McCoy Air Force Base
Encyclopedia
- For the civil use of this facility and airport information, see Orlando International AirportOrlando International AirportOrlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
- For the World War II and Tactical Air Command missile base in Orlando, see Orlando Air Force BaseOrlando Air Force BaseOrlando Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force facility, located in Orlando, Florida. It was established in 1940 as a World War II training base and was also used for coastal patrols during World War II....
McCoy AFB (1940–1947, 1951–1975) 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 located 10 miles (16 km) south of Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It was a training base during 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...
. After the war it became a Front-Line 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) base 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...
and the Cold War
Cold 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...
.
With McCoy's closure as an active air force installation in 1975, the site was redeveloped and is known today as Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
, which carries the airport code MCO (McCoy).
History
Pinecastle Army Air Field was originally opened in on 1 August 1940 as an auxiliary field in support of the nearby Orlando Army Air BaseOrlando Executive Airport
Orlando Executive Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles east of the central business district of Orlando, a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is owned by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority...
. Following service in 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...
and the immediate post-war period, the installation was closed in 1947. With the advent of an independent 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...
, the USAF reopened the base in 1951 as Pinecastle Air Force Base.
The base was re-named for Colonel Michael Norman Wright McCoy (1905–1957) on 7 May 1958. Col McCoy was killed on 9 October 1957 in the crash of DB-47B-35-BW Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
, 51-2177A, of the 447th Bomb Squadron, 321st Bomb Wing, while taking part in a practice demonstration which suffered wing-failure during the annual Strategic Air Command Bombing Navigation and Reconnaissance Competition. McCoy served as commander of the 321st Bombardment Wing, the host unit of the base at the time of his death. A hugely popular figure in Central Florida, Colonel McCoy was buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
in a funeral that included a flyover of multiple B-47s.
World War II
In 1940, the United States Army Air Force acquired 2216 acres (9 km²) of scrubland southeast of Orlando to build a training base. When completed, it was named Orlando Army Air Field Number Two and was intended to support the training mission of Orlando Army Air Base (now Orlando Executive Airport) six miles (10 km) to the north as part of the Air University Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) tactical combat simulation school in Central and Northern FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In 1942, the facility was renamed Pinecastle Army Airfield and was used primarily as a testing and development center for AAFSAT. Various aircraft and units used the airfield during the war.
Records indicate that aircraft from Pinecastle AAF performed test bombing of chemical munitions at one of Pinecastle's numerous bombing and gunnery ranges. It is uncertain whether the chemical warfare materials used in these tests were stored at Pinecastle Army Airfield or transported from the Orlando Toxic Gas and Decontamination Yard a few hours before a practice bombing run. In addition, Pinecastle was used as a storage depot for AAFSAT, and in August 1945, was used for testing of the B-32 Dominator
B-32 Dominator
The Consolidated B-32 Dominator was a heavy bomber made for United States Army Air Forces during World War II, and has the distinction of being the last Allied aircraft to be engaged in combat during World War II. It was developed in parallel with the Boeing B-29 Superfortress as a fallback design...
bomber.
Postwar years
With the end of World War IIWorld 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...
, Pinecastle AAF was briefly used by Bell Aircraft Corp in the testing and development of the X-1 supersonic aircraft
Bell X-1
The Bell X-1, originally designated XS-1, was a joint NACA-U.S. Army/US Air Force supersonic research project built by Bell Aircraft. Conceived in 1944 and designed and built over 1945, it eventually reached nearly 1,000 mph in 1948...
, originally designated the XS-1.
Ship No. 1 flew the first unpowered glide tests from a 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...
mother ship at Pinecastle AAF in early 1946. In March 1946, the X-1 program was relocated to Muroc AAF
Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The move was a logistics issue as much as anything, as Pinecastle was deemed not suitable for the X-1 project. A move to the remote California desert ensured the X-1 project team could maintain secrecy, an important issue considering the project was highly classified at the time. In addition, Muroc had an expansive landing area, thanks to the surrounding dry lakebeds, and better visibility. The X-1's high sink rate and the problems of keeping the plane in sight amid Florida's frequent clouds added two more votes in favor of the Army Air Force's decision to go to Muroc.
With the X-1 project transferred, Pinecastle AAF was deactivated and the entire site was transferred to the City of Orlando in 1947.
Air Training Command
As a result of the outbreak of the Korean WarKorean 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...
, 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...
