Jump to content

Barksdale Air Force Base

Coordinates:32°30′07″N093°39′46″W/ 32.50194°N 93.66278°W/32.50194; -93.66278
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected fromBarksdale AFB)

Barksdale Air Force Base
Bossier City,Louisiana,in theUnited States of America
Three Boeing B-52H Stratofortress bombers sit on the flight-line at Barksdale Air Force Base in 2012.
ThreeBoeing B-52H Stratofortressbombers sit on the flight-line at Barksdale Air Force Base during 2012.
Barksdale AFB is located in the United States
Barksdale AFB
Barksdale AFB
Shown in United States
Coordinates32°30′07″N093°39′46″W/ 32.50194°N 93.66278°W/32.50194; -93.66278
TypeUS Air Force base
Site information
OwnerDepartment of Defense
OperatorUS Air Force
Controlled byAir Force Global Strike Command
ConditionOperational
Websitehttp://www.barksdale.af.mil
Site history
Built1931(1931)–1933
In use1933–present
Garrison information
Current
commander		ColonelMark C. Dmytryszyn
Garrison
Occupants SeeBased unitssection for full list.
Airfield information
IdentifiersIATA:BAD,ICAO:KBAD,FAA LID:BAD,WMO:722485
Elevation50.2 metres (165 ft)AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
15/33 3,583.8 metres (11,758 ft)PEM
Source:Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Barksdale Air Force Base(Barksdale AFB) (IATA:BAD,ICAO:KBAD,FAALID:BAD) is aUnited States Air Force(USAF) base inBossier Parish, Louisiana,in northwestLouisiana.Much of the base is within the city limits ofBossier City, Louisiana,along the base's western and northwestern edge.[2]Barksdale AFB occupies more than 22,000 acres (89 km2) east of Bossier City and along the southern edge of Interstate 20.[3]More than 15,000 active-duty andAir Force Reserve Command(AFRC) members serve at Barksdale.

The host unit at Barksdale is the2nd Bomb Wing(2 BW), the oldest bomb wing in theU.S. Air Force.It is assigned to theAir Force Global Strike Command's (AFGSC)Eighth Air Force(8 AF). Equipped with about 44B-52H Stratofortressbombers, 2 BW provides flexible, responsive global combat capability and trains all AFGSC and AFRCBoeing B-52 Stratofortresscrews.

The base was established in 1932 asBarksdale Field,named forWorld War Iaviator and test pilot LieutenantEugene Hoy Barksdale(1896–1926).

Role and operations[edit]

Entrance to Barksdale Air Force Base

Units at Barksdale include the oldest bomb wing in the USAF, the2nd Bomb Wing(2 BW). The 2nd participated in Brig GenBilly Mitchell's 1921 off-shore bombing test (as the 2nd Bomb Group).F[4]

Components of the 2nd Bomb Wing are:

The commander of the 2nd Bomb Wing is Colonel Michael A. Miller. He also functions as the installation commander of Barksdale Air Force Base. The vice commander is Colonel Scott Weyermuller.[5]

Other assigned units at Barksdale are:

The base is closed to the public. However, the base is home to theBarksdale Global Power Museum,which hosts static displays of numerous aircraft including aRoyal Air ForceAvro Vulcanbomber,Consolidated B-24 Liberator,Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress,North American P-51 Mustang,Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird,General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark,and multiple versions of the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. There is an annual open house when non-Department of Defensevisitors are allowed. Visitors may also tour the museum from 9:30 am to 4 pm every day except official holidays.

History[edit]

Barksdale Field Historic District
Barksdale Air Force Base is located in Louisiana
Barksdale Air Force Base
LocationJunction of US 71 and West Gate Drive,
Bossier City, Louisiana
Coordinates32°30′11″N93°40′48″W/ 32.50315°N 93.68002°W/32.50315; -93.68002
Area225 acres (91 ha)
Built1931
Architectural styleFrench Revival
NRHP referenceNo.92000332[6]
Added to NRHP13 April 1992

Barksdale Field was named in honor of2nd LieutenantEugene Hoy Barksdale(1895–1926) on 2 February 1933. Lieutenant Barksdale received his wings in Great Britain in 1918 and flew with the BritishRoyal Flying CorpsduringWorld War I.Barksdale died on 11 August 1926, overMcCook FieldnearDayton, Ohio,when testing aDouglas O-2observation airplane forspin characteristics.He did not recover from a flat spin, and while parachuting out of the plane his parachute was caught in the wing's brace wires, causing Barksdale to fall to his death. He was buried with full military honors inArlington National Cemetery.[7]

  • 25th AS, Lt Barksdale pictured (bottom row, 2nd from left)
    25th AS, Lt Barksdale pictured (bottom row, 2nd from left)
  • 25th AS, Lt Barksdale pictured (fourth from right, back row)
    25th AS, Lt Barksdale pictured (fourth from right, back row)
  • Lt Barksdale, date unknown
    Lt Barksdale, date unknown
  • Lt Barksdale, date unknown
    Lt Barksdale, date unknown
  • Lt Barksdale, date unknown
    Lt Barksdale, date unknown

The name of the airfield was changed to Barksdale Air Force Base on 13 February 1948, concurrent with the establishment of the United States Air Force as a separate military branch.

