Grand Forks Air Force Base
Encyclopedia
Grand Forks Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force
base located north of Emerado, North Dakota and approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) west of Grand Forks, North Dakota
. In the 2010 census, the base was counted as a CDP
with a total population of 2,367.
The host unit at Grand Forks is the 319th Air Base Wing (319 ABW) assigned to the Air Mobility Command
Eighteenth Air Force
.
Grand Forks AFB was established in 1955. The 319th Air Base Wing is commanded by Colonel Donald L. Shaffer and the wing Command Chief Master Sergeant is CMSgt David E. Carlson.
(AMC) 319th Air Base Wing (319 ABW). The 319th ABW is organized into two distinct groups: Mission Support and Medical.
Tenant Units at Grand Forks AFB are:
.
between the United States
and the Soviet Union
, Grand Forks AFB was originally built as an Air Defense Command (ADC) fighter-interceptor air base. The site for the base was chosen in 1954 and the land was paid for by the citizens of Grand Forks
, the site was located 15 miles (24.1 km) west of the city. The beginning of the 5400 acres (21.9 km²) air base started in 1956 with the construction of a 12300 feet (3,749 m) runway.
On February 28, 1957 the 478th Fighter Group (Defense) was activated at Grand Forks. The 18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was moved from Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan on May 1, 1960, and flew F-101B Voodoos until April 15, 1971 when it was inactivated and the Voodoos were retired. It was replaced by the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron which was moved from Kingsley Field, Oregon. The 460th FIS flew F-106 Delta Dart
s until it also was inactivated on July 15, 1974.
In addition to the interceptor squadrons, In 1958 a Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) Data Center (DC-11) was established at Grand Forks. The SAGE system was a network linking Air Force (and later FAA) General Surveillance Radar stations into a centralized center for Air Defense, intended to provide early warning and response for a Soviet nuclear attack. DC-11 was operated by the Grand Forks Air Defense Sector
(GFADS), activated on 8 December 1957 under the 31st Air Division at Snelling AFS, Minnesota. On 1 January 1959, GFADS was transferred to the operational control of the 29th Air Division at Malmstrom AFB, Montana.
SAGE operations were extremely expansive and GFADS was inactivated on December 1, 1963, when it was merged with the Minot Air Defense Sector
at Minot AFB. With the inactivation of DC-11, Grand Forks AFB was reassigned from the Air Defense mission to Strategic Air Command
.
In 1971, the 18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was inactivated and the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron replaced the unit. In 1974, although the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron won first place at the William Tell Air-to-Air Competition at Tyndall AFB, Florida, it was inactivated due to the restructuring of the air defense system, and ended the activities of ADCOM at Grand Forks.
The DC-11 SAGE blockhouse was later the Headquarters of the SAC 321st Strategic Missile Wing. With the end of LGM-30G Minuteman III operations in 1998, in June 2003, the large SAGE blockhouse was torn down.
(ABM) site. With President Richard Nixon
's March 14, 1969, announcement constructing a "Safeguard" installation at Grand Forks became a top priority. However, construction was stalled throughout mid-1969, as Congress debated the merits of BMD. Finally, after the Senate defeated amendments to kill Safeguard deployment, the United States Army
proceeded under the assumption that appropriations would be forthcoming.
Survey teams selected sites in flat wheatlands close to the Canada-Minnesota border, north-northwest of Grand Forks. Twenty-five miles separated the 279-acre Perimeter Acquisition Radar (PAR) and the 433-acre Missile Site Radar (MSR) sites. Four remote launch sites of 36 to 45 acres each were to be situated in a circle with a 20 mile radius surrounding the MSR. Groundbreaking occurred at the PAR and MSR sites on 6 April 1970. Excavation proceeded rapidly, and the foundation holes for the PAR and MSR were in place by mid-May.
On May 26, 1972, President Nixon and Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev
signed the ABM Treaty, which limited each nation to one site to protect strategic forces and one site to protect the "National Command Authority." With work about 85 percent complete at Grand Forks, the United States chose to finish construction at the North Dakota site. On 21 August 1972, the Army Corps of Engineers turned over the PAR to the Safeguard Systems Command (SAFSCOM) Site Activation Team. The transfer of the MSR occurred on January 3, 1973. Work on the four remote launch sites fell behind schedule, with the last being completed on November 5, 1972. Testing of the PAR commenced during the summer of 1973.
