Andrews Air Force Base
Encyclopedia
Joint Base Andrews is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....

. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 11th Wing
11th Wing
The 11th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force District of Washington. It is stationed at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, Maryland. It is the host unit at Joint Base Andrews....

, Air Force District of Washington
Air Force District of Washington
Air Force District of Washington is composed of two wings and one group, the 11th Wing, the 79th Medical Wing and the 844th Communication Group at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility...

 (AFDW).

The base is named for Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....

 Frank M. Andrews (1884–1943), former Commanding General of United States Forces in the European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...

 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...

. Andrews is widely known for serving as the home base of two Boeing VC-25A aircraft that serve the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

.

Overview

The facility is an amalgamation of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 Andrews Air Force Base and 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...

 Naval Air Facility Washington which were merged on 1 October 2009.

Joint Base Andrews was established in accordance with congressional legislation implementing the recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission. The legislation ordered the consolidation of the facilities which were adjoining, but separate military installations, into a single joint base – one of 12 joint bases formed in the United States as a result of the law.

The host unit at Andrews is the 11th Wing
11th Wing
The 11th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force District of Washington. It is stationed at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, Maryland. It is the host unit at Joint Base Andrews....

 (11 WG), assigned to the Air Force District of Washington
Air Force District of Washington
Air Force District of Washington is composed of two wings and one group, the 11th Wing, the 79th Medical Wing and the 844th Communication Group at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility...

. A non-flying wing, the 11 WG is responsible for maintaining emergency reaction rotary-wing airlift and other National Capital Region contingency response capabilities critical to national security, and for organizing, training, equipping and deploying combat-ready forces for Air and Space Expeditionary Forces (AEFs). The 11th WG commander is Colonel Kenneth R. Rizer. The Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Anthony Brinkley.

Units

The following units are based at Andrews:
  • 11th Wing
    11th Wing
    The 11th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force District of Washington. It is stationed at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, Maryland. It is the host unit at Joint Base Andrews....

     (11 WG) (AFDW)
The 11th Wing is responsible for maintaining emergency reaction rotary-wing airlift and other National Capital Region contingency response capabilities critical to national security, and for organizing, training, equipping and deploying combat-ready forces for Air and Space Expeditionary Forces (AEFs). The wing also provides installation security, services and airfield management to support the President, Vice President, other U.S. senior leaders and more than 50 tenant organizations and federal agencies.

  • 89th Airlift Wing
    89th Airlift Wing
    The 89th Airlift Wing of the United States Air Force is based at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility and has an operational force of over 1,000 personnel...

     Air Mobility Command
    Air Mobility Command
    Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....

     (Presidential Airlift Group)
The 89th Airlift Wing is responsible for worldwide special air mission airlift, logistics and communications support for the President, Vice President and other U.S. senior leaders. Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...

 is assigned to the 89th AW.

  • Air Force District of Washington
    Air Force District of Washington
    Air Force District of Washington is composed of two wings and one group, the 11th Wing, the 79th Medical Wing and the 844th Communication Group at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility...

The Air Force District of Washington (AFDW) is composed of two wings, one group, and two Ceremonial Elements. The 11th Wing
11th Wing
The 11th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force District of Washington. It is stationed at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, Maryland. It is the host unit at Joint Base Andrews....

 and the 79th Medical Wing
79th Medical Wing
The 79th Medical Wing is the United States Air Force's single medical voice for planning and implementing Air Force and joint medical solutions within the National Capital Region...

 at Joint Base Andrews. Also under AFDW is the Air Force Operations Group (AFOG) at the Pentagon and the 844th Communications Group. The Air Force Operations Group is the principal operational entity of the Air Staff in support of the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. The 79th Medical Wing and 844th Communications Group both have specialized missions where they will be the single Air Force voice in the National Capital Region (NCR) for their respective fields of expertise. The 11th Wing will fulfill duties as the host base organization of Andrews while also supporting AFDW requirements. Through the U.S. Air Force Band and the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, the 11th Wing also provides ceremonial and musical support throughout the National Capital Region and worldwide.

