Loring Air Force Base - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

For the civil use of this facility and airport information, see Loring Commerce Center
Loring Commerce Center
The Loring Commerce Center is a industrial and aviation park that is home to over 20 employers with more than 1,300 employees. It was developed from the former Loring Air Force Base which was closed in 1994...

Loring Air Force Base is a former 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 that was under the operational control of the 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) for most of its existence. In 1992, it was transferred to the newly-established 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 ....

, and it was finally closed as an active Air Force installation in 1994. Loring is located in the town of Limestone

Limestone, Maine

Limestone is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,314 at the 2010 census. The town is best known for being the home of the Loring Commerce Center...

, Aroostook County

Aroostook County, Maine

Aroostook County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, its population was 71,870. In land area, it is the largest county in the state and the largest U.S. county east of the Mississippi River. Its seat is Houlton...

, Maine. It is treated for statistical purposes by 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...

as 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...

. At the 2000 census, the base had a total population of 225. It was named for Major Charles J. Loring, Jr.

Charles J. Loring, Jr.

Charles Joseph Loring, Jr. was a fighter pilot in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II, and later in the United States Air Force in the Korean War...

, USAF, a Medal of Honor

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...

recipient during the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

. From 1951-1962, it was co-located next to Caribou Air Force Station

Caribou Air Force Station

Caribou Air Force Station, also known as North River Depot and East Loring, is a defunct Air Force Station that operated from 1951 until some time when it was absorbed into Loring Air Force Base in 1962. It was located in Limestone, Maine, adjacent to Loring...

Beginnings

Loring AFB was carved out of the woods of Maine beginning in the late forties and officially dedicated in 1953. It was named after Charles J. Loring, Jr.

Charles J. Loring, Jr.

Charles Joseph Loring, Jr. was a fighter pilot in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II, and later in the United States Air Force in the Korean War...

, who was killed in the Korean War

Korean War

. Along with the nearby Presque Isle Air Force Base

Presque Isle Air Force Base

Presque Isle Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base, located in the city of Presque Isle, Maine.-History:Presque Isle Air Force Base was originally built in 1930 by the Civilian Conservation Corps as Presque Isle Airport, a commercial airport located west of the "business center."...

, some of its roads were named after states in the Union. It was the closest Air Force base on the east coast to Europe. It was originally built with a capacity of 100 B-36 Peacemaker bombers and equipped with a 10000 feet (3,048 m) runway.

42nd Bomb Wing

The host wing for Loring AFB throughout its existence was the 42nd Bomb Wing. The wing originally flew the B-36 Peacemaker, converting later to the 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...

. The wing also flew the KC-135 Stratotanker

KC-135 Stratotanker

The 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...

. When the wing transitioned to B-52s, the overruns were added to the base.

To provide air defense of the base, United States Army Nike-Hercules Surface-to-air missile sites were constructed during 1956. Sites were located near Caribou (L-58)
46°53′02"N 068°00′32"W; Caswell (L-13) 47°01′42"N 067°48′35"W; Connor Twp. (L-85) 47°00′29"N 068°01′06"W, and Limestone (L-31) 46°55′04"N 067°47′32"W Maine.

The New England Division of the Army Corps of Engineers managed the construction of these sites. Manned by Regular Army units, these sites provided defense for Loring AFB and the northeastern approaches to the United States. In 1960, sites L-13 and L-58 underwent conversion from Ajax to Hercules missiles. These sites remained operational until 1966, although the site at Limestone was closed in September 1958.

Weapons storage area

The Nuclear Weapons Storage Area at Loring once operated as a separate, top secret facility. Originally called the North River Depot, the remote area to the northeast of Loring’s property was the first U.S. Operational site specifically constructed for the storage, assembly, and testing of atomic weapons.

A parallel series of four fences, one of which was electrified, surrounded the heart of the storage area. This area was nicknamed the “Q” Area, which denoted the Department of Energy’s [Q clearance] a classified security clearance required to have access to Restricted Data.

In June 1962, the [United States Atomic Energy Commission] released its custody and ownership of the weapons to the Air Force. The personnel and property of the later named Caribou Air Force Station

Caribou Air Force Station

, were absorbed into the adjacent Loring Air Force Base.

Closure

Loring AFB was first targeted for closure in 1976. The Air Force's primary rationale at that time was the poor condition of Loring AFB's facilities. In 1976, it was estimated that Loring AFB needed up to $300 million in facilities improvements. Between 1976 and 1979, considerable debate took place over the strategic importance of Loring AFB, resulting in a reversal of the Air Force decision to close the base. When the decision to keep Loring AFB open was made in 1979, Congress committed itself to upgrading the base facilities. Since 1981, nearly $300 million in military construction and operations and maintenance funds were spent to upgrade the facilities.

In 1991, the Secretary of Defense, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the Air Force, identified six Strategic Air Command bases for closure. Loring Air Force Base was one of the six bases on the closure list.

The official base closure date was 30 September 1994.

Geography

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 CDP has a total area of 8.2 mi² (21.3 km²). 8.2 mi² (21.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 mi² (0.1 km²) of it (0.36%) is water.

