Bergstrom Air Force Base
Encyclopedia
For the civil use of this facility and airport information, see Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is a mixed-use commercial airport located southeast of the central business district of Austin, Texas, United States. It covers and has two runways and three helipads.The airport began passenger service on May 23, 1999...


Bergstrom Air Force Base (1942–1993) was a 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 seven miles (11 km) southeast of downtown Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...

. It was activated 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...

 as a troop carrier training airfield, and was 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 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...

. In its later years, it was transferred to the 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) and became a major base for the U.S. 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...

's RF-4C
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...

 reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....

 fighter fleet. At the time of its closure, it was assigned to the 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 ....

 (ACC).

History

Del Valle Airfield (aka Del Valle Army Air Base) was activated on 19 September 1942 on 3,000 acres (12 km²) leased from the City of Austin. The lease agreement stipulated that the land would revert back to the city if the government abandoned it.

The name of the base was changed to Bergstrom Army Airfield (AAF) on 3 March 1943, in honor of Captain John August Earl Bergstrom, a reservist in the 19th Bombardment Group, who was killed at Clark Field, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

 on December 8, 1941. He was the first Austinite killed 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...

. The base was again renamed Bergstrom Field on November 11, 1943.

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...

 in September 1947, the name of Bergstrom again changed to Bergstrom Air Force Base on 24 June 1948.

Major commands which Bergstrom was assigned were:
  • Army Air Service Command, 23 May 1942 - 19 June 1942
  • Third Air Force 19 June 1942 - 4 October 1942
  • I Troop Carrier Command 4 October 1942 - 16 April 1945
  • Continental Air Forces 16 April 1945 - 23 March 1946
  • Tactical Air Command 23 March 1946 - 1 December 1948
  • Continental Air Command 1 December 1948 - 21 March 1949
  • Strategic Air Command 21 March 1949 - 1 July 1957
  • Tactical Air Command 1 July 1957 - 1 October 1958
  • Strategic Air Command 1 October 1958 - 1 July 1966
  • Tactical Air Command 1 July 1966 - 1 June 1992
  • Air Combat Command 1 June 1992 - Closing


Host units assigned to Bergstrom were:
  • United States Army Air Force
    • 316th Troop Carrier Group
      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...

    • 89th Troop Carrier Group
      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...

    • 349th Troop Carrier Group
      349th Air Mobility Wing
      The 349th Air Mobility Wing is the largest associate reserve wing in the United States Air Force. In partnership with its active duty host wing, the 60th Air Mobility Wing the 349 AMW flies, maintains and supports the C-5 Galaxy, KC-10 Extender, C-17 Globemaster III...

    • 62d Troop Carrier Group
      62d Airlift Wing
      The 62d Airlift Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. It is assigned to the Eighteenth Air Force of Air Mobility Command and is active duty host wing on McChord. The wing is composed of more than 7,200 active duty military and civilian...

    • 313th Troop Carrier Group

  • 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...

    • 447th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy)
    • 27th Strategic Fighter Wing
    • 4130th Strategic Wing
    • 340th Bombardment Wing
    • 75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
      75th Air Base Wing
      The 75th Air Base Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Hill Air Force Base, Ogden Utah.-Mission:Provide base operating support for the Ogden Air Logistics Center, the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings, 84th Combat Sustainment Wing, 309th Maintenance Wing, 526th ICBM Systems Wing,...

    • 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing
      67th Network Warfare Wing
      The 67th Network Warfare Wing , Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, was reactivated October 1, 1993 as the 67th Intelligence Wing. The wing was re-designated the 67th Information Operations Wing on February 1, 2001...

    • 602nd Tactical Air Control Wing

World War II

The mission of Bergstrom 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...

 and the early postwar years was the training of transport aircraft aircrews. Generally, aircrews were formed at other airfields and received their primary training there. Once that was completed, they received advanced training at Bergstrom before moving on to their operational units overseas.