  • 79th Medical Wing
    79th Medical Wing
    The 79th Medical Wing is the United States Air Force's single medical voice for planning and implementing Air Force and joint medical solutions within the National Capital Region...

The 79th Medical Wing is the Air Force's single medical voice for planning and implementing Air Force and joint medical solutions within the National Capital Region (NCR). Activated on May 10, 2006, it is the largest wing within the Air Force District of Washington and only the second medical wing in the Air Force.

  • Tenant Units
457th Airlift Squadron
113th Wing
113th Wing
The United States Air Force's 113th Wing is an Air National Guard fighter unit located at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. The Wing is the only Air National Guard unit that resides in a state other than its base...

 (Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...

 / 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 ....

-gained and Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....

-gained)
459th Air Refueling Wing
459th Air Refueling Wing
The 459th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command unit based at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility since 1954.-Overview:...

 (Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....

 / Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....

-gained)
744th Communications Squadron
Air National Guard Readiness Center
Air National Guard Readiness Center
The Air National Guard Readiness Center is based at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, and performs operational and technical functions to ensure combat readiness of Air Force National Guard units and is a channel of communication between the National Guard Bureau and the states on Air Force...

District of Columbia Air National Guard
District of Columbia Air National Guard
The District of Columbia Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. federal district of Washington, D.C. It is, along with the District of Columbia Army National Guard, an element of the District of Columbia National Guard.-Mission:...

Army Jet Detachment
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...

 – Andrews Composite Squadron
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 321
VMFA-321
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 321 was a United States Marine Corps fighter squadron consisting of F/A-18 Hornets . Known as "Hell’s Angels”, the squadron participated in action during World War II and was then transferred to the Marine Forces Reserve...

 (Marine Corps Reserve
United States Marine Corps Reserve
The Marine Forces Reserve is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps. It is the largest command in the U.S...

)
Electronic Attack Squadron 209
VAQ-209
Electronic Attack Squadron 209 is a United States Navy Reserve electronic attack squadron. Known as the "Star Warriors", the squadron operates the Grumman EA-6B Prowler carrier-based electronic warfare jet aircraft. Based at Naval Air Facility Washington D.C...

 (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...

)
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 1 (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...

)
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 53 (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...

)
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 48 (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...

)
National Guard Bureau
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...

Naval Air Facility Washington D.C.
Naval Communications Security Material Systems
Maryland State Police
Maryland State Police
The Maryland State Police is the official state police force of the state of Maryland. The Maryland State Police is headquartered at 1201 Reisterstown Road in the Pikesville CDP in unincorporated Baltimore County.-Organizational structure:...

 Aviation Division (Medevac Helicopter)
Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...


Aircraft assigned

  • C-20B/D (89th Airlift Wing, Army Jet Detachment and VR-48 / Naval Air Facility)
  • C-21 (457th Airlift Squadron)
  • C-32A (89th Airlift Wing)
  • C-37A
    Gulfstream V
    The Gulfstream V is a business jet aircraft produced by Gulfstream Aerospace. It is also used by the US military under the designation C-37A. The G500 and G550 are improved versions which are currently in production...

     (89th Airlift Wing, Army Jet Detachment and VR-1 / Naval Air Facility)
  • C-37B (89th Airlift Wing, Army Jet Detachment and VR-1 / Naval Air Facility)
  • C-38
    Gulfstream G100/G150
    |-See also:-External links:* * * *...

     (113th Wing, D.C. Air National Guard)
  • C-40B/C
    C-40 Clipper
    -See also:-External links:* - retrieved 20 December 2006* - retrieved 20 December 2006* - retrieved 20 December 2006* *...

     (89th Airlift Wing/113th Wing, DC Air National Guard)
  • C-130 Hercules
    C-130 Hercules
    The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...

