England Air Force Base is a former

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army S ...

base in

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a U.S. state, state in the Deep South and South Central United States, South Central regions of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 20th-smal ...

, located northwest of

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandr ...

and about northwest of

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

Lt Col John Brooke England (1923–1954)."Alexandria and Pineville Salute England AFB, Louisiana", BP Industries, Inc.,

Midland, Texas Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Texas, United States. A small part of Midland is in Martin County. At the 2020 census, Midland's population was 132,524. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas metropolitan ...

, 1973, page 7. The base was closed in 1992. The airfield and buildings are now Alexandria International Airport. Three episodes of ''The Crocodile Hunter'' were recorded in this base because the area is an important area for conservation.

History

The base was opened on 21 October 1942 and during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

performed

Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and ...

B-17 Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...

aircrew training. It was placed on inactive status on 23 September 1946, although a small cadre of Army and Air Force personnel (331 Composite Squadron) remained assigned to Alexandria Municipal Airport throughout the late 1940s. F-84g-51-733-137thfbw-1952

75th Tactical Fighter Squadron A-7D Corsair II 71-0338

On 10 October 1950, the United States Air Force reopened Alexandria Air Force Base during the

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top: ...

. The station's primary mission was tactical fighter operations for

Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...

. Its major operating units were: *

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

: 67th Airdrome Squadron, 1 February 1943 – 25 March 1943 : 471st Bombardment Group, 1 May 1943 – 7 May 1943 : 469th Bombardment Group, 7 May 1943 – 1 April 1944 : 221st AAF Base Unit, 25 March 1944 – 1 March 1945 : 329th AAF Base Unit, 1 March 1945 – 23 September 1946 *

: 4416th Base Complement Sq, 23 October 1950 – 22 December 1950 : 137th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 22 December 1950 – 2 May 1952 :: Composite Air National Guard wing activated to Federal Service due to

:: Flew Republic F-84 "Thunderjets". Three operational squadrons 125th (Oklahoma ANG, F-84B/G, 127th (Kansas ANG F-84C/G), 128th (Georgia ANG, F-84B/G)). ANG personnel trained at Alexandria AFB 1950/51, being replaced by active duty Air Force personnel in 1951/52. Wing reassigned to USAFE at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base,

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

: 132d Fighter-Bomber Wing, 2 May 1952 – 1 January 1953 :: Iowa ANG Wing activated to Federal Service replacing reassigned 137th FBW :: One operational squadron (124th FIS). Flew Republic straight winged F-84s. Returned to state control.(F-84Fs were not assigned to front line units until January 1954-please see pages 42/3 in POST WORLD WAR TWO FIGHTERS 1945–73 U S Government Printing Office) : 366th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 January 1953 – 1 April 1959 :: Active duty Air Force wing activated at Alexandria AFB. Three operational squadrons ( 389th, 390th, 391st) being initially equipped with

North American F-51D Mustang Over twenty variants of the North American P-51 Mustang fighter were produced from 1940, when it first flew, to after World War II, some of which were employed also in the Korean War and in several other conflicts. Allison-engined Mustangs NA ...

, reequipped with North American F-86F "Sabre" jet aircraft by end of 1953. :: Wing became first TAC unit to perform six-month TDY rotations with NATO at

Aviano AB Aviano Air Base ( it, Base aerea di Aviano) is a base in northeastern Italy, in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. It is located in the Aviano municipality, at the foot of the Carnic Pre-Alps or Southern Carnic Alps, about from Pordenone. ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

, with rotations continuing to support NATO in

and Italy. Redesignated 366th Tactical Fighter Wing 1 July 1958. Inactivated 1 April 1959 as part of a general budgetary reduction of USAF wings. Aircraft transferred to Air National Guard. : 420th Air Refueling Squadron (Tactical), 18 March 1954 – 4 October 1955 :: (Activated at England AFB, equipped with Boeing KB-29P. :: First unit in TAC of its type. Provided TAC with independent air refueling capability. Reassigned to USAFE at RAF Sculthorpe,

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. : 622d Air Refueling Squadron (Tactical), 18 July 1955 – 1 April 1964 :: Activated at England AFB, assigned to 4505th Air Refueling Wing,

Langley AFB Langley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Hampton, Virginia, adjacent to Newport News. It was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the entry of the United States into World War I in April 1 ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography an ...