On September 3, 1974, the SAFSCOM Site Activation Team was relieved by the U.S. Army Safeguard Command. Named the "Stanley R. Mickelson Complex" 48°35′21"N 098°21′24"W (62.3 miles (100.3 km) northwest of Grand Forks AFB), the North Dakota ABM site received its complement of nuclear-tipped LIM-49 Spartan and Sprint Missile
s during the following spring. The site was declared operational on April 1, 1975. Due to Congressional action, the Army operated the site for less than a year. With the exception of the PAR, the complex was abandoned in February 1976.
In October 1977, the PAR came under operational control of the Air Force, which operated it thereafter as part of its early warning system. It was designated as Cavalier AFS 48°43′29"N 097°53′58"W (57.8 miles (93 km) north-northwest of Grand Forks AFB), and remains active. It is operated by the Air Force Space Command
10th Space Warning Squadron
(10th SWS).
On September 1, 1958, Strategic Air Command
established the 4133d Strategic Wing at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota
as part of SAC's plan to disperse its B-52 Stratofortress
heavy bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union
to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike.
The 4133d SW was redesignated as the 319th Bombardment Wing (319th BW) on 1 February 1963 in a name-only redesigation and was assigned to SAC's Second Air Force
, 810th Strategic Aerospace Division
. Upon redesignation, the wing placed aircraft on peacetime quick reaction alert duty, and conducted global bombardment training for Emergency War Order operations and air refueling operations to meet SAC commitments.
In 1973, the 319th Bomb Wing acquired the AGM-69 Short Range Attack Missile
(SRAM), replacing the older AGM-28 Hound Dog
air-to-ground missile aboard its B-52Hs. As the activities in Southeast Asia decreased, the 319th Bomb Wing focused its full efforts on training crews to fly strategic strike missions.
On November 1, 1963, 321st Strategic Missile Wing was organized as the first Strategic Air Command
(SAC) LGM-30 Minuteman
II intercontinental ballistic missile wing, at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota
.
During 1965, the wing’s three missile squadrons were activated and crew training and certification began at Vandenberg AFB, California. In August 1965, the base received its first Minuteman II missile, shipped by train from Assembly Plant 77 at Hill AFB, Utah
. During the following March, the base received the first Minuteman II to be shipped via aircraft, an Air Force first. In December 1986, the last B-52Gs
permanently departed GFAFB, replaced by the B-1B Lancer in 1987. A change in the host unit occurred again, when in 1988, the 42d Air Division was assigned for base support in place of the 321st SMW.
(SAC) in the early 1990s the wing first came under Air Combat Command
(ACC) in 1992 and then under Air Force Space Command
(AFSPC) in 1993.
On February 1, 1993 the Air Combat Command dropped the 319th Bomb Wing's primary nuclear mission and gave the wing the primary mission of B-1B conventional bombardment operations. The 319th Bombardment Wing began planning and training to support such a mission to counter worldwide regional threats.
The base was later transferred to the new Air Mobility Command
(AMC) in 1994 following the departure of the last B-1B aircraft, redesignation of the 319 BW as the 319th Air Refueling Wing
(319 ARW) and associated transfer of KC-135 aircraft assets to AMC, and transfer of strategic ICBM assets to Air Force Space Command
(AFSPC).
In March 1995, the Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) Commission selected the 321st Strategic Missile Wing for inactivation. The wing was first downgraded to group status, and the 321st Missile Group inactivated on 30 September 1998. GFAFB's first ICBM silo was imploded in accordance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty
(START II) in 1999 and the last silo imploded in 2001.
On March 1, 2011, the wing was redesignated as the 319th Air Base Wing (319 ABW).
Starting in May 2011, Grand Forks will also station a detachment of RQ-4 Global Hawks, operated by the 69th Reconnaissance Group Air Combat Command
. Some of the aircraft will transfer from Beale AFB. The base is also scheduled to receive several new Block 40 Global Hawks, beginning in 2012. The first Global Hawk arrived at the base on or around 26 May 2011.
