Carswell Air Force Base
Encyclopedia
Carswell Air Force Base, (1942–1994) was a United States Air Force
Strategic Air Command
(SAC) base located about 5 miles (8 km) northwest central of Fort Worth
, Texas
, United States
; the air force base is mostly within the Fort Worth city limits and has portions within Westworth
and White Settlement
. For most of its operational lifetime, the base's mission was to train and support heavy strategic bombing groups and wings.
With the end of the Cold War, the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) Commission recommended that Carswell AFB be closed by 1994. This decision was later modified so that most of the installation would be converted into a Joint Reserve Base, retaining the Air Force Reserve presence that had historically been located at Carswell AFB and relocating Navy Reserve
, Marine Corps Reserve and Air National Guard
flying units from nearby Naval Air Station Dallas
, that was also identified for closure. Today, the base is known as Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
/Carswell Field and is operated by the United States Navy
.
The base was named after Medal of Honor
recipient Major Horace S. Carswell, Jr.
(1916–1944). Major Carswell was returning from an attack on Japan
ese shipping in the South China Sea
on 26 October 1944. He attempted to save a crewmember whose parachute had been destroyed by flak. He remained at the controls of his crippled bomber and died while crashlanding the B-24 Liberator
near Tungchen, China
.
The base was renamed in his honor on 29 January 1948.
Previous base names were:
The base was redesignated as Carswell Air Reserve Station on 1 October 1993 until its closure on 1 October 1994.
/United States Air Force
units assigned to Carswell were:
factory for the production of B-24 Liberator
bombers. A separate contract was let for a landing field, known as the Tarrant Field Airdrome, to be built to support the aircraft factory. The construction of an air force base on the east side of Tarrant Field was authorized after the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor
, and Tarrant Field Airdrome was assigned to the Army Air Forces
Flying Training Command in July 1942.
The base began as a pilot transition school for the B-26 Marauder
before becoming one of the first B-24 transition schools in operation. After more than 4,000 students were trained in B-24s at the base, its mission was changed to B-34
transition because of the nearness to the Consolidated factory. In 1945 the mission was changed from B-34 to B-29
aircraft training.
Fort Worth Army Airfield was assigned to the newly formed Strategic Air Command
in March 1946, and on 1 October 1946, the 7th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) was activated. With its activation, the 7th became part of the Fifteenth Air Force
(15 AF), headquartered at Colorado Springs, Colorado
. Personnel and aircraft of the new group, consisting of the Boeing
B-29 Superfortress
, were transferred to Fort Worth AAF from the 92nd Bombardment Group at Spokane AAFld, Washington.
On 1 November 1946, the Eighth Air Force
moved its headquarters to Fort Worth AAF from MacDill Field, Florida
.
With its B-29s, the 7th prepared its people for any combat eventuality that might arise, flying simulated bombing missions over various cities. On 5 July 1947, a flight of eight B-29s of the 492nd Bomb Squadron deployed from Fort Worth AAF to Yokota AB, Japan
. Shortly after this the detachment received orders to redeploy to Fort Worth AAF via Washington, D.C. The aircraft left Yokota AB on 2 August, flew over the Aleutian Islands, then into Anchorage, Alaska
. From Anchorage the flight flew over Edmonton
, Alberta
, Canada
, turned south and flew over Minnesota
and Wisconsin
. The bombers flew a low-level flight between The Pentagon
and Washington Monument
in the Capitol on 3 August. Completing this aerial demonstration, they headed for Fort Worth, landing 31 hours after launch from Japan and covering 7086 miles (11,403.8 km).
On 12 September, the group deployed 30 B-29s to Giebelstadt Army Airfield, near Würzburg
, West Germany
. This flight was the largest bomber formation flown from Fort Worth AAF overseas to date, landing in Germany on 13 September. During their ten-day stay, the group bombers participated in training operations over Europe
, as well as a show-of-force display by the United States in the early part of the Cold War
with the Soviet Union
. The flight redeployed from Germany on 23 September.
On 17 November 1947, the 7th Bombardment Wing was established to organize and train a force capable of immediate and sustained long range offensive warfare and operations in any part of the world. The 7th Bombardment Group became its operational component. The wing's mission was to prepare for global strategic bombardment in the event of hostilities. Under various designations, the 7th Bomb Wing flew a wide variety of aircraft at the base until its inactivation in 1993.
In June 1948 the first Consolidated B-36A Peacekeeper
was delivered. The first B-36 was designated the "City of Fort Worth" (AF Serial No. 44-92015), and was assigned to the 492d Bomb Squadron. With the arrival of the B-36s, the wing was redesignated as the 7th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 1 August. B-36s continued to arrive throughout 1948, with the last B-29 being transferred on 6 December to the 97th Bomb Group at Biggs AFB. For 10 years, the "Peacemaker" cast a large shadow on the Iron Curtain and served as the USAF's
major nuclear weapons delivery platform.
As part of the 7th Bomb Wing, the 11th Bomb Group was activated on 1 December with the 26th, 42nd, and 98th Bomb Squadrons, Heavy, were activated and assigned. The 11th Bomb Group was equipped with B-36As for training purposes. A five ship B-36 formation was flown on 15 January 1949, in an air review over Washington, D.C., commemorating the inauguration of the President of the United States
, Harry S. Truman
.
In February 1949, a B-50 Superfortress
(developed from the famed B-29) and named Lucky Lady II took off from Carswell for the first nonstop flight around the world. She returned to Carswell after mid-air refueling, flying 23108 miles (37,188.6 km), and remaining aloft for ninety-four hours and one minute.
Also on 16 February 1948, the 11th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
was established. The new wing assumed control of the 11th Bomb Group, attached to the 7th Bomb Wing since 1 December 1948. Next, the 19th Air Division, Bombardment was redesignated as the as 19th Air Division, was organized on 16 February at Carswell. With this move the division assumed responsibility over the 7th and 11th Bomb Wings at Carswell.
