Watch. Links: Thule AFB . In 1988, the based was renamed to honor World War II General, Ira C. Eaker. Since then, there have been only 744 aircraft built by Boeing. Ritz. 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. The incident over Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico on January 21, 1976, would not only stretch to a second night but was also witnessed by pure chance by a student journalist known only as "Bruce.". Armament: Four defensive .50-cal. Pinterest. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. The aircraft remained there until November when it was reassigned to the 320th Bombardment Wing (H) at Mather AFB, California. In December 1972, after being repaired, it flew four additional missions over North Vietnam. The last model 61-0040, was produced in 1962. Loved it. A strong gust of wind has pushed the rear of the aircraft left then right. Photographer unknown. It is the USAFs main aerial fueling aircraft. Notice my Mustang has what appears to be a trailer hitch. 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. Another part was that the men who had flown in Vietnam and chafed under the official frowning upon of nose art were now the ones in charge. School trips were to other countries LOL. Roof repairs began on February 19, 2022. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Louisiana was the aircraft's next stop when in May 1974 it was transferred to the 2nd Bombardment Group (H) at Barksdale AFB. "Valkyrie" would fly a few more missions during the war, the only time she would drop bombs in anger. Today the base is mostly in a decrepit state of disrepair. 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. ", From: www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/facility/bomber_alert.htm. This is the alert facility, or "mole hole," where bomber and tanker aircraft crew in the Strategic Air Command (SAC; USAF) lived while they were pulling alert duty during the Cold War. After World War II the C-47s were used in the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The base contributed greatly to the economic and . All photos. In the bomb bay were ADM-20 Quail decoys. The nine surviving jets are scattered from coast to coast most of them restored and on display. The nine surviving jets are scattered from coast to coast most of them restored and on display. at the old Blytheville Air Force Base now called the Blytheville Aeroplex where the city is planning to invest $20 million . The aircraft in question was tail number 61-0023. The majority of the bases housing is still in use, a few buildings are in use, and the tarmac is now the Arkansas Aeroplex. If you can make it, even for an hour, we will be glad to have you! Find Blytheville Air Force Base unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. The Blytheville Air Force Base Capehart Housing Historic District encompasses a large residential area built between 1957 and 1962 as part of a military housing program for service members stationed at the now-closed Blytheville Air Force Base in Blytheville, Arkansas. Photo by Democrat-Gazette file photo . 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. c/n 18002/T0417. This increased the B-52Gs range over earlier B-52s, though it also added considerable weightone reason why the tail was shortened; to help the heavy bomber get off the ground, the water-injection system already present was increased. Engines: Eight P&W J57-P-43WB turbojets, 13,750 lbs thrust each w/ water injection, Weight: 168,445 lbs empty; 488,000 lbs max, Speed: 636 mph max at 20,800 ft; 523 mph cruise, Range: 4,100 miles w/10,000 lb bomb load; 7,976 miles ferry, Armament: Four .5 in machine guns; payload 50,000 lbs bombs & missiles. Whether it be by the hand of the elements, or by deconstruction due to safety issues. The Strategic Air Command had reached the end of the road. In June 1965 B-52s entered combat in Southeast Asia. [1], During the Vietnam War the 97th Bomber Wing at Blytheville supported strike operations throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. I was an army brat and a military wife along with an army civilian off and on over the years. [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. 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. 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. 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". The walls are riddled with holes. 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 population suffered as well. The first of 12 model aircrafts that were once housed at the Blytheville Air Force Base (later Eaker Air Force Base) was delivered on Wednesday to the exhibition building. Any and all donations are appreciated. 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. Pilot Mike Bush, Co Pilot Larry J Houser, EWO Wayne Carver, Navagtor Doug "D.R" Kincannon, Gunner Jack Alexander. 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. This is not my photograph so it may not be used for commercial purposes. There were trainer versions designated TC-47 and reconnaissance versions designated RC-47. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos. Gosnell reported losing over half its students. 2, no. The original, one-of-a-kind model was created by P.J. It was rolled out of Boeings Wichita plant. In July 1963 the aircraft was stationed at Beale AFB, California, with the 456th Bombardment Wing (H). On June 10, 1942, the U.S. Army opened an advanced pilot training school at Blytheville, Arkansas. In June 1972 General Brown assumed command of the 416th Bombardment Wing at Griffiss Air Force Base, N.Y. Armament: Four .50-cal. My Heritage. Collect, curate and comment on your files. This area was developed pursuant to guidelines established by the Federal Housing Administration , and is laid out with . Leaving Little Rock as Arkansas only active base. The airport was developed from the closed Eaker Air Force Base (formerly Blytheville Air Force Base), after its closure by the U.S. Air Force in 1992. . Blytheville Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base from 1942, until it closed in 1992. