K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base
Encyclopedia
- For the civil use of this facility and airport information, see Sawyer International AirportSawyer International AirportSawyer International Airport is a public airport located south of the central business district of Marquette, a city in Marquette County, Michigan, United States. The airport is publicly owned by Marquette County....
K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base is a decommissioned U.S. 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...
base in Marquette County
Marquette County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Huron National Wildlife Refuge* Ottawa National Forest -University:Northern Michigan University is a four-year university, established in 1899, located in Marquette, Michigan, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, south of the city of Marquette
Marquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
. The base, near the center of Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
, closed in 1995. The county airport, Sawyer International
Sawyer International Airport
Sawyer International Airport is a public airport located south of the central business district of Marquette, a city in Marquette County, Michigan, United States. The airport is publicly owned by Marquette County....
, now occupies a portion of the base and has scheduled airline flights and some general aviation activity.
History
The origins of K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base begin in the mid 1930s when Kenneth Ingalls Sawyer, a Marquette County road commissioner, desired to build an airport which would aid the development of the Marquette, MichiganMarquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
area. The one factor which most likely influenced the establishment and final location of the airport was the growing mining industry in the local area. As the demand for iron ore increased, the need for travel increased. By 1937, the demand reached a point of air service necessity. To support this demand, an airport was built near the city of Negaunee, Michigan
Negaunee, Michigan
Negaunee is a city in Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,576 at the 2000 census. The city is located at the southwest corner of Negaunee Township. The city is home to the Michigan Iron Industry Museum...
.
The population of the area continued to grow, and, by 1940, Sawyer realized the new Negaunee airport could not handle its ever increasing demands. Therefore, in 1941, the then-superintendent of the county highway department stepped out of his role and presented a plan for a new airport. The most significant landmarks on his proposed site were a hill of sand and a wealth of blueberry patches. The board agreed with the idea. Shortly thereafter, the United States was drawn into 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...
. Local concern for the protection of the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
inter-lake navigation locks named Soo Locks
Soo Locks
The Soo Locks are a set of parallel locks which enable ships to travel between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes. They are located on the St. Marys River between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, between the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario...
at the trans-border area of Sault Sainte Marie prompted area citizens to propose that the U.S. Army Air Forces take over the new airfield. At that time, the proposal was shelved.
K. I. Sawyer Airport
In 1944, Sawyer died, and the following year the airfield, consisting of a single airstrip, was completed and named K.I. Sawyer Airport in his honor. It was used by private fliers until 1948 when Nationwide AirlinesNationwide Airlines
Nationwide Airlines was an airline based in Lanseria, South Africa. It operated scheduled domestic and international services. Its main base was OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg....
became the first commercial airline to operate flights out of the airport. Nationwide flew shuttles to Detroit from Marquette with stops in Escanaba
Escanaba, Michigan
Escanaba is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, located in the banana belt on the state's Upper Peninsula. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 13,140, making it the third-largest city in the Upper Peninsula after Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie...
, Iron Mountain
Iron Mountain, Michigan
Iron Mountain is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,154. It is the county seat of Dickinson County, in the state's Upper Peninsula....
and Menominee, Michigan
Menominee, Michigan
Menominee is a city in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,131. It is the county seat of Menominee County. Menominee is the fourth-largest city in the Upper Peninsula, behind Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, and Escanaba...
.
In February 1954, the 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...
announced plans to enlarge its forces. With this growth. new bases would be needed. The government entered into negotiations with the county for Sawyer's lease. The government offered to build a $12 million jet base which could be jointly used by the Air Force and Marquette-area citizens. The major stipulation made by the government was no more than 300 landings per month would be made by civilian aircraft. In January 1955, a public meeting was held in the county courthouse to discuss the proposed lease. Many at this meeting voted to adopt a resolution urging the Marquette City Commission to accept the government's offer.
K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base
On Jan. 24, 1955, the United States government signed a 99-year lease99-year lease
A 99-year lease was, under historic common law, the longest possible term of a lease of real property. It is no longer the law in most common law jurisdictions today, yet 99-year leases continue to be common as a matter of business practice and conventional wisdom.-The law:Under the traditional...
