Duke Field
Encyclopedia
Duke Field , also known as Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #3, is a military airport
located three miles (5 km) south of the central business district
of Crestview
, in Okaloosa County
, Florida
, United States
(AFRC
) installation, the Duke Field facility is hosted by the 919th Special Operations Wing
(919 SOW), operating the MC-130E Combat Talon I aircraft. As an AFRC unit, the 919 SOW is operationally gained by the Air Force Special Operations Command
(AFSOC), headquartered at nearby Hurlburt Field
. The 919 SOW previously operated the AC-130A Spectre gunship aircraft prior to transitioning to the MC-130E.
, AAF Ser. No. 42-79823, near Spencer, Tennessee
on 29 December 1943. He was assigned as Assistant A-3 to the Proving Ground of the Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command at Eglin Field, now Eglin Air Force Base
. The Duke Field installation is about 12 miles (19.3 km) north of the Eglin AFB East Gate on Florida State Road 85
.
Duke Field has two asphalt
paved runway
s: Runway 18/36, measuring 8,000 x 150 ft (2,438 x 46 m) and Assault Runway 180/360, measuring 3,500 x 60 ft (1,067 x 18 m). Although technically an auxiliary field to Eglin AFB, Duke Field is essentially a self-contained installation. The airfield has its own air traffic control tower, aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) facilities, instrument landing system
(ILS), TACAN and support infrastructure such as a large flight line/ramp area, hangars, maintenance facilities and other operational and administrative support buildings.
ers in 1942. Shortly after the end of World War II
, the field was one of several sites used in the production of the 1949 feature film Twelve O'Clock High
.
In the 1950s, Duke Field became home to the 3205th Drone Group, which operated radio remote-controlled B-17s and F-80s that were used for gunnery practice over the Gulf of Mexico. They were also used in the nuclear test program by flying the unmanned aircraft through atomic clouds to gather fallout information.
A large hump-backed steel hangar, the "Butler Hangar", 160 feet (48.8 m) X 130 feet, transported from Trinidad
(probably from the former Waller Air Force Base
, closed 28 May 1949 due to budget cuts), was erected at Auxiliary Field 3 between 1 April and ~10 July 1950, by personnel of Company 'C', 806th Aviation Engineering Battalion, under Capt. Samuel M. Cable, and the men of the 550th Guided Missiles Wing. Project Officer was Capt. Clarence A. Ebbert of the Proving Ground Command Installations Division. An additional four feet of roof clearance was added to accommodate B-17s in the 21000 square feet (1,951 m²) structure. Concrete block buildings, 160 feet (48.8 m) X 40 feet, were erected on the flanks of the hangar. Concurrently, the 8000 feet (2,438.4 m) runway was widened to 100 feet (30.5 m) and additional parking ramps were constructed, with 117,327 cubic yards of dirt excavated. The new ramps and runway expansion consisted of asphalt over a crushed shell base.
In 1960 and 1961, in preparation for the Bay of Pigs Invasion
, Duke Field was host to 'sanitized' Douglas C-54s and Curtiss C-46s used for transporting personnel, armaments and supplies between US bases such as Homestead AFB and Opa-Locka Airport
and CIA-run bases in Guatemala and latterly Nicaragua. A unit at the field was responsible for 'sanitizing' and adapting about 20 Douglas B-26 Invaders for use by Cuban exile
aircrews during the invasion. A few Lockheed T-33
s and C-130s were also prepared for use in the conflict, but not used.
Between August and October 1970, during the Vietnam War
, the Joint Contingency Task Group used AFROTC facilities at Duke Field to house US Army Special Forces
troops involved in Operation Ivory Coast
, a mission to rescue prisoners of war
at Son Tay
, North Vietnam
. Aircraft based at Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field
involved in the training also used Duke Field daily as an operational airstrip to maintain a low profile.
In 1980, Duke Field was also one of the fields used in training for Operation Credible Sport
, an initiative to prepare for a second rescue attempt of American hostages held in Iran
using C-130 aircraft modified with multiple rocket engines for extremely short landings and takeoffs. Most of the testing for this was done at Wagner Field
(Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #1) and it was there during a 29 October 1980 demonstration of one of the highly modified YMC-130H Credible Sport aircraft that a malfunction and hard landing resulted in the destruction of this particular aircraft. All crew aboard the aircraft survived.
were present at Duke Field, on Saturday 31 May 2008 for the culmination of their annual reunion. Three civilian B-25s in warbird markings reenacted the training take-off sessions, with personnel from NAS Pensacola as flight deck crew representing that service's contribution to the Tokyo raid.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located three miles (5 km) south of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Crestview
Crestview, Florida
Crestview is a city in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. Crestview’s name was chosen because of its location on the peak of a long woodland range between the Yellow and Shoal rivers which flow almost parallel on the east and west side of the City....