Air Training Command
Air Training Command
Air Training Command is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. ATC came into being as a redesignation of the Army Air Forces Training Command on July 1, 1946...
reacquired and reactivated the facility, renaming it Pinecastle Air Force Base on 1 September 1951. ATC immediately began a $100 million construction program at the World War II facility. Training, however, did not begin until early 1952.
The 3540th Flying Training Wing (later redesignated 4240th FTW) was activated at the base to take part in Boeing B-47 Stratojet training. 84 B-47s were allocated for the training, and 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...
transferred 30 experienced aircraft commanders to Pinecastle to serve as instructors. According to the basic plan, ATC would train 49 crews by the end of 1952, but from the beginning mechanical problems and a lack of equipment prevented training. In addition, the base was inadequate at the time with regards to training facilities. The first arrived at the base on November 6, 1952. The first B-47 crew training program started a few weeks later when Class 53-6A entered combat crew training on December 22, 1952. The first trained crews graduated from training during the first half of 1953.
On 1 January 1954 Air Training Command transferred the crew training mission at Pinecastle and jurisdiction of the base to Strategic Air Command.
321st Bombardment Wing
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...
) and the B-47 combat crew training mission was transferred from ATC to SAC. Colonel Michael N.W. McCoy, was appointed commander of the 321st Bombardment Wing on 24 May 1954. He earned the distinction of being the "dean" of the Strategic Air Command’s B-47 "Stratojet" aircraft commanders.
In July 1954 the 19th Bombardment Wing
19th Air Refueling Group
The 19th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas...
joined the 321st at Pinecastle and the two units came under the control of the 813th Strategic Aerospace Division. The 813th was subsequently deactivated in the summer of 1956 when the 19th Bomb Wing moved to Homestead Air Force Base, Florida.
In November 1957 the base was host to the medium and heavy bombers participating in the annual Strategic Air Command Bombing Navigation and Reconnaissance Competition. During the competition, a B-47 aircraft mishap north of downtown Orlando took the lives of Colonel McCoy, Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
John Woodroffe of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Joyce and Major Vernon Stuff during preparations for the event. Despite this tragedy, the 321st Bomb Wing, under the direction of its new commander, Colonel Robert W. Strong, Jr., won the top honors of the meet, including the coveted Fairchild and McCoy trophies, distinguishing the 321st as the top B-47 Wing in SAC.
Another unit with distinction was assigned to Pinecastle AFB in November 1957 was the Air Defense Command's 76th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (76 FIS). A descendant of the famous World War II "Flying Tigers
Flying Tigers
The 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force in 1941–1942, famously nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was composed of pilots from the United States Army , Navy , and Marine Corps , recruited under presidential sanction and commanded by Claire Lee Chennault. The ground crew and headquarters...
," the 76 FIS was commanded by Major Morris F. Wilson and flew the F-89H "Scorpion"
F-89 Scorpion
The Northrop F-89 Scorpion was an early American jet-powered fighter designed from the outset as an all-weather interceptor. Though its straight wings limited its performance, it was among the first USAF jet fighters with guided missiles, and notably the first combat aircraft armed with air-to-air...
all-weather fighter-interceptor. One of the last squadrons to fly the Scorpion, the 76 FIS was transferred from McCoy to Westover AFB, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
on February 1, 1961.
On 7 May 1958 Pinecastle AFB was renamed McCoy Air Force Base in memory of the late Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy. Formal dedication ceremonies were held on 21 May 1958 in conjunction with a mammoth base open house, during which an estimated 30,000 Floridians attended.
In the summer of 1961, a complete reorganization of the base began. A program got under way to convert the base from the B-47 Stratojet
B-47 Stratojet
The Boeing Model 450 B-47 Stratojet was a long-range, six-engined, jet-powered medium bomber built to fly at high subsonic speeds and at high altitudes. It was primarily designed to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union...
to heavy B-52 "Stratofortress" bombers. The 321st Bomb Wing began phasing out its operations in June 1961 and was deactivated in October 1961.
4047th Strategic Wing
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. All of the Strategic Wings had one squadron of B-52s, containing 15 aircraft, and most also had a squadron of KC-135 tanker aircraft. Half of the bombers and tankers were maintained on fifteen minute alert, fully fueled, armed, and ready for combat, while the remainder were used for training in bombardment missions and air refueling operations.
In August 1961 the first B-52D Stratofortresses were assigned to the new wing, and on 1 September 1961 the 347th Bombardment Squadron
347th Bombardment Squadron
The 347th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 4047th Strategic Wing. It was inactivated at McCoy Air Force Base, Florida on 1 April 1963.-History:...
was reassigned from Westover AFB, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to McCoy to fly the heavy bombers. On 15 September, the 321st Combat Support Group was organized and on that same date Colonel William G. Walker, Jr. assumed command of the 4047th Strategic Wing.