Things unique to Loring

Contained 14300 acres (57.9 km²), making it the biggest SAC base in the country
2 runways, only two other SAC bases had two runways
The largest capacity for weapon storage and for fuel storage in all of SAC (Its overall capacity ranked second among all 21 SAC bases)
- Weapons storage capacity was 10,247,882 NEW (Net Explosive Weight) (the highest in all of SAC)
- 1st in all of SAC in fuel storage capacity (9,193,374 gallons)
Ramp space exceeds 1.1 million square yards. (2nd among all SAC bases in total ramp space, 1st in excess ramp space)
One of two fully capable conventional weapons storage facilities in CONUS maintained by SAC.
A small downhill ski area provided recreation for personnel and their dependents, operating on the base from the early 1960s until the base's closure in 1994.
It was here that a cheering crowd greeted 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...

after he returned from an important summit in Moscow. This was a month before he resigned.

Units based at Loring

42d Bomb Wing
42d Air Base Wing
The 42nd Air Base Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Air University. It is stationed at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama...

(1953–1994)
- 42d Air Refueling Squadron
  42d Air Refueling Squadron
  The 42d Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 42d Bombardment Wing, stationed at Loring AFB, Maine...
  
  (1955–1994)
- 42d Security Police Squadron
- 42d Supply Squadron
- 42d Civil Engineering Squadron
- 42d Maintenance Squadron
- 42d Munitions Maintenance Squadron
- 42d Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron (1964–1974)
- 69th Bombardment Squadron (1952–1991)
- 70th Bombardment Squadron (1953–1966)
- 75th Bombardment Squadron
  75th Bombardment Squadron
  The 75th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 4039th Strategic Wing, stationed at Griffiss Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on 1 February 1963.-History:...
  
  (1953–1956)
- 407th Air Refueling Squadron
  407th Air Refueling Squadron
  The 407th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 42d Bombardment Wing, stationed at Loring Air Force Base, Maine. It was inactivated on 1 October 1990-History:...
  
  (1962–1991)
1st Fighter Wing
1st Fighter Wing
The 1st Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Va...
- 27th Fighter Squadron
  27th Fighter Squadron
  The 27th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 1st Operations Group and stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia....
  
  (1959–1971)
102d Fighter Wing
- 101st Fighter Squadron (1986–1993)
- 2192 Communications Squadron, AFCC absorbed into 42nd Bomb Wing in 1990
27th Fighter Squadron
27th Fighter Squadron
The 27th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 1st Operations Group and stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia....

(1959–1971)

Planes based at Loring

KC-135R Stratotanker (January 1957-7 July 1959)
B-52G Stratofortress (21 May 1959-16 November 1993)
B-52D Stratofortress (25 May 1989-2 March 1994)
KC-135A Stratotanker (16 October 1957-7 May 1990)
B-52C Stratofortress (16 June 1956-January 1957)
KC-97G Stratotanker (15 February 1955-16 December 1957)
B-36 Peacemaker (1 April 1953-6 September 1956)
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...

(16 October 1959-1 July 1971 ) "Fighting Falcons"
F-94 Starfire
F-94 Starfire
The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was the United States Air Force's first operational jet-powered all-weather interceptor aircraft. It was a development by Lockheed of the twin-seat T-33 Shooting Star trainer aircraft.-Design and development:...

, 1954–1960
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...

, 1957–1960

Post base usage

The 9472 acres (38.3 km²) base property is now administered by the Loring Development Authority of Maine. The base is now called the Loring Commerce Center and is marketed as an "aviation and industrial complex and business park".

Military users to the old base include:

DFAS Limestone, a major component of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
The Defense Finance and Accounting Service is an agency of the United States Department of Defense that provides finance and accounting services for the civil and military members of the Department. Headquartered in Indianapolis, IN, it was activated on Jan. 18, 1991...

office (BRAC 2005 consolidated 26 offices into 5 and this was one of the consolidation points
Maine Military Authority, refurbishes Humvees for the US Army and US Marine Corps

Civilian users of the facility include:

Loring Job Corps Center
U.S. Fish & Wildlife National Wildlife Refuge (administering 4700 acres (19 km²) of the base property)
various call centers, food processing and forestry operations, light manufacturing, and aviation services
The home of an office belonging to Stantec

The airfield at Loring Commerce Center was used by the popular jam-band Phish

Phish

Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...

, to hold its massive festival concerts, "The Great Went" in 1997, the Lemonwheel in 1998 and "It" in 2003. Estimated attendance was 65,000 concert-goers and Phish was the only band. Fans camped on-site in tents, creating a community of fans that became the second largest city in Maine during all three events.

Demographics

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 225 people, 82 households, and 57 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 27.4/mi² (10.6/km²). There were 355 housing units at an average density of 43.2/mi² (16.7/km²). The racial makeup of the base was 81.33% White, 10.22% African American, 2.22% Asian, 5.33% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.78% of the population.

There were 82 households out of which 53.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% 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, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.38.

On the base the population was spread out with 37.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 43.6% from 25 to 44, 10.7% from 45 to 64, and 3.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.

The median income for a household on the base was $36,667, and the median income for a family was $39,844. Males had a median income of $33,125 versus $25,724 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...

on the base was $19,888. None of the families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under the age of 18 or ages 65 and older.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.