Barksdale Air Force Base facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barksdale Air Force Base
Bossier City, Louisiana, in the United States of America
Three Boeing B-52H Stratofortress bombers sit on the flight-line at Barksdale Air Force Base during 2012.
Barksdale AFB Shown in United States
Coordinates	32°30′07″N 093°39′46″W / 32.50194°N 93.66278°W / 32.50194; -93.66278
Type	US Air Force base
Site information
Owner	Department of Defense
Operator	US Air Force
Controlled by	Air Force Global Strike Command
Condition	Operational
Site history
Built	1931 (1931)–1933
In use	1933–present
Garrison information
Current commander	Colonel Mark C. Dmytryszyn
Garrison	2nd Bomb Wing (Host) 307th Bomb Wing
Occupants	11th Bomb Squadron 20th Bomb Squadron 93rd Bomb Squadron 96th Bomb Squadron 343d Bomb Squadron See Based units section for full list.
Airfield information
Identifiers	IATA: BAD, ICAO: KBAD, FAA LID: BAD, WMO: 722485
Elevation	50.2 metres (165 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 15/33 3,583.8 metres (11,758 ft) PEM

Barksdale Air Force Base (Barksdale AFB) is a major United States Air Force (USAF) base. It is located in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, in the northwestern part of Louisiana. A large part of the base is inside Bossier City, Louisiana. Barksdale AFB covers more than 22,000 acres (89 km²) east of Bossier City. Over 15,000 active-duty and Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) members work here.

The main unit at Barksdale is the 2nd Bomb Wing (2 BW). This is the oldest bomb wing in the U.S. Air Force. It belongs to the Air Force Global Strike Command's (AFGSC) Eighth Air Force (8 AF). The 2nd Bomb Wing has about 44 B-52H Stratofortress bombers. It helps provide global combat power and trains all B-52 crews for the Air Force.

The base was started in 1932 as Barksdale Field. It was named after Lieutenant Eugene Hoy Barksdale (1896–1926). He was a pilot in World War I and a test pilot.

What Barksdale Air Force Base Does

Entrance to Barksdale Air Force Base

Barksdale Air Force Base is home to important Air Force units. These units help protect the United States. The oldest bomb wing in the USAF, the 2nd Bomb Wing (2 BW), is here. This wing was part of a famous bombing test in 1921.

The 2nd Bomb Wing has several parts:

• 2nd Operations Group: This group flies the planes.
  • 11th Bomb Squadron (flies B-52H Stratofortress)
  • 20th Bomb Squadron (flies B-52H)
  • 96th Bomb Squadron (flies B-52H)
• 2nd Mission Support Group: This group helps run the base.
• 2nd Maintenance Group: They keep the planes in good shape.
• 2nd Medical Group: They provide healthcare for base members.

The commander of the 2nd Bomb Wing is Colonel Michael A. Miller. He also leads Barksdale Air Force Base.

Other important units at Barksdale include:

• Air Force Global Strike Command: This is a major command for nuclear and conventional forces.
• Headquarters, Eighth Air Force: A famous Air Force unit.
• 307th Bomb Wing (Air Force Reserve Command): This is a reserve unit.
  • 93d Bomb Squadron (flies B-52H)
  • 343d Bomb Squadron (flies B-52H)
• 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron: This unit tests new equipment.
• 26th Operational Weather Squadron: They provide weather forecasts.

The base is usually closed to the public. But it has the Barksdale Global Power Museum. This museum shows many different aircraft. You can see a Royal Air Force Avro Vulcan bomber, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, and several Boeing B-52 Stratofortress models. The museum is open most days from 9:30 am to 4 pm. There is also an annual open house where visitors can come to the base.

A Look Back: Barksdale Air Force Base History

Barksdale Field Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Location in Louisiana
Location	Junction of US 71 and West Gate Drive, Bossier City, Louisiana
Area	225 acres (91 ha)
Built	1931
Architectural style	French Revival
NRHP reference No.	92000332
Added to NRHP	13 April 1992

Barksdale Field was named on February 2, 1933. It honors 2nd Lieutenant Eugene Hoy Barksdale (1895–1926). Lieutenant Barksdale earned his pilot wings in Great Britain in 1918. He flew with the British Royal Flying Corps during World War I. He died on August 11, 1926, while testing an airplane. His parachute got caught, and he fell. He was buried with full military honors.

