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52-466: Download coordinates as: United States ferry pilots delivered aircraft to Ladd Army Airfield in Fairbanks, Alaska . There each aircraft was serviced by USAAF personnel in preparation for Soviet inspection. After Soviet inspectors accepted the aircraft, five regiments of ferry pilots conveyed aircraft from Fairbanks to Soviet pilot training facilities near Krasnoyarsk . Each regiment was assigned to

104-585: A "recent reevaluation of the Air Defense Master Plan". By September 1960, Air Force flying operations ceased at Ladd AFB, while announcements confirmed that the Army would take over the installation. By 1960, operations at Ladd AFB had already diminished from the height of activity in the mid-1950s. The last fighter squadron, the 449th, was inactivated in August 1960. Remaining operations included

156-531: A USAF Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor took off for a training mission. At approximately 1900 hrs., the base reported that the aircraft was overdue and missing. USAF rescue teams were reported to be concentrating their search for the missing plane and pilot in Denali National Park . The F-22's crash site was found about 100 miles north of Anchorage near the town of Cantwell, Alaska . The pilot, of

208-422: A USAF Douglas SC-47 stalled after takeoff from Elmendorf AFB and crashed, killing 13 of 20 occupants. Engine failure was blamed as the cause of the crash. On December 26, 1968, a commercial Pan American Boeing 707 landed at Elmendorf AFB instead of Anchorage International Airport because of weather conditions. Clearance was delayed several times to accommodate other traffic. When they finally got clearance,

260-529: A bend of the Chena River , consisting of an airfield, hangars, housing and support buildings. Many of these buildings still stand today. Alaska's transportation infrastructure at the time was so limited and the problem of military supply so acute it made sense to concentrate the bases along existing supply lines near Anchorage and Fairbanks . Ladd's location near the Richardson Highway and

312-517: A busy operations and logistics center with significantly expanded facilities and personnel strength. As the northern region headquarters of the 11th Air Division, the base was the logistical support center for Alaska's new defense projects. Ladd supported Aircraft Control & Warning (AC&W) sites and forward operating bases such as Galena, Alaska , the northwestern segments of the Distant Early Warning Line (DEW Line), and

364-441: A flock of Canada geese , killing all on board. The aircraft, serial number 77-0354, and using call sign Yukla 27, lost power in two of the four engines, subsequently crashing into a wooded area less than a mile from the end of the runway. On 28 July 2010, a USAF Boeing C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft practicing for an upcoming airshow crashed into a wooded area within the base, killing all four air crew members; three from

416-442: A routine basis. The 1980s witnessed a period of growth and modernization of Elmendorf AFB. During 1982, the 21st Tactical Fighter Wing converted from F-4Es to F-15A/B Eagles . The 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron was assigned to Eielson AFB where it was equipped with A-10 Thunderbolt IIs . The 54th Tactical Fighter Squadron , of Aleutian Campaign fame, activated once again in 1987. Operating two F-15 squadrons (43rd and 54th TFS),

468-515: A smaller role for AC&W units, the DEW line, and land-based communications such as White Alice. In 1958, substantial budget reductions forced commanders to reassess their resources. Near Fairbanks, two major air bases, Eielson and Ladd, existed less than thirty miles apart. By 1958, the space age was dawning. ICBMs changed the focus of air defense away from responding to manned bombers, and satellites were poised to revolutionize communications. That year,

520-524: A specific segment of the route to become familiar with navigation and weather within that segment. Single-seat Bell P-39 Airacobra and Bell P-63 Kingcobra fighters flew in groups with a pair of multi-engine North American B-25 Mitchell or Douglas A-20 Havoc bombers. The lead bomber navigated for the flight and the trailing bomber watched for stragglers. Bombers and Douglas C-47 Skytrains might fly independently, and C-47s transported ferry pilots east for new aircraft. Soviet First regiment pilots accepted