Airshipswere still in use when field construction began, soHangarsOne and Two were built large enough to accommodate them. No airships were ever assigned, but each hangar was large enough to accommodate two Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers wingtip to wingtip, which proved invaluable forBig BellyandPacer Plankmodificationsmanaged byBoeing'sWichitaplant between 1965 and 1973. Half of the B-52Fs were deployed from Barksdale, but never returned as they were replaced by B-52Gs after theVietnam War.

Origins[edit]

As early as 1924, the citizens ofShreveportbecame interested in hosting a military flying field. In 1926, Shreveport citizens learned that the 3rd Attack Wing stationed atFort Crockett,Texas,would be enlarged by 500 percent and would require at least 20,000 acres (81 km2) to support aerial gunnery and a bombing range. The efforts to procure the government's commitment to build the facility in the Shreveport metropolitan area were spearheaded by a committee co-chaired by local civic leadersAndrew QuerbesandJohn D. Ewing,beginning in 1927. It took a great deal of correspondence between the interested parties and the original proposal was rejected. However, in February 1928, a young crop duster, aU.S. Army Air Corpscaptain namedHarold Ross Harris,was hired to fly over the local area in order to find a suitable site for the airfield.

Captain Harris selected what he felt was an adequate location for a military airfield. It was a sprawling section of cotton plantation near Bossier City. The site selection committee, representing the wealthiest taxpayers in the city, unanimously agreed upon the Barksdale Field location. A delegation of citizens traveled to Washington, D.C., to personally present the advantages of the proposed site to theWar Department.Following the return of this delegation, a specialU.S. Armyboard visited Shreveport and reported the location met all requirements of the Air Corps.

The site was selected 5 December 1928, as the location of the airfield. The land in Bossier Parish on which the airfield was built was unincorporated land near Bossier City that was annexed by the city of Shreveport once the site had been selected among 80 candidates. The real estate was purchased from over 800 property owners via aUS$1,500,000(equivalent to $26,616,279 in 2023)municipal bondissue approved by Shreveport voters in 1929 in fulfillment of the pledge that the citizens of Shreveport made to the U.S. government. The last of these bonds matured on 31 December 1959. After acquisition, Shreveport then donated the land to the federal government per their agreement, while the federal government assumed all the costs of building construction and equipment installation. Shreveport had originally proposed a site adjacent toCross Lake (Shreveport, Louisiana),inCaddo Parish, Louisiana,but the War Department deemed this location inappropriate due to the lack of suitable terrain for the facility's future expansion. Subsequent to the establishment of the military installation, Bossier City grew and expanded southward and eastward, eventually enveloping the area surrounding the base. Technically, of course, Barksdale AFB is neither in Bossier City nor Shreveport but, like all military bases, is an autonomous community with its own infrastructure.[8]However, the base obtains its water from the Shreveport Water system, with a connection to the Bossier City Water System as a backup supply of water in case the Shreveport System is undergoing maintenance or emergency situations.[9]

Construction of Barksdale Field began in 1931, when hangars, runways, and billets were built. Early flying operations began on 7 November 1932, with the arrival of the20th Pursuit Groupand its three pursuit squadrons equipped with theBoeing P-12andBoeing P-26 Peashooter.The airfield was officially opened and dedicated on 2 February 1933.

By the mid-1930s, Barksdale Field was the headquarters and main base of the3rd Attack Wing,equipped with theCurtiss A-12andNorthrop A-17.The airfield was used by both fighter and attack pilots to hone their gunnery and bombing skills. Additional barracks were constructed 1936–1937, and light bombers replaced pursuit and attack aircraft.

World War II[edit]

Barksdale was developed as an Air Corps flying school November 1940 and the runway apron was completed mid-1941. Between 23 and 25 May 1940, Barksdale Field was host to the Army's "complete military maneuvers" simulating European combat operations. Some 320 aircraft from throughout theArmy Air Corpsparticipated, as Major GeneralDwight D. Eisenhowerwatched. GeneralGeorge C. Marshall,theU.S. Army Chief of Staff,also briefly visited Barksdale Field during the latter stages of the maneuvers.

DuringWorld War II,the airfield trained replacement crews and entire units between 1942 and 1945. Known units that trained at Barksdale were:

The 335th Bombardment Group (Medium) took over training duties as a permanent Operational Training Unit (OTU) on 17 July 1942 with Martin B-26 Marauders. On 1 May 1944, the 335th was replaced by the 331stU.S. Army Air Forces(USAAF) Base Unit as the OTU, being subsequently replaced by the 2621st USAAF Base Unit on 1 December 1945. The 2621st provided pilot training until 26 September 1947, when it was inactivated and replaced by the 2621st Air Force Base Unit.

