Dover Air Force Base facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dover Air Force Base |
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| Dover, Delaware, U.S. in United States of America | |||||||||
A C-5M Super Galaxy at Dover Air Force in April 2014
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 Dover
Dover
Location of Dover Air Force Base in Delaware and the United States
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| Coordinates | 39°07′42″N 075°27′53″W / 39.12833°N 75.46472°W | ||||||||
| Type | U.S. Air Force base | ||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||
| Owner | Department of Defense | ||||||||
| Operator | US Air Force | ||||||||
| Controlled by | Air Mobility Command (AMC) | ||||||||
| Condition | Operational | ||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||
| Built | 1941 | ||||||||
| In use | 1948 – present | ||||||||
| Garrison information | |||||||||
| Current commander |
Colonel Matthew Jones | ||||||||
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| Airfield information | |||||||||
| Identifiers | IATA: DOV, ICAO: KDOV, FAA LID: DOV, WMO: 724088 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 8.8 metres (29 ft) AMSL | ||||||||
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Dover Air Force Base (Dover AFB) is a big base for the United States Air Force (USAF). It is managed by the Air Mobility Command (AMC). The base is located about 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Dover, Delaware.
Dover AFB is home to the 436th Airlift Wing. This group runs the busiest and largest air cargo terminal for the Department of Defense. This means a lot of military supplies and equipment pass through here.
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History of Dover Air Force Base
Building the airport, first called Municipal Airport, Dover Airdrome, started in March 1941. It opened on December 17, 1941. Just weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, it became a U.S. Army Air Corps airfield. It was renamed Dover Army Airbase on April 8, 1943. On January 13, 1948, it officially became Dover Air Force Base.
Dover AFB During World War II
Dover Air Force Base began in March 1941. The United States Army Air Corps needed a training airfield. So, they took over the local airport in Dover, Delaware.
Workers quickly built runways, hangars, and a control tower. The buildings were simple and built fast. On December 17, 1941, the airfield opened as Municipal Airport, Dover Airdrome.
The first military unit arrived on December 20. It was the 112th Observation Squadron. They flew planes to look for enemy submarines off the Delaware Coast. Later, B-25 Mitchell bombers joined the anti-submarine mission.
On April 8, 1943, the airfield's name changed to Dover Army Air Base. The anti-submarine flights ended in June. Then, the main runway was made longer, to 7,000 feet (2,134 meters).
In 1944, Dover was chosen for secret rocket tests. The tests helped the military use air-to-surface rockets in battles. After World War II, Dover Army Airfield was put on hold in September 1946.
Dover AFB in the Cold War and Vietnam War
Dover Airfield reopened on August 1, 1950, because of the Korean War. The United States Air Force was growing to face the Soviet threat in the Cold War. In 1951, the 148th Fighter Interceptor Squadron arrived with P-51 Mustang planes.
In the 1950s, many buildings at Dover needed fixing. So, a big project started to make the base modern. On April 1, 1952, Dover became home to the 1607th Air Transport Wing.
In 1971, the 436th Military Airlift Wing started getting new C-5 Galaxy planes. Two years later, Dover became the first Air Force wing to have only C-5 planes.
During the Vietnam War, Dover played a sad but important role. More than 20,000 American soldiers who died were brought back to the U.S. through Dover.
Dover AFB also helped in other events. In 1973, the 436th Wing delivered tons of supplies to Israel during the Yom Kippur War. They also helped Americans leave Iran in 1978.
After the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, the remains of the seven astronauts were brought to Dover AFB. Dover is one of only seven airports that could be used for Space Shuttle emergency landings.
In March 1989, C-5 planes from Dover helped clean up the Exxon Valdez oil spill. In June 1989, a C-5 from Dover set a world record. It dropped 190,346 pounds (86,340 kg) of cargo and 73 paratroopers.
Dover AFB also supported military actions in Grenada and Panama. During the Gulf War, the wing flew many missions. They airlifted over 131,000 tons of cargo to help free Kuwait.
Dover AFB in the Modern Era
In 1992, Dover AFB became part of the new Air Mobility Command (AMC). The 436th and 512th Wings were renamed the 436th Airlift Wing (436 AW) and the 512th Airlift Wing (512 AW). Dover was also a key point for conflicts in the Balkans and Somalia in the 1990s.