Joint Civil-Military Use: McCoy AFB and the Orlando-McCoy Jetport
In 1962, an agreement was made with the City of Orlando for the joint-use of Runway 18L/36R at McCoy. This action was taken since the runway facilities at Herndon Airport, now the Orlando Executive AirportOrlando Executive Airport
Orlando Executive Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles east of the central business district of Orlando, a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is owned by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority...
, were too short to accommodate the first generation jet aircraft such as the Boeing 707
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
, Douglas DC-8
Douglas DC-8
The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
and Convair 880
Convair 880
The Convair 880 was a narrow-body jet airliner produced by the Convair division of General Dynamics. It was designed to compete with the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 by being smaller and faster, a niche that failed to create demand...
that initially served Orlando. The Orlando Jetport at McCoy was established in the northeast corner of the base to support commercial airline operations in a converted 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...
missile maintenance hangar that was to be operated by the City of Orlando's Aviation Department. Civilian airline flights by Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
, Eastern Airlines and National Airlines
National Airlines (NA)
National Airlines was an airline founded in 1934 and was headquartered on the grounds of Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States near Miami.- History :...
began shortly thereafter as flights migrated from Herndon Airport to McCoy and would serve as a prelude to even greater commercial airline operations in subsequent years. Delta Airlines was the first airline to offer jet passenger service to Orlando, with Delta's DC-8 'fanjet'.
966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron
The 966th Airborne Early Warning & Control Squadron966th Airborne Air Control Squadron
The 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron is part of the 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the E-3 Sentry aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions.-Mission:...
was activated on 18 December 1961 and was organized two months later at McCoy AFB as a geographically separated unit (GSU) of the 551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing at Otis AFB, Massachusetts. While at McCoy, the squadron flew the propeller driven EC-121 Warning Star
EC-121 Warning Star
The Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star was a United States Navy and United States Air Force airborne early warning radar surveillance aircraft. A military version of the Lockheed Constellation, it was designed to serve as an airborne early warning system to supplement the Distant Early Warning Line,...
radar surveillance aircraft in its EC-121D and EC-121Q variants. The squadron changed its parent wing on 1 May 1963, coming under the 552nd Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing headquartered at McClellan AFB, California. The mission of the 966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron covered a broad spectrum of responsibilities. As an Air Defense Command / Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1946 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the integrated air defense system of the Continental United States , exercise direct control of all active...
(ADC) unit, the 966th supported 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...
and Military Airlift Command
Military Airlift Command
The Military Airlift Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command of the USAF which was headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. It was constituted on 1 January 1966 and active until the end of the Cold War, when the Air Force table of organization was revised...
operations, assisted U.S. Navy P-2 Neptune
P-2 Neptune
The Lockheed P-2 Neptune was a Maritime patrol and ASW aircraft. It was developed for the United States Navy by Lockheed to replace the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon, and being replaced in turn with the Lockheed P-3 Orion...
and P-3 Orion
P-3 Orion
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner. The aircraft is easily recognizable by its distinctive tail stinger or...
aircraft in anti-submarine and maritime surveillance patrols and developed weather information. It also furnished airborne radar surveillance and technical control in support of global air defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff contingency operations. 966th aircrews also frequently deployed to distant operational locations including Southeast Asia. The squadron was inactivated on 31 December 1969, although detachments from other EC-121 squadrons would continue to operate at McCoy AFB throughout the early 1970s.
Cuban Missile Crisis
On 14 October 1962, a Lockheed U-2Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
from the 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Laughlin Air Force Base
Laughlin Air Force Base
Laughlin Air Force Base is a facility of the United States Air Force located five miles east of the central business district of Del Rio, Texas.-Overview:...
near Del Rio
Del Rio, Texas
Del Rio is a border city in and the county seat of Val Verde County, Texas, United States.. Del Rio is connected with Ciudad Acuña via the Lake Amistad Dam International Crossing and Del Río-Ciudad Acuña International Bridge...
, 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...
and piloted by Major Richard S. Heyser, launched from Edwards AFB, California for a high altitude reconnaissance flight over Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. Arriving over the island an hour after sunrise, Heyser photographed the Soviet military installing nuclear armed SS-4 medium range and SS-5 intermediate range ballistic missiles in Cuba, thereby precipitating the Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
.