The airfield support groups at Bergstrom (identified as AAF Base Units) provided all the support functions necessary for the administration and operation of the airfield. During the war these were designated as:
  • 442d AAF Base Unit, 26 September 1942 - 15 April 1944
  • 807th AAF Base Unit, 15 April 1944 - 6 October 1948

316th Troop Carrier Group

  • At Bergstrom: 29 September 1942 - 12 November 1942
  • Flew: C-47,C-53
  • Squadrons: 36th
    36th Airlift Squadron
    The 36th Airlift Squadron is the only forward-based tactical airlift squadron in the Pacific Area of Responsibility. Formerly an Air Mobility Command unit, and a Military Airlift Command and a Tactical Air Command unit before that, the squadron is now part of Pacific Air Forces...

    , 37th, 39th
    39th Airlift Squadron
    The 39th Airlift Squadron is a United States Air Force unit based at Dyess Air Force Base, Abilene, Texas. The unit flies the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.-Mission:...

    , 44th, 45th Troop Carrier Squadrons
    45th Airlift Squadron
    The 45th Airlift Squadron is part of the 314th Airlift Wing at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. It operates C-21 aircraft training pilots for executive airlift.-History:...



The 316th TCG arrived from Lawson AAF, Georgia and trained with C-47 and C-53 aircraft.

After leaving Bergstrom it transferred to the Mediterranean theater, being assigned to Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....

 and began operations in November 1942. The group transported supplies and evacuated casualties in support of the Allied drive across North Africa.

89th Troop Carrier Group

  • At Bergstrom: 14 December 1942 - April 1944
  • Flew: DC-3, C-47
  • Squadrons: 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 30th, 31st Troop Carrier Squadrons


The 89th TCG was the main training unit at Bergstrom during the war. It provided transition training for pilots, using DC-3s and later C-47s. Began training replacement crews in March 1944.

The unit was disbanded on 14 April 1944.

349th Troop Carrier Group

  • At Bergstrom: 17 September 1945 - 7 September 1946
  • Flew: C-46
  • Squadrons: 23d, 312th, 313th
    313th Airlift Squadron
    The 313th Airlift Squadron is located at McChord Air Force Base, Washington. It is part of the 446th Airlift Wing and operationally flies the C-17 Globemaster jet transport. The mission of the 313 AS consists of airlift, aerial delivery, and aerial refueling on a worldwide basis...

    , 314th Troop Carrier Squadrons


The 349th TCG arrived at Bergstrom from Roye/Amy Airfield, France after World War II ended. Its mission was to train Nationalist Chinese crews to operate the C-46 Commando transport aircraft.

It was deactivated on 7 September 1946.

62d Troop Carrier Group

  • At Bergstrom: 7 September 1946 - 14 August 1947
  • Flew: C-82, C-54
  • Squadrons: 8th Troop Carrier Squadron
    8th Airlift Squadron
    The 8th Airlift Squadron is part of the 62d Airlift Wing as McChord Air Force Base, Washington. It operates C-17 Globemaster III aircraft supporting the United States Air Force global reach mission world wide.-History:...



The 8th TCG activated at Bergstrom and trained using pilots and aircrews in C-82 and C-54 aircraft. Once training was completed, it transferred to McChord Field (now McChord AFB), Washington in August 1947.

313th Troop Carrier Group

  • At Bergstrom: 15 July 1947 - 22 October 1948

  • Flew: C-82

  • Squadrons: 48th Troop Carrier Squadron
    48th Airlift Squadron
    The 48th Airlift Squadron is part of the 314th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. It operates C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, conducting pilot and loadmaster training for airlift and airdrop operations.-History:...



The 313th TCG trained at Bergstrom for participation in the Berlin airlift. Once training was completed, it transferred to the RAF base at Fassberg Germany, arriving on 9 November 1948 to take part in the airlift.