Also during World War II Barksdale played host to the major contingent of theFree French Air ForcesandNationalist Chineseaircrews.

Postwar years[edit]

Barksdale Field was renamed Barksdale Air Force Base on 13 January 1948, with the designation of the United States Air Force as a separate service in 1947.

In the postwar year of the 1940s, Barksdale then became headquarters for theAir Training Commandfrom 1945 to 1949. The 47th Bombardment Wing, Light, equipped first with theDouglas B-26 Invaderwas assigned on 19 November 1948, fromBiggs Fieldfor transitioning to theNorth American B-45 Tornado.The B-45 was the USAF's first operational jet bomber, and the first jet aircraft to be refueled in the air. The first B-45As began arriving in December 1948, with the wing accepting 96 aircraft by March 1950.

Due to budget reductions in the B-45 program, the air force planned to inactivate the 47th Bomb Wing and transfer its B-45s and personnel toYokota AB,Japan soFar East Air Forcescould benefit from the know-how gained by the 47th at Barksdale. However the costs of moving the aircraft to Japan were substantial, as the range of the B-45 was insufficient to fly from California to Hawaii, and the aircraft could not be equipped with external fuel tanks. Initial use of the B-45 at Barksdale also showed that the aircraft was not truly operational, with ineffective fire control and bombing systems along with structural weaknesses developing on the aircraft already in use. In addition, each engine had to be inspected after only7+1⁄2hours of use. If found serviceable, it could be only flown another7+1⁄2hours before a total overhaul was necessary. It was determined that the aircraft simply could not be deployed overseas and put into operational use. It took almost two years untilAir Materiel Commandcould work out these issues and have the 47th Bomb Wing's aircraft ready for operational use.

The 47th Bomb Wing was assigned toNATOand was reassigned first toLangley AFB,Virginia in March 1951, then afterwards toRAF Sculthorpe,England, arriving in the UK on 1 May 1951. With the departure of the 47th, Barksdale phased out bomber crew training.

U.S. RepresentativeJoe Waggonner,worked successfully to keep Barksdale open during his time in Congress. Through his efforts, Barksdale survived base closures that occurred elsewhere across the nation.[10][11]

Cold War[edit]

On 1 November 1949, Barksdale was reassigned toStrategic Air Command(SAC), and became home of HeadquartersSecond Air Force.Barksdale remained a SAC base for nearly the next half-century. However, with the change of commands, the mission of Barksdale initially remained that of a training base where units were formed and organized, then were reassigned to front-line operational bases.

91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing[edit]

91 SRWNorth American RB-45C TornadoAF Ser. No. 48-0039 being refueled by a 91 SRWBell-Atlanta B-29B-45-BA SuperfortressAF Ser. No. 44-83927 (in KB-29P configuration)

The first SAC unit at Barksdale was the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing was reassigned to the base fromMcGuire AFBon 1 October. The mission of the 91st was to provide global strategic reconnaissance, with emphasis on aerial photography and mapping.

The 91st was equipped with a myriad of aircraft, including versions of theBoeing RB/TRB-17 Flying Fortress;Boeing RB/TB/TRB-29 Superfortress;Douglas RC-54 Skymaster;Boeing B/RB-50 Superfortress,and theNorth American RB-45 Tornado.

The 91st maintained operational detachments of aircraft and crews drawn from several components to provide reconnaissance support in overseas areas, including the United Kingdom and locations in North Africa. Deployments would be routine and last for about three months.

When theKorean Warbroke out in 1950, a three-plane detachment from the wing flew toJohnson Air Base,Japan to provide theFar East Air Forcescommander improved reconnaissance capability. The91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadronremained in Japan for the duration of the war and flew reconnaissance missions overNorth Koreaand theSea of Japan.The wing also sent a detachment of RB-29 refueling aircraft, and conducted the first aerial refueling under combat conditions when a KB-29P refueled an RC-45C over North Korea in July 1951

With the arrival of the 376th Bomb wing in October 1951, the decision was made to reassign the 91st. On 16 June 1952 the 91st was reassigned toLockbourne AFB,Ohio.

301st Bombardment Wing[edit]

Boeing B-47A Stratojet AF Serial No. 49-1902 refueled by Boeing KC-97

The301st Bombardment Wingjoined the 91st SRW at Barksdale on 7 November 1949, being transferred fromSmoky Hill AFB,Kansas,where it was reactivated the year before. Both wings operated a joint integrated headquarters although each wing continued tactical operations independently.

Initially flying the B-29 Superfortress, after arriving at Barksdale the 301st was one of the first units to conduct aerial refueling operations with the KB-29 tanker version of the Superfortress. The wing converted to theBoeing B-47 Stratojetin 1953 and traded in its KB-29 tankers for the upgradedBoeing KC-97 Stratofreighter.

The mission of the 301st was to train for strategic bombing missions and to conduct aerial refueling. The wing deployed to England in 1953 and toFrench Moroccoin 1954.

