Eaker air force base history books

An uphill battle for blytheville the arkansas democratgazette. May 17, 2008 at first, eaker really had no air forces at all. Jumper and an introduction by colonel timmons, usaf, retired, colonel smith relies on the vast insights, experiences, and recommendations of former and current commanders to identify the attributes of a successful commander. General ira clarence eaker april, 1896 august 6, 1987 was a general of the united states army air forces during world war ii. On november 23, 1931, he married ruth huff apperson. Blytheville air force base photos on flickr flickr. A maverick fighter pilot devoted to the air force and its mission, boyd. Blytheville, arkansas, groups hope to create national cold war. The european theater of operations, the first to requisition waacs, was the second to receive them. Tinker air force base the encyclopedia of oklahoma. Zaragoza is a major base for the spanish air force. He is one of five aviation recipients of the special gold congressional medal of honor wright brothers, charles lindberg, billy mitchell, chuck yeager, and ira eaker in 2009 four american astronauts were added to the listin a solid biography written by a man from gen eakers staff during. Army air forces aaf, and the ghq air force was redesignated the subordinate combat command.

He was, among military flyers, one of the most frequent visitors, having landed at the davismonthan airfield 16 times between 1925 and 1931. Eaker air force base was a frontline united states air force base for over 40 years. Tinker air force base and the enola gay, the chronicles of oklahoma 75 winter 199798. The south african air force a short official history. The story of the schweinfurt raid by martin caidin, warthog. General eaker died on august 6, 1987, at andrews air force base, maryland, and was buried at arlington national cemetery with full military honors. Eaker air force base, arkansas the military standard. The sixth castle coombe mess cup made its way back home to the eighth air force headquarters on barksdale air force base sept. Paul villanueva ii print email scott air force base, ill. Over the course of the war it would reach a peak personnel operating strength of 200,000 officers and men and was capable of dispatching more than 2,000 heavy bombers and 1,000 escorting. Eaker air force base, which is the current site of the arkansas aeroplex and the arkansas international airport, has a long and rich military history. It was located 3 miles northwest of central blytheville, arkansas. The name of the installation was changed to eaker air force base in 1988 to. Organizers said the museums mission would be to paint the history of the cold war and daily life at eaker air force base.

Eaker, we are part of the air university and located at maxwell air force base in montgomery, alabama. Arkansas officials seek cold war museum for former air base. Sac units were often assigned to other bases and these are also listed. More than 50 years after its founding, the united states air force is celebrated in a stunning, lavishly illustrated volume published in conjunction with the air force historical foundation. The establishment and development of tinker air force base, 19401949, the chronicles of oklahoma 70 fall 1992. This volume looks at the history of the eighth air force in britain.

It was closed as a military base in 1992 at the end of the cold war pursuant to brac action and. It was located 16 kilometres 10 mi west of zaragoza, 270 km 168 mi west of barcelona, and 262 km 163 mi northeast of madrid zaragoza is a major base for the spanish air force. It is recommended that all sites within the boundaries of eaker air force base, excluding 3ms105, be tested to determine the depth and extent of the cultural deposits present, and provide sufficient data to make this nomination. Arkansas aeroplex eaker air force base was the home of a b52 bomber wing and a refueling wing, with around 4,000 workers, until 1992 when it was closed by brac.

Eaker air force base, with a long and rich history, is the current site of the arkansas international airport and the arkansas aeroplex, which is the second largest industrial complex in arkansas. May 1986 august 1987, director, special staff office, aeronautical systems division, wrightpatterson afb, ohio 5. General eaker stated, it was not long before they were the best we had. Eaker, ira clarence the authority on texas history. General eaker died at andrews air force base in 1987 and was buried at arlington cemetery with full military honors. Established on june 10, 1945 as an army airfield, the base later served as an advanced flight school in the. It covers the individual destinies, the famous and notorious raids like schweinfurtregensburg and dresden, the social transformation of east anglian villages by an influx of goodtime yanks, the pow camps, and the endless controversy about the ethics of bombing. It was located 16 kilometres 10 mi west of zaragoza, 270 km 168 mi west of barcelona, and 262 km 163 mi northeast of madrid. On august 17, 1942, american heavy bombers conducted their first raid against occupied europe when 12 boeing b17 flying fortresses, escorted by royal air force raf supermarine spitfire fighters, attacked the rail yards at rouen. This section contains a web page for each air base used by the strategic air command. Roy mase trophy, air force systems command 1984, 1985 commanders distinguished paper award, air force systems command 1985 citation of honor, air force association 1986 meritorious civilian service medal, u. For information regarding sac base site selection standards, etc, see base introduction. Less than a month before the eaker party was billeted in daws hill lodge, the fledgling eighth air force had been activated at hunter field, savannah, georgia. Eaker had to borrow a20s from a training unit to mount a raid on july 4, 1942.

