Bangor Air National Guard Base

For civil use of this facility, see Bangor International Airport.

Bangor Air National Guard Base Dow Air Force Base
Part of Maine Air National Guard (ANG)
Bangor, Maine
KC-135 of the 101st Air Refueling Wing at Bangor ANGB Bangor ANGB
Type	Air Force Base
Coordinates	44°48′51″N 068°49′51″W
Built	1927
In use	1953 – present

For the civil use of this facility and airport information, see Bangor International Airport

Bangor Air National Guard Base is a United States Air National Guard base. Formerly operated between 1927 and 1968 by various names, including Dow Air Force Base, the base has been used by the Maine Air National Guard since its closure.

Overview

The base is the home of the 101st Air Refueling Wing (101 ARW), Maine Air National Guard. The 101 ARW provides 24-hour air and ground refueling for many aircraft whose destination takes them across the Atlantic. As an Air National Guard (ANG) unit, the 101 ARW is operationally gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC). The wing participates around the globe supporting USAF contingency operations such as Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. The wing has operated KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft since April 1976 and is part of the Northeast Tanker Task Force (NTTF).

The Northeast Tanker Task Force plans and executes theair refueling portion of fighter and cargo aircraft movements to and from Europe and Southwest Asia. Ground support services contribute to aircraft movement objectives of the Department of Defense and US Allies. When operating under its "state" authority pursuant to Title 32 of the United States Code, the 101 ARW provides logistical and support services to the community and State of Maine in the event of natural disasters or as otherwise directed by the Governor.

History

Dow Air Force Base's origins begin in 1927 with a commercial airport known as "Godfrey Field". Northeast Airlines began commercial operations in 1931. With the outbreak of World War II, the civil airport was taken over by the United States Army Air Corps and was renamed as Godfrey Army Airfield.

World War II

Dow Army Airfield, July 1944. Note the former station facilities are on the south side of the airfield. These facilities were razed and a new Air Force Base built on the north side of the main runway (also rebuilt) about 1950.

Under USAAF control, Godfrey AAF was initially placed under the jurisdiction of the 8th Service Group, Air Service Command. Its initial mission was the maintenance and preparation of Lend-Lease aircraft bound for Great Britain, being transported by AAC Ferrying Command to RCAF Stations in Newfoundland. The civil airport was greatly expanded to include three hard-surfaced 7000-foot runways, aligned 01/10 (N/S), 08/26 (NE/SW) and a main (NW/SE) runway aligned 14/32 being constructed along with many hardstands and taxiways for the temporary parking of large numbers of aircraft during their stay at the airfield.

In 1942, the station's name was changed to Dow Army Airfield to honor James Frederick Dow. Dow joined the Army Air Corps and was killed in a training accident during the buildup of United States forces before World War II on 17 June 1940. He was killed when the bomber he was flying piloting collided with another near Mitchel Field on Long Island, New York.

Due to its proximity to the Air Transport Command (ATC) North Atlantic air ferry route to the United Kingdom, the jurisdiction of Dow Army Airfield was transferred to Air Service Command (ASC) on 28 February 1942. Its mission became the servicing of long range B-17 Flying Fortress and, later, B-24 Liberator heavy bombers and other combat aircraft prior to the aircraft being ferried flying on the Great Circle Route to Prestwick Airport, Scotland and other airfields in Northern Ireland. From there the aircraft would be modified for the weather conditions prevalent in Western Europe where they were flown by Eighth Air Force units on combat missions over Nazi-occupied Europe.

On 5 March 1944, jurisdiction of Dow AAF was transferred from Air Service Command to Air Transport Command, being placed under its North Atlantic Wing. Over 8,400 aircraft passed though Dow in 1944, and approximately 2,150 in the last five months of the European conflict in 1945. After the end of the European war in May 1945, Dow was a stop on the return leg for aircraft returning to the United States, and remained part of ATC's North Atlantic Transport route for strategic air transportation between the United States and the United Kingdom.

The base was drawn down during the demobilization in late 1945, and placed in a standby status on 7 May 1946, being made a satellite base of Westover Field, Massachusetts.

Cold War

Air Defense Command

37th Fighter Squadron Republic F-47N-25-RE Thunderbolt, 44-89416, Dow AFB, 1948. This aircraft was part of the Last Thunderbolt production block manufactured at Farmingdale NY

F-84G Thunderjets from the 14th Fighter Group

Although placed in standby status in 1946, Dow Field never was inactivated and the airfield continued to see ATC aircraft transit the field occasionally. First Air Force, Air Defense Command acquired jurisdiction from ATC in November 1946 and it activated the 14th Fighter Group at Dow, stationing P-47N Thunderbolts at the airfield. Assigned squadrons were 37th, 48th and 49th Fighter Squadrons. The 14th Fighter Group (later wing in August 1947) was one of the first USAAF groups assigned to Air Defense Command. The unit was responsible for the air defense of the Northeastern United States.

