England Air Force Base

England Air Force Base
Part of Tactical Air Command (TAC)
Rapides Parish, near Alexandria, Louisiana
March 1983 Location of England Air Force Base
Type	Air Force Base
Coordinates	31°19′39″N 92°32′55″W
Built	1942
In use	1942–1992
Controlled by	United States Air Force
Garrison	23d Tactical Fighter Wing (1972–1992)

Republic F-84G-1-RE Thunderjet Serial 51-733 from the 137th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1952.

North American F-86F-25-NH Sabre Serial 51-13350 from the 366th Fighter-Bomber Wing.

Boeing B-KB50D Superfortress 48-123 of the 622d Air Refueling Squadron (4505th ARW) carrying out first triple-point refuelling operation with three North American F-100C Super Sabres (54-1825, 53-1774, 54-1848) of the 451st Tactical Fighter Squadron (322d TFW), 1956

North American F-100D-50-NH Super Sabre Serial 55-2895 from the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing.

North American F-100D-50-NH Super Sabre 55-2881 of the 3d TFW 531st TFS (Taken at Bien Hoa AB)

Ling-Temco-Vought A-7D-11-CV Corsair II Serial No: 71-0338 of the 75th Tactical Fighter Squadron taken in May 1973. A-7D attack aircraft were assigned to England AFB from 1972 through 1981

Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II Serial 80-0250 of the 75th TFS. A-10A's were assigned to England AFB from 1981 until the base's closure in 1992.

For the civil use of this facility after 1992, see Alexandria International Airport

England Air Force Base (1942–1992) is a former United States Air Force base in Louisiana, located 5 miles (8.0 km) Northwest of Alexandria and about 170 miles (270 km) Northwest of New Orleans.

Originally known as Alexandria Army Air Base, on 23 June 1955 the facility was renamed England Air Force Base in honor of Lt Col John Brooke England (1923–1954). A leading and much-decorated North American P-51 Mustang ace during World War II, Colonel England flew 108 missions and scored 19 aerial victories-including 4 on one mission. England also served as a combat pilot in the Korean War. He was killed in a crash near Toul-Rosieres Air Base, France on 17 November 1954 when he banked away from a barracks area while landing his North American F-86 Sabre in a dense fog. He was on a rotational tour from Alexandria AFB with the 389th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, which he commanded.

History

The base was opened on 21 October 1942 and during World War II performed Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress aircrew training. It was placed on inactive status on September 23, 1946, although a small cadre of Army and Air Force personnel (331 Comps Squadron) remained assigned to Alexandria Municipal Airport throughout the late 1940s.

On 10 October 1950, the United States Air Force reopened Alexandria Air Force Base during the Korean War. The station's primary mission was tactical fighter operations for Tactical Air Command.

Its major operating units were:

• United States Army Air Force

67th Airdrome Sq, 1 February 1943 – 25 March 1943

471st Bombardment Group, 1 May 1943 – 7 May 1943

469th Bombardment Group, 7 May 1943 – 1 April 1944

221st AAF Base Unit, 25 March 1944 – 1 March 1945

329th AAF Base Unit, 1 March 1945 – 23 September 1946

• United States Air Force

4416th Base Complement Sq, 23 October 1950 – 22 December 1950

137th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 22 December 1950 – 2 May 1952

Composite Air National Guard wing activated to Federal Service due to Korean War

Flew Republic F-84 "Thunderjets". Three operational squadrons 125th (Oklahoma ANG, F-84B/G, 127th (Kansas ANG F-84C/G), 128th (Georgia ANG, F-84B/G)). ANG personnel trained at Alexandria AFB 1950/51, being replaced by active duty Air Force personnel in 1951/52. Wing reassigned to USAFE at Chaumont-Semoutiers Air Base, France

132d Fighter-Bomber Wing, 2 May 1952 – 1 January 1953

Iowa ANG Wing activated to Federal Service replacing reassigned 137th FBW

One operational squadron (124th FIS). Flew Republic F-84Fs. Returned to state control.

366th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 January 1953 – 1 April 1959

Active duty Air Force wing activated at Alexandria AFB. Three operational squadrons (389th, 390th, 391st) being initially equipped with North American F-51D/H Mustang, reequipped with North American F-86F "Sabre" jet aircraft by end of 1953.

Wing became first TAC unit to perform six-month TDY rotations with NATO at Aviano AB, Italy, with rotations continuing to support NATO in France and Italy. Redesignated 366th Tactical Fighter Wing 1 July 1958. Inactivated 1 April 1959 as part of a general budgetary reduction of USAF wings. Aircraft transferred to Air National Guard.

420th Air Refueling Squadron (Tactical), 18 March 1954 – 4 October 1955

(Activated at England AFB, equipped with Boeing KB-29P.

First unit in TAC of its type. Provided TAC with independent air refueling capability. Reassigned to USAFE at RAF Sculthorpe, England.

622d Air Refueling Squadron (Tactical), 18 July 1955 – 1 April 1964

Activated at England AFB, assigned to 4505th Air Refueling Wing, Langley AFB, Virginia 1 July 1958.

Equipped with Boeing KB-29P (1955–57), later turbojet-augmented Boeing KB-50J (1957–64) aircraft. Aircraft became obsolescent and unit deactivated 1 April 1964.

401st Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 April 1959 – 27 April 1966

Activated from former 366th TFW personnel assets, re-equipped with North American F-100 "Super Sabre" aircraft.