1 July 1958. :: Equipped with Boeing KB-29P (1955–57), later turbojet-augmented Boeing KB-50J (1957–64) aircraft. Aircraft became obsolescent and unit inactivated 1 April 1964. : 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 April 1959 – 27 April 1966 :: According to AIR FORCE COMBAT WINGS 1947–1977(GPO) pages 194/5 and 214, the 366th FBW had two FB Groups under it: 366th & 401st. The 366th WING became a TFW in July 1958 and inactivated in April 1959. Meanwhile, the 401st FBG upgraded to a FBW in September 1957 and remained in place with four squadrons of F-100D/Fs. The aircraft and most of the personnel of the 366th Wing were transferred to other units in TAC and overseas. There was no redesignations of any 366th squadrons to 401st squadrons. :: Four tactical fighter squadrons (612th, 613th, 614th, 615th) redesignated from former 366th TFW units. Participated in numerous firepower demonstrations, tactical exercises and maneuvers in the United States and overseas, and deployed its tactical squadrons to bases in Europe and the Middle East in support of NATO. Deployed to Homestead AFB,

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...

during

Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis (of 1962) ( es, Crisis de Octubre) in Cuba, the Caribbean Crisis () in Russia, or the Missile Scare, was a 35-day (16 October – 20 November 1962) confrontation between the Unite ...

(1962) as tactical airstrike unit. Wing designation along with 613th TFS reassigned to USAFE at Torrejon Air Base,

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

. :

3d Tactical Fighter Wing The 3rd Wing is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Eleventh Air Force. It is stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The Wing is the largest and ...

, 9 January 1964 – 7 November 1965 :: Reassigned from Yokota AB, Japan, Equipped with F-100 Super Sabres after arrival at England AFB. :: Four tactical fighter squadrons (90th , 416th, 510th, 531st)., with the 510th coming from Clark AB, RP and the 416th and 531st moving from Misawa AB Japan, each unit with about 25 F-100D/Fs, then trained and rotated its squadrons in detached status to

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

for combat duty. Reassigned to Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam. The 3rd Wing number transferred from Yokota AB Japan along with one squadron number, the 90th "Pair-O-Dice", in the spring of 1964, so the wing had four squadrons assigned. : 834th Air Division, 1 July 1964 – 15 October 1966 :: Assumed command and control over 3d and 401st Tactical Fighter Wings. :: After reassignment of wings, assumed remaining organization and operational squadrons of former 401st TFW. Deployed to South Vietnamese bases (834th AD to Tan Son Nhut AB), (612th, 614th, 615th) TFS to Phan Rang AB,

Phu Cat AB Phu or ''variation'', may refer to: Places * Phủ, prefecture in 15th–19th century Vietnam People Given name * Phu Dorjee (died 1987), first Indian to climb Mount Everest without oxygen * Phu Dorjee Sherpa (died 1969), first Nepali to climb Mo ...

). : 1st Air Commando/Special Operations Wing 15 January 1966 – 15 July 1969 :: 317th, 319th, 603rd Air Commando/Special Operations Squadrons :: Reassigned from

Hurlburt Field Hurlburt Field is a United States Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation and is home to Headquarters Air Force S ...

Florida. Redesignated 1st SOW 8 July 1968. Reassigned to Hurlburt Field, Florida. : 4410th Combat Crew Training Wing/Group 15 July 1969 – 31 July 1973 ::

6th Special Operations Training Squadron The 6th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 27th Special Operations Wing (27 SOW) at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The squadron operates MC-130J Commando II aircraft in support of special operations. The 6th SOS specializes in the u ...

, 427th, 4412th, 4532d Combat Crew Training Squadrons :: Wing reassigned from

Florida. Redesignated as Group, 15 September 1970. Inactivated July 1973 due to US withdrawal from South Vietnam. Upon group inactivation, 6th SOTS reassigned to 1st SOW at Hurlburt Field but remained at England AFB until inactivation, January 1974. On 15 September 1970, the 4403d Tactical Fighter Wing, a temporary Major Air Command-Controlled (MAJCOM) unit, activated at England. With its subordinate 416th (activated 28 September 1970) and 431st Tactical Fighter Squadrons,Mueller, 170. it absorbed returning North American F-100 Super Sabre aircraft of 31st TFW from

Tuy Hoa Air Base Căn cứ không quân Tuy Hòa is a former air force base in Vietnam, being closed in 1970. It was built by the United States in 1966 and was used by the United States Air Force (USAF) during the Vietnam War in the II Corps Tactical Zone o ...