     (VR-53 / Naval Air Facility)
  • EA-6B Prowler
    EA-6 Prowler
    The Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine, mid-wing electronic warfare aircraft modified from the basic A-6 Intruder airframe. The EA-6B has been in service with the U.S...

     (VAQ-209 / Naval Air Facility)


  • F-16 Fighting Falcon
    F-16 Fighting Falcon
    The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...

     (113th Wing, DC Air National Guard)
  • KC-135R Stratotanker (459th Air Refueling Wing)
  • UC-12 Huron
    C-12 Huron
    The C-12 Huron is the military designation for a series of twin-engine turboprop aircraft based on the Beechcraft Super King Air and Beechcraft 1900. C-12 variants are used by the United States Air Force, United States Army, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps...

     (Naval Air Facility and VMR Det Andrews)
  • UC-35
    Cessna Citation
    The Cessna Citation is a marketing name used by Cessna for its line of business jets. Rather than one particular model of aircraft, the name applies to several "families" of turbofan-powered aircraft that have been produced over the years...

     (Army Jet Det, Naval Air Facility and VMR Det Andrews)
  • UH-1N, (316th Wing)
  • VC-25A, Air Force One (89th Airlift Wing)


History

Opened on 2 May 1943, the base was originally known as Camp Springs Army Air Base. It was renamed to Andrews Field on 7 February 1945 in honor of Lt. General Frank Maxwell Andrews
Frank Maxwell Andrews
Frank Maxwell Andrews was a general officer in the United States Army and one of the founding fathers of the United States Air Force. In leadership positions within the Army Air Corps, he succeeded in advancing progress toward a separate and independent Air Force where predecessors and allies...

 (1884–1943). General Andrews organized and commanded the General Headquarters, Air Force (1935–1939), and at the time of his death on 3 May 1943 in the crash of a B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...

 in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

, he was Commanding General, United States Forces, European Theater of Operations.

Operational history

The military history of Andrews AFB began in the 1860s during the Civil War when Union troops occupied a small country church near Camp Springs, Maryland
Camp Springs, Maryland
Camp Springs is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 17,968 at the 2000 census. Camp Springs is not an official post office designation, but rather the area is divided between the surrounding mailing addresses...

, as sleeping quarters. At present, the same church is used on the base and is known as Chapel Two.

Established first as Camp Springs Army Air Field, Andrews' history began 25 August 1941, the day President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...

 wrote a letter to the secretary of war directing the use of the land on which the base now stands. Located 10 miles southeast of Washington, D.C., in Prince George's County, Md., the base was under construction during the remainder of 1942 and became operational 2 May 1943, with the arrival of the first Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...

.

Four 5500 feet (1,676.4 m) runways constructed by 1943; field then served mainly as Army Air Forces Headquarters base with secondary missions for fighter and bomber training. Developed as a B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...

 medium bomber training base 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...

. HQ Air Research and Development Command (later, Air Force Systems Command
Air Force Systems Command
Air Force Systems Command is a former United States Air Force command. Its headquarters was located at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland...

) moved to Andrews from Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...

, 24 June 1958. With the construction of new facilities beginning in 1959, Andrews had become by early 1962 the primary USAF flight installation serving the Washington, DC, area with the closing of the runway at Bolling AFB.

With the establishment of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 as a separate military service on 18 September 1947, the name was modified to Andrews AFB. Serving largely as a headquarters base in a curtailed operational capacity during the post-World War II years, the Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command was a Major Command of the United States Air Force responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.-Lineage:...

, 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 the Military Air Transport Service
Military Air Transport Service
The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...

 have been headquartered here. Headquarters Command held command reins at Andrews from 1947 through 1952 and again after 1957. Headquarters Military Air Transport Service controlled the base during the interim period.

The year 1947 marked the arrival of the first permanently assigned jet-powered aircraft, the F-80 Shooting Star, at Andrews. The long-lived and versatile training version of the F-80, the T-33, still played an important role in proficiency flying programs at Andrews more than 30 years later.