Heyser concluded this flight at McCoy AFB and the 4080th subsequently established a U-2
Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
operating location at McCoy AFB, launching and recovering numerous flights over Cuba for the duration of the crisis. On 21 October, Attorney General of the United States Robert Kennedy, United States Secretary of Defense
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
Robert McNamara
Robert McNamara
Robert Strange McNamara was an American business executive and the eighth Secretary of Defense, serving under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 to 1968, during which time he played a large role in escalating the United States involvement in the Vietnam War...
, General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Maxwell Taylor and General Walter C. Sweeney, Jr.
Walter C. Sweeney, Jr.
General Walter Campbell Sweeney, Jr. was a United States Air Force four star general who served as commander of the U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Command....
met with President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
concerning a military contingency plan regarding this development. The 4080th subsequently flew at least 82 missions from McCoy AFB from 22 October – 6 December 1962.
General Walter C. Sweeney, Jr., Commander of 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), proposed an operational plan which called first for an air attack on the surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites in the vicinity of known medium range (MRBM) and intermediate range ballistics missile (IRBM) launchers by eight fighter-bombers per SAM site. Concurrently, each of the Cuban MiG airfields thought to be protecting MRBM/IRBM sites were to be struck by at least twelve fighters. Following the air-strikes on SAM sites and MiG airfields, each MRBM and IRBM launch site was to be attacked by at least twelve aircraft. General Sweeney's plan was accepted and, additionally, Cuban Ilyushin Il-28 "Beagle" Bombers
Ilyushin Il-28
The Ilyushin Il-28 is a jet bomber aircraft of the immediate postwar period that was originally manufactured for the Soviet Air Force. It was the USSR's first such aircraft to enter large-scale production. It was also licence-built in China as the Harbin H-5. Total production in the USSR was 6,316...
were added to the target list.
To support this plan, the USAF deployed the following units to McCoy AFB:
- 4th Tactical Fighter Wing: 67 F-105s
(Deployed from Seymour Johnson AFB, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
) - 354th Tactical Fighter Wing: 63 F-100F-100 Super SabreThe North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
s
(Deployed from Myrtle Beach AFB, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
) - 427th Air Refueling Squadron: 20 KB-50Js
(Deployed from Langley AFB, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
)
On the morning of October 27, a U-2 piloted by Major Rudolf Anderson, Jr. departed McCoy AFB on yet another Cuban overflight mission. A few hours into his mission, Anderson's aircraft was engaged by a Soviet-manned SA-2 surface to air missile site
S-75 Dvina
The S-75 Dvina is a Soviet-designed, high-altitude, command guided, surface-to-air missile system...
in the vicinity of Banes, Cuba
Banes, Cuba
Banes is a municipality and city in the Holguín Province of Cuba.The name comes from the inhabitants Taino language word Bani, meaning "valley".-Demographics:In 2004, the municipality of Banes had a population of 81,274...
. Hit by two of three missiles fired, the aircraft was shot down over Cuba, killing Major Anderson.
A week following the crash, Major Anderson's remains were turned over to a United Nations representative and returned to the United States. Major Anderson became the first recipient of the Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United States)
The Air Force Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. The Air Force Cross is the Air Force decoration equivalent to the Distinguished Service Cross and the Navy Cross .The Air Force Cross is awarded for extraordinary heroism...
, the U.S. Air Force's second highest decoration for valor after the 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...
, which was awarded to him posthumously.
The Cuban missile confrontation was ultimately resolved and the airstrikes, which would have been followed by an invasion of Cuba, were never launched. However, all of the aforementioned squadrons and detachments except one remained at McCoy until the end of November 1962. The 4080th at Laughlin AFB and its successor unit, the 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
100th Air Refueling Wing
The 100th Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe Third Air Force. It is stationed at RAF Mildenhall, England. It is also the host wing at RAF Mildenhall....
at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, would continue to maintain a permanent operating location at McCoy AFB for U-2 detachment operations through 1973. In later years, these operations would occasionally be augmented by SR-71 detachments from the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing
9th Reconnaissance Wing
The 9th Reconnaissance Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California...
at Beale AFB, California.
306th Bombardment Wing
SAC's Strategic Wing concept was phased out in early 1963. In most cases, the aircraft and crews remained at the same base, but the wing (and its bomb squadron) were given new designations. On 1 April 1963, the 306th Bombardment Wing306th Flying Training Group
The 306th Flying Training Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force...
moved to McCoy AFB from MacDill AFB, Florida and converted to B-52D 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...
and KC-135A 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...
aircraft. The assets of the 4047th Strategic Wing were then absorbed by the 306 BW.