It was reassigned toLockbourne AFB,Ohio on 15 April 1958 where it became anelectronic countermeasures(ECM) unit and was engaged in various clandestine intelligence missions.

To provide air defense for the base, the U.S. Army established theBarksdale Defense Areain 1959 and constructedNike Herculessurface-to-air missile sites for air defense. Sites were located near Bellevue (N.E. of Shreveport) (BD-10)32°40′28″N093°30′34″W/ 32.67444°N 93.50944°W/32.67444; -93.50944,and Stonewall (BD-50)32°17′39″N093°47′17″W/ 32.29417°N 93.78806°W/32.29417; -93.78806in Louisiana. The unit involved may have been from the562nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment.They were operational between November 1960 and March 1966 when they were inactivated as part of the reduction of the air defenses in the United States against aircraft.

Boeing EB-47E Stratojet in markings of the 376th Bombardment Wing

376th Bombardment Wing[edit]

On 10 October 1951 the376th Bombardment Wingwas reassigned to Barksdale fromForbes AFBKansas.Initially equipped with obsolescent B-29 Superfortresses, the514th Bombardment Squadrontrained to drop A-bombs until the wing upgraded to the Boeing B-47 Stratojet bomber in June 1953 which took over the A-bomb duty. The 376th began flying EB-47 Stratojets in 1954 for ECM operations, which became the wing's primary mission in September 1953.

The wing was reassigned toLockbourne AFBon 1 December 1957 where it replaced and absorbed the personnel and assets of the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing and was redesignated the 376th Bombardment Wing (ECM), flying EB-47E Stratojets.

4238th Strategic Wing[edit]

Following the transfer 301st and 378th Bomb Wings in 1957 and 1958 respectively, Barksdale was slated to receive Boeing's newest pair of strategic aircraft: theBoeing B-52 Stratofortressand theBoeing KC-135 Stratotanker.The mission of Barksdale was also changed from being a SAC training base to a front-line operational base.

It received its new aircraft and mission in the form of the 4238th Strategic Wing which was a derivative of the7th Bomb WingfromCarswell AFB,Texas.The 4238th was equipped with the B-52F and KC-135A strategic tankers that were assigned to Barksdale. Its units consisted of the436th Bomb Squadronand913th Air Refueling Squadron.

It was assigned to Barksdale on 3 May 1958 as part of SAC's plan to disperse its big bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for theSoviet Unionto knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike. The 436th Bomb Squadron consisted of 15 aircraft. Half of the planes were maintained on fifteen-minute alert, fully fueled, armed, and ready for combat. The remaining planes were used for training in bombardment missions andair refuelingoperations.

1st Combat Evaluation Group[edit]

The1st Combat Evaluation Group(1961–90) reporting directly to the Deputy Commander of Operations, Strategic Air Command Headquarters,Offutt AFB,Nebraska, to provide command level standardization/evaluation of SAC aircrews, radar scoring of simulated bombing activity by SAC aircraft; and contingency warfare support ofground directed bombing,with detachments inSoutheast Asiaduring theVietnam War.In 1990, part of the 1CEVG became the 99 Electronic Combat Range Group and was the 99th Range Group became part of theNellis AFB98th Range Wing in 1995.

2nd Bombardment Wing[edit]

See also:2nd Bomb Wing
Boeing B-52H-160-BW of the 20th Bomb Squadron

The 4238th Strategic Wing was phased out on 1 April 1963. The 2nd Bombardment Wing, Heavy was reassigned without equipment or personnel to Barksdale fromHunter AFB,Georgia. taking over the B-52 and KC-135 mission from the 4238th Strategic Wing. The aircraft and crews remained at the base, but the wing (and its bomb squadron) were given new designations, the 20th Bombardment Squadron and 913th Air Refueling Squadron.

The 2nd Bomb Wing under various designations, has been the host unit at Barksdale for over 40 years. The 20th retained the B-52Fs until being transferred in June 1965 to the 7th Bomb Wing at Carswell AFB. It was replaced by the 62nd Bomb Squadron, which flew the B-52G which was reassigned from the inactivating39th Bombardment WingatEglin AFB,Florida. A second "G" squadron, the 596th Bomb Squadron was reassigned to Barksdale in April 1968 from the397th Bombardment WingatDow AFB,Maine.

During the Vietnam War, the 2nd Bomb Wing deployed to Southeast Asia for "Arc Light"and"Young Tiger",including use B-52G inLinebacker IandLinebacker IIraids of 1972 – 73 at the end of the war. In addition to theMotorola SST-181 X Band Beacon TransponderforCombat Skyspot,the B-52G had onboard ECM for protection against enemysurface-to-air missiles.In the latter stages of Linebacker II, some of the B-52Gs were diverted in-flight to targets deemed to be less dangerous. All aircraft and crews returned to Barksdale in January and October 1973.