In July 1947 the group deployed to Muroc AFB, California to conduct accelerated service tests with new F-84B Thunderjets prior to acceptance. First operational production USAF F-84Bs arrived at Dow AFB on 7 November; the last P-84B was delivered in February 1948. Throughout the winter of 1947/48 the 14th Fighter Group lost three F-84s at Dow. Findings indicated that the extreme cold weather at the base enhanced aircraft performance over what was found during testing in California, however as the temperatures moderated in the spring of 1948, accident rate remained high.

Dow Air Force Base was assigned to ADC's 26th Air Division on 25 August 1948 with the creation of ADC's first Air Divisions. Mission was daylight and fair weather defense of northeast United States from New York City north to Maine/New Brunswick border, shared with 52d Fighter Group (All-Weather) at Mitchel AFB, New York which flew F-82 Twin Mustangs for night and inclement weather operations.

In July 1949, the 14th Fighter Group sent sixteen F-84Bs to New York City for flyover display at newly-opened Idlewild Airport, however it was inactivated on 2 October 1949 due to budget cutbacks.

With the activation of the 14th FW in late 1949, the facilities at Dow AFB were greatly expanded and completely rebuilt. A long jet runway was laid down parallel to the wartime main NW/SE main runway, and a permanent Air Force Base was built on the north side of the World War II and prewar facility. The former World War II base facilities were abandoned and later were torn down. Today they are a wooded area on the southwest side of the airport.

The new Dow Air Force Base was activated on 1 January 1951. The 4009th Air Base Squadron was assigned to the base to support the existing base facilities, and supervise the ongoing construction of the base facilities still not yet complete.

The first use of the new Dow AFB was during the Korean War, as the Maine Air National Guard was federalized and brought to active service at the base. The 101st Fighter-Interceptor Wing activated two F-80C Shooting Star interceptor squadrons (101st FIS, 132d FIS) which were placed under ADC's Eastern Air Defense Force. In 1952 with the ANG squadrons being returned to state control, ADC activated the 49th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Dow.

The ADC 32d AD also activated several Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons (128th (WI ANG), 679th, 765th), which were Ground Intercept Radar units. These squadrons were formed at Dow, and later deployed to new radar stations being constructed in Maine which were equipped with long-range radars and then directed the interceptor aircraft at Dow to unknown aircraft which entered their coverage.

On 9 September 1952, Military Air Transport Service Atlantic Division at Westover AFB activated 83d Air Transport Squadron (1600th Air Transport Wing) to Dow AFB as a tenant unit. This was done primarily to relieve overcrowding. The 83d ATS operated C-54 Skymasters from Dow, and its primary mission was to support Northeast Air Command bases and radar stations in Newfoundland and Labrador, Baffin Island, and Greenland. It was reassigned to the 1610th Air Transport Group at Grenier AFB, New Hampshire effective 1 July 1953, however, on 29 May 1953, the eight C-54s of the 83rd ATS departed in a permanent change of station.

In November 1952, jurisdiction of Dow AFB was officially transferred from ADC to Strategic Air Command (SAC). The ADC units remained at the base in a tenant status for a few years, until the 49th FIS was moved and placed under the 4707th Air Defense Wing at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts in November 1955.

ADC returned to on 1 June 1959, when the 30th Air Defense Missile Squadron was activated 4 miles north-northeast of the base, equipped with 28 CIM-10 Bomarc-A liquid-fuled surface-to-air missiles. Also that month, the 75th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron which was moved from the closing Presque Isle AFB, Maine to Dow to keep interceptors in Maine. The Bomarc missiles remained active until 15 December 1964 when they were inactivated due to limited funding The 75th FIS remained until April 1968 when Dow was inactivated.

Strategic Air Command

506th Strategic Fighter Wing F-84G Thunderjets 1954

The SAC 506th Strategic Fighter Wing was activated at Dow on 20 November 1952 and was assigned to SAC's Eighth Air Force. The wing composed of the 457th, 458th and 462d Strategic Fighter Squadrons and was equipped with F-84G Thunderjets. SAC was founded by men who had flown bomb raids against Germany during World War II. They usually encountered swarms of enemy fighters and knew the importance of having fighter escorts, so they had fighter wings placed under their own operational control. Although assigned to SAC, the group was associated with the ADC units at Dow.

The wing was deployed to Misawa Air Base, Japan between 13 August and 7 November 1953 to support SAC's rotational deployment of fighter units to northern Japan to perform air defense duties, relieving the 12th Strategic Fighter Wing. Under the self-supporting concept, the 506th SFW gained the KB-29P Superfortress 506th Air Refueling Squadron on 23 September 1953. The 506th ARS remained with the wing until 1 March 1955. Upon the wing's return to the United States, the 506th was re-equipped with new F-84F Thunderstreaks, in January 1954 becoming the first SAC fighter wing to be equipped with the swept-wing Thunderjet model. The wing remained at Dow for just over a year until being reassigned to Second Air Force and was transferred to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma on 20 March 1955.