Strategic Air Command

With the end of World War II, and the creation of the U. S. Air Force in 1947, the mission of Bergstrom was changed from cargo transport and troop airlift to that of a 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...

 base. With the departure of the 347th TCG in 1948, the runways were extended to accommodate the new generation of jet aircraft.

447th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy)

The first SAC unit to use Bergstrom was the 447th Bombardment Group equipped with the Boeing 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...

. Operational squadrons were:
  • 708th Bombardment Squadron
  • 709th Bombardment Squadron


The 447th was a former Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....

 B-17 Flying Fortress unit that was allocated to the Reserves in 1945. It was activated at Bergstrom on 12 August 1947 with two squadrons of B-29s and returned to operational status flying training missions.

On 26 June 1949, the unit was transferred to Castle AFB, 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...

.

27th Fighter Wing

On 16 March 1949, the 27th Fighter Wing was transferred to Bergstom from Kearney AFB
Kearney Air Force Base
Kearney Air Force Base , was a military airport located four nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Kearney, a city in Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States. After its closure, it was redeveloped into Kearney Regional Airport....

, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....

 under the 8th Air Force. Operational squadrons were:
  • 522d Fighter Squadron
  • 523d Fighter Squadron
  • 524th Fighter Squadron


Initially flying the North American F-82E/F/G Twin Mustang
F-82 Twin Mustang
The North American F-82 Twin Mustang was the last American piston-engine fighter ordered into production by the United States Air Force. Based on the P-51 Mustang, the F-82 was originally designed as a long-range escort fighter in World War II; however, the war ended well before the first...

 the wing flew the F-82E as daylight escort fighters for SAC's Boeing B-29 Superfortresses
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...

. The F-82F/G models operated as night fighters equipped with RADAR
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...

. They were painted black and had flame-dampened exhausts.

The 27th SFW transitioned to jet aircraft with Republic Aviation F-84E Thunderjet
F-84 Thunderjet
The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...

 in 1950, and was redesignated the 27th Fighter-Escort Wing on 1 February. The wing won the Mackay Trophy for successful deployment of 90 F-84s from Bergstrom AFB, to Furstenfeldbruck Air Base
Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base
Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base is a German Air Force airfield located near the town of Fürstenfeldbruck in Bavaria, near Munich, Germany....

, West Germany
West 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....

, in September 1950, via Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...

, Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...

, 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...

, and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. This was the first long-range mass flight of jet aircraft in aviation history.

Korean War

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...

, the 27th SFW deployed to Yokota AB, Japan on 19 November 1950, then split into two echelons. The advance echelon deployed at Taegu AB, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

 on 1 December 1950, while the rear echelon deployed at Itazuke AB, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 on 9 December.

From Tageu the wing flew combat missions in Korea until 1 February 1951 including armed reconnaissance, interdiction, fighter escort, and close air support missions then returned to Bergstrom. The two echelons then recombined at Itazuke and continued combat from that base. From Itazuke, the 27th provided close support for largest airborne operation of the Korean War and escorted B-29 bombers to the Yalu River
Yalu River
The Yalu River or the Amnok River is a river on the border between North Korea and the People's Republic of China....

 in North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...

, coming into conflict with enemy Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 was a jet fighter developed for the USSR by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful swept-wing jet fighters, and it achieved fame in the skies over Korea, where early in the war, it outclassed all straight-winged enemy fighters in...

 fighters.

The 27th returned to Bergstrom in July 1951, but deployed to Misawa AB, Japan during 6 October 1952 - 13 February 1953 to provide air defense.

Cold War

On 20 January 1953 the wing was redesignated as the 27th Strategic Fighter Wing.

Wing pilot Capt Forrest W. Wilson, in an F-84G, won the Allison Trophy jet aircraft race of the National Aircraft Show at Dayton, Ohio, on 6 September 1953, flying the 110.3 miles (177.5 km) course at an average speed of 537.802 mi/h in 12:17.2 minutes.

