Andrews Air Force Base

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Andrews Air Force Base
Part of Air Force District of Washington (AFDW)
Located near: Camp Springs, Prince George's County, Maryland
And-vc25-af1-89aw.jpg
Boeing VC-25, widely known as Air Force One when the President is on board, of the 89th Airlift Wing
Joint Base Andrews is located in Maryland
Joint Base Andrews
Joint Base Andrews
Location of Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
Joint Base Andrews is located in the US
Joint Base Andrews
Joint Base Andrews
Joint Base Andrews (the US)
Coordinates 38°48′39″N 076°52′01″W / 38.81083°N 76.86694°W / 38.81083; -76.86694 (Andrews Air Force Base)Coordinates: 38°48′39″N 076°52′01″W / 38.81083°N 76.86694°W / 38.81083; -76.86694 (Andrews Air Force Base)
Site information
Controlled by  United States Air Force
Site history
Built 1945
In use 1945 – present
Garrison information
Garrison 11th Wing.png 11th Wing
Airfield information
Joint Base Andrews aerial photo 16 May 2010.jpg
Aerial photo 16 May 2010
Summary
Elevation AMSL 280 ft / 85 m
Website www.andrews.af.mil
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
01L/19R 11,318 3,450 Concrete
01R/19L 9,756 2,974 Asphalt/Concrete
Sources: official site[1] and FAA[2]

Andrews Air Force Base is the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force.[3] In 2009, Andrews Air Force Base merged with Naval Air Facility Washington to form Joint Base Andrews. Andrews is the home base of two Boeing VC-25A aircraft with the call sign Air Force One when the president is on board, that serve the President of the United States.[4]

The host unit at Andrews is the 11th Wing, assigned to the Air Force District of Washington. It is responsible for maintaining emergency reaction rotary-wing airlift and other National Capital Region contingency response capabilities critical to national security, and for organizing, training, equipping and deploying combat-ready forces for Air and Space Expeditionary Forces (AEFs). The wing commander is Colonel Kenneth R. Rizer.[5] The Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Anthony Brinkley.[6]

For statistical purposes the base is delineated as a census-designated place by the U.S. Census Bureau. As of the 2010 census, the resident population was 2,973.[7]

History[edit]

Union American Civil War troops used a country church near Camp Springs, Maryland for sleeping quarters (now named Chapel Two)[8] and on 25 August 1941, President Roosevelt directed use of the land for an airfield.[citation needed]

Camp Springs Air Base[edit]

Camp Springs Air Base was designated on 5 September 1942, and construction began on 16 September 1942. The Maryland World War II Army Airfield of the 1st Air Force[citation needed] was "designated a sub-base of Headquarters, Baltimore AAFld, late Nov 1942"—the 901st Quartermaster Company (Construction) became the base operating unit on 14 December 1942.[9] Camp Springs Army Air Base opened on 2 May 1943,[10][verification needed] and the airfield became operational 2 May 1943 when the first Republic P-47 Thunderbolts arrived.[citation needed] after the 367th Fighter Squadron was stationed at Camp Springs on 21 April 1943. On 6 June 1943 the Camp Springs headquarters gained command of 4 sub-bases: Baltimore AAFld, Dover Army Airfield, Millville Army Airfield, and Philadelphia Municipal Airport became sub-bases of Camp Springs AAB.[9]

The airfield had 5,500 feet (1,700 m) runways by 1944 when the 90th Fighter Control Squadron was formed (28 Mar 1944),[9] and the last Camp Springs combat units (e.g., 535th Fighter Escort Squadron) departed for World War II combat on 10 April 1944.[11] Camp Springs was expanded to become the initial headquarters of Continental Air Forces (CONAF) (activated 12 December 1944)—the 161st AAF Base Unit (CONAF) became the "Andrews Field" operating unit on 16 April 1945.[9]

Andrews Field[edit]

Andrews Field was named on 7 February 1945 in honor of Lt Gen. Frank Andrews and in 1946, Andrews was a sub-base of Bolling Field (3 January 1946 – 20 November 1946)[9]. Strategic Air Command headquarters transferred from Bolling Field to Andrews . The command of CONAF's Radar Bomb Scoring detachments (e.g., at Dallas Love Field) transferred to Andrews on 17 March 1946 when the "263 AAF BU" was assigned (transferred 23 February 1948) to Carswell AFB).[9]

Andrews was transferred from the Army to the Air Force in 1947, and it was a Headquarters Command installation from 1947 through 1952 and again after 1957.[dubious – discuss] Headquarters Military Air Transport Service controlled the base during the interim period. The year 1947 marked the arrival of the first permanently assigned jet-powered aircraft, the F-80 Shooting Star, at Andrews. The long-lived and versatile training version of the F-80, the T-33, still played an important role in proficiency flying programs at Andrews more than 30 years later.