With the onset of 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...

 in June 1950, Andrews rapidly became involved in combat readiness training for B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...

 medium bomber crews. Combat readiness training and proficiency flying for military pilots assigned non-flying duties in the Washington area have remained two key elements in the local mission since the establishment of the base.

Andrews' air defense role was strengthened in the 1950s with the latest in fighter-interceptor hardware appearing on the flight line. 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:...

s, F-102 Delta Dagger
F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...

s and finally, 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...

s formed the backbone of the three fighter interceptor squadrons which operated from the base until 1963.

In the late 1950s Andrews began an annual open house and air show on base. This event later evolved into the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...

 Joint Services Open House, an annual event that now brings more than 700,000 visitors to the base every year. The open house is held every year over Armed Forces Day weekend.

In the years since 1959, Andrews' flight operations and importance have increased greatly. In 1961, the last of the Military Air Transport Service's flying units at Washington National Airport transferred to Andrews. This was followed a year later by the transfer to Andrews of all fixed-wing flying activities from Bolling Air Force Base
Bolling Air Force Base
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling is a military installation, located in Southeast Washington, D.C., established on 1 October 2010 in accordance with congressional legislation implementing the recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission...

. Andrews has become firmly established as the main port of entry for foreign military and government officials en route to Washington and the United States. In July 1961, the official presidential aircraft was stationed here, known as "Air Force One" when the president is on board. Before 1961, the presidential airplane had been kept at Washington National Airport and Bolling AFB.

In 1963, the Naval Air Facility (NAF), originally established at the former NAS Anacostia in 1919, moved to Andrews. The NAF handles Naval VIP flight operations. The Marine Corps detachment that flies the FA-18 Hornet is located here. Coast Guard Air Station Washington DC occupies space at Andrews AFB. Andrews AFB has evolved to become one of the most modern bases in the Air Force.

A tragic time for Andrews AFB occurred on 22 November 1963, when the 35th president of the United States was assassinated in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...

. The body of 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....

 arrived at Andrews at 6:08 p.m. the same evening, accompanied by his widow Jacqueline B. Kennedy
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis was the wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. Five years later she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle...

, newly sworn in President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...

 and his wife Ladybird. The air terminal was jammed with thousands of people, including the largest gathering of news media representatives ever assembled at any time on Andrews AFB. Since that time, Andrews has seen the arrival of other fallen leaders, but no other death has caused such national attention.

In a major reorganization, Headquarters Command, U.S. Air Force, was disbanded 1 July 1976, restructured under the 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...

 as the 76th Airlift Division
76th Airlift Division
The 76 Airlift Division was a division of the United States Air Force, activated on 1 March 1976, inactivated on 30 September 1977, reactivated on 15 December 1980, and then inactivated again on 1 October 1985....

 and transferred its headquarters from Bolling AFB to Andrews. The 76th remained the parent unit of the Andrews host command, redesignated as the 1st Air Base Wing.

In October 1977, the 76th Airlift Division became the 76th Military Airlift Wing. The 1st Air Base Wing was redesignated the 76th Air Base Group, and the 89th Military Airlift Wing became the 89th Military Airlift Group. The 76th MAW remained the parent unit at Andrews. On 15 December 1980, the 76th Airlift Division
76th Airlift Division
The 76 Airlift Division was a division of the United States Air Force, activated on 1 March 1976, inactivated on 30 September 1977, reactivated on 15 December 1980, and then inactivated again on 1 October 1985....

 was reestablished, the 76th Air Base Group became the 1776th Air Base Wing and the 89th Military Airlift Group became the 89th Military Airlift Wing. On 1 October 1985, the 76th Airlift Division was inactivated as the result of activation of the Headquarters Air Force District of Washington
Air Force District of Washington
Air Force District of Washington is composed of two wings and one group, the 11th Wing, the 79th Medical Wing and the 844th Communication Group at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility...

 at Bolling AFB. The 1776th Air Base Wing was designated the "host wing" for Andrews AFB and assumed base support responsibilities.