, in Okaloosa County
Okaloosa County, Florida
Okaloosa County is a county located in the state of Florida. Located in northwest Florida, it extends from the Gulf of Mexico to the Alabama state line. As of the 2000 census, the population was 170,498. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 182,172. The 2009 estimate for the...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Units
Today, Duke Field is essentially a small air base in its own right. Primarily an Air Force Reserve CommandAir 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....
(AFRC
AFRC
AFRC can be an acronym for:*Agricultural and Food Research Council*Air Force Reserve Command*Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, rebel group in Sierra Leone*Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, Ghana, ruled Ghana for 4 months in 1979...
) installation, the Duke Field facility is hosted by the 919th Special Operations Wing
919th Special Operations Wing
The 919th Special Operations Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command wing of the United States Air Force, operationally-gained by the Air Force Special Operations Command and based at Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #3 / Duke Field, Florida.-Mission:The 919 SOW provides and maintains the MC-130E Combat...
(919 SOW), operating the MC-130E Combat Talon I aircraft. As an AFRC unit, the 919 SOW is operationally gained by the Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Force Special Operations Command
Air Force Special Operations Command is the Special Operations component of the United States Air Force and the US Air Force component command to the United States Special Operations Command , a unified command located at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida...
(AFSOC), headquartered at nearby Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...
. The 919 SOW previously operated the AC-130A Spectre gunship aircraft prior to transitioning to the MC-130E.
Duke Field
The installation is named for 1st Lt Robert L. Duke, who died in the crash of a Curtiss A-25A-20-CS ShrikeSB2C Helldiver
The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was a carrier-based dive bomber aircraft produced for the United States Navy during World War II. It replaced the Douglas SBD Dauntless in US Navy service. Despite its size, the SB2C was much faster than the SBD it replaced...
, AAF Ser. No. 42-79823, near Spencer, Tennessee
Spencer, Tennessee
Spencer is a town in Van Buren County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,713 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Van Buren County.-Geography:...
on 29 December 1943. He was assigned as Assistant A-3 to the Proving Ground of the Army Air Forces Proving Ground Command at Eglin Field, now Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 3 miles southwest of Valparaiso, Florida in Okaloosa County....
. The Duke Field installation is about 12 miles (19.3 km) north of the Eglin AFB East Gate on Florida State Road 85
Florida State Road 85
State Road 85, or SR 85, is a north–south state highway that runs from US 98 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida north to State Route 55 at the Florida/Alabama state line.-Route description:...
.
Duke Field has two asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s: Runway 18/36, measuring 8,000 x 150 ft (2,438 x 46 m) and Assault Runway 180/360, measuring 3,500 x 60 ft (1,067 x 18 m). Although technically an auxiliary field to Eglin AFB, Duke Field is essentially a self-contained installation. The airfield has its own air traffic control tower, aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) facilities, instrument landing system
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
(ILS), TACAN and support infrastructure such as a large flight line/ramp area, hangars, maintenance facilities and other operational and administrative support buildings.
History
Duke Field was one of the first auxiliary fields built on the Eglin Field / Eglin AFB complex. Clearing and grading began 23 January 1941 , with the first building foundations laid on 15 February 1942. Field 3 was used as a training base by the Doolittle RaidDoolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...
ers in 1942. Shortly after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the field was one of several sites used in the production of the 1949 feature film Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force who flew daylight bombing missions against Nazi Germany and occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War II. The film was adapted by Sy Bartlett, Henry King ...
.
In the 1950s, Duke Field became home to the 3205th Drone Group, which operated radio remote-controlled B-17s and F-80s that were used for gunnery practice over the Gulf of Mexico. They were also used in the nuclear test program by flying the unmanned aircraft through atomic clouds to gather fallout information.
A large hump-backed steel hangar, the "Butler Hangar", 160 feet (48.8 m) X 130 feet, transported from Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
(probably from the former Waller Air Force Base
Waller Air Force Base
Waller Air Force Base is a former United States Army Air Forces World War II air base located in northeastern Trinidad. It is located about 5 miles southwest of Valencia south of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway.-History:...