Post-Vietnam era[edit]

From 1973–1992, Barksdale hosted the annual Strategic Air Command Bombing and Navigation Competition and awards symposium. After spending weeks dropping bombs on ranges throughout the United States and engaging in navigational competition, SAC's finest bomber and tanker aircrews gathered here for the score posting and awards presentation, and to work together to improve the training of SAC aircrews.

HeadquartersSecond Air Forcewas inactivated on 1 January 1975, being replaced by HeadquartersEighth Air Forcewhich was transferred to Barksdale after being located atAndersen AFB,Guamfor five years in charge of SAC strategic operations for the Vietnam War. At Barksdale, the Eighth took over the operations and personnel of the inactivated Second Air Force.

In 1978, theEighth Air Force Museumwas established at Barksdale with the arrival of aBoeing B-17 Flying Fortressof the type the "Mighty Eighth" flew duringWorld War II.The museum has grown greatly over the years, and today its collection includes theConsolidated B-24 Liberator,Boeing B-29 Superfortress,Boeing B-47 Stratojet,Boeing B-52D and G Stratofortresses,BritishAvro VulcanB.Mk2,General Dynamics FB-111A,Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor,Douglas C-47 Skytrain,Noorduyn UC-64A Norseman,Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter,Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker,North American P-51D/F-51D Mustang,Republic F-84F Thunderstreak,Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21F,Lockheed T-33 Shooting StarandLockheed SR-71 Blackbird.

Barksdale's 32nd Air Refueling Squadron received the first operationalMcDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extenderaerial tanker in November 1981. The 32nd ARS was reassigned to the 458th Operations Group on 1 June 1992 and to the 305th Operations Group on 1 July 1995. The 71st ARS was reassigned to the 458th Operations Group atMcGuire AFB,New Jersey. Barksdale's last KC-135 was placed in the Eighth Air Force Museum after its final flight in March 1994 and the last KC-10 departed for McGuire AFB in October.

Space ShuttleDiscoverystops at Barksdale on its way to the Kennedy Space Center

In April 1982, and again in December 1990, theSpace ShuttleColumbiamade stops at Barksdale on its way back toCape Canaveral.In the immediate aftermath of theColumbiadisasterin February 2003, a hangar at Barksdale AFB, being the closest base to the accident site, was used to collect and catalogue the orbiter's debris before it was shipped toKennedy Space Center,Florida.

On 20 September 2009, the airport was again used as a refuelling stop for the Space Shuttle's return flight to Kennedy Space Center, as has done numerous times before. This time it wasDiscoverythat was beingpiggybackedfromNaval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.TheShuttle Carrier AircraftandDiscoveryremained at Barksdale over night.

Operation Just Cause/Desert Shield/Desert Storm[edit]

Barksdale played significant roles inOperation Just Causeto restore democracy inPanamain December 1989,Operation Desert Shieldin August 1990 andOperation Desert Stormin January 1991. The first combat sortie of Desert Storm was launched from Barksdale, when seven B-52Gs flew a 35-hour mission – the longest combat sortie in history at that time – to fire a barrage of conventionalair-launched cruise missilesagainstIraq.The B-52s from Barksdale that were deployed toMorón Air Base,Spain (a former SAC "Reflex" base) dropped 10 percent of all U.S. Air Force bombs during thePersian Gulf War.

Post-Cold War[edit]

B-52s and Tu-95s together on the tarmac at Barksdale during the May 1992 Russian visit

Upon its return from theMiddle East,the 2nd Bombardment Wing, Heavy was redesignated the 2nd Wing with its implementation of the objective wing organization on 1 September 1991.

The base turned its attention from combat to more peaceful pursuits when two B-52s, a KC-10 and their crews visitedDyagilevoAir Base,Russia,in March 1992. In May 1992, Barksdale hosted a return visit by two RussianTupolev Tu-95 "Bear"bombers, anAntonov An-124 "Condor" transportand 58 Russian airmen.[12]The Russians stayed for six days, seeing a slice of America and participating in Strategic Air Command's final Bombing and Navigation Competition awards symposium. The Russians visited again in August 1994, bringing a Tu-95 "Bear" and anIlyushin Il-78aerial tanker. Barksdale began a friendship withUkrainian Air Forceairmen later in 1994, when a B-52 and KC-10 visitedPoltava Air Base,Ukraine.

In April 1992, 265 buildings on Barksdale's main base were placed on theNational Register of Historic Places.The area from the Shreveport Gate to the flightline and from the Bossier Gate to Hoban Hall make up theBarksdale Field Historic District,along with much of family housing.[13]On 1 June 1992, Barksdale was transferred from the inactivating Strategic Air Command to the newly activatedAir Combat Command(ACC). All active-duty aircraft assigned to Barksdale were assigned ACC tail codes of "LA".

An equipment change began also in 1992 when the 596th Bomb Squadron retired its B-52Gs and replaced them with B-52Hs from inactivating squadrons at other former SAC bases. The 596th itself was inactivated when it was replaced by the 96th Bomb Squadron on 1 October 1993. The 20th Bomb Squadron was reassigned to the 2nd Wing on 17 December 1992 when it and its B-52Hs were reassigned to Barksdale from the 7th Wing, the latter which was relocating from the closingCarswell AFB,Texas,and transferring toDyess AFB,Texas in order to transition to theRockwell B-1 Lancer.