Commission that GFAFB should be realigned. This would prevent the base from being closed, but would result in a significant loss in personnel levels as well as a loss of the tanker mission. To make up for these losses, the Air Force has decided to assign RQ-4 Global Hawks to Grand Forks, the first of which arrived in May 2011.
References for history introduction, major commands and major units
, ND
-MN
Metropolitan Statistical Area" or "Greater Grand Forks
". As of the 2000 census, the base CDP
had a total population of 4,832. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the base has a total area of 8.2 square miles (21.2 km²), all land.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 4,832 people, 1,279 households, and 1,230 families residing on the base. The population density
was 590.5 people per square mile (228.1/km²). There were 1,516 housing units at an average density of 185.2/sq mi (71.6/km²). The racial makeup of the base was 80.9% White, 8.4% Black or African American, 0.9% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 2.7% from other races, and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.0% of the population.
There were 1,279 households out of which 77.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 88.5% were married couples
living together, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 3.8% were non-families. 3.0% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.41 and the average family size was 3.48.
On the base the population was spread out with 38.4% under the age of 18, 20.4% from 18 to 24, 39.4% from 25 to 44, 1.7% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age Was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 115.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 123.9 males.
The median income for a household on the base was $36,414, and the median income for a family was $36,104. Males had a median income of $24,413 versus $17,750 for females. The per capita income
for the base was $11,503. About 4.0% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under the age of 18 and none of those 65 and older.
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...
base located north of Emerado, North Dakota and approximately 16 miles (25.7 km) west of Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
. In the 2010 census, the base was counted as a CDP
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
with a total population of 2,367.
The host unit at Grand Forks is the 319th Air Base Wing (319 ABW) assigned to the Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
Eighteenth Air Force
Eighteenth Air Force
Eighteenth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force component of the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . It was activated on 1 October 2003 and headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois...
.
Grand Forks AFB was established in 1955. The 319th Air Base Wing is commanded by Colonel Donald L. Shaffer and the wing Command Chief Master Sergeant is CMSgt David E. Carlson.
Units
Grand Forks AFB is the home of the Air Mobility CommandAir Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(AMC) 319th Air Base Wing (319 ABW). The 319th ABW is organized into two distinct groups: Mission Support and Medical.
- 319th Mission Support Group
- 319th Civil Engineer Squadron
- 319th Communications Squadron
- 319th Contracting Flight
- 319th Logistics Readiness Squadron
- 319th Force Support Squadron
- 319th Security Forces Squadron
- 319th Medical Group
- 319th Medical Operations Squadron
- 319th Medical Support Squadron
- 319th Director of Staff
- 319th Comptroller Squadron
Tenant Units at Grand Forks AFB are:
- Air Force Office of Special Investigations
- 10th Space Warning Squadron
- United States Customs and Border Protection (operating RQ-1 Predators)
- 69th Reconnaissance Group (Air Combat Command operating RQ-4 Global Hawks)
History
Grand Forks Air Force Base was established on 1 December 1955, with construction beginning in the fall of that year. It was occupied for use on January 28, 1957. It was named after the neighboring city of Grand Forks, North DakotaGrand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
.
Air Defense Command
Due to the continuance of the Cold WarCold 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...
between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and 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....
, Grand Forks AFB was originally built as an Air Defense Command (ADC) fighter-interceptor air base. The site for the base was chosen in 1954 and the land was paid for by the citizens of Grand Forks
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
, the site was located 15 miles (24.1 km) west of the city. The beginning of the 5400 acres (21.9 km²) air base started in 1956 with the construction of a 12300 feet (3,749 m) runway.
On February 28, 1957 the 478th Fighter Group (Defense) was activated at Grand Forks. The 18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was moved from Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan on May 1, 1960, and flew F-101B Voodoos until April 15, 1971 when it was inactivated and the Voodoos were retired. It was replaced by the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron which was moved from Kingsley Field, Oregon. The 460th FIS flew F-106 Delta Dart
F-106 Delta Dart
The Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft for the United States Air Force from the 1960s through the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it has proven to be the last dedicated interceptor in USAF service to date...
s until it also was inactivated on July 15, 1974.