In addition to its "host wing" responsibilities for operating and maintaining the installation, the 306th's primary operational mission at McCoy AFB was deterring nuclear attack on the US by maintaining constant ground alert, and flying frequent cycles of airborne alert.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the 306th and McCoy AFB was a frequent host for the annual SAC Bombing and Navigation Competition between SAC wings operating B-52, FB-111 and KC-135 aircraft from throughout the Strategic Air Command, competing for the prestigious Fairchild Trophy. Vulcan B.2
Avro Vulcan
The Avro Vulcan, sometimes referred to as the Hawker Siddeley Vulcan, was a jet-powered delta wing strategic bomber, operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A V Roe & Co designed the Vulcan in response to Specification B.35/46. Of the three V bombers produced,...
bombers and Victor K.2
Handley Page Victor
The Handley Page Victor was a British jet bomber aircraft produced by the Handley Page Aircraft Company during the Cold War. It was the third and final of the V-bombers that provided Britain's nuclear deterrent. The other two V-bombers were the Avro Vulcan and the Vickers Valiant. Some aircraft...
tankers from the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) Strike Command
RAF Strike Command
The Royal Air Force's Strike Command was the military formation which controlled the majority of the United Kingdom's bomber and fighter aircraft from 1968 until 2007: it was merged with Personnel and Training Command to form the single Air Command. It latterly consisted of two formations - No. 1...
would also travel to McCoy AFB from their home bases in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to participate in this multi-week competition.
Vietnam War
In 1966, the 306 BW began preparing and training for deployment to the Western Pacific in support of Projects 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...
& Young Tiger. In September 1966, the wing deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam and Kadena Air Base
Kadena Air Base
, is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Kadena Air Base is the hub of U.S. airpower in the Pacific, and home to the USAF's 18th Wing and a variety of associate units.-Units:The 18th Wing is the host unit at Kadena...
, Okinawa. Its mission while in the Western Pacific was to "...Conduct bombing raids in support of US and allied ground forces fighting in the Vietnamese War." Later, the wing also operated from U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield
U-Tapao International Airport
-Charter services:-Accidents and incidents:On 28 October 1977, a Douglas DC-3 of Air Vietnam was hijacked to U-Tapao International Airport where the four hijackers surrendered. Two people on board the aircraft were killed in the hijacking...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
as U. S. forces built up in the Vietnam theater. The 919th Air Refueling Squadron (919 ARS) was assigned to McCoy in March 1967.
When not forward deployed for operations over Vietnam, the 306th continued to operate out of McCoy AFB for both training evolutions and in its stateside strategic nuclear alert role. In January 1968, the 306 BW received another Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for this "double-duty" for combat operations in Southeast Asia while maintaining an alert status for SAC.
In 1972, the 306 BW would be part of the heavy bombing raids Linebacker I
Operation Linebacker
Operation Linebacker was the title of a U.S. Seventh Air Force and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 aerial interdiction campaign conducted against the Democratic Republic of Vietnam from 9 May to 23 October 1972, during the Vietnam War....
and Linebacker II
Operation Linebacker II
Operation Linebacker II was a US Seventh Air Force and US Navy Task Force 77 aerial bombing campaign, conducted against targets in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam during the final period of US involvement in the Vietnam War...
over North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
. The 306 BW returned to McCoy AFB from its final Southeast Asia deployment in early 1973 after the Paris Peace Accords
Paris Peace Accords
The Paris Peace Accords of 1973 intended to establish peace in Vietnam and an end to the Vietnam War, ended direct U.S. military involvement, and temporarily stopped the fighting between North and South Vietnam...
ended American involvement in the conflict.
From 1971 through 1973 other training activities at McCoy AFB included KC-135Q instruction by the 306th Air Refueling Squadron (306 ARS) and KC-135A instruction by the 32nd Air Refueling Squadron (32 ARS). Whereas KC-135A aircraft typically carried JP-4
JP-4
JP-4, or JP4 was a jet fuel, specified in 1951 by the U.S. government . It was a 50-50 kerosene-gasoline blend. It has lower flash point than JP-1, but was preferred because of its greater availability. It was the primary U.S. Air Force jet fuel between 1951 and 1995. Its NATO code is F-40...
jet fuel, KC-135Q aircraft were specifically modified and equipped to offload JP-7
JP-7
JP-7 is a jet fuel developed by the U.S. Air Force for use in supersonic aircraft because of its high flash point and thermal stability. It is the fuel used in the Pratt & Whitney J58 engines, used in the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. The air compression of Mach 3+ cruising flight generates very high...
fuel and supported worldwide in-flight refueling requirements for USAF U-2
Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
and SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft.