From June 1953 - June 1957 the 27th had air refueling as an additional mission, with the 27th Air Refueling Squadron flying the KB-29P
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...

 aerial tanker.

On 1 July 1957, the 27th was redesigned the 27th Fighter-Bomber Wing and was assigned to 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...

. It also received the new McDonnell F-101A Voodoo
F-101 Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...

. Consisting of the 481st, 522d, and 523d Fighter-Bomber squadrons, the mission of the 27th FBW was to deliver a centerline nuclear bomb to a target. The F-101A was capable of little else and although designated as a fighter aircraft, it had poor aerial combat capabilities and would not have fared well in any air-to-air combat against enemy aircraft.

Maj Adrian E. Drew, wing F-101 project officer, broke the world speed record on 12 December 1957 when he flew an F-101A over a Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...

 course at 1212.8 mi/h in one direction and 1207.5 mi/h in the opposite direction.

HQ USAF redesignated the wing the 27th Tactical Fighter Wing on 1 July 1958 as part of a worldwide naming change. On 18 February 1959, the 27 Tactical Fighter Wing deactivated in place, being immediately reactivated at Cannon AFB, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...

 as a North American F-100 Super Sabre
F-100 Super Sabre
The 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...

 Wing.

12th Fighter-Escort Wing

The SAC 12th Fighter-Escort Wing
12th Flying Training Wing
The 12th Flying Training Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas...

 was transferred to Bergstrom on 1 December from Turner Air Force Base
Turner Air Force Base
Turner Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base whose site is located within the current city limits of Albany, Georgia. Following its closure as a USAF installation in the late 1960s, it was transferred to the U.S. Navy and renamed Naval Air Station Albany...

, Georgia to replace the 27th Fighter Escort Group that had just departed for service in 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...

. As the 12th FEW expanded, the new personnel were obtained from the men of the 27th FEW and the 31st FEW who were not involved with their previous units deployments.

Operational squadrons were:
  • 559th Fighter Escort Squadron
    559th Flying Training Squadron
    The 559th Flying Training Squadron is part of the 12th Flying Training Wing based at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. It operates the T-6 Texan II conducting flying training.-History:...

  • 560th Fighter Escort Squadron
  • 561st Fighter Escort Squadron


On 12 December the 559th Fighter Escort Squadron received their first three Republic F-84E Thunderjets, and would have received a fourth, but it crashed en route from Turner AFB to its refueling stop at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

. The 559th was forced to immediately reject these aircraft as mission capable, as they were fitted with the "solid lobe" J35-A-17B engines, which were not deemed robust enough for SAC's extended length missions.

In January 1951 the 559th FES and the 560th FES began sending their pilots to the Matagorda Island Gunnery Range, off the southeastern coast of Texas, for gunnery training. The new 561st did not have any aircraft assigned as yet. The 12th FEG, although managing to keep 80% of their aircraft in commission, was experiencing a high rate of bearing and turbine failures with the J35 engines in their Thunderjets.

On 27 April, the 12th FEW made its first very long cross-country (X-C) mission in the F-84, to visit the 31st FEW at Turner. On the return leg the following day one F-84 was lost over Louisiana, but its pilot successfully bailed out.

On 7 June, the 12th FEW started a mission to Patterson AFB, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

 that would result in one of the worst non-combat incidents in history. Eight F-84s were lost, three pilots were killed, two had major injuries, and the remaining three were "relatively unharmed".

On 3 and 4 July, the 12th FEW transferred forty of F-84ES 84Es to Alameda Naval Air Station, 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...

 for sea shipment to Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

, and they returned to Bergstrom on aircraft on the night of the 4th. Then, on 12 July all remaining aircraft were transferred across the flightllne to the 27th Fighter Escort Wing that was just returning from Korea.

On 9 July a Warning Order arrived to prepare for a transfer to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. The majority of the 12th FEW's personnel and equip were deployed to RAF Manston
RAF Manston
RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long...