During March 1950, Strategic Air Command evaluated its numbered air forces. The Eighth Air Force
(8 AF), at Carswell AFB, concentrated on medium and heavy bombers. Expansion and the integration of the B-36 and B-50 in the command created the need for a more balanced organization. Geographic factors also promoted the need for reorganization. For those reasons, SAC realigned the command effective 1 April 1950. Under the realignment, each numbered Air Force received bomber and reconnaissance assets in a geographic region. This left the 7th Bomb Wing under control of Eighth Air Force.
In January 1951, the 7th took part in a special training mission to the United Kingdom. The purpose of the mission was to evaluate the B-36D under simulated war plan conditions. Also, further evaluate the equivalent airspeed and compression tactics for heavy bombardment aircraft. The aircraft, staging through Limestone AFB, Maine, would land at RAF Lakenheath
, United Kingdom
, following a night radar bombing attack on Helgoland, Germany. From there the bombers would conduct a simulated bomb run on the Heston Bomb Plot, London, finally landing at RAF Lakenheath.
This was the first deployment of wing and SAC B-36 aircraft to England and Europe. For the next four days the flight flew sorties out of England. The aircraft redeployed to the states on 20 January arriving at Carswell on 21 January.
The 19th Air Division, Bombardment, was redesignated 1 February 1951 as the 19th Air Division, was organized on 16 February at Carswell. With this move the division assumed responsibility over the 7th and 11th Bomb Wings at Carswell.
In 1954, Carswell AFB was prominently featured and used as a filming location in the James Stewart
and June Allyson
film Strategic Air Command
.
On 13 June 1955, the Strategic Air Command realigned its three numbered air forces resulting in Headquarters, Eighth Air Force
moving from Carswell to Westover AFB, Massachusetts
. With that move, Carswell was reassigned under Second Air Force
(2 AF), headquartered at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
.
On 10 December 1957, the 98th Bomb Squadron was detached from the wing and assigned to the newly activated 4123rd Strategic Wing at Carswell. This would become the first Boeing B-52 Stratofortress unit at Carswell. During January 1958, the wing began transferring its B-36 bombers to various SAC wings. On 20 January, the wing transferred all B-52 equipment and property on hand to the 4123rd Strategic Wing in order to facilitate that organization's conversion, which was scheduled several months ahead of the 7th Bomb Wing at Carswell. The 7th Bomb Wing officially became a B-52 organization with the adoption of manning documents and equipping authorizations on 1 February 1958.
On 19 February 1958, the 4123rd Strategic Wing took possession of the first Boeing B-52 Stratofortress on Carswell. At the arrival ceremony on base the bomber was named "The City of Fort Worth". It was subsequently assigned to the 98th Bomb Squadron in the wing. Shortly following the arrival of B-52 bombers to the 4123rd Strategic Wing, the unit was moved to new facilities at Clinton-Sherman AFB, Oklahoma
. With the acquisition of the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, all new B-52 wings would operate with an air refueling squadron to support those bombers. As a result, SAC activated the 7th Air Refueling Squadron at Carswell on 1 April 1958, and assigned it to the wing. The squadron would be equipped with the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker later in the year.
On 30 May, Memorial Day, the last of the B-36's in the wing were retired with appropriate ceremonies and "Open House". Air Force and civilian personnel of the base, and civilians from surrounding communities were on hand to bid the "Peacemaker" a fond farewell. This last flight of a B-36 from Carswell AFB phased out completely the B-36 program in the wing.
In January 1959. B-52s from Carswell were constantly in the air and deployed to SAC Reflex bases in Europe, Asia, and North Africa
during the Cold War
.
In January 1960, the USAF announced its intention to activate the first Convair B-58 Hustler
Wing. This was to be the 43d Bombardment Wing, at that time based at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona
. The 43rd BW would be moved to Carswell starting on March 1. The 3958th Operational, Test, and Evaluation Unit (then functioning as an integral unit at Carswell) would be transferred to the 43rd BW upon its arrival. On 1 August 1960, the USAF finally formally assumed B-58 operations responsibility and began testing. 59-2436, the first fully operational Hustler equipped with all tactical systems, was delivered to the 43rd. Two weeks later, the first TB-58A was delivered to Carswell.
On March 23, a test unit B-58A (55-0671), remained airborne for 18 hours 10 minutes while averaging an airspeed of 620 mi/h over 11000 miles (17,702.7 km). This was apparently the longest-lasting single flight ever by a B-58. The 43rd BW received deliveries beginning in December 1960. However, technical difficulties continued to plague the B-58, and on March 10, 1961 SAC had once again to set back the operational readiness date of the 43rd BW. The 43rd BW, was finally declared operationally ready in August 1962. The Wing was placed on alert in September.
One of its first duties of the 43d was to operate a school to evaluate the new supersonic jet bomber. This was made possible by training SAC aircrews using the F-102 Delta Dagger
it having similar flight characteristics unique to flying a delta-winged aircraft. The wing received TB-58s, the training version of the bomber and then the YRB-58 reconnaissance version soon followed and the wing took on still another important mission.
On 12 January 1961, Major Henry J. Deutschendorf commanded a B-58 crew from the 43rd that set out to break six flight records; five of which the Soviet Union
held. The Hustler flew two laps around a course with Edwards AFB, California
, at one end and Yuma
, Arizona
, at the other. The bomber set three speed records over the 1000 kilometer (km) course with a 2000 kilogram (kg), 1000 kg, and 0 kg payload—averaging 1,200.194 miles per hour (mph) in each category. The crew managed an average speed of 1061.88 mi/h in each of the same payload categories over the 2000 km course. This flight set the pace for the 43rd with the B-58.