572-652: Is a United States Air Force (USAF) facility in Anchorage , Alaska . Originally known as Elmendorf Field , it became Elmendorf Air Force Base after World War II . It is the home of the Headquarters, Alaskan Air Command (ALCOM), Alaskan NORAD Region (ANR), Eleventh Air Force (11 AF), the 673d Air Base Wing , the 3rd Wing , the 176th Wing and other tenant units. In 2010, it was amalgamated with nearby Fort Richardson to form Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson . The adjacent facilities were officially combined by

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624-467: Is the military airfield located at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska . It was originally called Fairbanks Air Base , but was renamed Ladd Field on 1 December 1939, in honor of Major Arthur K. Ladd , a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps who died in a plane crash near Dale, South Carolina on 13 December 1935. The U.S. government began its first serious infrastructure expenditures in Alaska during

676-515: The 6981st Security Group tasked with monitoring, collecting and interpreting signals intelligence of concern to the region, including installation of an AN/FLR-9 antenna array as part of a worldwide network known collectively as "Iron Horse". Air defense forces reached their zenith in 1957 with almost 200 fighter aircraft assigned to six fighter interceptor squadrons located at Elmendorf AFB and Ladd AFB . Eighteen aircraft control and warning radar sites controlled their operations. Elmendorf earned

728-561: The Alaska Air National Guard and one from the USAF. The cause of the accident has been reported to be pilot error. The pilot performed an aggressive righthand turn and ignored the aircraft's stall warning, continuing the turn until the aircraft stalled due to lack of airspeed. The low altitude of the turn made it impossible for the crew to recover from the stall in time to avoid impacting the ground. On 16 November 2010,

780-579: The Alaska Railroad , its access to fuel from the CANOL pipeline, and its position at the time as one of the United States' northernmost developed airbases, were important factors in securing its early Cold War prominence. The major use of Ladd Field was primarily cold-weather testing of aircraft and equipment. Only Interior Alaska offered the consistently cold temperatures needed. However,

832-649: The Attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 forced the temporary halt since the military needed all aircraft for the defense of Alaska. Testing at Ladd Field began again in 1942, but by 1943 aircraft cold-weather testing had become a second priority, as Ladd became the hub for fighters and bombers destined for the "Forgotten 1,000 Mile War" in the Aleutians against the Japanese or on their way to Soviet forces as part of

884-552: The F-4E Phantom II . The squadron gave AAC an air-to-ground capability which was further enhanced with the activation of the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf (also with the F-4E) on 1 October 1977. The strategic importance of Elmendorf AFB was graphically realized during the spring of 1980 when the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed eight of its F-4Es to South Korea to participate in exercise Team Spirit . It

936-558: The National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985. Parts of the 1955 movie Top of the World , starring Dale Robertson , are set at Ladd. [REDACTED]  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Elmendorf Air Force Base Elmendorf Air Force Base ( IATA : EDF , ICAO : PAED , FAA LID : EDF )

988-871: The Space Shuttle . The base also contains the headquarters of the Alaska Wing of the Civil Air Patrol . The DoD proposed a major realignment of the base as part of the Base Realignment and Closure recommendations announced on 13 May 2005. Under the plan, one F-15E and one F-15C squadron were replaced with the F-22 , and the C-130 fleet has been replaced with the C-17 Globemaster III . On September 9, 1958,

1040-521: The War Department formally designated what had been popularly referred to as Elmendorf Field as Fort Richardson . The air facilities on the post were named Elmendorf Field in honor of Captain Hugh M. Elmendorf, killed on 13 January 1933, while flight testing the experimental Consolidated Y1P-25 , fighter, 32-321 , near Wright Field , Ohio. The first Army Air Corps unit to be assigned to Alaska

1092-516: The 1930s. Most prominent was an increase in the military presence. For most of the early 20th century the only Army post in Alaska was Chilkoot Barracks/Fort Seward , located just outside coastal Haines in the state's far southeast. With the threat of war looming as the 1930s ended, the need was established to develop multiple facilities as a means of defending Alaska against possible enemy attack. The U.S. government acquired homesteads southeast of

