B-47 aircraft were deployed there in 1954. In 1955 Sedalia Air Force Base was renamed to Whiteman AFB in honor of 2d Lt. George A. Whiteman, a native of Sedalia and one of the first American airmen killed in World War II, during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The base is the home of the 509th Bomb Wing, which operates the B-2 Spirit stealth bombers; the other major units are the 442d Fighter Wing, the Missouri Army National Guard's 1/135th Aviation Battalion, and the Navy Reserve's Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit 114.

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base ("Wright-Patt" as the base is colloquially called) is a United States Air Force base located in Greene and Montgomery counties. In 1917 Wilbur Wright Field was opened to train pilots and gunners. The base is named after the Wright brothers, who used the Huffman Prairie portion of what became Wright-Patterson as their testing ground, and Frank Stuart Patterson. Wright-Patterson AFB is the headquarters of the Air Force Materiel Command. It is the home base of the 445th Airlift Wing, which flies the C-5 Galaxy heavy airlifter, and it is the headquarters of the Air Force Research Laboratory. The base is also the location of a major USAF Medical Center (hospital), the Air Force Institute of Technology, and the National Museum of the United States Air Force, formerly known as the U.S. Air Force Museum. Wright-Patterson is the host of the annual United States Air Force Marathon which occurs the weekend closest to the Air Force's anniversary.