Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base
Encyclopedia
- See: Klamath Falls AirportKlamath Falls AirportKlamath Falls Airport , also known as Kingsley Field, is a joint civil-military public airport located four miles southeast of Klamath Falls, in Klamath County, Oregon, USA. The airport has two runways...
for civil airport information
Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base is the home base of the Oregon Air National Guard
Oregon Air National Guard
The Oregon Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is, along with the Oregon Army National Guard, an element of the Oregon National Guard...
173d Fighter Wing
173d Fighter Wing
The United States Air Force's 173d Fighter Wing is a unit located at Kingsley Field, Klamath Falls, Oregon.-Mission:Train the Best Air-to-Air Combat Pilots, Train Flight Doctors, and Serve Our State and Nation in Times of Peace and War.-History:...
.
Overview
The 173d Fighter Wing173d Fighter Wing
The United States Air Force's 173d Fighter Wing is a unit located at Kingsley Field, Klamath Falls, Oregon.-Mission:Train the Best Air-to-Air Combat Pilots, Train Flight Doctors, and Serve Our State and Nation in Times of Peace and War.-History:...
(FW) of the Oregon Air National Guard
Oregon Air National Guard
The Oregon Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is, along with the Oregon Army National Guard, an element of the Oregon National Guard...
occupies 61 acres (24.7 ha) of leased land on the Klamath Falls Airport
Klamath Falls Airport
Klamath Falls Airport , also known as Kingsley Field, is a joint civil-military public airport located four miles southeast of Klamath Falls, in Klamath County, Oregon, USA. The airport has two runways...
, located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Klamath Falls is a city in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. Originally called Linkville when George Nurse founded the town in 1867, after the Link River on whose falls this city sat, although no falls currently exist; the name was changed to Klamath Falls in 1892...
. The mission of the 173d FW is to train the best air-to-air combat pilots, train flight doctors and serve Oregon and the Nation in times of peace and war. The unit currently flies 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...
.
The 173rd FW occupies 5 administrative, 1 dorm, 1 services and 66 industrial buildings totaling approximately 484981 square feet (45,056.2 m²) with 485 full-time personnel. A unit training drill is conducted once a month and results in a surge of up to a total of 750 personnel.
In 1928 the citizens of Klamath Falls approved the sale of $50,000 worth of bonds to construct an airport. The airport was known as the Klamath Falls Municipal Airport and consisted of gravel runways and one Fixed Base Operator. In 1942 the airport was selected as a site for a Naval Air Station
Naval Air Station
A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...
, and in 1945 the airport transferred back to civilian use.
In 1954 the airport was selected as a site for 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...
Base. The former Naval air station was placed under the jurisdiction of Air Defense Command. The 408th Fighter Group
408th Fighter Group
The 408th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 25th Air Division , based at Kingsley Field, Oregon. It was inactivated on 1 January 1970-History:...
(Air Defense) was activated at Klamath Falls Municipal Airport on 8 April 1956, being assigned to the 28th Air Division.
In 1957 the airport was dedicated as Kingsley Field in honor of Lieutenant David Kingsley. David R. Kingsley, an Oregon 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...
hero, was killed in action on June 23, 1944 after a bombing mission over the oil fields of Ploesti, Romania.
ADC reassigned Kingsley Field to the 25th Air Division on 1 March 1959; transferred to Portland Air Defense Sector
Portland Air Defense Sector
The Portland Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 25th Air Division, being stationed at Adair Air Force Station, Oregon. It was inactivated on 1 April 1966.- History :...
on 15 April 1960; transferred to 26th Air Division on 1 April 1966; reassigned to 25th Air Division on 15 September 1969. The 408th Fighter Group was re-designated as the 827th Air Defense Group on 1 March 1970.
Operational ADC Interceptor squadrons which operated from Kingsley Field were:
- 518th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron518th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronThe 518th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 408th Fighter Group stationed at Klamath Falls Airport, Oregon...
, 8 June 1956-1 July 1959 (F-86D Sabre) - 322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron322d Fighter-Interceptor SquadronThe 322d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command stationed at Kingsley Field, Oregon. It was inactivated on 1 July 1968.-History:...
, 1 April 1959-30 September 1968 (F-101B Voodoo) - 59th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 30 September 1968-17 December 1969 (F-102A Delta Dagger)
- 460th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 1 December 1969-16 April 1971 (F-106 Delta Dart)
The 827th Radar Squadron operated Ground Control-Intercept radar (GCI) from nearby Keno Air Force Station
Keno Air Force Station
Keno Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located south-southwest of Keno, Oregon...
, receiving host station services and support from Kingsley Field, 1 September 1957-1 October 1979.
In 1978 the Department of Defense chose to close Kingsley Field Air Force Base as part of the phaseout of Air Defense Command. It has been used by the Oregon Air National Guard since.