In October 1993, the 2nd Wing was redesignated as the 2nd Bomb Wing when the 71st Air Refueling Squadron and its KC-135A/Qs were reassigned to theAir Mobility Command.

A third B-52H squadron was assigned to the wing on 1 July 1994 when the 11th Bomb Squadron was activated at Barksdale. The mission of the 11th BS is that of a Formal Training Unit (FTU) for the B-52H.

1990s combat operations[edit]

B-52H bomber at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana

Barksdale became the focus of attention once again in September 1996 as two of its B-52s fired 13AGM-86C CALCMmissiles onsurface-to-air missilesites and air defense radars inIraq.DubbedOperation Desert Strike,the mission came in response to Iraqi rulerSaddam Hussein's attacks onKurdsin northern Iraq and was the first combat employment of the B-52H in history. In only a span of 80 hours, Barksdale B-52s and support personnel deployed forward toAndersen Air Force Base,Guam,carried out the strike against Iraqi targets and returned to Guam.

Fourteen months later, in November 1997, personnel and aircraft deployed from Barksdale to the British island ofDiego Garciain theIndian Oceanby order of U.S. presidentBill Clinton.They joined forces already in the region in response to a renewed bout of provocations and threats made by Saddam Hussein. Remaining at Diego Garcia until June 1998, Barksdale's forces bolstered the ability to defend the security of the region against possible aggression by Iraq and to accomplish specific military objectives if a diplomatic solution to the confrontation could not be achieved.

Six B-52s and personnel from Barksdale were again deployed to Diego Garcia in November 1998 becoming part of the 2nd Air Expeditionary Group. Seven bombers and about 180 people deployed in response to Iraq'srefusal to cooperatewithUnited Nations weapons inspectors.Although president Clinton called off strikes after Hussein's last-minute concessions to meet U.N. demands, Iraq's cooperation continued to deteriorate. U.S. military forces, including Barksdale's B-52s, launched a sustained series of air strikes against Iraq shortly after midnight 17 December 1998. The three-day-long campaign, dubbedOperation Desert Fox,followed the latest in a series of roadblocks by the Iraqi government against weapons inspections conducted by the U.N. Special Commission.

From March to June 1999, ten B-52s and personnel of the 2nd Bomb Wing played a prominent role in halting the brutal Serb expulsion ofethnic AlbaniansfromKosovo.Operating fromRAF Fairfordas part of the 2nd Air Expeditionary Group in the United Kingdom, Barksdale B-52s flew over 180 combat sorties and released over 6,600 weapons against military targets throughout theFederal Republic of YugoslaviaduringOperation Allied Force.

"War on Terror"[edit]

Boeing B-52H-165-BW Stratofortress AF Serial No. 61-0008 of the 93rd Bomb Squadron (AFRC) takes off on a unique mission with new equipment, 7 April 2003. The mission they are preparing for will be the first "real world" mission where a Lightning 2 Pod is used for laser-guided bomb delivery. The base at which the aircrew is deployed is currently the home of the457th Air Expeditionary Group,which has been positioned to supportOperation Iraqi Freedom.

Immediately following the terrorist attacks on11 September 2001,Barksdale provided a safe haven for PresidentGeorge W. Bushon his return flight to the nation's capital. Shortly thereafter, theNational Command Authoritycalled upon the base to provide substantial forces to spearhead the GlobalWar on Terrorism.Operating from multiple overseas locations, Barksdale airmen and B-52s, both active and reserve alike, played a key role in the first airstrikes ofOperation Enduring Freedom.Returning yet again to the skies ofIraq,Barksdale B-52s flew over 150 combat sorties against military targets throughout the southern half of the country duringOperation Iraqi Freedom.

On 30 August 2007, a B-52 originating fromMinot AFBcarried six AGM-86 cruise missiles, each loaded with a W80 nuclear warhead,to Barksdale without the knowledge of base personnel or crew. The incident sparked controversy across the country. As an end result of the situation,U.S. Secretary of DefenseRobert Gatesannounced that, "A substantial number of Air Force general officers and colonels have been identified as potentially subject to disciplinary measures, ranging from removal from command to letters of reprimand", and that he had accepted the resignations ofSecretary of the Air ForceMichael WynneandChief of Staff of the Air ForceMichael Moseley.[14]This led to the establishment of theGlobal Strike Command,activated in August 2009 with headquarters at Barksdale.

The 2nd Bomb Wing was assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command on 1 February 2010.

On 1 January 2011, Air Force Reserve Command inactivated the 917th Wing, while at the same time activating the307th Bomb Wing,which subsumed the B-52 units of the 917th Wing. The A-10 units of the 917th Wing remain at Barksdale AFB, under the newly created917th Fighter Group,while organizational control is with the442nd Fighter Wing,Whiteman AFB,Missouri.