Crews set two more flight records with their Hustlers in 1961. On 10 May, Major Elmer E. Murphy flew his Hustler 669.4 miles (1,077.3 km) in 30 minutes 45 seconds. Averaging 1302 mi/h, Major Bleriot set a new record for sustained speed and earned France's Bleriot Cup. Sixteen days later a Hustler flew from New York City
to Paris
, France
in 3 hours, 19 minutes, and 41 seconds. The B-58 averaged 1089 mi/h along the 4612 miles (7,422.3 km) course and completed in 1/10 the time it took Charles Lindbergh in 1927. This transatlantic flight earned the crew the seventh Mackay Trophy and the Harmon International Trophy. Tragically, the crew was killed when their B-58 crashed on 3 June at the Paris Air Show. Though saddened by the loss, crews from the 43rd continued to set records with the Hustler.
Captain Robert G. Sowers piloted a B-58 that set out to break three speed records on 5 March 1962. Referred to as Operation Heat Rise, the 43rd Bomb Wing B-58 59-2458 (shown above) flew from New York to Los Angeles
and back to New York in 4 hours, 41 minutes, and 14.98 seconds. The crew took the bomber from New York to Los Angeles in two hours, 15 minutes, and 50.8 seconds—beating the sun across the United States. The return trip took 2 hours and 58.71 seconds, averaging 1214.65 mi/h. All three crewmen earned the Mackay Trophy, the Bendix Trophy, Distinguished Flying Cross
es, and congratulations from President
John F. Kennedy
.
After July 1961, the wing continued further B-58 evaluations until June 1962. From then until the close of 1969 the wing served as one of two SAC B-58 wings with a strategic bombardment mission.
One of the last things the wing did while at Carswell AFB took place on 28 March 1964, the day after a major earthquake devastated Alaska
. Headquarters USAF tasked the 43rd to provide it with photographs of the region hit by the quake. Members of the 43rd flew two B-58s the 5751 miles (9,255.3 km) to Alaska and back, processed the film, and then delivered the pictures to Washington DC 14.5 hours after the wing received the request. Six months later the 43rd Bomb Wing moved to Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
.
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On 13 April 1965, the 7 BW deployed its forces to Andersen Air Force Base
, Guam
to support SAC combat operations in Southeast Asia. Most of the wing's bombers and tankers, along with aircrews and some support personnel, were deployed. At Andersen AFB, the wing flew more than 1,300 missions over Vietnam
, and returned to Carswell in December 1965.
B-52 crews were sent through an intensive two-week course on the B-52D, making them eligible for duty in Southeast Asia. B-52s assigned to combat duty in Vietnam were painted in a modified camouflage scheme with the undersides, lower fuselage, and both sides of the vertical fin being painted in a glossy black. The USAF serial number was painted in black on the fin over a horizontal red stripe across the length of the fin.
The B-52 effort was concentrated primarily against suspected Viet Cong targets in South Vietnam, but the Ho Chi Min Trail and targets in Laos were also hit. During the relief of Khe Sanh, unbroken waves of six aircraft, attacking every three hours, dropped bombs as close as 900 feet (274.3 m) from friendly lines. Cambodia was increasingly bombed by B-52s from March 1969 onward.
Rotational deployments to Guam, and also to U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield
, Thailand
continued on a reduced scale until 1975.
In addition to the B-52 deployments, the United States Air Force Reserve 916th Troop Carrier Group
, flew Douglas C-124 Globemaster II aircraft from Carswell. It was activated on 1 April 1963. The group supported missions included military airlifts to South Vietnam
beginning in 1965 and to U.S. forces in the Dominican Republic
during a 1965 crisis
. It also participated in numerous humanitarian airlift missions. as well as performed tactical airlift missions within the United States
.
(under various designations) has trained at Carswell as an Air Force Reserve Command
unit, training for tactical air missions, including counter-air, interdiction, and close air support. Originally gained by the former Tactical Air Command
(TAC), thenunit is now operationally gained by Air Combat Command
(ACC).
The 301st replaced the Air Force Reserve's 916th Military Airlift Group (916 MAG), which was inactivated. The 301st's 457th Tactical Fighter Squadron flew the F-105 Thunderchief
from 1972 to 1982. It transitioned to the F-4 Phantom II
in 1981, then to the F-16 Fighting Falcon
in 1990. The wing has participated in exercises, both within the United States and abroad. It deployed a security police flight to southwest Asia during Operation Desert Storm, January–March 1991, and supported Operation Deny Flight in the Balkans in the mid-1990s. The tail code carried by the present day 457th Fighter Squadron is "TX".
In the 1980s the base received several new weapons systems, including modified B-52H aircraft. In 1983, B-52 crews began training with a new weapon system, the SRAM (Short Range Attack Missile) and later, in 1985, the ALCM (Air Launched Cruise Missile
). Also, the wing flew numerous atmospheric sampling missions during 1986 and 1987 in response to the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident.
By 1984 Carswell was the largest unit of its kind in the Strategic Air Command. The west side of the airfield was home to Air Force Plant #4, a 602 acres (2.4 km²) industrial complex occupied over the decades by Convair
, General Dynamics
, and now by Lockheed Martin
. The bulk of the Air Force Convair B-36
, B-58 Hustler
, F-111 Aardvark, EF-111 Raven and F-16 Fighting Falcon
fleet was built there.
in 1991. After an overwhelming victory in the Persian Gulf, the wing returned to Carswell. In September 1991 with the end of the Cold War
, President Bush ordered a stand down of all nuclear alert duties.
Carswell AFB was selected for closure under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990
during Round II Base Closure Commission deliberations (BRAC 91). As part of BRAC 91, the decision was made to relocate the 7th Bomb Wing from Carswell AFB to Dyess AFB.