. Almost immediately, construction of military support facilities began. About 850 people were employed during the construction of the base and another 262 were actively employed during the winter months. A letter from Secretary of the Air Force Harold E. Talbott
Harold E. Talbott
Harold Elstner Talbott, Jr. was the third United States Secretary of the Air Force.-Biography:He was born in Dayton, Ohio, in March 1888 and died in 1957...
to U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Homer S. Ferguson
Homer S. Ferguson
Homer Samuel Ferguson was a United States Senator from Michigan. He was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of Harrison City, Pennsylvania to parents Samuel Ferguson and Margaret Bush Homer Samuel Ferguson (February 25, 1889 December 17, 1982) was a United States Senator from Michigan. He was born in...
was printed in the Mining Journal and reported more than 900 military personnel were to be stationed at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base with an annual income in excess of $3 million. K.I. Sawyer Airport officially opened as a joint civil-military facility on April 8, 1956. It was not long before the Air Force proposed a $447,000 appropriation for construction of a municipal airport in Marquette 46°32′03"N 087°33′34"W which would allow the Air Force sole use of the base.
Air Force facilities constructed included a 12,300 feet long and 300 feet wide runway. Additionally, the region's wide open airspace offers ease of operations for an extremely safe and delay free air traffic setting. The official opening of K.I. Sawyer AFB occurred on May 8, 1959, at which time the airfield became a strictly military operation.
Air Defense Command
473d Fighter Group
The 473d Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 30th Air Division, stationed at K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan. It was inactivated on 30 September 1959....
was activated as the host unit, under the ADC 4706th Air Defense Wing
4706th Air Defense Wing
The 4706th Air Defense Wing is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 30th Air Division, being stationed at Kincheloe Air Force Base, Michigan...
at O'Hare International Airport
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
, Illinois.
The initial mission of the base was to act as a fighter-interceptor defense against an enemy bomber attack, the 484th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
484th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
The 484th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 473d Fighter Group, stationed at K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan. It was inactivated on 16 February 1959.-History:...
was activated on 8 June 1956, and authorized Northrup F-89D Scorpion interceptors, however the 484th FIS was never equipped or manned as much construction was necessary to bring the airport up to Air Force standards for a military airfield. In 1957, civilian commercial operations from the base moved to a new Marquette County Airport erected at the site of the old Negaunee Airport. The first aircraft assigned to K. I. Sawyer were 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...
s from the 438th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
438th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
The 438th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 507th Fighter Wing, stationed at Kincheloe AFB, Michigan. It was inactivated on 30 September 1968.-History:...
at Kinross AFB, which were temporarily stationed at K.I. Sawyer during the summer of 1958.
On 8 November 1958 the Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector
Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector
The Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 30th Air Division, being stationed at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan.- History :...
(SsmADS) was established at K. I. Sawyer AFB. The ADC command and control organization's mission was to operate the 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-14), which opened in 1959. 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. SsmADS also supported the Antigo AFS (P-19) and Calumet AFS (P-16) ADC Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and warning stations
Further expansion of the base occurred in 1959 when the runway was extended to its present 12,300 feet. Prior to the expansion, ADC replaced the 473d Fighter Group with the 56th Fighter Wing
56th Fighter Wing
The 56th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona where it also is the host unit....
, along with its 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, to Sawyer as the host unit. The 56th FW received its first aircraft, an F-101 Voodoo
F-101 Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
, in 1959, after the expanded runway was completed. The F-101s provided the SAGE unit with the required intercept and destroy capabilities that gave the base teeth.
In 1961 the 56th Fighter Wing was discontinued and the host unit at K. I. Sawyer became the Sault Sainte Marie ADS. In a reorganization in 1964, Strategic Air Command assumed jurisdiction of the base and ADC phased down its presence to a tenant organization. The 62d FIS came under the command and control of the Duluth Air Defense Sector
Duluth Air Defense Sector
The Duluth Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 30th Air Division, being stationed at Duluth Airport, Minnesota...
and the SsmADS was inactivated. Responsibilities for the SAGE system were switched to the Duluth ADS, (DC-10) or the Detroit Air Defense Sector
Detroit Air Defense Sector
The Detroit Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 26th Air Division, being stationed at Custer Air Force Station, Michigan...
(DC-06).
In 1969, Air Defense Command was redesignated as Aerospace Defense Command. In 1971, the 62d Fighter Interceptor Squadron and its F-101B Voodoo was replaced with a new squadron and aircraft. The new squadron was the 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron
87th Flying Training Squadron
The 87th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 47th Flying Training Wing based at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. It operates T-38 Talon aircraft conducting flight training.-History:...
(87 FIS), the "Red Bulls," which flew the F-106A 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...
. The 87th maintained four T-33 aircraft to provide target support for the squadron interceptors, simulating Soviet bomber tactics. In addition, they flew NORAD radar evaluation and logistic support sorties.