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1144-601: The 2005 Base Closure and Realignment Commission . Its mission is to support and defend U.S. interests in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world by providing units who are ready for worldwide air power projection and a base that is capable of meeting United States Pacific Command 's theater staging and throughput requirements. The installation hosts the headquarters for the United States Alaskan Command, 11th Air Force, U.S. Army Alaska, and

1196-431: The 21st Tactical Fighter Wing was reorganized as an objective wing and all the major tenant units on Elmendorf were placed under it. The 21st Wing was inactivated and the 3d Wing was reassigned from Clark AB to Elmendorf AFB on 19 December 1991. This was in keeping with the USAF's policies of retaining the oldest and most illustrious units during a period of major force reductions. It was also an alternative landing site for

1248-776: The Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region. Major units assigned are: Elmendorf Air Force Base appeared once on the 1970 U.S. Census as an unincorporated area. Because it was located within the confines of the Anchorage Census Division, it was consolidated into the City of Anchorage in 1975. Construction on Elmendorf Field began on 8 June 1940, as a major and permanent military airfield near Anchorage. The first United States Army Air Corps personnel arrived on 12 August 1940. On 12 November 1940,

1300-602: The Arctic Survival Training School and the MATS Beaverette passenger flights to Elmendorf AFB and McChord AFB. These responsibilities transferred entirely to Eielson AFB. Most other functions transferred to Elmendorf AFB, including a unit of C-123 transport aircraft, Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) station operations, and all logistic support for auxiliary sites. A few operations continued on-site as tenant commands under Air Force control after

1352-646: The Army which renamed it Fort Wainwright . The Alaskan Command was disestablished in 1975. Elmendorf began providing more support to other USAF commands, particularly Military Airlift Command C-5 Galaxy and C-141 Starlifter flights to and from the Far East. Despite a diminished number of personnel and aircraft, a turning point in Elmendorf's history occurred in 1970 with the arrival of the 43d Tactical Fighter Squadron in June 1970 from MacDill AFB , Florida flying

1404-591: The Eisenhower administration drastically curtailed defense funding. One year later, in September 1959, USAF Headquarters informed the Alaskan Air Command that Ladd AFB would be closed and its functions transferred to Eielson AFB and Elmendorf AFB. For some time, the closure plans remained secret. In May 1960, USAF announced that the 449th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron would be inactivated as part of

1456-534: The F-15s were housed next to the 5021st Tactical Operations Squadron's T-33 Shooting Stars . Rounding out the modernization program was the construction of an enhanced Regional Operations Control Center (completed in 1983), and the replacement of the 1950s generation aircraft control and warning radars with the state of the art AN/FPS-117 Minimally Attended Radars. The integrated air warning and defense system became fully operational in mid-1985. Alaska's air defense force

1508-797: The Lend-Lease program. Reflecting the need to ensure aircraft bound for the Soviet Union were prepared for the flight to Galena and Nome, prior to flying across the Bering Straits to Siberia, Ladd AAF the Alaska Air Depot of XI AF Service Command was activated on 8 July 1942. The depot moved to Elmendorf Field in 1943, although some of its subordinate units remained until 1944. The airplanes arrived at Ladd were stripped of all but basic instrumentation and armament. Flights took off with no navigational aids from Ladd Field and fly

1560-749: The Northern Sector of the Alaskan Air Command and later of the 11th Air Division , Ladd was centrally involved in the Cold War missions of the Alaskan Command and in the transient missions of other military units, including the Strategic Air Command (SAC). Units assigned to Ladd AFB included: Divisions Wings Groups Squadrons Other units Ladd was not exclusively an Air Force site. The Army

1612-614: The Soviet presence in the Arctic; more fully developed the practice of polar navigation; extended Arctic topography; tested cold weather equipment, clothing, and human performance, as well as maintained the area air defenses of the region. In 1948, as Cold War tensions heightened, the Army's 2nd Infantry sent ground defense soldiers to Ladd From the onset of the Korean War in 1950 and continuing through 1957, Ladd saw intense use. It became

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1664-499: The USAF of necessity built the White Alice Communications System (with numerous support facilities around the state) to provide reliable communications to these far-flung, isolated, and often rugged locales. The Alaskan NORAD Regional Operations Control Center (ROCC) at Elmendorf served as the nerve center for all air defense operations in Alaska. The U.S. Air Force Security Service (USAFSS) activated