During the 1992 Air Force-wide reorganization, the Strategic Air Command
(SAC) was officially disestablished on 1 June. Carswell and the 7th Bomb Wing were assigned to the newly created Air Combat Command
(ACC), and the B-52Hs assigned to the wing were given the ACC tail code "CW".
First-stage closure activities were initiated in 1992 and B-52H aircraft were relocated to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
by January 1993. The 7 BW was released of all operational capabilities on 1 January 1993, and was transferred to Dyess AFB, TX without personnel or equipment on 1 October 1993 where it currently flies the B-1 Lancer
. Carswell ceased USAF active duty operations on September 30, 1993, and was transferred to the Air Force Base Conversion Agency (AFBCA) for property distribution and reuse.
On October 1, 1993, the Air Force Reserve's 301st Fighter Wing
assumed base responsibilities, establishing Carswell as Carswell Air Reserve Station. The Air Force Reserve's Headquarters, 10th Air Force (10 AF), also relocated to Carswell from Bergstrom AFB, Texas as a result of the BRAC action which closed Bergstrom. In 1993, Congress directed the establishment of the nation's first joint reserve base under the Base Realignment and Closure authority.
The USAF ended operational control of Carswell on 30 September 1994 with the transfer of the property to the United States Navy
.
on October 1, 1994, when the U.S. Navy
assumed control of the property.
The west side of the base still serves as Air Force Plant #4 and employs 17,000 personnel, primarily Lockheed Martin
employees. Currently, the portion of the base occupied by the Texas
Air National Guard
's 136th Airlift Wing
, Air Force Reserve Command
's 301st Fighter Wing
, Headquarters – 10th Air Force, the 610th Security Forces Squadron, Fleet Logistics Support Wing, Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 59, Marine Aircraft Group 41, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 41, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112 and Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 234 is still called Carswell Field. Headquarters Battery, 14th Marines is also located at NAS Ft. Worth JRB.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) base located about 5 miles (8 km) northwest central of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; the air force base is mostly within the Fort Worth city limits and has portions within Westworth
Westworth Village, Texas
Westworth Village is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,472 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Westworth Village is located at ....
and White Settlement
White Settlement, Texas
White Settlement is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a northwestern suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 16,116 at the 2010 census.-Geography:White Settlement is located at ....
. For most of its operational lifetime, the base's mission was to train and support heavy strategic bombing groups and wings.
With the end of the Cold War, the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) Commission recommended that Carswell AFB be closed by 1994. This decision was later modified so that most of the installation would be converted into a Joint Reserve Base, retaining the Air Force Reserve presence that had historically been located at Carswell AFB and relocating Navy Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
, Marine Corps Reserve and Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
flying units from nearby Naval Air Station Dallas
Naval Air Station Dallas
Naval Air Station Dallas was a United States Navy Naval Air Station located on Mountain Creek Lake in southwest Dallas. The installation was originally established as an Army Aviation center, and eventually became home to aviation assets from all the military services. The facility was...
, that was also identified for closure. Today, the base is known as Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base or NAS Fort Worth JRB includes Carswell Field, a military airfield located west of the central business district of Fort Worth, in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. This military airfield is operated by United States Navy...
/Carswell Field and is operated by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
History
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient Major Horace S. Carswell, Jr.
Horace S. Carswell, Jr.
Horace Seaver "Stump" Carswell, Jr. was a Medal of Honor recipient as a Major in the United States Army Air Corps who served in World War II...
(1916–1944). Major Carswell was returning from an attack on Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese shipping in the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
on 26 October 1944. He attempted to save a crewmember whose parachute had been destroyed by flak. He remained at the controls of his crippled bomber and died while crashlanding the B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
near Tungchen, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
The base was renamed in his honor on 29 January 1948.
Previous base names were:
- Army Air Force Combat Crew School, Tarrant Field
(aka Tarrant Field and Tarrant Field Airdrome), 1 July 1942–29 July 1942 - Fort Worth Army Airfield, 29 July 1942 – 13 January 1948.
- Griffiss Air Force Base, 13 – 29 January 1948
The base was redesignated as Carswell Air Reserve Station on 1 October 1993 until its closure on 1 October 1994.
Major units at Carswell
The major United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
/United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
units assigned to Carswell were:
- 404th Base HQ and Air Base Sq, 18 August 1942 – 1 May 1944
- 2519th Army Air Force Base Unit (Pilot School, Spec 4E), 1 May 1944 – 18 November 1945
- 233d Army Air Force Base Base Unit, 18 November 1945 – 17 November 1947
- 7th Bombardment Group, 1 October 1946 – 17 November 1947
(B-29 SuperfortressB-29 SuperfortressThe B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
) - 7th Bombardment Wing, 17 November 1947 – 1 October 1993
(B-29 Superfortress, B-36 Peacemaker, B-52 StratofortressB-52 StratofortressThe Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
, KC-135 StratotankerKC-135 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
) - 11th Bombardment Wing11th WingThe 11th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force District of Washington. It is stationed at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, Maryland. It is the host unit at Joint Base Andrews....
, 1 December 1948 – 31 December 1957
(B-36 Peacemaker, KC-97 StratotankerKC-97 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker was a United States strategic tanker aircraft based on the Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter. It was succeeded by the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.-Design and development:...
) - 43d Bombardment Wing43d Airlift WingThe 43rd Airlift Group is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Pope Army Airfield, part of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.The 43 AG performs en route operations support at Pope AAF to include mission command & control, aircrew management, aircraft maintenance, aircraft loading, aircraft fueling...
, 15 March 1960 – 1 September 1964
(B-58 HustlerB-58 HustlerThe Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The aircraft was designed by Convair engineer Robert H. Widmer and developed for the United States Air Force for service in the Strategic Air Command during the 1960s...