In 1979, ADC was disestablished and all ADC aircraft assets were transferred to 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) under a sub-organization known as Air Defense - Tactical Air Command (ADTAC). The 87 FIS and their F-106 aircraft remained based and maintaining a 24/7/365 alert status at K. I. Sawyer AFB. The 87th was scheduled to convert to the F-15 Eagle
F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
in 1984. However, due to budget cuts the conversion was cancelled and the squadron was scheduled for deactivation on October 1, 1985 as the continental air defense mission in the United States was increasingly transferred to the 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...
. When inactivated, the 87th FIS was the second-to-last F-106 squadron on active duty.
On September 4, 1985 the last three F-106 Delta Darts from the 87rh FIS departed K. I. Sawyer for AMARC at Davis Monthan AFB. Most of its aircraft were later converted to QF-102 target drones and expended as aerial targets over the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
as part of the "Pacer Six Program" during the late 1990s at Tyndall AFB, Florida by the 82d Aerial Targets Squadron
82d Aerial Targets Squadron
The 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group and stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.-Overview:...
.
Strategic Air Command
Before receiving the KC-135 tanker and heavy B-52 bomber aircraft of SAC
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...
, an all-weather, heavy-duty concrete runway was built, measuring 24 inches (61 cm) thick, 150 feet (46 m) wide. It was extended in 1959 from 6,000 feet (1828 m) to over 12,300 feet (3,750 m), overruns of 1,000 feet (305 m) There are also 75 foot (23 m) shoulders on each side of the runway, providing a paved width of 300 feet (91 m).
The two operational units to be assigned later to this wing were the 923d Air Refueling Squadron on 1 May 1960, and the 526th Bombardment Squadron
526th Bombardment Squadron
The 526th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 4042d Strategic Wing. It was last stationed at K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan, and was inactivated on 1 February 1963.-History:...
on 1 June 1961. The refueling squadron's first KC-135A aircraft arrived Aug. 4, 1960, and the unit was declared fully combat ready in November of that year.
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46th Air Refueling Squadron
The 46th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 410th Operations Group, stationed at K. I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan. It was inactivated on 8 October 1993-History:...
organized and activated as a replacement unit. The first B-52H aircraft assigned to the 526th arrived at Sawyer August 1961, On Feb. 1, 1963, the 4042d Strategic Wing was discontinued and the 410th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) organized and activated with no change in mission, personnel or aircraft. Also on that date, the 644th Bombardment Squadron
644th Bombardment Squadron
The 644th Bomb Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 410th Bombardment Wing. It was last stationed at K. I...
was activated replacing the 526th, and the 46th Air Refueling Squadron was reassigned to the 410th. The majority of the wing's present support squadrons were also activated on this date as well.
On 1 January 1964 Strategic Air Command assumed jurisdiction of K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, the 410th Bomb Wing becoming the host unit under the SAC 4th Strategic Aerospace Division. K.I. Sawyer was one of three SAC bases in Michigan that operated the B-52. The other two were Kincheloe AFB to the east, near Kinross, south of Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the north-eastern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the St. Marys River...
, and Wurtsmith AFB
Wurtsmith Air Force Base
Wurtsmith Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force base in northeastern Iosco County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The former base includes located approximately two miles west of Lake Huron in the Charter Township of Oscoda, bordered by Van Ettan Lake, the Au Sable State...
, in the northeast of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, near Oscoda
Oscoda, Michigan
Oscoda is an unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Michigan located on the northern side of the Au Sable River where it enters Lake Huron. The community of Au Sable is on the other side of the river. Oscoda is in Oscoda Township in Iosco County, and not in Oscoda County, which is to the...
.
The 410th and its subordinate units' mission was to operate at full readiness, and support activities included aircraft and vehicle maintenance, bombing crew and unit training, and air refueling support. The wing did not deploy bomber aircraft to Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
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...
, as the B-52H was dedicated to strategic deterrence. However, the tanker aircraft and aircrews participated in the "Young Tiger" TDY
TDY
A temporary duty assignment , also known as "temporary additional duty" , "temporary duty travel" or "temporary duty" , refers to a United States Government employee travel assignment at a location other than the employee's permanent duty station. They are usually of relatively short duration,...
effort, and the bomber aircrews went through RTU (Replacement Training Unit) training to fly B-52Ds out of Andersen AFB, Guam and U-Tapao RTAFB, Thailand and were active participants in many of the notable campaigns that took place in Southeast Asia such as Arc Light
Arc Light
Arc Light is the debut novel by Eric L. Harry, a techno-thriller about limited nuclear war published in 1994 and written in 1991-2.As China and Russia clash in Siberia in June 1999, nuclear missiles strike the United States. The U.S. retaliates against Russia, and World War III begins...