The escort fighters were replaced by the SAC Eighth Air Force 4060th Air Refueling Wing, activated on 8 March 1955. Equipped with KC-97 Stratotankers, the 4060th was a provisional organization with a mission to support B-47 Stratojet deployments to Europe and Morocco, with air refueling taking place over the Atlantic Ocean. In addition, during the late 1950s, SAC extended the runway at Dow to 11,000' and alert pads were constructed at the end of Runway 15.

On 15 February 1960, SAC established the 4038th Strategic Wing at Dow as part of SAC's plan to disburse its B-52 Stratofortress heavy bombers over a larger number of bases, thus making it more difficult for the Soviet Union to knock out the entire fleet with a surprise first strike. The wing consisted of the 341st Bombardment Squadron, consisting of 15 B-52Gs, and the KC-135-equipped 71st Air Refueling Squadron. Half of the aircraft were maintained on fifteen minute alert, fully fueled, armed, and ready for combat. SAC Strategic Wings were considered a provisional unit by HQ, USAF and could not carry a permanent history or lineage.

The 4038th SW was redesignated as the 397th Bombardment Wing (397th BW) on 1 February 1963 in a name-only redesigation and was assigned to SAC's Eighth Air Force, 6th Air Division. The 341st BS was also redesignated as the 864th Bombardment Squadron, one of the unit's World War II historical bomb squadrons. The 71st ARS designation was unchanged, and component support units were also redesignated to the 410th numerical designation of the newly-established wing.

The 397th Bomb Wing continued to conduct strategic bombardment training and air refueling operations to meet operational commitments of Strategic Air Command, including deployments to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. By 1968, Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) had been deployed and become operational as part of the United States' strategic triad, and the need for B-52s had been reduced. In addition, funds were also needed to cover the costs of combat operations in Indochina.

The 397th Bombardment Wing was inactivated on 25 April 1968 and its aircraft were reassigned to other SAC units. As part of the inactivation, Dow AFB was closed. The city of Bangor purchased most of the base which then reopened in 1969 as Bangor International Airport. That portion of Dow AFB not turned over to the city became the basis for the current Bangor Air National Guard Base and the Maine Army National Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility.

Maine Air National Guard

2006 USGS Aerial Photo

With the inactivation of Dow AFB in 1968, most of the base was purchased by the city of Bangor and reopened the following year as Bangor International Airport. That portion of Dow AFB not turned over to the city became the basis for the current Air National Guard Base and the Maine Army National Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility.

Under Maine ANG jurisdiction, the airfield was initially the home to the 101st Air Defense Wing of the Maine Air National Guard, an ANG associate of Aerospace Defense Command's (ADC) 36th Air Division at Topsham AFS, Maine. It operated F-106 Delta Darts until 1969, then changed to F-101 Voodoo interceptors until 1976. It was reassigned to be an associate unit of SAC, and was renamed the 101st Air Refueling Wing (101st ARW).

The wing was re-equipped with the Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker, which it continues to operate today and shares the civilian airport facilities. Currently, the 101 ARW is operationally gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC).

Over the horizon radar

About 1985, the Electronic Systems Division of the then-Air Force Systems Command (AFSC), now Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC), re-activated the 776th Radar Squadron at Bangor ANGB. The mission of the squadron was to operate two over the horizon radar (OTH-B) very long-range early warning radar sites. The squadron operated an OTH-B transmitter site at Moscow AFS, Maine, 45°08′14″N 069°48′07″W and a receiver site at Columbia Falls AFS, Maine 44°47′42″N 067°48′41″W. These systems were inactivated in 1997, and the unit was inactivated.

Previous names

• Godfrey Army Airfield, 1941
• Dow Army Airfield, 1942
• Dow Air Force Base, 1947–1968

Major commands to which assigned

• Air Service Command, 1941
• Air Transport Command, 1944

On standby status, May–November 1946

• Air Defense Command, 1946
• Strategic Air Command, 1952–1968

Air Defense Command controlled tenant units, 1952–1968

Major units assigned

• 101st Fighter Group, 4 April 1947

Re-designated 101st Fighter Wing, 1 October 1950

Re-designated 101st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 1952

Re-designated 101st Air Defense Wing, December 1960

Re-designated 101st Air Refueling Wing, 1976–present

Planes based here

• KC-135R Stratotanker (2007–present)
• KC-135E Stratotanker (1984–2007)
• KC-135A Stratotanker (1976–1984)
• F-101B Voodoo (1969–1976)
• F-102A Delta Dagger (1969)
• F-89J Scorpion (1959–1969)
• F-89D Scorpion (1957–1959)
• F-94A Starfire (???-???)
• F-86D Sabre (???-???)
• P-51H Mustang (???-???)
• P-51D Mustang (1950)
• P-80C Shooting Star (1948–1950)
• P-47D Thunderbolt (1947–1948)

F-84G Jan 1953 to Jan 1954 F-84F Jan 1954 to 1955

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

• Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office 1961 (republished 1983, Office of Air Force History, ISBN 0-912799-02-1).
• Ravenstein, Charles A. Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama: Office of Air Force History 1984. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.