, England by 21 July. At Manston, they obtained the aircraft of the 31st Fighter Escort Wing that was now headed back to Turner AFB. In England the wing was assigned to SAC's 7th Air Division, the 12th FEW was tasked them with the defense of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

 in addition to their other missions. The squadrons began rotating to Wheelus AB, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....

, in September for gunnery practice.

In November all of the 12th FEW's assets were turned the 123rd Fighter Bomber Wing at RAF Manston when the activated 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...

 wing arrived in England and the personnel of the 12th were returned to Bergstrom. Upon their return to Bergstrom the 12th FEW picked up a pair of the now antique F-84Ds, and started to reequip with F-84Gs as they became available from Republic.

In April 1953 a new program, Task Force 132.4, was started. By the end of the month the Task Force had thirty-nine officers and 123 airmen assigned. In June this detachment and the 561st FES was detached from the 12th FEW and sent to Brookley AFB, Alabama for modifications to their F-84Gs to prepare them for nuclear armament delivery. The Task Force also sent a detachment to Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field (now Creech AFB), Nevada for atomic tests where they remained for six weeks and then returned to the unit to be monitored for radiation contamination.

Between May and August 1953 the 12th FEW, now designated as the 12th Strategic Fighter Wing pulled a rotational stint at Misawa Air Base
Misawa Air Base
right|thumb|A US Navy C-2 at Misawa is a United States military facility located northeast of the railway station in Misawa, west of the Pacific Ocean, northeast of Towada, northwest of Hachinohe, and north of Tokyo, in Aomori Prefecture, in the Tōhoku region in the northern part of the...

, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, relieving the 508th SFW, and being relieved in turn by the 506th S. They would return to Misawa for another tour in the air defense role between May and August 1954.

By 1957, the USAF B-52 bombers entering SAC's inventory flew so fast and so high that they were virtually immune from fighters. In addition, the World War II concept of groups of bombers attacking an individual target had been replaced by the use of an individual bomber carrying one nuclear weapon to a target, not a formation of them. In addition, the F-84s simply couldn't keep up with them.

The fighter wings at Bergstrom were deemed no longer necessary, so the wing was transferred to 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...

 on 1 July 1957 and redesignated as the 12th Fighter-Day Wing. It was inactivated on 8 January 1958.

4130th Strategic Wing

With the inactivation of the 12th and the departure of the 27th fighter wing to New Mexico, Bergstrom returned to 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...

 with the arrival of the 4130th Strategic Wing on 1 October 1958, flying Boeing B-52D Stratofortresses
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...

 of the 335th Bombardment Squadron and Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers
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...

 of the 910th Air Refueling Squadron.

The 4130th SW was under SACs 19th Air Division of Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....

.

The 4130th SW was part of SAC developing a plan to disburse its bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union
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. The 4130th consisted of 15 B-52Ds, dispersed from the 95th Bombardment Wing at Biggs AFB
Biggs Army Airfield
Biggs Army Airfield or Biggs AAF is a military airport located at Fort Bliss near El Paso, El Paso County, Texas, in the United States. The airfield was previously Biggs Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command installation, between 1947 and 1966. The U.S. Army began operations supporting Ft...

 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...

. At Bergstrom, half of the 4130th was kept on fifteen minute alert, fully fueled, armed, and ready for combat. The remaining planes were used for training in bombardment missions and air refueling operations.

To provide air defense of the base, United States Army Nike-Hercules Surface-to-air missile sites were constructed during 1959. Sites were located near Austin (BG-80) 30°18′53"N 097°52′00"W and Elroy (BG-40) 30°05′50"N 097°35′16"W, Texas and were active between November 1960 and June 1966.