During Operation Desert Storm, Andrews handled 16,540 patients in makeshift hospital facilities located in the base tennis center.

On 12 July 1991, the 89th Military Airlift Wing was redesignated as the 89th Airlift Wing
89th Airlift Wing
The 89th Airlift Wing of the United States Air Force is based at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility and has an operational force of over 1,000 personnel...

 and assumed duties as the host wing at Andrews AFB. Support functions previously performed by the 1776th Air Base Wing now fall under the 89th and the 1776th was inactivated. With the consolidation of the two wings, the newly formed 89th Airlift Wing is one of the largest wings in Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....

 with a work force approaching 9,000 people.

Known as "The President's Wing," the 89th Airlift Wing
89th Airlift Wing
The 89th Airlift Wing of the United States Air Force is based at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility and has an operational force of over 1,000 personnel...

 continues to contribute to Andrews' rich history as the elite Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....

 wing for transporting VIPs around the world. Not only does Andrews provide service for America's senior officials, but also kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers, popes, and local and foreign military leaders make Andrews AFB their first stop in the United States.

On 5 January 2005 the Air Force reactivated the Air Force District of Washington
Air Force District of Washington
Air Force District of Washington is composed of two wings and one group, the 11th Wing, the 79th Medical Wing and the 844th Communication Group at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility...

 (AFDW) as the single Air Force voice for planning and implementing Air Force and joint solutions within the National Capital Region (NCR). This event brought with it significant changes at Andrews. On 12 May 2006, the 89th Medical Group at Andrews and the 11th Medical Group, Bolling Air Force Base
Bolling Air Force Base
Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling is a military installation, located in Southeast Washington, D.C., established on 1 October 2010 in accordance with congressional legislation implementing the recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission...

, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 combined into the 79th Medical Wing
79th Medical Wing
The 79th Medical Wing is the United States Air Force's single medical voice for planning and implementing Air Force and joint medical solutions within the National Capital Region...

 where it established its headquarters at Andrews. In June 2006, the 316th Wing stood up under the command of AFDW as the new host unit for Andrews Air Force Base and its nearly 50 tenant units to include organizations from the U.S. Army, the Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....

, Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...

, 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...

, Marine Corps Reserve and the Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...

. The activation of the 316th prompted the transfer of the 1st Helicopter Squadron from the 89th Airlift Wing to the 316th Operations Group. Finally, in May 2007 the AFDW, as well as the 844th Communications Group, transferred from Bolling AFB to Andrews AFB.

On 1 October 2010, following the recommendations of Base Realignment and Closure, 2005
Base Realignment and Closure, 2005
The preliminary 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list was released by the United States Department of Defense on May 13, 2005. It is the fifth Base Realignment and Closure proposal generated since the process was created in 1988. It recommends closing 33 major United States military bases and...

, the Air Force completed the merge of the 11th Wing and the 316th at Joint Base Andrews. The 11th Wing became the host base organization for Joint Base Andrews.

Previous names

  • Established as Camp Springs Air Base, 5 September 1942
  • Camp Springs Army Air Field, 8 April 1943
  • Andrews Field, 7 February 1945
  • Andrews Air Force Base, 24 June 1948 – 1 October 2009

Major commands to which assigned

  • First Air Force
    First Air Force
    The First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....

    , 5 September 1942
  • Continental Air Forces, 17 April 1945
Redesignated: 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...

, 21 March 1946
  • Military Air Transport Service
    Military Air Transport Service
    The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...

    , 16 November 1948
  • Bolling Field Command, 8 April 1949
Air Defense Command (Attached)
Eastern Air Defense Force
Eastern Air Defense Force
The Eastern Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...

, 13 August 1950 – 1 July 1963

  • Military Air Transport Service
    Military Air Transport Service
    The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...