Eaker, as secondincommand of the prospective eighth air force, was sent to england to form and organize its bomber command. Eaker air force base 19421992 was a frontline united states air force base for over 40 years. The cultural resources on the base should be nominated as a district to the national register of historic places. Altus air force base antelope hills, battle of the arbuckle, matthew barrett, charles franklin camp gruber camp radziminski camp wichita cantonment cheyenne outbreaks clark, joseph james clintonsherman air force base code talkers custer, george armstrong davis field eaker, ira clarence emory, william hemsley fort arbuckle fort cobb fort fort. January 1982 may 1986, chief historian, air force flight test center, edwards air force base, calif. Recovery in blytheville after air force base closing st. The facility now operates as the arkansas aeroplex. Eaker meaning and origin of the name eaker nameaning. Crowder, tinkers twin twisters of 1948 and the birth of tornado. The bookstore is located at air university press, muir s. He is one of five aviation recipients of the special gold congressional medal of honor wright brothers, charles lindberg, billy mitchell, chuck yeager, and ira eaker in 2009 four american astronauts were added to the listin a solid biography written by a man from gen eaker s staff during.

Originally blytheville air force base, the base s official name was changed in 1988 to honor air pioneer and commander of the mighty eighth air force during world war ii, lieutenant general ira c. Subsequent to creation of the department of the air force in 1947, the airfield received its modern name, tinker air force base, effective january, 1948. Neal creighton, who commanded scott field from 19451946. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and. Eaker right, after whom eaker air force base in blytheville mississippi county was named, with major general carl spaatz. By the end of the war it employed 8,316 women, the largest number in any overseas theater.

History eaker afb was first activated in 1942 as a pilot training field. At that time, blytheville was faced with the same challenge that small towns throughout the united states encounter when their military bases are shuttered. Richter set a new worlds record by staying aloft for 37 hours and 15 minutes in a dh4 over san diego with the help of. General eakers command lost 8 percent of its bombers over bremen, 8 percent over. Roosevelt took the lead, calling for a vastly enlarged air force based on longrange strategic bombing. Eaker air force base topped the strategic air commands list of base closures in 1991. Browse by topic the encyclopedia of oklahoma history and. It was located 3 miles 5 km northwest of central blytheville, arkansas. Eaker air force base was home to a group of strategic air command b52 bombers and more than 3,000 military personnel before closing in 1992. Eaker air force base, now the site of the arkansas aeroplex and arkansas international airport, has had a long and important history. I think it is lost on most americans that the first time a b52 was used in actually live combat was in vietnam and it was the only time a b52 was lost to enemy fire. The mission of sac was beginning to wane as tensions between the united states and the soviet union eased due to new communications and cooperation between the two countries. Organizationally it became largely independent from the army in 1941, when the army air corps became a part of the new u. Eaker afb was closed on march 6, 1992 due to base realignment and closure brac action.

Morrow, the prussian army and the aircraft industry, 190914. The base was renamed eaker on may 26, 1988, in honor of general ira c. Activated as an army airfield on june 10, 1942, the. Jeffry smith updates the earlier release of col timothy t. The facility now operates as the arkansas aeroplex and arkansas international airport. Sixth castle coombe mess cup comes home barksdale air. The major command responsible for mather air force base until base closure was the air training command based at randolph afb in texas. The base was originally established on june 10, 1945 as an army airfield, and was later used as an advanced school of flying until the end of world war ii. Air force, under the provisions of the start i treaty, began retiring the b52g model of the stratofortress, the housing and launching of which was the single mission of. Most of them were assigned to the command and are thus considered sac bases.

The eaker center supports the air force mission by providing functionallyaligned technical training and professional continuing education to air force and other department of defense dod personnel, as well as offers civilian undergraduate education. Sixth castle coombe mess cup comes home 8th air forcej. In february 1942, the eighth had a staff of six in england. Blytheville air force base was a united states air force base from 1942, until it closed in 1992. Air force 1988 commanders award for public service, u. A concise history of the us air force department of defense.

The year proved to be one of the most notable in the installations long history. Ira eaker s true story is impressive enough as it is. Remembering the war that saved the world the national. Ala 15 15 wing flies two squadrons with eighteen mcdonnell douglas fa18 hornets each. As cold war history earns its way into the history books, bafb gains. Eaker air force base was located on 3,778 acres of land between the communities of gosnell and blytheville in mississippi county. The blytheville, arkansas base formerly supported aircraft and tanker operations.

Army air forces aaf, and the ghq air force was redesignated the subordinate combat co. Blytheville ar eaker air force base town square publications. Military education research library network air force historical research. Known as the arcadia conference, winston churchill and franklin roosevelt and their aides had a number of conversations that shaped the war effort in 19421943. Feb 3, 2014 blytheville afb photos blytheville air force base, blytheville ar stay safe and healthy. Eaker, an air pioneer and first commander of the mighty eighth air force during world war ii. Official closure of eaker air force base was announced in 1991, and on march 6, 1992, the last aircraft, the city of blytheville, left the base.