A 2013 North Korean propaganda photo shows that Barksdale is one of four targets in the United States for a potential North Korean nuclear attack, alongsidethe Pentagonin Arlington, Virginia,Pearl Harborin Hawaii, the headquarters of theU.S. Indo-Pacific Commandand the site of thePearl Harbor attacks,and San Diego, the homeport of the Navy'sPacific Fleet.[15]The photo depicts North Korean leaderKim Jong Unmeeting with several of his generals in a "situation room" with walls covered in maps, one of which depicts lines thought to represent missiles going from Korea to the United States.[16][17]The line targeting Barksdale was obscured by the hat of Lt. Gen.Kim Rak-gyom,but is believed by nuclear proliferation and North Korea expertJeffrey Lewisto lead to Barksdale.[17]Barksdale is thought to be targeted because it hosts the headquarters of the Air Force Global Strike Command and its fleet of nuclear-armed bombers.[15][16][17][18]In a 2018 book, Lewis argues that North Korea also targeted Barksdale because PresidentGeorge W. Bushtook shelter there after the 9/11 attacks, to send a message to the president that "you can run, but you can't hide."[19]Though declining to comment on specifics, a spokesperson for Barksdale said that enemies of the United States are "grossly overmatched in their capabilities" and that the Air Force is "ready to project that power and [to] make sure they understand that message loud and clear."[20]

917th Wing (Air Force Reserve Command)[edit]

Main article:917th Wing
Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II AF Serial No. 80-0155 of the 47th Fighter Squadron (AFRC), based at Barksdale. This aircraft was retired to AMARG on 4 December 2001, then returned to service.

The 917th Wing was originally formed as the 917th Troop Carrier Group on 17 January 1963 at Barksdale and was assigned to the 435th Troop Carrier Wing. Its mission was to administer and support its assigned 78th Troop Carrier Squadron which was equipped withDouglas C-124 Globemaster IIs.

On 1 July 1963, both the group and squadron were reassigned to the 442nd Troop Carrier Wing because their new gaining command, theMilitary Air Transport Service(MATS), wanted all five Air Force Reserve C-124 Groups assigned to the same wing. The units were reassigned to the 512th Troop Carrier Wing on 25 March 1965.

Reflecting similar changes in the active force, the 917th was redesignated twice – initially to the 917th Air Transport Group in 1965, and then to the 917th Military Airlift Group in 1966. The 917th Military Airlift Group was awarded theAir Force Outstanding Unit Awardfor its exceptional safety record of more than 55,000 accident-free flying hours and global support missions.

On 26 April 1972, the unit was redesignated the 917th Special Operations Group, withTactical Air Commandas the gaining major air command. As the missions changed, the unit was redesignated the 917th Tactical Fighter Group (917 TFG) on 1 October 1973. The 78th Troop Carrier Squadron was subsequently inactivated and replaced by the 47th Tactical Fighter Squadron. During the late 1980s, the 917 TFG group was upgraded to wing status and renamed the 917th Tactical Fighter Wing (917 TFW).

Due to air force restructuring in June 1992,Tactical Air Commandwas combined with all elements of theStrategic Air Command(except KC-135 and KC-10 aircraft) to form the newAir Combat Command(ACC). The 917th Tactical Fighter Wing joined Air Combat Command and "Tactical" was dropped from its name.

On 1 October 1993, the 917th Fighter Wing (917 FW) saw important changes once again. The 46th Fighter Training Squadron was inactivated when the active-duty Air Force took control of all fighter replacement training. On this same day, the 917th became the first unit in Air Force Reserve history to acquire a strategic mission: B-52Hs were added to the wing make-up and the 93rd Bomb Squadron was activated. Now a composite wing, the 917th dropped "Fighter" from its name and became the 917th Wing (917 WG).

In its 2005 BRAC Recommendations, DoD recommended to realignEielson Air Force Base,Alaska.Some of the354th Fighter Wing's assigned A-10 aircraft (located at Eielson AFB) would be distributed to the 917th Wing Barksdale Air Force Base (three aircraft). This recommendation was made because, although a base with high military value, Eielson was an expensive base to maintain.

In another Recommendation, DoD recommended to realign Air Force Reserve fighter assets atNaval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans,LA. It would distribute six of the926th Fighter Wing's A-10 aircraft to the 917th Wing.

On 20 September 2009, the airport was used as a refuelling stop for theSpace Shuttle Discovery's return flight to theKennedy Space Centerthat was beingpiggybackedfromNaval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.TheShuttle Carrier AircraftandSpace Shuttle Discoveryremained at Barksdale over night.

Bossier Base[edit]

Bossier Base,now called The East Reservation due to its location east of the runway, was formerly aDefense Atomic Support Agency(DASA)[21] Q clearancemaintenance andWSAduring theCold War.It was similar toSandia Base's Manzano. Once entirely independent of the USAF and Barksdale AFB, it has been merged with the main base.