Andrews Air Force Base[edit]

Andrews AFB and Joint Base Andrews are named for Lieutenant General Frank Maxwell Andrews (1884–1943), former Commanding General of United States Forces in the World War II European Theater of Operations. General Andrews organized and commanded the General Headquarters, Air Force (1935–1939), and at the time of his death on 3 May 1943 in the crash of a B-24 Liberator in Iceland, he was Commanding General, United States Forces, European Theater of Operations.

Andrews Air Force Base was designated on 24 June 1948, and in June 1950, Andrews rapidly became involved in combat readiness training for B-25 Mitchell medium bomber crews. Combat readiness training and proficiency flying for military pilots assigned non-flying duties in the Washington area have remained two key elements in the local mission since the establishment of the base. HQ Air Research and Development Command (later, Air Force Systems Command) moved to Andrews from Baltimore, 24 June 1958. With the construction of new facilities beginning in 1959, Andrews had become by early 1962 the primary USAF flight installation serving the Washington, DC, area with the closing of the runway at Bolling AFB.

Andrews' air defense role was strengthened in the 1950s with the latest in fighter-interceptor hardware appearing on the flight line. F-94 Starfires, F-102 Delta Daggers and finally, F-106 Delta Darts formed the backbone of the three fighter interceptor squadrons which operated from the base until 1963.[12][verification needed]

In the late 1950s Andrews began an annual open house and air show on base. This event later evolved into the Department of Defense Joint Services Open House, an annual event that now brings more than 700,000 visitors to the base every year. The open house is held every year over Armed Forces Day weekend.

In the years since 1959, Andrews' flight operations and importance have increased greatly. In 1961, the last of the Military Air Transport Service's flying units at Washington National Airport transferred to Andrews. This was followed a year later by the transfer to Andrews of all fixed-wing flying activities from Bolling Air Force Base. Andrews has become firmly established as the main port of entry for foreign military and government officials en route to Washington and the United States. In July 1961, the official presidential aircraft was stationed here, known as "Air Force One" when the president is on board. Before 1961, the presidential airplane had been kept at Washington National Airport and Bolling AFB.

In 1963, the Naval Air Facility (NAF), originally established at the former NAS Anacostia in 1919, moved to Andrews. The NAF handles Naval VIP flight operations. The Marine Corps detachment that flies the FA-18 Hornet is located here.

In a major reorganization, Headquarters Command, U.S. Air Force, was disbanded 1 July 1976, restructured under the Military Airlift Command as the 76th Airlift Division and transferred its headquarters from Bolling AFB to Andrews. The 76th remained the parent unit of the Andrews host command, redesignated as the 1st Air Base Wing.

In October 1977, the 76th Airlift Division became the 76th Military Airlift Wing. The 1st Air Base Wing was redesignated the 76th Air Base Group, and the 89th Military Airlift Wing became the 89th Military Airlift Group. The 76th MAW remained the parent unit at Andrews. On 15 December 1980, the 76th Airlift Division was reestablished, the 76th Air Base Group became the 1776th Air Base Wing and the 89th Military Airlift Group became the 89th Military Airlift Wing. On 1 October 1985, the 76th Airlift Division was inactivated as the result of activation of the Headquarters Air Force District of Washington at Bolling AFB. The 1776th Air Base Wing was designated the "host wing" for Andrews AFB and assumed base support responsibilities.

During Operation Desert Storm, Andrews handled 16,540 patients in makeshift hospital facilities located in the base tennis center.

On 12 July 1991, the 89th Military Airlift Wing was redesignated as the 89th Airlift Wing and assumed duties as the host wing at Andrews AFB. Support functions previously performed by the 1776th Air Base Wing now fall under the 89th and the 1776th was inactivated. With the consolidation of the two wings, the newly formed 89th Airlift Wing is one of the largest wings in Air Mobility Command with a work force approaching 9,000 people.

Known as "The President's Wing," the 89th Airlift Wing continues to contribute to Andrews' rich history as the elite Air Mobility Command wing for transporting VIPs around the world. Not only does Andrews provide service for America's senior officials, but also kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers, popes, and local and foreign military leaders make Andrews AFB their first stop in the United States.

On 5 January 2005 the Air Force reactivated the Air Force District of Washington (AFDW) as the single Air Force voice for planning and implementing Air Force and joint solutions within the National Capital Region (NCR). This event brought with it significant changes at Andrews. On 12 May 2006, the 89th Medical Group at Andrews and the 11th Medical Group, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C. combined into the 79th Medical Wing where it established its headquarters at Andrews. In June 2006, the 316th Wing stood up under the command of AFDW as the new host unit for Andrews Air Force Base and its nearly 50 tenant units to include organizations from the U.S. Army, the Air Force Reserve Command, Air National Guard, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and the Civil Air Patrol. The activation of the 316th prompted the transfer of the 1st Helicopter Squadron from the 89th Airlift Wing to the 316th Operations Group. In May 2007 the AFDW, as well as the 844th Communications Group, transferred from Bolling AFB to Andrews AFB.