In 1971 the 42d Air Division, was headquartered at McCoy AFB. In September 1973, the air division headquarters was transferred to Blytheville Air Force Base (later renamed Eaker AFB), Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
On 31 March 1972, a 306th Bombardment Wing B-52D, AF Serial Number 56-0625, sustained multiple engine failures and an engine pod fire shortly after takeoff from McCoy AFB on a routine training mission. The aircraft was not carrying any weapons. The aircraft immediately attempted to return to the base, but crashed 3220 feet (981.5 m) short of Runway 18R in a civilian residential area immediately north of the airfield, destroying or damaging eight homes. The crew of 7 airmen and a 10-year-old boy on the ground were killed.
Realignment and closure
In May 1973 it was announced that the 306th Bombardment Wing would be deactivated and McCoy AFB closed as part of a post-Vietnam reduction in force (RIF). The 306th Bomb Wing (Heavy) inactivated in July 1974 as activities at the base were phased down prior to the closure while its personnel, along with its B-52D and KC-135A aircraft assets, were redistributed to other SAC bomb wings. Following deactivation of the 306th Bomb Wing, the 306th Strategic Wing was activated in 1975 at Ramstein AB, West GermanyWest Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, subsequently relocating to RAF Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall
RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force station located at Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. Despite its status as an RAF station, it primarily supports United States Air Force operations and is currently the home of the 100th Air Refueling Wing...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, as the focal point for all SAC operations in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and as a liaison between SAC and United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
(USAFE). The 306th operated as the 306th Flying Training Group
306th Flying Training Group
The 306th Flying Training Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force...
(306 FTG) at the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
, operating the Academy's airstrip and providing initial flight training to members of the USAFA Cadet Wing.
Final closure of McCoy AFB was concluded in early 1975.
Up until 1980, SAC considered retaining the former SAC Alert Facility as either an Operating Location (OL) or as a smaller installation to be called McCoy Air Force Station under control of an air base squadron for occasional dispersal basing of two B-52D/G/H and two KC-135A/E/Q aircraft from other SAC installations. This concept never came to fruition, but the Alert Facility, a nose dock hangar and several buildings on the north end of the McCoy ramp were turned over to the US Army Reserve (USAR) for use as an Army Aviation Support Facility for USAR units operating C-12, RC-12 and UH-1 aircraft. This arrangement permitted USAF access if and when it became necessary. The USAR aviation units were deactivated in 1999, but most of the Alert Facility still remains under USAR control as a non-flying facility.
A significant portion of McCoy AFB was transferred to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
between 1974 and 1975, primarily base housing, base exchange, commissary, medical clinic, base chapel, and morale, welfare and recreation (MWR) facilities, becoming the Naval Training Center Orlando McCoy Annex, while the airfield proper and west flight line/ramp area was conveyed to the City of Orlando by the General Services Administration
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...
(GSA) for the sum of $1.00. The bulk of property that was initially transferred to the U.S. Navy by the U.S. Air Force would later be returned to the City of Orlando in 1999 following a 1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) decision that directed NTC Orlando's closure by 1999.
In 1984, a B-52D Stratofortress, on loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum with more than 360 aircraft and missiles on display...
, was flown to Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
(which had taken over much of McCoy AFB) from the 7th Bomb Wing
7th Bomb Wing
The 7th Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force. It is stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, where it is also the host unit....
at the then-Carswell AFB, Texas for permanent static display at the airport's McCoy AFB/B-52 Memorial Park
B-52 Memorial Park
B-52 Memorial Park is located within the Orlando International Airport just off the Beachline Expressway near runway 18L. It is a small, relatively hidden park under the control of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority and features a retired B-52D Stratofortress, Air Force Serial Number 56-0687,...
. It is located just east of and adjacent to the former location of the since dismantled McCoy Jetport civilian terminal.
Major commands to which assigned
- Army Air Force Air Training Command, 1 August 1940
- Army Air Force School of Applied TacticsArmy Air Force School of Applied TacticsThe Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics was a military training organization of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II...
, 1 October 1943 – 1 July 1945- Army Air Force Proving Ground Command, 1 July 1945–1947
- Air Training CommandAir Training CommandAir Training Command is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. ATC came into being as a redesignation of the Army Air Forces Training Command on July 1, 1946...