.
One K.I. Sawyer AFB KC-135A (AF Serial No. 61-0313) became famous throughout the SAC community as "the glider" when it ran out of fuel on a short final approach prior to landing at its home base after flying practice approaches at nearby Kincheloe AFB to complete requalification training. The flight crew, with the exception of the instructor pilot, bailed out when the engines went quiet. The instructor pilot, who remained on board, landed the aircraft just short of the runway overrun, bounced and rolled to a stop on the runway. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service quickly and even the crew entry door (which separated from the aircraft during bailout procedures) was returned to the Air Force by a local farmer.
Other aircraft assigned to Sawyer over the years included H-43B and HH-1H rescue helicopters of the 48th and 39th Air Rescue and Recovery Wings at Eglin AFB, Florida at the K. I. Sawyer Helicopter (later re-designated Training) Annex, 14 Mar 1975-1 Oct 1977. SAC FB-111 bombers assigned to the 509th Bombardment Wing (Medium)
509th Bomb Wing
The 509th Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command, Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri....
from Pease AFB, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. were on satellite alert at Sawyer in 1974 and 1975.
In the early 1980s, K. I. Sawyers B-52s were modified to carry the Boeing AGM-86 Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM). The ALCM was powered by a 600 lb.s.t. Williams F107-WR-100 turbofan, which is fed by an inlet which folds out on the top of the missile. The B-52 could carry six AGM-86Bs on each of the two underwing pylons.
Closure
In 1993, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission of the federal governmentFederal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
(BRAC 1993) recommended the base for closure.
The KC-135 tankers departed in October 1993 and the B-52H's were split between the two remaining B-52 bases at Barksdale
Barksdale Air Force Base
Barksdale Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately east-southeast of Bossier City, Louisiana.The host unit at Barksdale is the 2d Bomb Wing , the oldest Bomb Wing in the Air Force. It is assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command's Eighth Air Force...
and Minot
Minot Air Force Base
Minot Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation in Ward County, North Dakota, north of the city of Minot. In the 2010 census, the base was counted as a CDP with a total population of 5,521....
; Sawyer's final B-52 left for Minot in November 1994.
The last aircraft assigned to Sawyer were six T-37 Tweet jet trainers of the 71st Flying Training Wing
71st Flying Training Wing
The 71st Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma where it also is the host unit....
assigned to "Accelerated Copilot Enrichment Program" in 1977 and are presently assigned to the "Companion Trainer Program" under the 410 BW and the Air Combat Command. K.I. Sawyer AFB was officially closed at the end of September 1995.
Legacy
K.I. Sawyer AFB was a favorite base among the SAC community. Although isolated and definitely northern, it was an attractive base for its pleasing North WoodsNorth Woods
The Laurentian Mixed Forest Province, also known as the North Woods, is a forested ecoregion in Canada and the United States. In Canada it is found in Ontario around the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River through Quebec to Quebec City...
location and its proximity to outdoor activities off the base, including hunting, fishing, boating, and winter sports including skiing at Marquette Mountain
Marquette Mountain
Marquette Mountain is a winter sports area for skiing and snow boarding, located a few miles south of Marquette, Michigan, the major city in the state's Upper Peninsula. In the summer, Marquette Mountain offers activities such as mountain biking, and volleyball. The base area's parking lot is...
recreational area, as well as the venues on site (base lake, ski hill, and others).
While the base was sometimes referred to as "K.I. Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
" and there was an abundance of lake effect snow
Lake effect snow
Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when cold winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, providing energy and picking up water vapor which freezes and is deposited on the leeward shores...
, it was not the bitter sub-zero temperatures and wind chills and hot summers of the tree-sparse 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....
bases, or the confinement of the bases in the more established communities of the northeastern states. Locals maintained that the K.I. Sawyer runway was built over some of the best blueberry
Blueberry
Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial...
fields in the state. Berry patches remained on many other parts of the base, and families of aircrew members often picked them near the alert barracks and the family center.
A portion of the operational section of K.I. Sawyer AFB has been converted into Sawyer International Airport
Sawyer International Airport
Sawyer International Airport is a public airport located south of the central business district of Marquette, a city in Marquette County, Michigan, United States. The airport is publicly owned by Marquette County....