, closed 28 May 1949 due to budget cuts), was erected at Auxiliary Field 3 between 1 April and ~10 July 1950, by personnel of Company 'C', 806th Aviation Engineering Battalion, under Capt. Samuel M. Cable, and the men of the 550th Guided Missiles Wing. Project Officer was Capt. Clarence A. Ebbert of the Proving Ground Command Installations Division. An additional four feet of roof clearance was added to accommodate B-17s in the 21000 square feet (1,951 m²) structure. Concrete block buildings, 160 feet (48.8 m) X 40 feet, were erected on the flanks of the hangar. Concurrently, the 8000 feet (2,438.4 m) runway was widened to 100 feet (30.5 m) and additional parking ramps were constructed, with 117,327 cubic yards of dirt excavated. The new ramps and runway expansion consisted of asphalt over a crushed shell base.
In 1960 and 1961, in preparation for the Bay of Pigs Invasion
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful action by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support and encouragement from the US government, in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was launched in April 1961, less than three months...
, Duke Field was host to 'sanitized' Douglas C-54s and Curtiss C-46s used for transporting personnel, armaments and supplies between US bases such as Homestead AFB and Opa-Locka Airport
Opa-locka Airport
Opa-locka Airport , also known as Opa-locka Executive Airport, is a general aviation airport and joint civil-military airfield 10 miles north of Downtown Miami, primarily in metropolitan Miami, Florida, United States, with a portion within the city proper of Opa-locka.The airport's control tower...
and CIA-run bases in Guatemala and latterly Nicaragua. A unit at the field was responsible for 'sanitizing' and adapting about 20 Douglas B-26 Invaders for use by Cuban exile
Cuban exile
The term "Cuban exile" refers to the many Cubans who have sought alternative political or economic conditions outside the island, dating back to the Ten Years' War and the struggle for Cuban independence during the 19th century...
aircrews during the invasion. A few Lockheed T-33
T-33 Shooting Star
The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star is an American-built jet trainer aircraft. It was produced by Lockheed and made its first flight in 1948, piloted by Tony LeVier. The T-33 was developed from the Lockheed P-80/F-80 starting as TP-80C/TF-80C in development, then designated T-33A. It was used by the...
s and C-130s were also prepared for use in the conflict, but not used.
Between August and October 1970, during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the Joint Contingency Task Group used AFROTC facilities at Duke Field to house US Army Special Forces
United States Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...
troops involved in Operation Ivory Coast
Operation Ivory Coast
Operation Ivory Coast was a failed rescue mission conducted in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War by United States Special Operations Forces and other elements of the U.S. Military....
, a mission to rescue prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
at Son Tay
Son Tay
Sơn Tây is an urban district and city in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. It was the capital of Son Tay province before merging with Ha Dong province in 1965...
, North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
. Aircraft based at Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field
Hurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...
involved in the training also used Duke Field daily as an operational airstrip to maintain a low profile.
In 1980, Duke Field was also one of the fields used in training for Operation Credible Sport
Operation Credible Sport
Operation Credible Sport was a joint project of the United States military in the second half of 1980 to prepare for a second rescue attempt of the hostages held in Iran using a Lockheed C-130 Hercules airlifter modified with rocket engines...
, an initiative to prepare for a second rescue attempt of American hostages held in Iran
Iran hostage crisis
The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States where 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American Embassy in Tehran in support of the Iranian...
using C-130 aircraft modified with multiple rocket engines for extremely short landings and takeoffs. Most of the testing for this was done at Wagner Field
Wagner Field
Wagner Field, Eglin Air Force Base Auxiliary Field #1, is a satellite airfield located northeast of the Main Base in Walton County, Florida. The site is notable as the training location for the Doolittle Raiders, and the test location for the Credible Sport YMC-130H STOL hostage rescue...
(Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #1) and it was there during a 29 October 1980 demonstration of one of the highly modified YMC-130H Credible Sport aircraft that a malfunction and hard landing resulted in the destruction of this particular aircraft. All crew aboard the aircraft survived.
2008 Doolittle reunion
Six original RaidersDoolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...
were present at Duke Field, on Saturday 31 May 2008 for the culmination of their annual reunion. Three civilian B-25s in warbird markings reenacted the training take-off sessions, with personnel from NAS Pensacola as flight deck crew representing that service's contribution to the Tokyo raid.
See also
- Hurlburt FieldHurlburt FieldHurlburt Field is a U.S. Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the Town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation, and is home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command , the 1st Special Operations Wing , the...
(formerly Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #9)
External links
- Duke Field at GlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...