, F-102 Delta DaggerF-102 Delta DaggerThe Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
) - 19th Air Division, 1 February 1951–30 September 1988
- 301st Tactical Fighter Wing / 301st Fighter Wing301st Fighter WingThe 301st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force Reserve fighter wing, based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth Carswell Field, Texas. It is equipped with the F-16C+ Fighting Falcon...
, 1 July 1972 – present (AFRES / AFRCAir Force Reserve CommandThe Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
)
(F-105 ThunderchiefF-105 ThunderchiefThe Republic F-105 Thunderchief, was a supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it has the dubious distinction of being the only US aircraft to have been...
, F-4 Phantom IIF-4 Phantom IIThe McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
, F-16 Fighting FalconF-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
)
World War II
The site of the base was originally selected in 1941 as a Consolidated VulteeConvair
Convair was an American aircraft manufacturing company which later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Vultee Aircraft and Consolidated Aircraft, and went on to produce a number of pioneering aircraft, such as the Convair B-36 bomber, and the F-102...
factory for the production of B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
bombers. A separate contract was let for a landing field, known as the Tarrant Field Airdrome, to be built to support the aircraft factory. The construction of an air force base on the east side of Tarrant Field was authorized after the Japanese
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, and Tarrant Field Airdrome was assigned to the Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
Flying Training Command in July 1942.
The base began as a pilot transition school for the B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
before becoming one of the first B-24 transition schools in operation. After more than 4,000 students were trained in B-24s at the base, its mission was changed to B-34
Lockheed Ventura
The Lockheed Ventura was a bomber and patrol aircraft of World War II, used by United States and British Commonwealth forces in several guises...
transition because of the nearness to the Consolidated factory. In 1945 the mission was changed from B-34 to B-29
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
aircraft training.
1940s
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
in March 1946, and on 1 October 1946, the 7th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) was activated. With its activation, the 7th became part of the Fifteenth Air Force
Fifteenth Air Force
The Fifteenth Expeditionary Mobility Task Force is one of two EMTFs assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It is headquartered at Travis Air Force Base, California....
(15 AF), headquartered at Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Personnel and aircraft of the new group, consisting of the Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
, were transferred to Fort Worth AAF from the 92nd Bombardment Group at Spokane AAFld, Washington.
On 1 November 1946, the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
moved its headquarters to Fort Worth AAF from MacDill Field, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
With its B-29s, the 7th prepared its people for any combat eventuality that might arise, flying simulated bombing missions over various cities. On 5 July 1947, a flight of eight B-29s of the 492nd Bomb Squadron deployed from Fort Worth AAF to Yokota AB, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Shortly after this the detachment received orders to redeploy to Fort Worth AAF via Washington, D.C. The aircraft left Yokota AB on 2 August, flew over the Aleutian Islands, then into Anchorage, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. From Anchorage the flight flew over Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, turned south and flew over Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. The bombers flew a low-level flight between The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
and Washington Monument
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...
in the Capitol on 3 August. Completing this aerial demonstration, they headed for Fort Worth, landing 31 hours after launch from Japan and covering 7086 miles (11,403.8 km).
On 12 September, the group deployed 30 B-29s to Giebelstadt Army Airfield, near Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. This flight was the largest bomber formation flown from Fort Worth AAF overseas to date, landing in Germany on 13 September. During their ten-day stay, the group bombers participated in training operations over Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, as well as a show-of-force display by the United States in the early part of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. The flight redeployed from Germany on 23 September.
On 17 November 1947, the 7th Bombardment Wing was established to organize and train a force capable of immediate and sustained long range offensive warfare and operations in any part of the world. The 7th Bombardment Group became its operational component. The wing's mission was to prepare for global strategic bombardment in the event of hostilities. Under various designations, the 7th Bomb Wing flew a wide variety of aircraft at the base until its inactivation in 1993.
In June 1948 the first Consolidated B-36A Peacekeeper
Convair B-36
The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" was a strategic bomber built by Convair and operated solely by the United States Air Force from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 was the largest mass-produced piston engine aircraft ever made. It had the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft ever built , although there have...
was delivered. The first B-36 was designated the "City of Fort Worth" (AF Serial No. 44-92015), and was assigned to the 492d Bomb Squadron. With the arrival of the B-36s, the wing was redesignated as the 7th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on 1 August. B-36s continued to arrive throughout 1948, with the last B-29 being transferred on 6 December to the 97th Bomb Group at Biggs AFB. For 10 years, the "Peacemaker" cast a large shadow on the Iron Curtain and served as the USAF's
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
major nuclear weapons delivery platform.
As part of the 7th Bomb Wing, the 11th Bomb Group was activated on 1 December with the 26th, 42nd, and 98th Bomb Squadrons, Heavy, were activated and assigned. The 11th Bomb Group was equipped with B-36As for training purposes. A five ship B-36 formation was flown on 15 January 1949, in an air review over Washington, D.C., commemorating the inauguration of the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
.
In February 1949, a B-50 Superfortress
B-50 Superfortress
The Boeing B-50 Superfortress strategic bomber was a post-World War II revision of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, fitted with more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-4360 radial engines, stronger structure, a taller fin, and other improvements. It was the last piston-engined bomber designed by Boeing for...
(developed from the famed B-29) and named Lucky Lady II took off from Carswell for the first nonstop flight around the world. She returned to Carswell after mid-air refueling, flying 23108 miles (37,188.6 km), and remaining aloft for ninety-four hours and one minute.
Also on 16 February 1948, the 11th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)
11th Wing
The 11th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force District of Washington. It is stationed at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, Maryland. It is the host unit at Joint Base Andrews....
was established. The new wing assumed control of the 11th Bomb Group, attached to the 7th Bomb Wing since 1 December 1948. Next, the 19th Air Division, Bombardment was redesignated as the as 19th Air Division, was organized on 16 February at Carswell. With this move the division assumed responsibility over the 7th and 11th Bomb Wings at Carswell.