340th Bombardment Wing

The Strategic Wing designation was phased out at Bergstrom on 1 September 1963 when the 4130th was re-designated the 340th Bombardment Wing. The 340th Bomb Wing consisted of the following operational squadrons:
  • 486th Bombardment Squadron (B-52D)
  • 910th Air Refueling Squadron (KC-135)


The 340th BW was under SAC's 19th Air Division of Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....

.

In the 1960s, Bergstrom Air Force Base became the airfield where 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...

 flew into and out of often when 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...

 traveled between 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....

 and his ranch near Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...

, 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...

. The base was almost closed in 1965 due to Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...

 budget cuts.

In 1969, Bergstrom Air Force Base began an "open house" in conjunction with the Austin Aqua Festival
Austin Aqua Festival
The Austin Aqua Festival was a ten day festival held the first week of August on the shores of Town Lake in Austin, Texas from 1962 until 1998...

 and titled it Aero-Fest. In addition to the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
The Thunderbirds are the air demonstration squadron of the U.S. Air Force , based at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada. The squadron tours the United States and much of the world, performing aerobatic formation and solo flying in specially marked USAF jet aircraft...

 performing, the gathering showed off many military airplanes and other hardware. A crowd favorite was a Lockheed C-5A Galaxy
C-5 Galaxy
The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. It provides the United States Air Force with a heavy intercontinental-range strategic airlift capability, one that can carry outsize and oversize cargos, including all air-certifiable cargo. The Galaxy has many...

, which visitors would walk through to get to the main display area. Aero-Fest was an instant success and in just two years, it was drawing 80,000 people to the base.

The 340th continued SAC global strategic bombardment training and air refueling operations until July 1966 when the 340th BW was inactivated and Bergstrom was again transferred to Tactical Air Command. With the inactivation of the 340th BW, Bergstrom's B-52s were sent to the 86th Bombardment Squadron/22d Bomb Wing at March AFB, 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...

.

Tactical Reconnaissance

After July 1966, Bergstom was again under the control of the TAC and housed the headquarters for the Twelfth Air Force, which was responsible for all Tactical Air Command reconnaissance, fighter, and tactical airlift operations west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...

. The new 12th Air Force headquarters building was completed in August 1968. The unique circular structure became an icon of the base and was nicknamed "The Doughnut" and "The Roundagon."

75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing

The 75th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was activated at Bergstrom on 1 July 1966. The 75th TRS's mission was to train RF-4C pilots for duty in Southeast Asia and to provide replacement aircraft to the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Tan Son Nhut Air Base
Tan Son Nhut Air Base
Tan Son Nhut Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. It is located near the city of Saigon in southern Vietnam. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...

 and the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Udon Royal Thai Air Force Base
Udon Thani International Airport
Udonthani International Airport is an airport located near the city of Udon Thani in Udon Thani Province in the northeast region of Thailand. It is approximately 280 miles northeast of Bangkok...

. Its operational squadrons were:
  • 4th Tactical Reconnaissance: 18 November 1966 - 15 July 1971 (BB)(blue tail stripe)
  • 9th Tactical Reconnaissance: 10 October 1968 - 15 July 1971 (yellow tail stripe) (BC)
  • 14th Tactical Reconnaissance: 3 April 1967 - 6 November 1967
  • 91st Tactical Reconnaissance: 1 July 1967 - 15 July 1971 (BA)


Notes:
  • 9th TRS transferred to 75th TRW from 363d TRW, Shaw AFB South Carolina.
  • 14th TRS deployed PCS to 432d TRW, Udon RTAFB, Thailand 6 November 1967.


With the drawdown at the close of 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...

, the 75th TRW was inactivated in place its and resources passed to the 67th TRW, activated on 15 July 1971.

67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing

The 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing was transferred to Bergstrom from Mountain Home Air Force Base
Mountain Home Air Force Base
Mountain Home Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in southwestern Idaho, United States. The base is in Elmore County, 12 miles southwest of the city of Mountain Home, which is 40 miles southeast of Boise, via Interstate 84.The host unit at Mountain Home since 1972...

 Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....

 on 15 July 1971 when the 366th TFW
366th Fighter Wing
The 366th Fighter Wing is a Fighter Wing of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho...

 returned from Da Nang Air Base
Da Nang Air Base
Da Nang Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...

 to Mountain Home and the base's mission was changed. When the 67th moved to Texas , it concentrated on maintaining tactical reconnaissance mission forces capable of meeting worldwide operational requirements.

The 67th TRW operational squadrons were:
  • 12th Tactical Reconnaissance: 31 August 1971 - 30 September 1993 (orange tail stripe) (BC/BA)
  • 45th Tactical Reconnaissance
    45th Reconnaissance Squadron
    The 45th Reconnaissance Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 55th Operations Group and stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.-Overview:...

    : 31 August 1971 - 31 October 1975 (BB/BA)
    Reactivated 1 April 1982 - 30 September 1989 (blue tail stripe)
  • 62d Tactical Reconnaissance Training: 1 July 1982 - 31 December 1989 (gold/yellow tail stripe)
  • 91st Tactical Reconnaissance: 15 July 1971 - 30 August 1993 (red tail stripe)


Tail codes of the 67th TRW aircraft after June 1972 was "BA".

Notes:
  • 75th TFW's 4th TFS and 9th TRS assigned to 67th TRW 15 July 1971 through 31 August 1971.
    Squadrons redesignated 12th TRS and 45th TRS on 31 August 1971.
  • 62d TRTS transferred to 67th TRW from 363d TRW, Shaw AFB, South Carolina.
  • 45th TRS reactivated 1982 with aircraft transferred from 32d TRS, 363d TRW, Shaw AFB


The 67th TRW conducted reconnaissance training of USAF, US Marine Corps, and allied RF-4 reconnaissance aircrews between 1982–1989; acted as adviser to Air National Guard reconnaissance units until 1992; performed reconnaissance missions supporting the US Customs Service, 1983–1992; hosted the TAC-sponsored worldwide tactical reconnaissance competition at Bergstrom in 1986, 1988, and 1990.

In 1979 the Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...

 visited Bergstrom, followed by the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...

s Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...

and Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery
Space Shuttle Discovery is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States, and was operational from its maiden flight, STS-41-D on August 30, 1984, until its final landing during STS-133 on March 9, 2011...

aboard their NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...

 Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...

 carrier aircraft in 1981 and 1985, respectively.

On 30 September 1989 the 45th TRS was deactivated in conjunction with other RF-4C squadrons and transferred some aircraft to the 189th TRS of the Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....

 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...

 for reconnaissance training. On 31 December, the 62d TRTS was also deactivated with its aircraft going to AMARC.

During the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...

, the 67th TRW deployed personnel and aircraft in support of operations in Southwest Asia in 1991, photographing enemy targets, conducting searches for enemy missile sites, tracking movement of the Iraqi Republican Guard and oil slicks, and conducting overall battle damage assessment.

On 1 October 1991 the wing was redesignated as the 67th Reconnaissance Wing, and on 1 June 1992 assigned to 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 ....

.

In 1992, Bergstrom was realigned as an Air Force Reserve base by Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...

 (BRAC).
  • 91st RS was deactivated on 30 August 1993
  • 12th RS was deactivated on 30 September 1993


The wing's RF-4C aircraft were sent to AMARC for disposal. The 67th Reconnaissance Wing and all subordinate units of the wing was formally deactivated on 30 September 1993.

Air Force Reserve

In March 1976, the Air Force Reserve 924th Tactical Airlift Group moved to Bergstrom from Ellington Air Force Base near Houston. The 704th Tactical Airlift Squadron (TAS) flew early model Lockheed C-130A/B 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...

.