, 1 September 1951 – 1 January 1954 - 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 1954–1975
- Air Defense Command / Aerospace Defense CommandAerospace Defense CommandAerospace Defense Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1946 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the integrated air defense system of the Continental United States , exercise direct control of all active...
(Attached 1 March 1957 – 1 February 1961; 1 February 1962 – 31 December 1969)
Major USAF units assigned
- 3540th Flying Training Wing 1 September 1951
- Redesignated: 4240th Flying Training Wing, 1 April 1952 – 1 June 1954
- 321st Bombardment Wing321st 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....
, 4 December 1953 – 25 October 1961 - 321st Air Refueling Squadron321st Air Refueling SquadronThe 321st Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 301st Bombardment Wing, stationed at Lockbourne AFB, Ohio. It was inactivated on 15 March 1965...
, 1 April 1952 – 1 August 1956 - 19th Bombardment Wing, 11 June 1954 – 1 June 1956
- 813th Strategic Aerospace Division813th Strategic Aerospace DivisionThe 813th 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 Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana...
, 15 July 1954 – 1 June 1956 - 76th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (ADC), 8 November 1957 – 1 February 1961
- 4047th Strategic Wing, 1 September 1961 – 1 April 1963
- 321st Bombardment Wing
- Replaced by: 306th Bombardment Wing306th Flying Training GroupThe 306th Flying Training Group is a unit of the United States Air Force, assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force...
, 1 April 1963 – 1 July 1974- 306th Air Refueling Squadron306th Air Refueling SquadronThe 306th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 457th Operations Group, stationed at Altus AFB, Oklahoma...
, 1 April 1963 – 30 September 1973 (Not operational 1-30 September 1973) - 919th Air Refueling Squadron919th Air Refueling SquadronThe 919th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 306th Bombardment Wing, stationed at McCoy AFB, Florida. It was inactivated on 30 June 1971...
, 25 March 1967 – 30 January 1972 (Not operational 15-30 June 1971) - 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron966th Airborne Air Control SquadronThe 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron is part of the 552d Air Control Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the E-3 Sentry aircraft conducting airborne command and control missions.-Mission:...
, 18 December 1961 – 31 December 1969
- 306th Air Refueling Squadron
- Deployed from: 551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing, Otis AFB, MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
- 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:...
, 30 June 1971 – 1 September 1973
- 42d Air Division
- Units Deployed to McCoy during Cuban Missile CrisisCuban Missile CrisisThe Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
:
- From 4th Tactical Fighter Wing4th Fighter WingThe 4th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, where it is also the host unit....
, Seymour Johnson AFB, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
(TAC), 21 October – 29 November 1962- 334th Tactical Fighter Squadron334th Fighter SquadronThe 334th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina....
- 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron335th Fighter SquadronThe 335th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina....
- 336th Tactical Fighter Squadron336th Fighter SquadronThe 336th Fighter Squadron ' is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 4th Operations Group and stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina....
- 334th Tactical Fighter Squadron
- From 354th Tactical Fighter Wing354th Fighter WingThe 354th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force wing that is part of Pacific Air Forces . It is the host wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and is assigned to the Eleventh Air Force .-Overview:...
, Myrtle Beach AFB, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
(TAC), 21 October – 1 December, 1962- 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron355th Fighter SquadronThe 355th Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was that of a subordinate unit of the 354th Fighter Wing based at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, flying the Republic A/OA-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft...
- 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron356th Tactical Fighter SquadronThe 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force fighter squadron. Its last assignment was with the 354th Fighter Wing, being stationed at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina...
- 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron
- From 4505th Air Refueling Wing4505th Air Refueling WingThe United States Air Force's 4505th Air Refueling Wing was an Air Refueling unit located at Langley AFB, Virginia. It was established on 1 Jul 1958 at Langley AFB, Virginia. The 4505th was the only aerial refueling wing in the Tactical Air Command structure. The wing flew the KB-50J, a derivative...
, Langley AFB, VirginiaVirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(TAC), 21 October – 1 December 1962- 427th Air Refueling Squadron427th Air Refueling SquadronThe 427th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the 4505th Air Refueling Wing, stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
(Deployed From Robins AFB, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
)
- 427th Air Refueling Squadron
Current uses
As previously mentioned, with the base's closure, a majority of the McCoy AFB site was transferred the City of Orlando by the General Services AdministrationGeneral Services Administration
The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...