, which opened its passenger terminal for service in September 1999. It replaced the smaller Marquette County Airport, just southwest of Marquette, as the region's primary civilian airport.
In recent years, a group of local citizens interested in preserving the historical significance of the base have collected six aircraft of the types used actively at various times through the base's history to be displayed near the airport. The program is known as the "Sawyer 6" project.
Previous names
- Opened as: K. I. Sawyer Airport, 8 April 1956
- Redesignated: K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, 8 May 1959-30 September 1995
Major commands to which assigned
- Air Defense Command, 8 April 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...
, 1 January 1964 - 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 ....
, 1 June 1992-30 September 1995 (Tail Code: "KI")
Major units assigned
- 473d Fighter Group473d Fighter GroupThe 473d Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 30th Air Division, stationed at K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan. It was inactivated on 30 September 1959....
, 8 April 1956-1 October 1959 - 484th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron484th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronThe 484th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 473d Fighter Group, stationed at K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan. It was inactivated on 16 February 1959.-History:...
, 8 June 1956-16 February 1959 (not equipped) - 4042d Strategic Wing, 1 August 1958
- Re-designated: 410th Bombardment Wing, 1 February 1963
- Re-designated: 410th Wing, 1 September 1991
- Re-designated: 410th Bomb Wing, 1 June 1992-30 September 1995
- Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense SectorSault Sainte Marie Air Defense SectorThe Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 30th Air Division, being stationed at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan.- History :...
, 8 November 1958-15 December 1963
- Sault Sainte Marie Air Defense Sector
- 62d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 August 1959-30 April 1971
- 923d Air Refueling Squadron, 1 May 1960-1 April 1961
- 46th Air Refueling Squadron46th Air Refueling SquadronThe 46th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 410th Operations Group, stationed at K. I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan. It was inactivated on 8 October 1993-History:...
, 1 April 1961-8 October 1993 - 56th Fighter Wing56th Fighter WingThe 56th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona where it also is the host unit....
(Air Defense), 1 February 1951-1 January 1964 - 526th Bombardment Squadron526th Bombardment SquadronThe 526th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 4042d Strategic Wing. It was last stationed at K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan, and was inactivated on 1 February 1963.-History:...
, 1 June 1961-1 February 1963 - 644th Bombardment Squadron644th Bombardment SquadronThe 644th Bomb Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 410th Bombardment Wing. It was last stationed at K. I...
, 1 February 1963-21 November 1994 - 87th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 May 1971-1 October 1985
Geography
The elevation at the passenger terminal is 1,190 feet (362 m) above sea level, about 600 feet (183 m) above Lake SuperiorLake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
, fifteen miles (24 km) north of the former base.
The former base is located in the southeast corner of Sands Township
Sands Township, Michigan
Sands Township is a civil township of Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,127 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, with small portions in West Branch Township
West Branch Township, Marquette County, Michigan
West Branch Township is a civil township of Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,648 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and Forsyth Township
Forsyth Township, Michigan
Forsyth Township is a civil township of Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,824 at the 2000 census. Forsyth Township is one of the few townships in the Upper Peninsula that has its own police department. Forsyth Township is larger than the City of Detroit in land...
. It is a census-designated place
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...
(CDP) for statistical purposes. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 1,443.
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 CDP has a total area of 8.5 square miles (22 km²). 8.4 square miles (21.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.24%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
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 1,443 people, 501 households, and 360 families residing in the CDP. 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 171.0 inhabitants per square mile (66.0/km²). There were 1,659 housing units at an average density of 196.6 per square mile (75.9/km²). The racial makeup of the base was 90.23% White, 0.69% African American, 3.47% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 1.18% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.15% of the population.
There were 501 households out of which 55.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% 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, 19.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the CDP, the population was spread out with 38.5% under the age of 18, 12.3% from 18 to 24, 37.8% from 25 to 44, 9.1% from 45 to 64, and 2.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $26,550, and the median income for a family was $26,979. Males had a median income of $27,679 versus $18,333 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 CDP was $10,029. About 24.4% of families and 26.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.6% of those under age 18 and 31.3% of those age 65 or over.
See also
External links
- Sawyer International Airport - official site
- MSRmaps.com - K.I. Sawyer AFB - USGS topo map (& aerial photo)
- K.I Sawyer Air Heritage Museum - home page
- Mike's K.I. Sawyer AFB tribute