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  25th AS, Lt Barksdale pictured (bottom row, 2nd from left)

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  25th AS, Lt Barksdale pictured (fourth from right, back row)

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  Lt Barksdale, date unknown

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  Lt Barksdale, date unknown

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  Lt Barksdale, date unknown

The base's name changed to Barksdale Air Force Base on February 13, 1948. This happened when the United States Air Force became its own military branch.

How Barksdale Air Force Base Began

In 1924, people in Shreveport wanted to host a military flying field. In 1926, they learned the Air Force needed a large area. It had to be big enough for bombing and gunnery practice. Local leaders worked hard to get the base built in Shreveport.

In 1928, a pilot named Captain Harold Ross Harris found a good spot. It was a large cotton plantation near Bossier City. The city of Shreveport bought the land from over 800 owners. They used money from a bond issue approved by voters. Shreveport then gave the land to the federal government. The government paid for all the buildings and equipment.

Construction of Barksdale Field started in 1931. Hangars, runways, and living quarters were built. Flights began on November 7, 1932. The base officially opened on February 2, 1933. By the mid-1930s, Barksdale Field was a main base for attack aircraft. Pilots practiced their gunnery and bombing skills here.

Barksdale Air Force Base During World War II

During World War II, Barksdale was a flying school. It trained new crews and units from 1942 to 1945. Many important groups trained here. These included units flying Douglas A-24 Dauntless, Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, Consolidated B-24 Liberator, and Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress planes.

Barksdale also hosted aircrews from the Free French Air Forces and Nationalist Chinese during the war.

Barksdale Air Force Base After the War

After World War II, Barksdale became a training headquarters. In 1948, it got the North American B-45 Tornado. This was the first jet bomber used by the USAF.

In 1949, Barksdale became a base for the Strategic Air Command (SAC). SAC was in charge of nuclear bombers. Barksdale's mission changed from training to being a front-line operational base.

Cold War Operations

During the Cold War, Barksdale was very important. It hosted the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. This unit flew planes like the Boeing RB/TRB-17 Flying Fortress and North American RB-45 Tornado. They gathered information by taking photos and mapping areas.

When the Korean War started in 1950, planes from Barksdale flew reconnaissance missions. They even did the first aerial refueling during combat.

The 301st Bombardment Wing also came to Barksdale. They flew B-29 Superfortresses and later Boeing B-47 Stratojet bombers. They trained for strategic bombing and aerial refueling.

To protect the base, the U.S. Army built Nike Hercules missile sites nearby. These missiles were for air defense.

In 1958, Barksdale received the new Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker refueling planes. This made Barksdale a key base for SAC. The 4238th Strategic Wing was formed here. Its B-52s were kept on high alert, ready for combat.

The 2nd Bomb Wing took over the B-52 and KC-135 mission in 1963. This wing has been the main unit at Barksdale for over 40 years. During the Vietnam War, B-52s from Barksdale flew combat missions in Southeast Asia. They used their advanced systems to protect against enemy missiles.

Barksdale Air Force Base After Vietnam

From 1973 to 1992, Barksdale hosted a yearly competition. The best bomber and tanker crews from SAC came here. They dropped bombs on ranges and competed in navigation.

In 1978, the Eighth Air Force Museum opened at Barksdale. It has many historic aircraft. These include a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, and a British Avro Vulcan bomber.

The Space Shuttle Columbia and later Discovery made stops at Barksdale. This happened when they were being flown back to Kennedy Space Center on a special carrier aircraft. After the Columbia disaster in 2003, Barksdale helped collect and organize the orbiter's parts.

Barksdale Air Force Base in Recent Conflicts

Barksdale played a big role in Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989. It was also important in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in 1990-1991. The first combat mission of Desert Storm started from Barksdale. Seven B-52s flew a 35-hour mission. They fired missiles against Iraq. B-52s from Barksdale dropped 10 percent of all U.S. Air Force bombs during the Persian Gulf War.

After the Cold War, Barksdale continued to be active. In 1992, two Russian Tupolev Tu-95 "Bear" bombers visited Barksdale. This was a sign of new friendships.

In 1996, Barksdale B-52s fired missiles at air defense sites in Iraq. This was part of Operation Desert Strike. It was the first time the B-52H was used in combat. Barksdale forces also deployed to Diego Garcia in 1997 and 1998. They were there to respond to threats from Saddam Hussein.

From March to June 1999, Barksdale B-52s helped stop the conflict in Kosovo. They flew over 180 combat missions. They dropped many weapons on military targets during Operation Allied Force.