    , 1 August 1952
  • Bolling Field Command, 1 October 1957
Redesignated: Headquarters Command, USAF, 17 March 1958
  • 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...

    , 1 July 1976
  • Air Force District of Washington
    Air Force District of Washington
    Air Force District of Washington is composed of two wings and one group, the 11th Wing, the 79th Medical Wing and the 844th Communication Group at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility...

    , 12 July 1991
  • Air Mobility Command
    Air Mobility Command
    Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....

    , 15 July 1994
  • Air Force District of Washington
    Air Force District of Washington
    Air Force District of Washington is composed of two wings and one group, the 11th Wing, the 79th Medical Wing and the 844th Communication Group at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility...

    , 22 June 2006–present


Major units assigned

  • 394th Base HQ & Air Base Squadron, 14 July 1943 – 10 April 1944
  • 122d AAF Base Unit, 10 April 1944 – 16 April 1945
  • 161st AAF Base Unit, 10 April 1944 – 15 November 1945
  • 64th AAF Base Unit, 16 April 1945 – 15 August 1947
  • 263d AAF (later AF) Base Unit, 17 March 1946 – 23 February 1948
  • 443d AAF (later AF) Base Unit, 25 June 1946 – 27 June 1949
  • HQ 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...

    , 20 October 1946 – 8 November 1948
  • 60th AAF (later AF) Base Unit, 21 October 1946 – 1 August 1948
  • AAF (later AF) Separation Point, 12 March 1947 – 27 October 1949
  • 3d Combat Fighter Wing VLR, 1 April 1947 – 15 August 1957
  • 311th Reconnaissance Wing (311th Air Division)
    311th Air Division
    The 311th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Strategic Air Command, being stationed at Forbes Air Force Base, Kansas...

    , 1 June 1947 – 19 June 1948
  • 2d Bombardment Group
    2d Bomb Wing
    The 2d Bomb Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Global Strike Command and Eighth Air Force. It is stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The wing is also the host unit at Barksdale...

    , 1 July – 24 September 1947
  • 44th Bombardment Group
    44th Missile Wing
    The 44th Missile Wing is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Twentieth Air Force, being assigned to Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. It was deactivated on 4 July 1994....

    , 1 July 1947 – 6 September 1948
  • 90th Bombardment Group, 1 July 1947 – 19 July 1948
  • 98th Bombardment Group
    98th Range Wing
    The 98th Range Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Air Warfare Center. The unit is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada as a tenant unit....

    , 1 July 1947 – 24 September 1947
  • 303d Bombardment Group
    303d Aeronautical Systems Wing
    The 303d Aeronautical Systems Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Material Command Aeronautical Systems Center. It is stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio as a tenant unit....

    , 1 July 1947 – 6 September 1948
  • 305th Bombardment Group
    305th Air Mobility Wing
    The 305th Air Mobility Wing is a United States Air Force strategic airlift and air refueling wing under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command...

    , 1 July 1947 – 6 September 1948
  • 306th Bombardment 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...

    , 1 July 1947 – 1 August 1948
  • 4th Fighter Wing
    4th Fighter Wing
    The 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....

    , 15 August 1947 – 25 April 1949
  • 33d Fighter Group
    33d Fighter Wing
    The 33d Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida where it is a tenant unit....

    , 25 August – 16 September 1947
  • HQ, Air Weather Service (AWS)
    Air Force Weather Agency
    The Air Force Weather Agency is a Field Operating Agency and the lead military meteorology center of the United States Air Force...

    , 22 November 1948 – 22 June 1958
  • HQ Airborne Air Control Service (AACS)
    Air Force Communications Agency
    The Air Force Network Integration Center , located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is a direct reporting unit of the Air Force Space Command...

    , 22 November 1948 – 14 January 1958
  • HQ Military Air Transport Service (MATS)
    Military Air Transport Service
    The Military Air Transport Service is an inactive Department of Defense Unified Command. Activated on 1 June 1948, MATS was a consolidation of the United States Navy Naval Air Transport Service and the United States Air Force Air Transport Command into a single, joint, unified command...