1950s
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
(8 AF), at Carswell AFB, concentrated on medium and heavy bombers. Expansion and the integration of the B-36 and B-50 in the command created the need for a more balanced organization. Geographic factors also promoted the need for reorganization. For those reasons, SAC realigned the command effective 1 April 1950. Under the realignment, each numbered Air Force received bomber and reconnaissance assets in a geographic region. This left the 7th Bomb Wing under control of Eighth Air Force.
In January 1951, the 7th took part in a special training mission to the United Kingdom. The purpose of the mission was to evaluate the B-36D under simulated war plan conditions. Also, further evaluate the equivalent airspeed and compression tactics for heavy bombardment aircraft. The aircraft, staging through Limestone AFB, Maine, would land at RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath, is a Royal Air Force military airbase near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Although an RAF station, it hosts United States Air Force units and personnel...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, following a night radar bombing attack on Helgoland, Germany. From there the bombers would conduct a simulated bomb run on the Heston Bomb Plot, London, finally landing at RAF Lakenheath.
This was the first deployment of wing and SAC B-36 aircraft to England and Europe. For the next four days the flight flew sorties out of England. The aircraft redeployed to the states on 20 January arriving at Carswell on 21 January.
The 19th Air Division, Bombardment, was redesignated 1 February 1951 as the 19th Air Division, was organized on 16 February at Carswell. With this move the division assumed responsibility over the 7th and 11th Bomb Wings at Carswell.
In 1954, Carswell AFB was prominently featured and used as a filming location in the James Stewart
James Stewart (actor)
James Maitland Stewart was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive voice and his everyman persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered classics and was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one in competition and receiving one Lifetime...
and June Allyson
June Allyson
June Allyson was an American film and television actress, popular in the 1940s and 1950s. She was a major MGM contract star. Allyson won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her performance in Too Young to Kiss . From 1959–1961, she hosted and occasionally starred in her own CBS anthology...
film Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (film)
Strategic Air Command is a 1955 American film starring James Stewart and June Allyson, and directed by Anthony Mann. Released by Paramount Pictures, it was the first of four films that depicted the role of the Strategic Air Command in the Cold War era....
.
On 13 June 1955, the Strategic Air Command realigned its three numbered air forces resulting in Headquarters, Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
moving from Carswell to Westover AFB, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. With that move, Carswell was reassigned under Second Air Force
Second Air Force
The Second Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command . It is headquartered at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi....
(2 AF), headquartered at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
On 10 December 1957, the 98th Bomb Squadron was detached from the wing and assigned to the newly activated 4123rd Strategic Wing at Carswell. This would become the first Boeing B-52 Stratofortress unit at Carswell. During January 1958, the wing began transferring its B-36 bombers to various SAC wings. On 20 January, the wing transferred all B-52 equipment and property on hand to the 4123rd Strategic Wing in order to facilitate that organization's conversion, which was scheduled several months ahead of the 7th Bomb Wing at Carswell. The 7th Bomb Wing officially became a B-52 organization with the adoption of manning documents and equipping authorizations on 1 February 1958.
On 19 February 1958, the 4123rd Strategic Wing took possession of the first Boeing B-52 Stratofortress on Carswell. At the arrival ceremony on base the bomber was named "The City of Fort Worth". It was subsequently assigned to the 98th Bomb Squadron in the wing. Shortly following the arrival of B-52 bombers to the 4123rd Strategic Wing, the unit was moved to new facilities at Clinton-Sherman AFB, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. With the acquisition of the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, all new B-52 wings would operate with an air refueling squadron to support those bombers. As a result, SAC activated the 7th Air Refueling Squadron at Carswell on 1 April 1958, and assigned it to the wing. The squadron would be equipped with the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker later in the year.
On 30 May, Memorial Day, the last of the B-36's in the wing were retired with appropriate ceremonies and "Open House". Air Force and civilian personnel of the base, and civilians from surrounding communities were on hand to bid the "Peacemaker" a fond farewell. This last flight of a B-36 from Carswell AFB phased out completely the B-36 program in the wing.
In January 1959. B-52s from Carswell were constantly in the air and deployed to SAC Reflex bases in Europe, Asia, and North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
Convair B-58 at Carswell
B-58 Hustler
The Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The aircraft was designed by Convair engineer Robert H. Widmer and developed for the United States Air Force for service in the Strategic Air Command during the 1960s...
Wing. This was to be the 43d Bombardment Wing, at that time based at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. The 43rd BW would be moved to Carswell starting on March 1. The 3958th Operational, Test, and Evaluation Unit (then functioning as an integral unit at Carswell) would be transferred to the 43rd BW upon its arrival. On 1 August 1960, the USAF finally formally assumed B-58 operations responsibility and began testing. 59-2436, the first fully operational Hustler equipped with all tactical systems, was delivered to the 43rd. Two weeks later, the first TB-58A was delivered to Carswell.
On March 23, a test unit B-58A (55-0671), remained airborne for 18 hours 10 minutes while averaging an airspeed of 620 mi/h over 11000 miles (17,702.7 km). This was apparently the longest-lasting single flight ever by a B-58. The 43rd BW received deliveries beginning in December 1960. However, technical difficulties continued to plague the B-58, and on March 10, 1961 SAC had once again to set back the operational readiness date of the 43rd BW. The 43rd BW, was finally declared operationally ready in August 1962. The Wing was placed on alert in September.
One of its first duties of the 43d was to operate a school to evaluate the new supersonic jet bomber. This was made possible by training SAC aircrews using the F-102 Delta Dagger
F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
it having similar flight characteristics unique to flying a delta-winged aircraft. The wing received TB-58s, the training version of the bomber and then the YRB-58 reconnaissance version soon followed and the wing took on still another important mission.