In addition to the interceptor squadrons, In 1958 a Semi Automatic Ground Environment
Semi Automatic Ground Environment
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment was an automated control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft used by NORAD from the late 1950s into the 1980s...
(SAGE) Data Center (DC-11) was established at Grand Forks. The SAGE system was a network linking Air Force (and later FAA) General Surveillance Radar stations into a centralized center for Air Defense, intended to provide early warning and response for a Soviet nuclear attack. DC-11 was operated by the Grand Forks Air Defense Sector
Grand Forks Air Defense Sector
The Grand Forks Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 29th Air Division, being stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base , North Dakota...
(GFADS), activated on 8 December 1957 under the 31st Air Division at Snelling AFS, Minnesota. On 1 January 1959, GFADS was transferred to the operational control of the 29th Air Division at Malmstrom AFB, Montana.
SAGE operations were extremely expansive and GFADS was inactivated on December 1, 1963, when it was merged with the Minot Air Defense Sector
Minot Air Defense Sector
The Minot Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 29th Air Division, being stationed at Minot Air Force Base , North Dakota...
at Minot AFB. With the inactivation of DC-11, Grand Forks AFB was reassigned from the Air Defense mission to 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...
.
In 1971, the 18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was inactivated and the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron replaced the unit. In 1974, although the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron won first place at the William Tell Air-to-Air Competition at Tyndall AFB, Florida, it was inactivated due to the restructuring of the air defense system, and ended the activities of ADCOM at Grand Forks.
The DC-11 SAGE blockhouse was later the Headquarters of the SAC 321st Strategic Missile Wing. With the end of LGM-30G Minuteman III operations in 1998, in June 2003, the large SAGE blockhouse was torn down.
Safeguard Anti-Ballistic Missile
On November 3, 1967, the Department of Defense revealed that Grand Forks AFB was one of 10 initial locations to host a Sentinel Anti-Ballistic MissileSafeguard Program
The Safeguard Program was a United States Army anti-ballistic missile system developed during the late 1960s. Safeguard was designed to protect U.S. ICBM missile sites from counterforce attack, thus preserving the option of an unimpeded retaliatory strike. Safeguard used much of the same technology...
(ABM) site. With President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
's March 14, 1969, announcement constructing a "Safeguard" installation at Grand Forks became a top priority. However, construction was stalled throughout mid-1969, as Congress debated the merits of BMD. Finally, after the Senate defeated amendments to kill Safeguard deployment, the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
proceeded under the assumption that appropriations would be forthcoming.
Survey teams selected sites in flat wheatlands close to the Canada-Minnesota border, north-northwest of Grand Forks. Twenty-five miles separated the 279-acre Perimeter Acquisition Radar (PAR) and the 433-acre Missile Site Radar (MSR) sites. Four remote launch sites of 36 to 45 acres each were to be situated in a circle with a 20 mile radius surrounding the MSR. Groundbreaking occurred at the PAR and MSR sites on 6 April 1970. Excavation proceeded rapidly, and the foundation holes for the PAR and MSR were in place by mid-May.
On May 26, 1972, President Nixon and Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
signed the ABM Treaty, which limited each nation to one site to protect strategic forces and one site to protect the "National Command Authority." With work about 85 percent complete at Grand Forks, the United States chose to finish construction at the North Dakota site. On 21 August 1972, the Army Corps of Engineers turned over the PAR to the Safeguard Systems Command (SAFSCOM) Site Activation Team. The transfer of the MSR occurred on January 3, 1973. Work on the four remote launch sites fell behind schedule, with the last being completed on November 5, 1972. Testing of the PAR commenced during the summer of 1973.