After the September 11 attacks, the 436 AW and 512 AW helped a lot in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. A Dover crew landed the first C-5 in Iraq in late 2003.
Dover AFB is also where fallen service members from all military branches are brought home. Their remains are prepared for burial here. In 2011, a new facility for this important work opened at Dover.
In 2009, the base got a new 128-foot (39-meter) tall air traffic tower. The old tower was given to the AMC museum. Dover Air Force Base was the first base to get a C-5M "Super Galaxy" plane in 2009.
Facilities and Aircraft at Dover AFB
Dover Air Force Base has two runways. The main runway is 12,903 feet (3,933 meters) long. The other runway is 9,602 feet (2,927 meters) long. Both are paved with asphalt and concrete.
About 123,735 aircraft operations happen here each year. That's about 339 flights every day. All flights at Dover AFB are for military purposes.
Role and Operations of Dover AFB
Dover AFB is home to the 436th Airlift Wing (436 AW), also called the "Eagle Wing." It also hosts the 512th Airlift Wing (512 AW), known as the "Liberty Wing." Dover AFB used to be the only base to fly just the huge C-5 Galaxy planes. Now, it flies both the C-5 and the C-17 Globemaster III.
The 436 AW has two active flying squadrons: the 3d Airlift Squadron (flying C-17s) and the 9th Airlift Squadron. The 512 AW has two reserve flying squadrons: the 326th Airlift Squadron and the 709th Airlift Squadron.
Dover AFB is also home to the largest military mortuary in the Department of Defense. This is where military personnel who die in combat or peacetime are brought. Their remains are prepared here before being sent to their families. In 2009, President Barack Obama visited the base to receive the bodies of American soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
Dover Air Force Base also has the Air Mobility Command Museum.
Dover AFB Air Show
Dover Air Force Base often holds an air show. The show features military aircraft and equipment on display. There are also flight demonstrations by famous teams like the United States Air Force Thunderbirds or United States Navy Blue Angels.
Based Units at Dover AFB
Here are some of the main units based at Dover Air Force Base:
United States Air ForceAir Mobility Command (AMC)
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Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC)
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United States ArmyUS Army Human Resources Command
Department of DefenseDefense Health Agency
Department of the Air ForceField Operating Agencies
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Geography and Community
Dover Air Force Base has a special area called "Dover Base Housing." This area had about 3,450 people living there in 2010. It covers about 0.7 square miles (1.7 km2).
Dover Base Housing includes a neighborhood called Eagle Heights Family Housing. It has 980 homes for military families. There are also community centers, picnic areas, and a golf course. The area has 19,500 feet (5,944 meters) of paths for walking, jogging, and biking. Kids living here go to public schools in the Caesar Rodney School District.
Dover AFB brings almost $470 million a year to the city of Dover. This makes it a very important part of Delaware's economy.
Air Mobility Command Museum
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Building 1301, Dover Air Force Base
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Building 1301, January 2011
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | Dover AFB, E. Dover Hundred, Dover, Delaware |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 94001377 |
| Added to NRHP | December 7, 1994 |
Hangar 1301 at Dover Air Force Base is home to the Air Mobility Command Museum. This museum teaches about military airlift and air refueling aircraft. It also honors the people who work with them. The museum has many fully restored cargo and tanker planes.
Volunteers, often retired pilots and crew members, give tours. They share their real-life stories about flying these planes. The hangar has over 20,000 square feet (1,858 m2) for displaying aircraft. There are also exhibit rooms, a theater, and a museum store. A large outdoor area lets visitors see planes up close. The museum also keeps old records about the Air Mobility Command and Dover AFB.
The museum started small in 1986 with one Douglas C-47A Skytrain plane. This plane was found in a dump and used for target practice. It was airlifted to Dover AFB and became the first plane restored for the museum. The museum officially opened in 1996. By 2015, it had 33 aircraft and over 170 volunteers. Building 1301, Dover Air Force Base was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.
Education at Dover AFB
The Dover Base Housing area is part of the Caesar Rodney School District. Kids in grades K-8 go to Major George S. Welch Elementary School and Dover Air Force Base Middle School. For high school, students attend Caesar Rodney High School in Camden.
Wilmington University also has a learning center on Dover AFB.
Images for kids
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Aerial view of Dover Air Force Base in 1995
See also
In Spanish: Base de la Fuerza Aérea Dover para niños
