Plattsburgh Air Force Base, New York
Longitude: -73.4681
Origin of current name: Named after a city in New York
Date current name was assigned to base: February 1st 1955
Previous Names: Plattsburgh Barracks (USA), 1838
Changes in Capability: Runway completed, landing of first aircraft (KC-97) 7 Nov 1955; B-47 bombers arrived Jun 1956; SAC wing and division headquarters assigned late 1956; 1,685-unit Capehart housing project accepted and base hospital completed Oct 1959; 12 Atlas ICBM sites completed and operational mid-1962 (disposed 1968-1970); base began B-52 operations Jun 1966; major construction for FB-111 operations 1968-1972; three FB-111 flight simulators completed spring 1974; facilities provided to accommodate SRAM operations 1974-1975; major housing modification and upgrading completed Jan 1978; support equipment shop completed Sep 1980.
History:
The Plattsburg area has a long history of military tradition dating back nearly 400 years to the time when the area was discovered by Samuel de Champlain, in 1609. The U.S. Government has maintained a facility in Plattsburgh since 1812; the first permanent structures were erected between 1838 and 1842. During the Civil War, Union army volunteers from Franklin and Clinton counties organized and departed from the post at Plattsburgh. In 1915, regular troops were stationed at the post, which came to be known as the "Training Camp for Young Business Men on Lake Champlain," the forerunner of the Reserve Officer Training Corps. The post was operated by the Army from 1865 until it turned the base over to the Navy in 1944. The installation operated as an officer training station for the U.S. Navy between 1944 and 1945, during which time 2,000 men were commissioned.
Plattsburgh became the site of the U.S. Army Air Corps Convalescent Hospital in 1945. One year later, the property covered by the old Army post was transferred to the state of New York; however, the federal government reserved the option-to reclaim the property for national defense within a 10-year period. From 1946-1953, Champlain College operated at the Plattsburgh facility, educating G.I.'s returning from World War II.
In 1954, the Department of Defense exercised its option to reclaim the post. The Air Force announced plans to build an air base, to include another 3,000 acres of newly purchased land. Groundbreaking for the Strategic Air Command (SAC) base was held in 1954. The 380th Bombardment Wing, Medium, was activated in July 1956 and included three B-47 squadrons and a KC-97 refueling squadron.
In 1964, the B-47 force was augmented by Atlas missiles as the 380th became a Strategic Aerospace Wing (HEAVY). Both the Atlas missile and the B-47 were eventually phased out and the 380th became a Bombardment Wing again in 1966, this time flying the 8-52G. The B-52s were moved to Fairchild AFB, Washington, in 1971, and the first FB-111 arrived in July 1971. In 1991, the Bombardment Wing was removed and operations were realigned to form the 380th Refueling Wing.
Plattsburgh Air Force Base was closed on September 30, 1995 as part of the third round of base closures under BRAC.
History of the Atlas ICBM a Plattsburgh Air Force Base