On September 3, 1974, the SAFSCOM Site Activation Team was relieved by the U.S. Army Safeguard Command. Named the "Stanley R. Mickelson Complex" 48°35′21"N 098°21′24"W (62.3 miles (100.3 km) northwest of Grand Forks AFB), the North Dakota ABM site received its complement of nuclear-tipped LIM-49 Spartan and Sprint Missile
Sprint (missile)
The Sprint was a two-stage, solid-fuel anti-ballistic missile, armed with a W66 enhanced radiation thermonuclear warhead. It was designed as the short-range high-speed counterpart to the longer-range LIM-49 Spartan as part of the Sentinel program. Sentinel never became operational, but the...
s during the following spring. The site was declared operational on April 1, 1975. Due to Congressional action, the Army operated the site for less than a year. With the exception of the PAR, the complex was abandoned in February 1976.
In October 1977, the PAR came under operational control of the Air Force, which operated it thereafter as part of its early warning system. It was designated as Cavalier AFS 48°43′29"N 097°53′58"W (57.8 miles (93 km) north-northwest of Grand Forks AFB), and remains active. It is operated by the Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
10th Space Warning Squadron
10th Space Warning Squadron
The United States Air Force's 10th Space Warning Squadron , is a missile warning unit located at Cavalier AFS, North Dakota.-Mission:...
(10th SWS).
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...
established the 4133d Strategic Wing at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
as part of SAC's plan to disperse its B-52 Stratofortress
B-52 Stratofortress
The 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...
heavy bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for 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....
to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike.
The 4133d SW was redesignated as the 319th Bombardment Wing (319th BW) on 1 February 1963 in a name-only redesigation and was assigned to SAC's 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....
, 810th Strategic Aerospace Division
810th Strategic Aerospace Division
The 810th Strategic Aerospace Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, assigned to Fifteenth Air Force, being stationed at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota...
. Upon redesignation, the wing placed aircraft on peacetime quick reaction alert duty, and conducted global bombardment training for Emergency War Order operations and air refueling operations to meet SAC commitments.
In 1973, the 319th Bomb Wing acquired the AGM-69 Short Range Attack Missile
AGM-69 SRAM
The Boeing AGM-69 SRAM was a nuclear air-to-surface missile designed to replace the older AGM-28 Hound Dog stand-off missile....
(SRAM), replacing the older AGM-28 Hound Dog
AGM-28 Hound Dog
The North American Aviation Corporation AGM-28 Hound Dog was a supersonic, jet propelled, air-launched cruise missile. The Hound Dog missile was first given the designation B-77, then redesignated the GAM-77, and finally designated the AGM-28, permanently...
air-to-ground missile aboard its B-52Hs. As the activities in Southeast Asia decreased, the 319th Bomb Wing focused its full efforts on training crews to fly strategic strike missions.
On November 1, 1963, 321st Strategic Missile Wing was organized as the first 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) LGM-30 Minuteman
LGM-30 Minuteman
The LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile . As of 2010, the version LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States...
II intercontinental ballistic missile wing, at Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
.
During 1965, the wing’s three missile squadrons were activated and crew training and certification began at Vandenberg AFB, California. In August 1965, the base received its first Minuteman II missile, shipped by train from Assembly Plant 77 at Hill AFB, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. During the following March, the base received the first Minuteman II to be shipped via aircraft, an Air Force first. In December 1986, the last B-52Gs
B-52 Stratofortress
The 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...
permanently departed GFAFB, replaced by the B-1B Lancer in 1987. A change in the host unit occurred again, when in 1988, the 42d Air Division was assigned for base support in place of the 321st SMW.
Modern era
With the restructuring of the Air Force and the disestablishment of Strategic Air CommandStrategic 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) in the early 1990s the wing first came under 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) in 1992 and then under Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
(AFSPC) in 1993.
On February 1, 1993 the Air Combat Command dropped the 319th Bomb Wing's primary nuclear mission and gave the wing the primary mission of B-1B conventional bombardment operations. The 319th Bombardment Wing began planning and training to support such a mission to counter worldwide regional threats.
The base was later transferred to the new Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(AMC) in 1994 following the departure of the last B-1B aircraft, redesignation of the 319 BW as the 319th Air Refueling Wing
319th Air Refueling Wing
The 319th Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's USAF Expeditionary Center. It is stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. The wing is also the host unit at Grand Forks....