    , 1 December 1948 – 15 January 1958
  • 1050th (later 1401st, later 1001st) Air Base Wing, 1 April 1949 – 1 July 1969
  • 8500th Air Weather Wing, 1 September 1949 – 23 June 1951

  • 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
    335th Fighter Squadron
    The 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....

    , 13 August – 10 November 1950
  • 113th Fighter-Interceptor Wing
    113th Wing
    The United States Air Force's 113th Wing is an Air National Guard fighter unit located at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. The Wing is the only Air National Guard unit that resides in a state other than its base...

    , 1–16 February 1951
  • HQ Air Supply & Communication Service
    Air Resupply And Communications Service
    The Air Resupply And Communications Service is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was assigned to Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.- Mission :The mission of ARCS was:...

    , 23 February 1951 – 1 January 1954
  • 95th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
    95th Fighter Squadron
    The 95th Fighter Squadron was part of the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. It conducted advanced fighter training for the F-15 Eagle aircraft.-History:...

    , 1 November 1952 – 1 July 1963
  • 1401st (later 1001st, later 1st) Transport (later Airlift) Squadron
    1st Airlift Squadron
    The 1st Airlift Squadron is part of the 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. It conducts transport of various high-level U.S...

    , 24 August 1952–present
  • 85th Air Division, 5 September 1955 – 1 September 1958
  • 459th Troop Carrier (Later Military Airlift, later Air Refueling) Wing
    459th Air Refueling Wing
    The 459th Air Refueling Wing is an Air Force Reserve Command unit based at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility since 1954.-Overview:...

    , 26 January 1955–present
  • Aerial Port of Embarkation, 6 January 1958 – 15 February 1978
  • HQ Air Force Research & Development (later Systems Command)
    Air Force Systems Command
    Air Force Systems Command is a former United States Air Force command. Its headquarters was located at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland...

    , 24 January 1958 – 1 July 1992
  • Malcolm Grow USAF Medical Center, 1 August 1958–present
  • 1254th Air Transport (later 89th Military Airlift, later Airlift) Wing
    89th Airlift Wing
    The 89th Airlift Wing of the United States Air Force is based at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility and has an operational force of over 1,000 personnel...

    , 10 July 1961–present
  • 909th Troop Carrier (later Military Airlift) Group, 28 December 1962 – 1 July 1976
  • 6th Weather Wing, 8 October 1965 – 1 August 1975
  • 1st Air Base Wing, 1 July 1969 – 30 September 1977
  • 76th Airlift Division
    76th Air Division
    The 76th Airlift Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Military Airlift Command, assigned to Twenty-First Air Force, being stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland...

    , 1 March 1976 – 30 September 1977
Redesignated: 76th Military Airlift Wing, 30 September 1977 – 16 December 1980
Redesignated: 76th Airlift Division, 15 December 1980 – 1 October 1985
  • 1776th Air Base Wing, 15 December 1980 – 12 July 1991
  • 79th Medical Wing
    79th Medical Wing
    The 79th Medical Wing is the United States Air Force's single medical voice for planning and implementing Air Force and joint medical solutions within the National Capital Region...

    , 12 May 2006–present
  • 316th Wing
    316th Wing
    The 316th Wing is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force. It was the host wing at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, Maryland...

    , 1 June 2006 – 30 September 2010
  • 11th Wing
    11th Wing
    The 11th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force District of Washington. It is stationed at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility, Maryland. It is the host unit at Joint Base Andrews....

    , 1 October 2010 – present
  • Air Force District of Washington
    Air Force District of Washington
    Air Force District of Washington is composed of two wings and one group, the 11th Wing, the 79th Medical Wing and the 844th Communication Group at Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility...

