Kearney Air Force Base
Encyclopedia
- For the civil use of this facility and airport information, see Kearney Regional Airport
Kearney Air Force Base , was a military airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located four nautical miles (7 km) northeast of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Kearney
Kearney, Nebraska
Kearney is a city in and the county seat of Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 30,787 at the 2010 census. It is home to the University of Nebraska-Kearney....
, a city in Buffalo County
Buffalo County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,259 people, 15,930 households, and 10,227 families residing in the county. The population density was 44 people per square mile . There were 16,830 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. After its closure, it was redeveloped into Kearney Regional Airport.
History
In 1940, Kearney had a population of 9,643 people. In the early 1940s, three Nebraska cities, Kearney, Grand IslandGrand Island, Nebraska
Grand Island is a city in and the county seat of Hall County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 48,520 at the 2010 census.Grand Island is home to the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center which is the sole agency responsible for training law enforcement officers throughout the state,...
and Hastings
Hastings, Nebraska
Hastings is a city in and the county seat of Adams County, Nebraska, United States. It is the principal city of the Hastings, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Adams and Clay counties. The population was 24,907 at the 2010 census...
joined together to form the Central Nebraska Defense Council when it was learned that the United States Army Air Force was considering the site for a military airfield. The group attempted to convince Washington that central Nebraska was a suitable location for defense related activities. Kearney and Grand Island effectively competed with one another as locations for defense airports which would serve as storage for aircraft being produced at Offutt Field and the Glenn L. Martin
Glenn L. Martin Company
The Glenn L. Martin Company was an American aircraft and aerospace manufacturing company that was founded by the aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin. The Martin Company produced many important aircraft for the defense of the United States and its allies, especially during World War II and the Cold War...
Bomber Plant near Omaha
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
.
As early as 1941 the City of Kearney voted on a $60,000 bond to finance a new airport. Kearney Regional Airport began as Keens Municipal Airport. The total cost ended up being more than $360,000, with the balance funded by the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
(WPA). Construction began at the site five miles east of Kearney on Highway 30 on 21 October 1941, and was dedicated as Keens Airport on 23 August 1942, with asphalt runways and a single hangar
World War II
Shortly after the dedication of Keens Airport at Kearney, rumors spread that an army airfield may be located at Kearney. The City of Kearney not only offered the use of the Keens 532 acre (2.2 km²) airfield, but signed a long-term lease with the Army for $1.00 per year for as long as the field was needed. An additional 2,227.5 acres (9.0 km²) of farmland was condemned by the Army to provide more room.By September 1942, the rumors appeared true, and the Army Corps of Engineers inspected the new airport, only to decide that it was inadequate for the kind of use it would receive. In October 1942, approximately 1,000 laborers were brought in to build a new airfield adjacent to the Keens Airport. When completed, as many as 139 B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
es could be parked along the taxiways of the new army airfield. Six large hangars were constructed, including the steel hangar at the extreme south end of the airfield which was completed in July 1944 to hold two B-17 Flying Fortresses. Construction proceeded at a frantic pace. For example, construction began on the first of several mess halls on October 7. By October 12, meals were being served to 400 men in this new building. Housing was constructed to accommodate 542 officers, 3,230 enlisted men and 132 WACs (Women's Air Corps). Construction of Kearney Army Airfield was officially complete by 1 February 1943.
Kearney AAF was placed under the command of 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....
Headquarters, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. The 485th Army Air Force Base Unit commanded the support elements at Kearney as part of Air Technical Service Command. The 485th was assigned to the 21st Bombardment Wing (February - August 1943) then transferred to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing in August 1943 for Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress training. The 485th was transferred back to the 21st Bombardment Wing (November 1943 - on).