Joint Base[edit]

Joint Base Andrews was designated on 1 October 2009 and on 1 October 2010; the Air Force completed the merge of the 11th Wing and the 316th at Joint Base Andrews. The 11th Wing became the host base organization for Joint Base Andrews.[8][13][14]

Units[edit]

The following units are based at Andrews:

The 11th Wing is responsible for maintaining emergency reaction rotary-wing airlift and other National Capital Region contingency response capabilities critical to national security, and for organizing, training, equipping and deploying combat-ready forces for Air and Space Expeditionary Forces (AEFs). The wing also provides installation security, services and airfield management to support the President, Vice President, other senior U.S. leaders and more than 50 tenant organizations and federal agencies.
The 89th Airlift Wing is responsible for worldwide special air mission airlift, logistics and communications support for the President, Vice President and other U.S. senior leaders. Air Force One is assigned to the 89th AW.
The Air Force District of Washington (AFDW) is composed of two wings, one group and two Ceremonial Elements. The 11th Wing and the 79th Medical Wing at Joint Base Andrews. Also under AFDW is the Air Force Operations Group (AFOG) at the Pentagon and the 844th Communications Group. The Air Force Operations Group is the principal operational entity of the Air Staff in support of the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. The 79th Medical Wing and 844th Communications Group both have specialized missions where they will be the single Air Force voice in the National Capital Region (NCR) for their respective fields of expertise. The 11th Wing will fulfill duties as the host base organization of Andrews while also supporting AFDW requirements. Through the U.S. Air Force Band and the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, the 11th Wing also provides ceremonial and musical support throughout the National Capital Region and worldwide.
The 79th Medical Wing is the Air Force's single medical voice for planning and implementing Air Force and joint medical solutions within the National Capital Region (NCR). Activated on 10 May 2006, it is the largest wing within the Air Force District of Washington and only the second medical wing in the Air Force.
  • Tenant Units
457th Airlift Squadron
113th Wing (Air National Guard / Air Combat Command-gained and Air Mobility Command-gained)
459th Air Refueling Wing (Air Force Reserve Command / Air Mobility Command-gained)
744th Communications Squadron
Air National Guard Readiness Center
District of Columbia Air National Guard
Army Jet Detachment
Civil Air Patrol – Andrews Composite Squadron and Congressional Squadron
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 321 (Marine Corps Reserve)
Electronic Attack Squadron 209 (Navy Reserve)
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 1 (Navy Reserve)
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 53 (Navy Reserve)
National Guard Bureau
Naval Air Facility Washington D.C.
Naval Communications Security Material Systems
Maryland State Police Aviation Division (Medevac Helicopter)
Federal Aviation Administration
11th Vehicle operations is the Flight that does all military Trans for the area .

Aircraft assigned[edit]

  • C-20B/D (89th Airlift Wing, Army Jet Detachment)
  • C-21 (457th Airlift Squadron)
  • C-32A (89th Airlift Wing)
  • C-37A (89th Airlift Wing, Army Jet Detachment)
  • C-37B (89th Airlift Wing, Army Jet Detachment and VR-1 (USNR))
  • C-38 (113th Wing, D.C. Air National Guard)
  • C-40B/C (89th Airlift Wing/113th Wing, DC Air National Guard)
  • C-130T (VR-53 (USNR))
  • F-16 Fighting Falcon (113th Wing, DC Air National Guard)
  • KC-135R Stratotanker (459th Air Refueling Wing)
  • UC-35D (VMR Andrews (USMCR))
  • UC-35 (Army Jet Det)
  • UH-1N (316th Wing)
  • VC-25A, Air Force One (89th Airlift Wing)
  • Cessna 182 (Civil Air Patrol)

  • F-16D of the 113th Wing

  • A C-32, a specially configured version of the Boeing 757-200 commercial intercontinental airliner (89th Airlift Wing)

  • C-37A Gulfstream V (89th Airlift Wing)

  • UH-1N Huey of the 11th Wing

President Barack Obama greets personnel at the base in October 2010.