(319 ARW) and associated transfer of KC-135 aircraft assets to AMC, and transfer of strategic ICBM assets to Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
(AFSPC).
In March 1995, the 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 selected the 321st Strategic Missile Wing for inactivation. The wing was first downgraded to group status, and the 321st Missile Group inactivated on 30 September 1998. GFAFB's first ICBM silo was imploded in accordance with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty
START II
START II was a bilateral treaty between the United States of America and Russia on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. It was signed by United States President George H. W...
(START II) in 1999 and the last silo imploded in 2001.
On March 1, 2011, the wing was redesignated as the 319th Air Base Wing (319 ABW).
Starting in May 2011, Grand Forks will also station a detachment of RQ-4 Global Hawks, operated by the 69th Reconnaissance Group 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 ....
. Some of the aircraft will transfer from Beale AFB. The base is also scheduled to receive several new Block 40 Global Hawks, beginning in 2012. The first Global Hawk arrived at the base on or around 26 May 2011.
Base realignment, 2005
In May 2005, DoD recommended to the BRACBase Realignment and Closure, 2005
The preliminary 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list was released by the United States Department of Defense on May 13, 2005. It is the fifth Base Realignment and Closure proposal generated since the process was created in 1988. It recommends closing 33 major United States military bases and...
Commission that GFAFB should be realigned. This would prevent the base from being closed, but would result in a significant loss in personnel levels as well as a loss of the tanker mission. To make up for these losses, the Air Force has decided to assign RQ-4 Global Hawks to Grand Forks, the first of which arrived in May 2011.
Major commands to which assigned
- Air Defense Command, July 25, 1956
- Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe 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...
, July 1, 1963 - Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir 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 ....
, June 1, 1992 - Air Mobility CommandAir Mobility CommandAir Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
, 1 October 1993–present
Major units assigned
- 4133d Strategic Wing, September 1, 1958 – February 1, 1963
- 905th Air Refueling Squadron905th Air Refueling SquadronThe 905th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 319th Air Refueling Wing at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
, February 1, 1960 – December 1, 2010 - 319th Bombardment Wing (Heavy), February 1, 1963 – October 1, 1993
- Re-designated: 319th Air Refueling Wing319th Air Refueling WingThe 319th Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's USAF Expeditionary Center. It is stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. The wing is also the host unit at Grand Forks....
, October 1, 1993 – February 28, 2011 - Re-designated: 319th Air Base Wing, 1 March 2011 - Present
- 4th Air Division, September 1, 1964 – June 30, 1971
- 321st Strategic Missile (later Missile) Wing (later Group)321st Air Expeditionary WingThe 321st Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Force United States Air Forces Central unit. The unit was reestablished on 1 Nov 2008. The unit is a nexus of all Coalition Air Force Training Teams and the Iraqi Air Force....
, November 1, 1964 – September 30, 1998 - 804th Combat Support Group, August 18, 1964 – July 31, 1972
- Grand Forks Air Defense SectorGrand Forks Air Defense SectorThe Grand Forks Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 29th Air Division, being stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base , North Dakota...
, 8 December 1957-1 December 1963 - 478th Air Base Squadron, 8 February 1957
- Re-designated: 478th Air Base Group, 1 February 1961-1 July 1963
- 478th Fighter Group, 8 February 1957
- Re-designated: 478th Fighter Wing (Air Defense), 1 February 1961-1 July 1963
- 18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 May 1960-15 April 1971 (F-101B)
- 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16 April 1971-15 July 1974 (F-106)
References for history introduction, major commands and major units
Demographics
It is part of the "Grand ForksGrand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
, ND
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
-MN
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...
Metropolitan Statistical Area" or "Greater Grand Forks
Greater Grand Forks
According to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey, the population of the Greater Grand Forks metro area was 97,260, of which 50.9% were male and 49.1% were female.-Age:* Under 5 years: 6.3%* 5–9 years: 5.5%* 10–14 years: 6.1%* 15–19 years: 9.6%...
". As of the 2000 census, the base CDP
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
had a total population of 4,832. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the base has a total area of 8.2 square miles (21.2 km²), all land.