    , 1 May 2007 – present
  • U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations Headquarters


Geography

Andrews Air Force Base is located at 38°48′13"N 76°52′17"W (38.803490, -76.871508), a few miles southeast of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 near the town of Morningside
Morningside, Maryland
Morningside is an incorporated town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 1,295 at the 2000 census. The town developed with the establishment of nearby Andrews Air Force Base and the federal Census Bureau. The government of the town is led by a mayor and town council...

. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the CDP has a total area of 6.8 sq mi (17.7 km²), all land. There are two runways on the base; the western runway is 11,300 ft (3,440 m) in length, and the eastern runway is 11,700 ft (3,570 m) in length. The minor 3rd runway between them at the top of the picture (above the cross-base roadway)is now closed, and the small T-shaped runway at the bottom right of the opening picture was closed and demolished by 2008. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sourceid=navclient&hl=en-GB&ie=UTF-8&q=andrews%20air%20force%20base&um=1&sa=N&tab=wl

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 7,925 people, 1,932 households, and 1,864 families residing in the CDP
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...

. 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 1,158.9 people per square mile (447.3/km²). There were 2,133 housing units at an average density of 311.9 sq mi (120.4/km²). The racial makeup of the base was 65.3% White, 22.8% African American, 0.6% Native American, 3.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.7% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.7% of the population.

There were 1,932 households out of which 75.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 86.1% 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, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 3.5% were non-families. 3.2% of all households were made up of individuals, none of whom was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.39 and the average family size was 3.44.

In the CDP the population is spread out with 35.0% under the age of 18, 16.3% from 18 to 24, 44.9% from 25 to 44, 3.6% from 45 to 64, and 0.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 119.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 126.0 males.

The median income for a household in the base was $44,310, and the median income for a family was $42,866. Males had a median income of $27,070 versus $27,308 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the base was $16,520. About 2.6% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including of the total population, 2.8% of those under the age of 18 and none of those 65 and older.

See also


Base Realignment and Closure 2005 Department of Defense Joint Basing Program:

  • Joint Base Lewis-McChord
    Joint Base Lewis-McChord
    Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....

  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
  • Joint Base Andrews
  • Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling
    Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling
    Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling is a military installation, located in Southeast Washington, D.C., established on 1 October 2010 in accordance with congressional legislation implementing the recommendations of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission...

  • Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall
    Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall
    Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall is a base of the United States military that is located in Virginia which is made up of Fort Myer, Fort McNair, and Henderson Hall. It was created as the result of the Base Realignment and Closure, 2005 process...

  • Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
    Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
    Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is a United States military facility adjacent to Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. It is an amalgamation of the former United States Air Force Elmendorf Air Force Base and the United States Army Fort Richardson, which were merged in 2010.-Overview:The...


  • Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
    Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam
    Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is a United States military facility adjacent to Honolulu, Hawaii. It is an amalgamation of the former United States Air Force Hickam Air Force Base and the United States Navy Naval Base Pearl Harbor, which were merged in 2010.-Overview:Joint Base Pearl...

  • Joint Base San Antonio
    Joint Base San Antonio
    Joint Base San Antonio is a United States military facility located in San Antonio, Texas. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 502d Air Base Wing, Air Education and Training Command ....

  • Joint Base Charleston
    Joint Base Charleston
    Joint Base Charleston is a United States military facility located in North Charleston, South Carolina. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 628th Air Base Wing, Air Mobility Command...

  • Joint Base Langley-Eustis
    Joint Base Langley-Eustis
    Joint Base Langley–Eustis is a United States military facility located in Hampton and Newport News, Virginia. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 633rd Air Base Wing, Air Combat Command...

  • Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story
    Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story
    Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story is a base of the United States military that is located in the Virginia Beach, Virginia which is made up of Fort Story and Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek. It was created as the result of the Base Realignment and Closure, 2005 process...

  • Joint Region Marianas
    Joint Region Marianas
    Joint Region Marianas is a United States military facility located on Guam. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Navy.-Overview:...



External links

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