(GSA). Today this land is operated and maintained by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
Greater Orlando Aviation Authority operates Orlando International Airport and Orlando Executive Airport in Orlando, Florida. GOAA consists of a seven-member board: the mayor of the City of Orlando, Florida; the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners; and five other members who are...
(GOAA) as Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
. As a governmental entity chartered by Florida Legislature and as an enterprise fund for the City of Orlando, GOAA is tasked with the operation, administration, maintenance and oversight of expansions and enhancements to both Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
and the Orlando Executive Airport
Orlando Executive Airport
Orlando Executive Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles east of the central business district of Orlando, a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is owned by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority...
. GOAA also leases buildings and property to private individuals and companies, primarily for aviation-related activities in support of the respective airports. Redeveloped areas on the former McCoy AFB / current Orlando International Airport are:
- The current 1000 acres (4 km²) site for the Orlando International AirportOrlando International AirportOrlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...
landside and airside terminal complex and associated support areas. - Two International Arrivals Concourses with United States Customs and Immigration facilities. Of the total 114 airport gates, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority manages eleven gates with seven additional gates available for international operations. Expansive fixed base operator, domestic and charter operations facilities are also located on the airport.
- Orlando Tradeport, a 1400 acres (5.7 km²) master planned integrated cargo center with direct airside access, 140 acre (0.5665604 km²) of cargo ramp, 205 acre (0.8296063 km²) Foreign Trade Zone, and ultramodern United States Department of AgricultureUnited States Department of AgricultureThe United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
(USDA) Plant Inspection Station with several perishable handling facilities. Many of the former USAF hangars and maintenance facilities have been taken over by civilian airlines and other aeronautic firms.
Tributes to Colonel McCoy still abound on and near the airport. The airport's ICAO, FAA and IATA airfield identifiers, as well as all airline tickets and baggage tags, continue to read "MCO" which stands for McCoy. A portrait of Colonel McCoy hangs in the airport's main landside terminal near the airport chapel, while one of the restaurants in the airport's Hyatt Hotel is named "McCoy's." The Orange County Public School System operates the Colonel Michael McCoy Elementary School, which is located just north of the airport, while a nearby thoroughfare is called McCoy Road. Finally, the base's original military credit union continues to operate throughout Central Florida as the McCoy Federal Credit Union.
The U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
controlled part of the former McCoy AFB site for an administrative support and housing area for nearby Naval Training Center Orlando until NTC Orlando's closure by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) in 1999. The former military family housing area originally constructed by the Air Force and later utilized by the Navy was fully turned over to the City of Orlando in late 1999 and was redeveloped into The Villages At Southport. Housing sales began in 1996 and the complex was awarded a US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) award for outstanding development.
Remaining military activities at McCoy include Navy Exchange Orlando, and multiple Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
, Florida Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
, Navy Reserve
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
and Marine Corps Reserve facilities and units.
Over the past 30 years, the majority of the former McCoy AFB has been subjected to extensive modification due to the addition of new structures, taxiways, or runways. In addition, the remaining lands have been subjected to extensive excavation, landfill and improvement activities. Although several former military structures remain and a new joint military reserve facility added, a significant portion of the former air force base is barely recognizable.
A continuing impact of both the former McCoy Air Force Base/Pinecastle AFB/Pinecastle AAF and the former Orlando AAF is the continued excavation of unspent ammunition, including small practice bombs, aerial rockets and machine gun rounds from the 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...
era in the areas northeast of the current Orlando International Airport and east and southeast of the current Orlando Executive Airport. These formerly remote and uninhabited areas were leased from local landowners at the time and used as bombing and gunnery ranges for Orlando AAF and Pinecastle AAF when both were Army Air Forces facilities during 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...
. At the conclusion of the war, they were returned to the original owners and their previous primarily agricultural purposes. With Central Florida's increasing population in the 1980s, 1990s and 21st century, these landowners and/or their descendants sold these properties for private redevelopment, predominantly residential housing and associated support infrastructure such as schools, parks and retail. In recent years, new discoveries of unspent conventional munitions have caused repeated closures of Odyssey Middle School, northeast of Orlando International Airport.
See also
- B-52 Memorial ParkB-52 Memorial ParkB-52 Memorial Park is located within the Orlando International Airport just off the Beachline Expressway near runway 18L. It is a small, relatively hidden park under the control of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority and features a retired B-52D Stratofortress, Air Force Serial Number 56-0687,...
- Florida World War II Army Airfields
- Army Air Force School of Applied TacticsArmy Air Force School of Applied TacticsThe Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics was a military training organization of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II...
- Orlando International AirportOrlando International AirportOrlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...