Based units[edit]

Flying and notable non-flying units based at Barksdale Air Force Base.[22][23][24][25][26][27]

Units marked GSU are Geographically Separate Units, which although based at Barksdale, are subordinate to a parent unit based at another location.

United States Air Force[edit]

Major commands to which assigned[edit]

Major units assigned[edit]

Education[edit]

The base is in theBossier Parish School District.[28]

The housing on the main base is assigned to Waller Elementary School, Rusheon Middle School, andBossier High School.The East Reservation area is assigned to T. L. Rodes Elementary School (PreKindergarten-Grade 1), Platt Elementary School (grades 2-3), Princeton Elementary School (grades 4-5), Haughton Middle School, andHaughton High School.[29]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Airport Diagram – Barksdale AFB (KBAD)"(PDF).Federal Aviation Administration.23 May 2019. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 25 May 2019.Retrieved29 May2019.
  2. ^"2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP (INDEX): Bossier City city, LA"(PDF).U.S. Census Bureau.Retrieved9 March2024.
  3. ^"Barksdale Information".barksdale.af.mil.12 January 2011.Archivedfrom the original on 15 August 2021.Retrieved15 August2021.
  4. ^"Units".Barksdale AFB.Retrieved13 November2018.
  5. ^"2nd Bomb Wing Leadership".Barksdale AFB.Retrieved29 June2019.
  6. ^"National Register Information System".National Register of Historic Places.National Park Service.9 July 2010.
  7. ^USAF Barksdale AFB FactsheetArchived14 March 2008 at theWayback Machine
  8. ^J, Brock, Eric (31 January 2001).Eric Brock's Shreveport.Pelican Publishing.ISBN978-1-4556-0386-2.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^"Barksdale 2016 Water Report".6 July 2017.Retrieved12 November2018.
  10. ^"Joe Waggonner, La. congressman - The Boston Globe".Boston Globe.Associated Press. 10 October 2007.Retrieved13 November2018.
  11. ^"Joseph David Waggonner Jr".Shreveport Times.9 October 2007.Retrieved13 November2018.
  12. ^Amber Ashcroft,Serving up good conversations for 60 years,Air Force Print News, 1 September 2010.
  13. ^National Register Staff (January 1992)."National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Barksdale Field Historic District".National Park Service.Retrieved10 April2018.Withforty photo from 1991.
  14. ^"B-52 carried nuclear armed cruise missiles by mistake: US".Spacewar.AFP. 5 September 2007.Retrieved13 November2018.
  15. ^abBerkowitz, Bonnie; Karklis, Laris; Meko, Tim (25 July 2017)."What is North Korea trying to hit?".The Washington Post.Retrieved12 November2018.
  16. ^abPickrell, Ryan (24 July 2017)."North Korea Identifies Hawaii and Alaska as Possible Targets".The National Interest.Retrieved13 November2018.
  17. ^abcLewis, Jeffrey (8 April 2013)."North Korean Targeting".Arms Control Wonk.Retrieved12 November2018.
  18. ^O'Connor, Tim (3 August 2017)."North Korea could launch a second, much deadlier Pearl Harbor attack".Newsweek.Retrieved13 November2018.
  19. ^Lewis, Jeffrey (7 August 2018).The 2020 Commission Report on the North Korean nuclear attacks against the United States: a speculative novel.Mariner Books. pp. 215–216.ISBN9781328573926.
  20. ^Henson, Christian (11 August 2017)."Barskdale Air Force Base reacts to possible North Korean missile threat".ArkLaTex Homepage.Retrieved13 November2018.
  21. ^ Christian Brahmstedt, ed. (2002).Defense's Nuclear Agencies, 1947–1997.DTRA history series. Washington: Defense Threat Reduction Agency, U.S. Dept. of Defense. pp. vi, 458 p.LCCN2003431067.OCLC52147468.
  22. ^"Units".Barksdale Air Force Base.US Air Force.Retrieved29 May2019.
  23. ^"Units".307th Bomb Wing.US Air Force. Archived fromthe originalon 29 May 2019.Retrieved29 May2019.
  24. ^Bateman, Airman 1st Class Brittany Y. (2 October 2009)."49th TES perfects the bomber".Barksdale Air Force Base.US Air Force. Archived fromthe originalon 29 May 2019.Retrieved29 May2019.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ^"26th Operational Weather Squadron".557th Weather Wing.US Air Force. 16 July 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 29 May 2019.Retrieved29 May2019.
  26. ^"8th Information Warfare Flight Shield".8th Air Force.US Air Force.Retrieved29 May2019.
  27. ^"United States Air Force Weapons School".Nellis Air Force Base.US Air Force. July 2019.Retrieved29 April2020.
  28. ^"2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Bossier Parish, LA"(PDF).U.S. Census Bureau.Retrieved9 March2024.-Text list
  29. ^"Barksdale Air Force Base Education".Military One Source.Retrieved9 March2024.- This is a.milsite.

Other sources[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toBarksdale Air Force Base.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barksdale_Air_Force_Base&oldid=1217008288"