Zaragoza air base project gutenberg selfpublishing. The air service first demonstrated inflight refueling in june 25, 1923, and in august of that year lts. The castle coombe mess punch bowl, or eaker bowl, became a heraldic symbol for the eighth air force, linking the mighty eighth. Tan my base tan son nhut air base tay ninh combat base tay ninh west tien phouc camp tonkin gulf yacht club tropo hill tuy hoa tuy hoa air base utapao rtnaf ubon rtafb udorn rtafb uss america cva66 uss bon homme richard cva31 uss colonial. New businesses are thriving, and there is optimism in blytheville, ark. Originally published by the office of air force history, united states air force, washington, d. Neal creighton travelled to scott april 9 with one mission in mind. Tinker air force base the encyclopedia of oklahoma history. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Eaker air force base project gutenberg selfpublishing. However while he struggled to build up airpower in england, the organization of the army air forces kept evolving and he was named. General ira eaker and the command of the air by james parton nov 1986 implementing new strategy in combat. The castle coombe mess punch bowl, or eaker bowl, became a heraldic symbol for the eighth air force, linking the mighty eighth to its historical past.

Named in honor of aviation pioneer and former 8th air force commander, general ira c. From 1942 to 1947, the base was the home to the at9, at70, and bt fighter training. The second edition of beyond the wild blue, an update of the popular history originally released in 1997, is a fascinating look at sixty turbulent years of air force history. He served four years in the united states air force, most of that time assigned to the 10th tactical reconnaissance wing, raf, alconbury, the united kingdom, as an intelligence officer. Lezg is a base of the spanish air force located near zaragoza, spain. Eaker died august 6, 1987 at malcolm grow medical center, andrews air force base, maryland, and is buried in arlington national cemetery. Neal creighton, commanded the base from january 1945 to december 1946 and upon his retirement at scott field received three albums prepared by his staff. The host wing at mather afb was the 323rd flying training wing, which trained air force, navy and marine corps personnel for the u. Blythevilles economy did not collapse when eaker air force base closed in 1992. Blytheville air force base aka eaker air force base. Air university press aupress is tasked to publish significant contributions of research. Fairchild research information center, 600 chennault circle, building 1405, maxwell afb, alabama 361126010, and is open 08001600 mf. From the propdriven armada of world war ii to the most advanced stealth weaponry, from pioneers like general henry hap arnold to glorious conquests in the gulf war, beyond the wild blue is a highflying study of the.

Eaker air force base was located on 3,778 acres of land between the. Trying to connect friends that were stationed together in the 1980s at eaker air force base, blytheville, ar. By the time the base was renamed eaker air force base after world war ii general ira eaker in may of 1988, the cold war was winding down. Eighth air force took delivery of its initial lot of 40 heavy bombers in midjuly. Eaker air force base, which officially closed in 1992 and was formerly known as. The first arrivals were an immediate success to a degree which, in the opinion of air forces commanders, motivated the extensive requisitions that followed. It was closed as a military base in 1992 at the end of the cold war pursuant to brac action and now operates as arkansas international airport. The base contributed greatly to the economic and intellectual growth of the primarily agricultural county until it closed in 1992. Jul 01, 2018 the base, first known as the blytheville air force base, opened in 1942 after military officials chose the 2,670acre site near the mississippi river for an advanced flying school.

Ira eakers true story is impressive enough as it is. For the families, gis, and community that was blytheville afb. Ira clarence eaker was born at field creek, llano, texas, april 1896 and died at andrews air force base, camp springs, prince georges, maryland, 6 august 1987. In 1988, the facility was renamed eaker air force base in honor of world war ii general of the eighth air force, ira c. Makers of the united states air force internet archive. In late 1941 and early 1942 the top british and american military leaders met in washington, dc. Blytheville air force base, strategic air command sac installation, was renamed eaker air force base on may 26, 1988. A retired air force pilot, he has logged more than 2,700 hours of flight time in various aircraft, including the f15. Websters timeline history, 1896 2007 by icon group international mar 10, 2010. It was closed as a military base in 1992 at the end of the cold war pursuant to brac action and now operates as arkansas international airport the military still makes use of the arkansas international airport in flight.

Tan my base tan son nhut air base tay ninh combat base tay ninh west tien phouc camp tonkin gulf yacht club tropo hill tuy hoa tuy hoa air base utapao rtnaf ubon rtafb udorn rtafb uss america cva66 uss bon homme richard cva31 uss colonial lsd18 uss constellation cva64 uss coral sea cva43. In this book, which includes a foreword by gen john p. It is now a civilian airfield with some national guard support activities. Apr 29, 2009 the books were prepared by the staff of his father, army air corps col.