1716-498: The White Alice communications network (WACS). Research projects grew from early Arctic aeromedicine and cold weather testing to include ice station research on the polar pack ice and support for Air Force contracted research in geophysics, communications, and other disciplines. During the 1957/1958 International Geophysical Year (IGY)Ladd provided organizational and logistical support for Operation Ice Skate. Air defense remained

1768-477: The alternate Allen Field). It was this danger that led to the military decision to build an auxiliary field south of Ladd Field for a weather-alternate which eventually became "26 Mile Field", and later, Eielson Air Force Base . By the end of the war, 7,926 aircraft were ferried though Ladd Field. The last aircraft transited the airfield on 1 September 1945. When the Air Force was made a separate branch in 1947

1820-551: The arrival of 2,000 Army personnel previously stationed at Eielson AFB as part of the transfer. On 1 January 1961, the Army formally took over the installation and renamed it Fort Wainwright with the airfield facility renamed Ladd Field . The airfield was later renamed as Ladd Army Airfield ( Ladd AAF ). The elements of the airfield associated with its role in World War II, including two runways, hangars and other operational facilities, and officers' quarters, were listed on

1872-412: The crew didn't lower their wing flaps as required to achieve successful takeoff because the pre-takeoff checklist lacked a vital item to lower flaps, and the captain had raised flaps during the taxiing phase to prevent icing as required by the carrier's cold weather operations procedures. The jet crashed just off the west end of the runway, killing all crew members. Cargo consisting of mail and food packages

1924-619: The first leg to Galena, Alaska on the Yukon River . After refueling they went on to Nome , for the short hop across the Bering Strait to Siberia . Many were lost because of bad weather. The weather was also a danger to the ferrying of aircraft into Fairbanks . Ice fog became a problem for airplanes landing at the field. The airplanes coming in from Great Falls AAB , Montana often could not make it to Ladd. Worse, many didn’t have enough fuel to make it back to Big Delta (to use

1976-520: The motto "Top Cover for North America". AAC adopted the motto as its own in 1969. The late 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s brought about a gradual, but significant decline in air defense forces in Alaska due to mission changes and the demands of the Vietnam War . The USAF inactivated five fighter squadrons and closed five radar sites. In 1961, the Department of Defense (DoD) consigned Ladd AFB to

2028-496: The name was changed to Ladd Air Force Base ( Ladd AFB ). For many years, it would be one of two Air Force bases in the Fairbanks area. Units assigned to Ladd Field included: Combat Units Depot Units Ferrying and Transport Units Weather and Testing Units (including units at Ladd AFB) From the late 1940s into the 1950s, Ladd AFB served as the northern hub for Air Force activities in Alaska. As headquarters first of

2080-684: The now obsolete High Frequency SIGINT direction finding system. That importance was further recognized when the F-15E Strike Eagle equipped 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron was reassigned to Elmendorf AFB from Clark Air Base in the Philippines in May 1991. The Pacific Regional Medical Center moved from Clark to Elmendorf and construction of a new, greatly expanded hospital began in 1993. The early 1990s also saw major organizational changes and an expansion of Elmendorf's importance. In 1991,

2132-639: The original Fort Richardson and renamed it Elmendorf Air Force Base. Following World War II, Elmendorf assumed an increasing role in the defense of North America as the uncertain wartime relations between the United States and the Soviet Union deteriorated into the Cold War . The Eleventh Air Force was redesignated as the Alaskan Air Command (AAC) on 18 December 1945. The Alaskan Command, established 1 January 1947, also headquartered at Elmendorf,

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2184-481: The planes at Fairbanks and flew over the Bering Strait via St. Lawrence Island . Second regiment pilots flew from Uelkal to Seymchan . Third regiment pilots flew from Seymchan to Yakutsk . Fourth regiment pilots flew from Yakutsk to Kirensk . Fifth regiment pilots flew from Kirensk to Krasnoyarsk. Ladd Army Airfield Ladd Army Airfield ( IATA : FBK , ICAO : PAFB , FAA LID : FBK )