Major commands to which assigned[edit]

Redesignated: Strategic Air Command, 21 March 1946
Air Defense Command (Attached)
Eastern Air Defense Force, 13 August 1950 – 1 July 1963
Redesignated: Headquarters Command, USAF, 17 March 1958

Major units assigned[edit]

Redesignated: 76th Military Airlift Wing, 30 September 1977 – 16 December 1980
Redesignated: 76th Airlift Division, 15 December 1980 – 1 October 1985

Geography[edit]

Andrews Air Force Base is located at 38°48′13″N 76°52′17″W / 38.80361°N 76.87139°W / 38.80361; -76.87139 (38.803490, −76.871508),[15] a few miles southeast of Washington, D.C. near the town of Morningside. It is delineated as a census-designated place by the United States Census Bureau. The CDP has a total area of 6.9 square miles (18.0 km2), of which 6.9 square miles (17.9 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.51%, is water.[16]

There are two runways on the base; the western runway is 11,300 feet (3,400 m) in length, and the eastern runway is 9,750 feet (2,970 m) in length. The minor third runway between them at the top of the picture (above the cross-base roadway) is now closed, and the small T-shaped runway at the bottom right of the opening picture was closed and demolished by 2008.[17]

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
19706,418—
198010,06456.8%
199010,2281.6%
20007,925−22.5%
20102,973−62.5%
source:[7][18]
Overview of Andrews flight line

As of the census[19] of 2000, there were 7,925 people, 1,932 households, and 1,864 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,158.9 people per square mile (447.3/km²). There were 2,133 housing units at an average density of 311.9 sq mi (120.4/km²). The racial makeup of the base was 65.3% White, 22.8% African American, 0.6% Native American, 3.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.7% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.7% of the population.

There were 1,932 households out of which 75.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 86.1% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 3.5% were non-families. 3.2% of all households were made up of individuals, none of whom was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.39 and the average family size was 3.44.

In the CDP, the population is spread out with 35.0% under the age of 18, 16.3% from 18 to 24, 44.9% from 25 to 44, 3.6% from 45 to 64, and 0.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 119.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 126.0 males.

The median income for a household in the base was $44,310, and the median income for a family was $42,866. Males had a median income of $27,070 versus $27,308 for females. The per capita income for the base was $16,520. About 2.6% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including of the total population, 2.8% of those under the age of 18 and none of those 65 and older.

Motor sport[edit]

On 2 May 1954, sports car races were held at the base,[20] using a 4.3-mile (6.9 km) circuit made up of runways and other access roads.[21]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Andrews Air Force Base, official site
  2. ^ FAA Airport Master Record for ADW (Form 5010 PDF), effective 2007-10-25
  3. ^ Sperling, Capt. Robert. "Officials unveil Joint Base Andrews". Af.mil. Retrieved 2013-07-12. 
  4. ^ "Factsheets : Presidential Airlift Group (AMC) ''United States Air Force''". Afhra.af.mil. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-12. 
  5. ^ "Biographies : Colonel Kenneth R Rizer ''United States Air Force''". Andrews.af.mil. Retrieved 2013-07-12. 
  6. ^ "Biographies : Command Chief Master Sergeant Anthony Brinkley ''United States Air Force''". Andrews.af.mil. 1984-01-12. Retrieved 2013-07-12. 
  7. ^ a b "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Andrews AFB CDP, Maryland". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2011. 
  8. ^ a b "Fact Sheet, Andrews Air Force Base history, Office of History, 316th Airlift Wing". Andrews.af.mil. Retrieved 2013-07-12. 
  9. ^ a b c d e f Mueller, Robert (1989). "Andrews Air Force Base". Air Force Bases (Google books (also available as an AFHSO pdf.) (Report). Volume I: Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6. Retrieved 2013-08-15. Major Off-Base and Detached Installations: ... Salisbury MAP (aka Chincoteague Aux Fld; Salisbury Outlying Fld), 5 mi ESE of Salisbury, MD, 8 Feb 1943-5 Jun 1944 [dubious – discuss]
  10. ^ [full citation needed] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.
  11. ^ Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office 1961 (republished 1983, Office of Air Force History, ISBN 0-912799-02-1).
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ Airmen 1st Class Kat Lynn Justen and Katherine Windish (2010-07-23). "Mission, movement, manning – installation members stand at ready for 11 WG merger ''United States Air Force''". Andrews.af.mil. Retrieved 2013-07-12. 
  14. ^ "Slideshow: 11th Wing becomes the host wing at JBA ''United States Air Force''". Andrews.af.mil. 2012-06-08. Retrieved 2013-07-12. 
  15. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
  16. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Andrews AFB CDP, Maryland". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2011. 
  17. ^ "andrews air force base - Google Maps". Maps.google.co.uk. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2013-07-12. 
  18. ^ "CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING (1790–2000)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2010-07-18. 
  19. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  20. ^ O'Neil, Terry (2011). Runways & Racers: Sports Car Races Held on Military Airfields in America 1952–1954. United States: Veloce Publishing Ltd. p. 208. ISBN 9781845842550. 
  21. ^ Galpin, Darren. "Andrews Airforce Base". www.silhouet.com. Retrieved 29 January 2013. 

Attribution[edit]

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document "Joint Base Andrews".

External links[edit]


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