Four tactical fighter squadrons (612th, 613th, 614th, 615th) redesignated from former 366th TFW units. Participated in numerous firepower demonstrations, tactical exercises and maneuvers in the United States and overseas, and deployed its tactical squadrons to bases in Europe and the Middle East in support of NATO. Deployed to Homestead AFB, Florida during Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) as tactical airstrike unit. Wing designation along with 613th TFS reassigned to USAFE at Torrejon Air Base, Spain.

3d Tactical Fighter Wing, 9 January 1964 – 7 November 1965

Reassigned from Yokota AB, Japan, Equipped with F-100 Super Sabres.

Three tactical fighter squadrons (416th, 510th, 531st). Moved to the United States without personnel or equipment, then trained and rotated its squadrons in detached status to Southeast Asia for combat duty. Reassigned to Bien Hoa AB, South Vietnam.

834th Air Division, 1 July 1964 – 15 October 1966

Assumed command and control over 3d and 401st Tactical Fighter Wings.

After reassignment of wings, assumed remaining organization and operational squadrons of former 401st TFW. Deployed to South Vietnamese bases (834th AD to Tan Son Nhut AB), (612th, 614th, 615th) TFS to Phan Rang AB, Phu Cat AB).

1st Air Commando/Special Operations Wing 15 January 1966 – 15 July 1969

317th, 319th Air Commando/Special Operations Squadrons

Reassigned from Hurlburt Field Florida. Redesignated 1st SOW 8 July 1968. Reassigned to Hurlburt Field, Florida.

4410th Combat Crew Training Wing/Group 15 July 1969 – 31 July 1973

6th Special Operations Training Squadron, 427th, 4412th, 4532d Combat Crew Training Squadrons

Wing reassigned from Hurlburt Field Florida. Redesignated as Group, 15 September 1970. Inactivated July 1973 due to US withdrawal from South Vietnam. Upon group inactivation, 6th SOTS reassigned to 1st SOW at Hurlburt Field but remained at England AFB until deactivation, January 1974.

4403d Tactical Fighter Wing, 15 September 1970 – 1 July 1972

416th Tactical Fighter Squadron 28 September 1970 – 1 July 1972

Absorbed returning North American F-100 Super Saber aircraft of 31st TFW from Tuy Hoa Air Base South Vietnam and transferred assets to Air National Guard. Acted as holding unit for arriving Ling-Temco-Vought A-7D Corsair II aircraft starting April 1972.

23d Tactical Fighter (later Fighter) Wing, 1 July 1972 – 1 June 1992

Wing reactivated at station w/p/o/e taking over organization and assets of temporary 4403d TFW designation.

Three A-7D tactical fighter (74th, 75th, 76th) squadrons formed. Re-equipped with Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II 1981. Redesignated 23d Fighter Wing 1 October 1991. Inactivated 1 June 1992.

In October 1990, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission decided that England Air Force Base would be closed by September 1992. A drawdown of equipment and personnel began almost immediately. The 23d Fighter Wing's A-10 aircraft were sent to Air National Guard units, and EAFB was closed 1 June 1992.

During the period of its military use, Air Force units from England Air Force Base served in combat in World War II, the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm.

Air Defense Command

Alexandria (and later England) AFB was base for Air Defense Command interceptor and radar units along the Gulf Coast. In 1959, the 332d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, assigned to the 32d Air Division stationed F-102 Delta Dagger interceptors at the base between 1959-1960.

In addition to the fighter-interceptor squadron, England AFB part of the planned deployment by Air Defense Command of forty-four Mobile radar stations across the United States to support the permanent Radar network established during the Cold War for air defense of the United States. This deployment had been projected to be operational by mid-1952. Funding, constant site changes, construction, and equipment delivery delayed deployment.

On 1 November 1954 the 653d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron began operations at Alexandria AFB with the activation of AN/MPS-14, AN/TPS-1D, and AN/TPS-10D radars. The site was designated as M-125, and initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes. The AN/MPS-14 continued to operate until site closure in 1963. In 1958 the site was operating an AN/FPS-20 search set.

In addition to the main facility, Air Defense Command operated three AN/FPS-18 Gap Filler sites:

• Delhi, LA (M-125A): 32°19′40″N 091°33′25″W
• Weeks Island, LA (M-125C): 29°48′34″N 091°48′22″W
• Lake Charles GFA, LA (M-125D): 30°11′05″N 093°10′30″W

England AFB was a planned Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Data Center (DC) location, for the also-planned Shreveport Air-Defense Sector (ShADS). However, in March 1963 Air Defense Command ordered the site to close due to budget reductions and operations ceased on April 23.

The station was picked up by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after the ADC shut down operations. The site is still in operations using the FPS-20A, being known as Alexandria, Louisiana. Virtually all other parts of this old Air Force radar station have been removed. A golf course now occupies part of the old M-125 site.

See also

• Louisiana World War II Army Airfields
• List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations

References

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

• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
• Mueller, Robert (1989). Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. USAF Reference Series, Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6
• Endicott, Judy G. (1999) Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. CD-ROM.
• Martin, Patrick (1994). Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. Schiffer Military Aviation History. ISBN 0887405134.
• Menard David R. (1998) Republic F-84: Thunderjet, Thunderstreak, & Thunderflash : A Photo Chronicle Schiffer Publishing ISBN 0764304445
• Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
• [1] USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers—1908 to present
• A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
• Winkler, David F. (1997), Searching the skies: the legacy of the United States Cold War defense radar program. Prepared for United States Air Force Headquarters Air Combat Command.
• England AFB, LA

External links

• Memories of England Air Force Base : Closed, But not Forgotten.
• The Alexandria Retrospective : England AFB photos, newspaper clippings, and more.