2236-451: The primary combat mission, while tactical ground support, fighter escort, Arctic training exercises, and base defense were other parts of the base's integrated combat role. The 4th Infantry supplied the Army manpower through 1956. After 1957, several developments affected Ladd's mission. The technologies of warfare, communications, and reconnaissance had changed. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and satellites would eventually mean

2288-640: The town of Fairbanks beginning in 1938. From this 6 square miles (16 km ) Ladd Field was created. The first aircraft to land there was a Douglas O-38 F, 33-324 , c/n 1177, in October 1940, which is now preserved in the National Museum of the United States Air Force . Major construction of facilities began in 1941 and 1942, after the U.S. entered World War II . The initial construction occurred several miles from Fairbanks along

2340-516: The transfer to the Army, most notably the USAF hospital and the Arctic Aeromedical Laboratory. The actual transfer operation was an administrative undertaking lasting more than six months. Each Air Force function was scrutinized and either transferred or closed out, with supplies and equipment turned in, inventories zeroed out, and personnel reassigned. Ladd AFB, already the headquarters of the Army's Yukon Command, would see

2392-404: Was a historical first and underlined an increasing emphasis AAC placed on its tactical role. The strategic location of Elmendorf AFB and Alaska made it an excellent deployment center, a fact that validated the contention of Billy Mitchell who, in 1935, stated that "Alaska is the most strategic place in the world". Deployments from Elmendorf AFB and Eielson AFB to the Far East are now conducted on

2444-753: Was a unified command under the Joint Chiefs of Staff based on lessons learned during World War II when a lack of unity of command hampered operations to drive the Japanese from the western Aleutian Islands of Attu and Kiska. The uncertain world situation in late 1940s and early 1950s caused a major buildup of air defense forces in Alaska. The propeller-driven P-51s were replaced with F-80 jets, which in turn were replaced in succession by F-94s , F-89s , and F-102s interceptor aircraft for defense of North America. The Air Force built an extensive aircraft control and warning radar system with sites located throughout Alaska's interior and coastal regions. Additionally,

2496-520: Was also present to provide antiaircraft (AAA) support and base defense. At Ladd, Cold War activities fell mainly into three time periods: an early phase from 1946 to 1950; a buildup and support hub phase from 1950 to 1957; and a transfer phase from 1958 to 1961, when the installation was turned over to the Army. From 1946 to 1950, personnel from Ladd laid some of the groundwork of the early Cold War with strategic reconnaissance and Arctic research projects. Among other missions, they made initial assessments of

2548-559: Was formed at Elmendorf AFB in early 1942. The field played a vital role as the main air logistics center and staging area during the Aleutian Islands Campaign and later air operations against the Kurile Islands . After World War II, the Army moved its operations to the new Fort Richardson and following the separation from the Army in 1947, the newly-formed United States Air Force (USAF) assumed control of

2600-525: Was further enhanced with the assignment of two E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft to Elmendorf AFB in 1986. The Alaskan Command was reestablished at Elmendorf in 1989 as subunified joint service command under the Pacific Command in recognition of Alaska's military importance in the Pacific region. The Elmendorf AFB is a site of one of the now decommissioned FLR-9 Wullenweber -class antennas, a node of

2652-502: Was largely consumed by ground fire following impact. The National Transportation Safety Board 's report found the probable cause to be (a) the defective checklist, (b) the 707's defective takeoff warning hardware, (c) ineffective implementation of Boeing's Service Bulletins, and (d) stress caused by a rushed flight schedule. On 22 September 1995, a Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne early warning and control aircraft with 22 USAF personnel and two RCAF air crew members crashed after ingesting

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2704-608: Was the 18th Pursuit Squadron , which arrived in February 1941. The 23d Air Base Group was assigned shortly afterward to provide base support. More units from the United States Army Air Forces (which legally changed its name in June 1941) poured into Alaska as the Japanese threat developed into World War II in the aftermath of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The Eleventh Air Force

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