F-4D/E

On 1 July 1981 the C-130s were transferred to the 757th TAS at Youngstown ARS, Ohio. The 704th was redesignated as the 924th Tactical Fighter Group, with the 704th Tactical Fighter Squadron being re-equipped with McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom IIs
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...

 from 474th TFW at Nellis AFB Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...

.

In mid-1982, the F-4Ds were sent to the 89th TFS at Wright-Patterson AFB Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

, with lower-hour F-4Ds arriving from Kusan AB South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...

 and the 52d TFW at Spangdahlem Air Base
Spangdahlem Air Base
Spangdahlem Air Base is a United States Air Force base located near the small German town of Spangdahlem, approximately 30 km NNE of the city of Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate.-Units:...

 West Germany
West 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....

. In 1989 converted to the F-4E arriving from the 4th TFW at Seymour Johnson AFB North Carolina
North Carolina
North 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...

.

In July 1991 Bergstrom ended up on a list of 75 military facilities under study for closure by the post-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...

 Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...

 Commission. This was largely due to the retirement of RF-4C aircraft from the USAF inventory. The decision was made to retain the Air Force Reserve's 924th TFG in an enclosed area of Bergstrom when the base was converted to a civilian airport. All other active-duty USAF activities were to be inactivated or relocated.

F-16A/B/C/D

The F-4s were sent to AMARC in the summer of 1991 when the first General Dynamics Block 15 F-16A/B Fighting Falcons
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...

 arrived from the 31st TFW at Homestead AFB, 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...

. In 1994 the squadron upgraded to the Block 32 F-16C/D from Nellis AFB, Nevada and the 924th was upgraded from Fighter Group to Fighter Wing status.

On September 30, 1993, the active-duty 67th TRW was deactivated and on the installation was officially closed as an active Air Force Base.

The Air Force Reserve took additional actions resulting from the 1995 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission recommendations and force structure decisions. The AFRES 924th Fighter Wing started drawing down on 31 March 1996 and inactivated when Bergstrom was officially closed on 30 September 1996.

The 924th's F-16C/D fighter aircraft were transferred to the 93d FS at Homestead ARB 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...

 to replace older F-16A/B aircraft.

This temporarily ended all military presence at Bergstrom until the arrival of rotary-wing aircraft of the Texas Army National Guard, a presence which continues today.

Post-USAF use

During the 1970s, Austin's municipal airport, Robert Mueller Municipal Airport
Robert Mueller Municipal Airport
Robert Mueller Municipal Airport served the Austin, Texas, United States, area until it was replaced by the Austin Bergstrom International Airport and subsequently closed in 1999...

, became crowded and noise complaints increased from residents of the lower-income housing subdivisions built in the flight path. The city approached the Air Force in 1978 to propose a shared civil-military airport at Bergstrom, but the original proposal and further ones in 1981 and 1984 were also rejected. The Air Force rejected the 1978 and 1984 proposals because of operational concerns. The 1981 proposal included a new runway on the west side of the base. Dubbed "Bergstrom West", the plan did not get approved because the Austin City Council rejected any joint use control arrangement required by the Air Force.

With the closure of Bergstrom AFB in 1993, a bond was raised for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is a mixed-use commercial airport located southeast of the central business district of Austin, Texas, United States. It covers and has two runways and three helipads.The airport began passenger service on May 23, 1999...

. Much of the former air base, including most buildings, trees, and structures, were completely demolished, with a few exceptions, such as the Twelfth Air Force Headquarters (which was converted into a hotel) and the original 12250 feet (3,733.8 m) runway, which was refurbished for commercial use.

See also

  • Central Air Defense Force
    Central Air Defense Force
    The Central Air Defense Force is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri. It was deactivated on July 1, 1960.-History:...

     (Air Defense Command)
  • Texas World War II Army Airfields
    Texas World War II Army Airfields
    In today's United States Air Force, many personnel have spent some of their military service being trained in Texas during World War II. Be it basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, technical training, officer training, or flight training at other facilities across the state...

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