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Psychiatry and Psychology 1 Part of the reason was the USAF's adoption of "Combat Warrior," which was meant to instill a sense of history among its pilots and airmen, requiring the study of the USAF/USAAF historical record. The newer B-52Hs had turbofan powerplant, which was more fuel efficient, and START arms control treaties required the dismantling of the B-52G force after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. I was one of four Production Supervisors who coordinated the P-Check maintenance and retrofitting of existing 737-200's (42 aircraft) for MetroJet; this included all coach interiors and . Copyright 2009-document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) - Abandoned Atlas Foundation - board@AbandonedAtlas.com | Designed By Prairie Nation Creative, LLC - Disclaimer, Eaker Air Force Base (Click the Thumbnails to See Full Album), Extras (sirens, wildlife, monument, signs). The B-52G entered service in February 1959, and eventually 193 would be built, making it the most produced B-52 variant. Blytheville was the only two engine training base in Arkansas. The 456th completed deployments to Anderson AB in Guam with this B-52G. It has the exact same problems as the hospital, though both buildings trade off on extremities. Touch . 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-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. [1], The base closure cost the community over 700 civilian jobs, but half of these were recovered through the adaptive reuse of the former base, such as United States Post Office's utilization of the base in the late 1990s as an airport hub during the holidays, some of the base housing being converted by Westminster Village of the Mid-South for a retirement community, the construction of a $2.5 million sports complex by the local community, and the private investment of some $3 million for the creation of the Thunder Bayou Golf Course. It was located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. It was also a B-52 that made the first airborne hydrogen bomb drop over Bikini Atoll on May 21, 1956. My first year I worked in Procurement which is to the far right edge in this photo, it is the last building on the left along Memorial Drive, the wide street going left to right. The B-52H, however, continues to serve without a replacement on the horizon; the USAF intends to keep it in service until at least 2025, by which time the newest Stratofortress would have been in service sixty years. Abandoned Arkansas had noticed while touring the base, the former base bank had been torn down the week prior to January 1st, 2022. 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. Eaker Air Force Base in its entirety is a mix of private and federal property. Blytheville Air Force Base, Blytheville . BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. This is like the B-52Gs with the North American AGM-28 Nuclear Hound Dog Missiles assigned to my base. Honorable Discharged at the rank of E5 Staff Sgt. Blytheville air force base photos. [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. Everything from a static display of a B52 Stratofortress (which the Arkansas Aeroplex hopes to someday acquire), to letters from soldiers to their families overseas. Blytheville had their own team. Jul 1999. Profile pictures. Thousands of jobs were lost. The program was comprised of just over 1100 women. Officials had hoped, after hearing rumors of the base's possible closure, that the name would endear the base among military leaders and be enough to incentivize its continued existence. The Cold War had come to and end. At 14 I was hopping buses and trains and hanging out with friends in surrounding towns. In its prime, it housed over 3,000 service members, and a whole fleet of Strategic Air Command B52 BUFF Stratofortresses. 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. The National Cold War Center at the former Eaker Air Force Base in Blytheville announced Monday that it had received a $400,000 grant from the Division of Arkansas Heritage Cultural Institutions Trust Fund.A spokesperson said the money would be used to . Branch of Service: Air Force. Enter your email address to subscribe to Abandoned Arkansas and receive notifications of new posts by email. Photo Credit: The National Cold War Center. "A B52 with a full nuclear payload, is the seventh most powerful country in the world.". When I arrived in July 1972, Blytheville Air Force Base's B-52s, KC-135s, pilots, navigators, electronic warfare officers, tail gunners and many . On the evening in question, Bruce was working for a local radio station, performing tests on their transmitters. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . The project mainly serves to save the best buildings and bring buildings in the worst shape down for safety purposes. As a CAP cadet 1966-1969 the lore of this base was discussed often. During its test flight, Boeing was performing tests to show the aircrafts resilience against low-altitude turbulence. The 97th comm mustve been a very short lived entity as it was the 2101 CS / AFCC when I was there. 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. Our B-52s had the Vietnam War Camo paint while this appears to have the Pre-Vietnam War SAC paint which our bombers had before their Vietnam days.

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