As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,832 people, 1,279 households, and 1,230 families residing on the base. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 590.5 people per square mile (228.1/km²). There were 1,516 housing units at an average density of 185.2/sq mi (71.6/km²). The racial makeup of the base was 80.9% White, 8.4% Black or African American, 0.9% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 2.7% from other races, and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.0% of the population.
There were 1,279 households out of which 77.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 88.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 3.8% were non-families. 3.0% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.41 and the average family size was 3.48.
On the base the population was spread out with 38.4% under the age of 18, 20.4% from 18 to 24, 39.4% from 25 to 44, 1.7% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age Was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 115.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 123.9 males.
The median income for a household on the base was $36,414, and the median income for a family was $36,104. Males had a median income of $24,413 versus $17,750 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the base was $11,503. About 4.0% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under the age of 18 and none of those 65 and older.
Timeline
- 1954 The Department of Defense chose Grand Forks as the site for a new installation.
- February 5, 1956 Contractors begin construction of the base.
- February 8, 1957 Air Defense Command (ADC) activated the 478th Fighter Group at Grand Forks AFB as the host unit for the base.
- September 1, 1958 Strategic Air CommandStrategic Air CommandThe 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) activated the 4133d Strategic Wing (Provisional) as a tenant unit at Grand Forks AFB. - December 15, 1959 The Grand Forks Air Defense Sector of the North American Air Defense Command became operational with the Semi Automatic Ground EnvironmentSemi Automatic Ground EnvironmentThe Semi-Automatic Ground Environment was an automated control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft used by NORAD from the late 1950s into the 1980s...
(SAGE) System. - May 1, 1960 The 18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (FIS) was stationed at Grand Forks AFB with its F-101B Voodoos.
- May 6, 1960 The 905th Air Refueling Squadron905th Air Refueling SquadronThe 905th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 319th Air Refueling Wing at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. It operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
(ARS) (Heavy), a unit assigned to the 4133d Strategic Wing, received its first KC-135A 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...
. - December 28, 1960 The 478th Fighter Wing was activated under the ADC and became the host unit for the base.
- April 29, 1962 The 30th Bombardment Squadron, a unit assigned to the 4133d Strategic Wing, received its first B-52H 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...
. - February 1, 1963 Strategic Air Command organized the 319th Bombardment Wing (Heavy)319th Air Refueling WingThe 319th Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command's USAF Expeditionary Center. It is stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. The wing is also the host unit at Grand Forks....
at Grand Forks AFB. The 319 BMW became the host wing as the 4133d Strategic Wing inactivated and command of the base transferred from the ADC to SAC. - August 19, 1964 Strategic Air Command activated the 804th Combat Support Group (CSG) as the host unit at Grand Forks AFB.
- September 1, 1964 Strategic Air Command stationed the 4th Air Division, later named 4th Strategic Aerospace Division, at Grand Fork AFB.
- November 1, 1964 The 321st Strategic Missile Wing (SMW) was organized at Grand Forks AFB and construction began on its Minuteman II missile complex.
- December 1966 The 321 SMW became operational with the Minuteman II missile.
- April 15, 1971 Air Defense Command inactivated 18 FIS.
- June 30, 1971 The 4th Strategic Air Division transferred to Francis E. Warren AFB, WyomingWyomingWyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. - July 1, 1971 The 321 SMW assumed host unit duties from the 804 CSG.
- July 30, 1971 Air Defense Command stationed the 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, with F-106 Delta DartF-106 Delta DartThe Convair F-106 Delta Dart was the primary all-weather interceptor aircraft for the United States Air Force from the 1960s through the 1980s. Designed as the so-called "Ultimate Interceptor", it has proven to be the last dedicated interceptor in USAF service to date...
s, at Grand Forks AFB. - March 8, 1973 The 321st Strategic Missile Wing completed an upgrade to Minuteman IIILGM-30 MinutemanThe LGM-30 Minuteman is a U.S. nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile . As of 2010, the version LGM-30G Minuteman-III is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States...
missiles. - 1974 The ADC inactivated the 460 FIS.