On 12 January 1961, Major Henry J. Deutschendorf commanded a B-58 crew from the 43rd that set out to break six flight records; five of which the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
held. The Hustler flew two laps around a course with Edwards AFB, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, at one end and Yuma
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, at the other. The bomber set three speed records over the 1000 kilometer (km) course with a 2000 kilogram (kg), 1000 kg, and 0 kg payload—averaging 1,200.194 miles per hour (mph) in each category. The crew managed an average speed of 1061.88 mi/h in each of the same payload categories over the 2000 km course. This flight set the pace for the 43rd with the B-58.
Crews set two more flight records with their Hustlers in 1961. On 10 May, Major Elmer E. Murphy flew his Hustler 669.4 miles (1,077.3 km) in 30 minutes 45 seconds. Averaging 1302 mi/h, Major Bleriot set a new record for sustained speed and earned France's Bleriot Cup. Sixteen days later a Hustler flew from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 3 hours, 19 minutes, and 41 seconds. The B-58 averaged 1089 mi/h along the 4612 miles (7,422.3 km) course and completed in 1/10 the time it took Charles Lindbergh in 1927. This transatlantic flight earned the crew the seventh Mackay Trophy and the Harmon International Trophy. Tragically, the crew was killed when their B-58 crashed on 3 June at the Paris Air Show. Though saddened by the loss, crews from the 43rd continued to set records with the Hustler.
Captain Robert G. Sowers piloted a B-58 that set out to break three speed records on 5 March 1962. Referred to as Operation Heat Rise, the 43rd Bomb Wing B-58 59-2458 (shown above) flew from New York to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and back to New York in 4 hours, 41 minutes, and 14.98 seconds. The crew took the bomber from New York to Los Angeles in two hours, 15 minutes, and 50.8 seconds—beating the sun across the United States. The return trip took 2 hours and 58.71 seconds, averaging 1214.65 mi/h. All three crewmen earned the Mackay Trophy, the Bendix Trophy, Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
es, and congratulations from President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
.
After July 1961, the wing continued further B-58 evaluations until June 1962. From then until the close of 1969 the wing served as one of two SAC B-58 wings with a strategic bombardment mission.
One of the last things the wing did while at Carswell AFB took place on 28 March 1964, the day after a major earthquake devastated Alaska
Good Friday Earthquake
The 1964 Alaska earthquake, also known as the Great Alaskan Earthquake, the Portage Earthquake and the Good Friday Earthquake, was a megathrust earthquake that began at 5:36 P.M. AST on Good Friday, March 27, 1964...
. Headquarters USAF tasked the 43rd to provide it with photographs of the region hit by the quake. Members of the 43rd flew two B-58s the 5751 miles (9,255.3 km) to Alaska and back, processed the film, and then delivered the pictures to Washington DC 14.5 hours after the wing received the request. Six months later the 43rd Bomb Wing moved to Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
Vietnam War
Andersen Air Force Base
Andersen Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately northeast of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam....
, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
to support SAC combat operations in Southeast Asia. Most of the wing's bombers and tankers, along with aircrews and some support personnel, were deployed. At Andersen AFB, the wing flew more than 1,300 missions over Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, and returned to Carswell in December 1965.
B-52 crews were sent through an intensive two-week course on the B-52D, making them eligible for duty in Southeast Asia. B-52s assigned to combat duty in Vietnam were painted in a modified camouflage scheme with the undersides, lower fuselage, and both sides of the vertical fin being painted in a glossy black. The USAF serial number was painted in black on the fin over a horizontal red stripe across the length of the fin.
The B-52 effort was concentrated primarily against suspected Viet Cong targets in South Vietnam, but the Ho Chi Min Trail and targets in Laos were also hit. During the relief of Khe Sanh, unbroken waves of six aircraft, attacking every three hours, dropped bombs as close as 900 feet (274.3 m) from friendly lines. Cambodia was increasingly bombed by B-52s from March 1969 onward.
Rotational deployments to Guam, and also to U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield
U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield
U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield is a military airfield of the Royal Thai Navy located approximately southeast of Bangkok, near Sattahip on the Gulf of Siam...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
continued on a reduced scale until 1975.
In addition to the B-52 deployments, the United States Air Force Reserve 916th Troop Carrier Group
916th Air Refueling Wing
The 916th Air Refueling Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina...
, flew Douglas C-124 Globemaster II aircraft from Carswell. It was activated on 1 April 1963. The group supported missions included military airlifts to South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
beginning in 1965 and to U.S. forces in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
during a 1965 crisis
Operation Power Pack
The second United States occupation of the Dominican Republic began when the United States Marines Corps entered Santo Domingo on April 28, 1965. They were later joined by most of the United States Army's 82nd Airborne Division and its parent XVIIIth Airborne Corps...
. It also participated in numerous humanitarian airlift missions. as well as performed tactical airlift missions within the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
1970s/1980s
Beginning in 1972, the 301st Fighter Wing301st Fighter Wing
The 301st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force Reserve fighter wing, based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth Carswell Field, Texas. It is equipped with the F-16C+ Fighting Falcon...
(under various designations) has trained at Carswell as an Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
unit, training for tactical air missions, including counter-air, interdiction, and close air support. Originally gained by the former Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(TAC), thenunit is now operationally gained by Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(ACC).
The 301st replaced the Air Force Reserve's 916th Military Airlift Group (916 MAG), which was inactivated. The 301st's 457th Tactical Fighter Squadron flew the F-105 Thunderchief
F-105 Thunderchief
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief, was a supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it has the dubious distinction of being the only US aircraft to have been...
from 1972 to 1982. It transitioned to the F-4 Phantom II
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
in 1981, then to the F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
in 1990. The wing has participated in exercises, both within the United States and abroad. It deployed a security police flight to southwest Asia during Operation Desert Storm, January–March 1991, and supported Operation Deny Flight in the Balkans in the mid-1990s. The tail code carried by the present day 457th Fighter Squadron is "TX".