Barksdale Air Force Base in the "War on Terror"

After the September 11, 2001, attacks, Barksdale helped President George W. Bush. It provided a safe place for him on his way back to Washington, D.C. Barksdale also sent forces to support the Global War on Terrorism. Its airmen and B-52s played a key role in the first airstrikes of Operation Enduring Freedom. They also flew missions over Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In 2007, an incident happened where a B-52 accidentally carried nuclear missiles to Barksdale. This led to big changes in the Air Force. It resulted in the creation of the Air Force Global Strike Command. This command was activated in 2009 with its headquarters at Barksdale.

In 2013, a North Korean propaganda photo showed Barksdale as a target. This was because it hosts the Air Force Global Strike Command and its nuclear bombers. Despite this, Barksdale officials stated that enemies are "grossly overmatched" and the Air Force is ready to defend.

917th Wing (Air Force Reserve Command)

The 917th Wing was formed in 1963 at Barksdale. It first flew Douglas C-124 Globemaster IIs. The unit changed its name several times as its missions changed. In 1973, it became the 917th Tactical Fighter Group. It flew fighter planes.

In 1993, the 917th Wing added B-52H bombers to its mission. It became the first Air Force Reserve unit with a strategic bombing role. The 93rd Bomb Squadron was activated. In 2011, the 917th Wing was inactivated. Its B-52 units became part of the new 307th Bomb Wing.

Bossier Base

Bossier Base is now called The East Reservation. It is located east of the runway. During the Cold War, it was a special area for maintaining and storing weapons. It was once separate from Barksdale AFB but is now part of the main base.

Units Based at Barksdale Air Force Base

Here are some of the main units at Barksdale Air Force Base:

United States Air Force

• Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC)
  • Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command
  • Eighth Air Force
    • Headquarters Eighth Air Force
    • 2nd Bomb Wing (The main unit at the base)
      • 2nd Operations Group

* 11th Bomb Squadron – flies B-52H Stratofortress * 20th Bomb Squadron – flies B-52H Stratofortress * 96th Bomb Squadron – flies B-52H Stratofortress

• Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC)
  • Tenth Air Force
    • 307th Bomb Wing
      • 307th Operations Group

* 93rd Bomb Squadron – flies B-52H Stratofortress * 343rd Bomb Squadron – flies B-52H Stratofortress

• Air Combat Command (ACC)
  • US Air Force Warfare Center
    • 53rd Wing
      • 53rd Test and Evaluation Group

* 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron (GSU) – flies B-52H Stratofortress

• • Sixteenth Air Force
    • 67th Cyberspace Wing
      • 8th Information Warfare Flight (GSU)
    • 557th Weather Wing
      • 1st Weather Group

* 26th Operational Weather Squadron (GSU)

Major Commands Barksdale Air Force Base Has Been Part Of

• Fourth Corps Area (United States Army), 1932–1935
• GHQ Air Force, 1935–1940
• Southeastern Air Corps Training Center, 1940–1941
• AF Combat Command, 1941–1942
• 3d Air Force, 1942–1945
• Continental Air Forces, 1945
• AAF Training Command, 1945–1946
• Air Training Command, 1946–1949
• Strategic Air Command, 1949–1992
• Air Combat Command, 1992–2010
• Air Force Global Strike Command, 2010–present

Important Units Assigned to Barksdale Air Force Base

• 20th Pursuit Gp, 1932–1939
• 3d Attack Gp, 1935
• 335th Bombardment Group (Medium) 1942–1944
• 47th Bombardment Wing, 1948–1949
• 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wg, 1949–1952
• Second Air Force, 1949–1975
• 301st Bombardment Wing, 1949–1958
• 376th Bombardment Wing, 1951–1957
• 4238th Strategic Wing, 1958–1963
• 917th Wing, 1962–2011
• 307th Bomb Wing, 2011–present
• 2nd Bombardment Wing, 1963–present
• Eighth Air Force, 1975–present

Education

Barksdale Air Force Base is part of the Bossier Parish School District.

Children living on the main base go to Waller Elementary School, Rusheon Middle School, and Bossier High School. Children in the East Reservation area go to T. L. Rodes Elementary School, Platt Elementary School, Princeton Elementary School, Haughton Middle School, and Haughton High School.

See also

In Spanish: Base de la Fuerza Aérea Barksdale para niños