- 1986–1987 The 319th Bombardment Wing converted from the B-52G Stratofortress and KC-135A Stratotanker to the B-1B LancerB-1 LancerThe 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...
and KC-135R Stratotanker. - June 16, 1988 Strategic Air Command transferred the 42d Air Division42d Air DivisionThe 42d Air Division was a unit of the United States Air Force. It was established as the 42 Bombardment Wing on 8 February 1943. The wing first saw combat in September 1943. It was inactivated in 1991.-History:...
(AD) to Grand Forks as the host support unit for the base. - July 9, 1991 Strategic Air Command inactivated the 42 AD and appointed the 319th Bombardment Wing as the host unit for the base.
- September 1, 1991 The 319th Bombardment Wing was redesignated as the 319th Wing. The 321st Strategic Missile Wing was redesignated as the 321st Missile Wing (MW).
- June 1, 1992 The Air Force inactivated the Strategic Air Command and reassigned Grand Forks AFB to the Air Combat CommandAir Combat CommandAir 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 ....
. The 319th Wing was redesignated as the 319th Bomb Wing. The 905 ARS was reassigned to the Grissom AFB, IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, although it continued to operate from Grand Forks AFB. - July 1, 1993 The 321 MW was reassigned to Air Force Space CommandAir Force Space CommandAir Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
. - October 1, 1993 The Air Force redesignated the 319th Bomb Wing as the 319th Air Refueling Wing, reassigned it to Air Mobility CommandAir Mobility CommandAir Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
, and reassigned the 905th Air Refueling Squadron to the wing. - 1994 As part of restructuring at Grand Forks the Air Force reassigned the 906th906th Air Refueling SquadronThe 906th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 375th Air Mobility Wing at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.-Mission:The 906 ARS operates the KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting aerial refueling missions.-History:...
, 911th911th Air Refueling SquadronThe 911th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 6th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. The squadron is geographically separated from the 6th AMW and operates as the active duty associate to the 916th Air Refueling Wing from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North...
, and 912th Air Refueling Squadron912th Air Refueling SquadronThe 912th Air Refueling Squadron is an "Active Associate" organization, a full-time active duty Regular Air Force squadron located with and assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command's 452nd Air Mobility Wing at March Air Reserve Base, California, while administrative control is maintained by the...
s to Grand Forks AFB. - May 26, 1994 The last B-1B Lancer departed from Grand Forks AFB, marking the end of over 30 years of bombers at Grand Forks.
- July 1, 1994 Air Force Space Command redesignated the 321 MW as the 321st Missile Group (MG).
- October 1, 1995 The ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
Administration approved the Base Realignment and Closure IV committee's recommendation to remove 150 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles from the Grand Forks Air Force Base missile complex and inactivate the 321st Missile Group. - April 1997 After a long, harsh winter, the Grand Forks area suffered a devastating flood due to snowmelt and spring rain. Members of the Grand Forks Air Force Base were called into action, first to help protect the town from the rising waters and later to house the victims of the disaster.
- July 2, 1998 The 321st Missile Group inactivated after 34 years of service at Grand Forks AFB.
- October 6, 1999 The first missile silo was demolished in accordance with the Strategic Arms Reduction TreatySTART IISTART II was a bilateral treaty between the United States of America and Russia on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. It was signed by United States President George H. W...
(START).
See also
- List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations
- List of United States Air Force aircraft control and warning squadrons
Other sources
- Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office 1961 (republished 1983, Office of Air Force History, ISBN 0-912799-02-1).
- Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell Air Force BaseMaxwell Air Force BaseMaxwell Air Force Base , officially known as Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, is a United States Air Force installation under the Air Education and Training Command . The installation is located in Montgomery, Alabama, US. It was named in honor of Second Lieutenant William C...
, AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
: Office of Air Force History 1984. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. - Mueller, Robert, Air Force Bases Volume I, Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982, Office of Air Force History, 1989
- A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
- Winkler, David F. (1997), Searching the skies: the legacy of the United States Cold War defense radar program. Prepared for United States Air Force Headquarters Air Combat Command.
- Grand Forks AFB, ND
External links
- Official Air Force Website
- Grand Forks AFB history from Strategic-Air-Command.com
- Grand Forks AFB at Global Security.org