In the 1980s the base received several new weapons systems, including modified B-52H aircraft. In 1983, B-52 crews began training with a new weapon system, the SRAM (Short Range Attack Missile) and later, in 1985, the ALCM (Air Launched Cruise Missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
). Also, the wing flew numerous atmospheric sampling missions during 1986 and 1987 in response to the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident.
By 1984 Carswell was the largest unit of its kind in the Strategic Air Command. The west side of the airfield was home to Air Force Plant #4, a 602 acres (2.4 km²) industrial complex occupied over the decades by Convair
Convair
Convair was an American aircraft manufacturing company which later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Vultee Aircraft and Consolidated Aircraft, and went on to produce a number of pioneering aircraft, such as the Convair B-36 bomber, and the F-102...
, General Dynamics
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
, and now by Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
. The bulk of the Air Force Convair B-36
Convair B-36
The Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" was a strategic bomber built by Convair and operated solely by the United States Air Force from 1949 to 1959. The B-36 was the largest mass-produced piston engine aircraft ever made. It had the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft ever built , although there have...
, B-58 Hustler
B-58 Hustler
The Convair B-58 Hustler was the first operational supersonic jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. The aircraft was designed by Convair engineer Robert H. Widmer and developed for the United States Air Force for service in the Strategic Air Command during the 1960s...
, F-111 Aardvark, EF-111 Raven and F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
fleet was built there.
Operation Desert Storm
The 7 BW contributed personnel to Operation Desert Storm in the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
in 1991. After an overwhelming victory in the Persian Gulf, the wing returned to Carswell. In September 1991 with the end of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, President Bush ordered a stand down of all nuclear alert duties.
Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
during Round II Base Closure Commission deliberations (BRAC 91). As part of BRAC 91, the decision was made to relocate the 7th Bomb Wing from Carswell AFB to Dyess AFB.
During the 1992 Air Force-wide reorganization, the Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command
The Strategic Air Command was both a Major Command of the United States Air Force and a "specified command" of the United States Department of Defense. SAC was the operational establishment in charge of America's land-based strategic bomber aircraft and land-based intercontinental ballistic...
(SAC) was officially disestablished on 1 June. Carswell and the 7th Bomb Wing were assigned to the newly created Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command
Air Combat Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. ACC is one of ten major commands , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force ....
(ACC), and the B-52Hs assigned to the wing were given the ACC tail code "CW".
First-stage closure activities were initiated in 1992 and B-52H aircraft were relocated to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
by January 1993. The 7 BW was released of all operational capabilities on 1 January 1993, and was transferred to Dyess AFB, TX without personnel or equipment on 1 October 1993 where it currently flies the B-1 Lancer
B-1 Lancer
The Rockwell B-1 LancerThe name "Lancer" is only applied to the B-1B version, after the program was revived. is a four-engine variable-sweep wing strategic bomber used by the United States Air Force...
. Carswell ceased USAF active duty operations on September 30, 1993, and was transferred to the Air Force Base Conversion Agency (AFBCA) for property distribution and reuse.
On October 1, 1993, the Air Force Reserve's 301st Fighter Wing
301st Fighter Wing
The 301st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force Reserve fighter wing, based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth Carswell Field, Texas. It is equipped with the F-16C+ Fighting Falcon...
assumed base responsibilities, establishing Carswell as Carswell Air Reserve Station. The Air Force Reserve's Headquarters, 10th Air Force (10 AF), also relocated to Carswell from Bergstrom AFB, Texas as a result of the BRAC action which closed Bergstrom. In 1993, Congress directed the establishment of the nation's first joint reserve base under the Base Realignment and Closure authority.
The USAF ended operational control of Carswell on 30 September 1994 with the transfer of the property to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
Current uses
The base was realigned and renamed the Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Carswell Field (NAS Fort Worth JRB)Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base or NAS Fort Worth JRB includes Carswell Field, a military airfield located west of the central business district of Fort Worth, in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. This military airfield is operated by United States Navy...
on October 1, 1994, when the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
assumed control of the property.
The west side of the base still serves as Air Force Plant #4 and employs 17,000 personnel, primarily Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
employees. Currently, the portion of the base occupied by the Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
's 136th Airlift Wing
136th Airlift Wing
The United States Air Force's 136th Airlift Wing is an airlift unit located at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. The wing operates the Lockheed C-130H cargo/transport aircraft and is the parent unit of the 181st Airlift Squadron.-Mission:...
, Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
's 301st Fighter Wing
301st Fighter Wing
The 301st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force Reserve fighter wing, based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth Carswell Field, Texas. It is equipped with the F-16C+ Fighting Falcon...
, Headquarters – 10th Air Force, the 610th Security Forces Squadron, Fleet Logistics Support Wing, Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 59, Marine Aircraft Group 41, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 41, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112 and Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 234 is still called Carswell Field. Headquarters Battery, 14th Marines is also located at NAS Ft. Worth JRB.
See also
- Texas World War II Army AirfieldsTexas World War II Army AirfieldsIn today's United States Air Force, many personnel have spent some of their military service being trained in Texas during World War II. Be it basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, technical training, officer training, or flight training at other facilities across the state...
- Strategic Air Command (film)Strategic Air Command (film)Strategic Air Command is a 1955 American film starring James Stewart and June Allyson, and directed by Anthony Mann. Released by Paramount Pictures, it was the first of four films that depicted the role of the Strategic Air Command in the Cold War era....
External links
- FAA/Runway data for Carswell Air Force Base (Effective 1 September 2005)
- Several scanned documents issed by Fort Worth Army Air Field during World War II
- Strategic Air Command IMDB Entry (Many scenes filmed at Carswell Air Force Base)
- Semiannual Report to Congress October 1, 2002–March 31, 2003. Retrieved 26 July 2005.
- Air Force Plant 4 (AFP4)