South Vietnam. It transferred aircraft and other assets to the Air National Guard. Acted as holding unit for arriving LTV A-7D Corsair II aircraft starting April 1972. The 4403d TFW and the 416th TFS both inactivated on 1 July 1972. On 1 July 1972, the

23d Tactical Fighter Wing The 23rd Wing is a front-line United States Air Force Air Combat Command wing currently assigned to Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Mission The mission of the 23rd Wing is to organize, train and employ combat-ready Fairchild Republic A-10 Thun ...

reactivated at the base, without personnel or equipment, and took over the organization and assets of the temporary 4403d TFW. Three A-7D tactical fighter ( 74th, 75th, 76th) squadrons formed. The wing re-equipped with

Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin-turbofan, straight-wing, subsonic attack aircraft developed by Fairchild Republic for the United States Air Force (USAF). In service since 1976, it is named for the Republic ...

aircraft in 1981. Redesignated 23d Fighter Wing 1 October 1991. Inactivated 1 June 1992.http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/001/113/874.xml

Air Defense Command

Alexandria (and later England) AFB was base for

Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was established in 1946, briefly ina ...

interceptor and radar units along the Gulf Coast. In 1959, the

332d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 332d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 4683rd Air Defense Wing at Thule Air Base, Greenland, where it was inactivated on 31 May 1965. The squadron was first organiz ...

, assigned to the

32d Air Division The 32d Air Division (32d AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was last active with Air Defense Command, assigned to First Air Force at Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama, where it was inactivated on 31 December 1969. The di ...

stationed

F-102 Delta Dagger The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was an American interceptor aircraft designed and manufactured by Convair. Built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s, it entered service in 1956. Its main purpos ...

interceptors at the base between 1959–1960. In addition to the fighter-interceptor squadron, England AFB part of the planned deployment by

of forty-four Mobile radar stations across the United States to support the permanent Radar network established during the Cold War for air defense of the United States. This deployment had been projected to be operational by mid-1952. Funding, constant site changes, construction, and equipment delivery delayed deployment. On 1 November 1954 the

653d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron The 653d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Oklahoma City Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, stationed at England Air Force Base, Louisiana. It was inactivated on 1 ...

began operations at Alexandria AFB with the activation of

AN/MPS-14 The AN/FPS-6 Radar was a long-range height finding radar used by the United States Air Force's Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for c ...

, AN/TPS-1D, and

AN/TPS-10 The AN/FPS-4 Radar was a Height-Finder Radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air ...

D radars. The site was designated as M-125, and initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes. The AN/MPS-14 continued to operate until site closure in 1963. In 1958 the site was operating an AN/FPS-20 search set. In addition to the main facility, Air Defense Command operated three AN/FPS-18 Gap Filler sites: * Delhi, LA (M-125A): * Weeks Island, LA (M-125C): * Lake Charles GFA, LA (M-125D): England AFB was a planned

Semi Automatic Ground Environment The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) was a system of large computers and associated networking equipment that coordinated data from many radar sites and processed it to produce a single unified image of the airspace over a wide area. SA ...

(SAGE) Data Center (DC) location, for the also-planned Shreveport Air-Defense Sector. However, in March 1963 Air Defense Command ordered the site to close due to budget reductions and operations ceased on 23 April. The station was picked up by the

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

(FAA) after the ADC shut down operations. The site is still in operations using the FPS-20A, being known as Alexandria, Louisiana. Virtually all other parts of this old Air Force radar station have been removed. A golf course now occupies part of the old M-125 site.

Closure

In October 1990, the

1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission The preliminary 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission list was released by the United States Department of Defense in 1991 as part of the ongoing Base Realignment and Closure Commission. The list recommended closing 28 major United States m ...

decided that England Air Force Base would be closed by September 1992. Reduction of equipment and personnel began almost immediately. The 23d Fighter Wing's Fairchild A-10 "Thunderbolt II" aircraft were sent to other units, and the base was closed on 15 December 1992. During the period of its military use, Air Force units from England Air Force Base served in combat in World War II, the Vietnam War and

Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...

Notes

External links

Memories of England Air Force Base

England Air Force Base
: England AFB photos, history, aircraft, map, static aircraft display, and more. {{USAAF 2d Air Force World War II Installations of the United States Air Force in Louisiana Airports in Louisiana Buildings and structures in Rapides Parish, Louisiana Radar stations of the United States Air Force Military installations closed in 1992 1992 disestablishments in Louisiana 1942 establishments in Louisiana

History

Air Defense Command

Closure

See also

Notes

Further reading

External links