The base served a dual purpose during 1943: one for training, the other for processing. It became a training field with the arrival of the 100th Bombardment Group. The 100th became the parent group responsible for producing cadres for new Army Air groups being formed and for training of combat crews. The ground crews were stationed at Kearney while the air crews were divided among various bases where they served as instructors. Then, having organized its offspring units, the 100th reunited at Kearney in mid-April and prepared for overseas movement. It departed Kearney in May and joined the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The following unit was assigned this base - 3rd Heavy Bombardment Processing Headquarters (Provisional) & 7th Heavy Bombardment Processing Headquarters. After the 100th moved out in May, it was decided to move the processing unit out of Kearney and to make the Kearney Air Base a replacement training center to develop replacement crews, provide them with second and third phase training before sending them off to staging centers for overseas duty. The 393d Bombardment Group
393d Bombardment Group
The 393d Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Second Air Force, being stationed at Sioux City Army Air Base, Iowa. It was inactivated on 1 April 1944....
replaced the 100th BG in that role.
However, Kearney's days as a replacement training center lasted only from August to November 1943. On 1 November the 393d Bombardment Group
393d Bombardment Group
The 393d Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Second Air Force, being stationed at Sioux City Army Air Base, Iowa. It was inactivated on 1 April 1944....
was transferred to Sioux City AAF
Sioux Gateway Airport
-History:The construction of Sioux City Army Air Base began in March 1942, about three months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Opened on 5 July 1942, it became a major training center during World War II for crew members of B-24 Liberators and B-17 Flying Fortresses...
Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, and was replaced by the bombardment processing units for B-17, and later Boeing B-29 Stratofortress, crews and planes.
From then until the end of the war Kearney Army Airfield remained a processing station.
With the end of the war in Europe in May, 1945, work at Kearney increased as attention was devoted to the war against Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and the expanding B-29 program. After Japan's surrender in August, 1945, the number of base personnel gradually diminished, and by 1 March 1946 the base was reduced to mere housekeeping functions and it seemed as if it might be deactivated.
Kearney Air Force Base
By December 1946, it was announced that fifty-two additional housing units were to be constructed at Kearney AAF, which was the first evidence that the base would remain open. With the establishment 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...
the Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
27th Fighter Wing was activated at Kearney Army Airfield on 28 July 1947. The operational squadrons of the 27th Fighter Wing were:
- 522d Fighter Squadron (Formerly World War II 6th Fighter Squadron)
- 523d Fighter Squadron (Formerly World War II 7th Fighter Squadron)
- 524th Fighter Squadron (Formerly World War II 91st Fighter Squadron)
The 27th was initially equipped with the North American P-51D Mustang, and in 1948 was upgraded to the new North American F-82E Twin Mustang. In June 1948 the designation "P" for pursuit was changed to "F" for fighter. Subsequently, all P-51s were redesignated F-51s.
The mission of the 27th Fighter Wing was to fly long-range escort missions for SAC B-29 bombers. With the arrival of the F-82s, the older F-51s were sent to 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...
units.
From a key personnel numbering only four in July 1946 the base population increased to 795 by 31 August and to a postwar peak of 2,344 by March 1948. With the establishment of 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...
as an independent service in September 1947, the name of the airfield was changed to Kearney Air Force Base in January, 1948.
However, the Air Force considered the facility substandard. The two major deficiencies were inadequate housing facilities (even though twenty-six new fourplex apartment houses had been built) and a need for additional funds of $2,800,000 to bring existing facilities up to desired operating standards. With the tight defense budgets in the late 1940s, the decision was made by Strategic Air Command decided to close the base.
The official announcement to move the 27th Fighter Wing was made on 16 February 1949 and operations officially ceased at Kearney on 15 March.
The 27th Fighter Wing was transferred to Bergstrom AFB, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
on 16 March 1949. On 19 December 1949, Kearney Air Force Base was turned over to the City of Kearney for use as a municipal airport. After acquisitions, the city removed two of the three runways and some of the associated taxiways from service.
Today only a handful of buildings from the military era remain at Kearney Airport, the predominant one being Hangar 385.
See also
- Nebraska World War II Army AirfieldsNebraska World War II Army AirfieldsNebraska World War II army airfields were major United States Army Air Force training centers for pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers during World War II. Nebraska was a favored because it has excellent, year-round flying conditions...