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Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base or Dover AFB (IATA: DOV, ICAO: KDOV, FAA LID: DOV) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base under the operational control of Air Mobility Command (AMC), located 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware. The 436th Airlift Wing is the host wing, and runs the busiest and largest air freight terminal in the Department of Defense.
Construction of Municipal Airport, Dover Airdrome began in March 1941 and the facility was opened on December 17, 1941. It was converted to a U.S. Army Air Corps airfield just weeks after the December 7, 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor. It was renamed Dover Army Airbase on April 8, 1943; *Dover Subbase on June 6, 1943, and Dover Army Airfield on February 2, 1944. With the establishment of the United States Air Force (USAF) on September 18, 1947, the facility was renamed Dover Air Force Base on January 13, 1948.
* Was a subbase of Camp Springs AAF, Maryland, June 6, 1943 – April 15, 1944.
In March 1941, Dover Air Force Base was founded during World War II to meet the need of the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) for an airfield that could be used as a training center. USAAC obtained jurisdiction over the municipal airport at Dover, Delaware.
Once the airport came under military control, an immediate construction program began to turn the civil airport into a military facility. Construction involved runways and airplane hangars, with three concrete runways, several taxiways, a large parking apron and a control tower. Several large hangars were also constructed. Buildings were ultimately utilitarian and quickly assembled. Most base buildings, not intended for long-term use, were constructed with temporary or semi-permanent materials. Although some hangars had steel frames, and the occasional brick or tile brick building could be seen, most support buildings sat on concrete foundations, but were of frame construction, and clad in little more than plywood and tarpaper. Initially under USAAC, the name of the facility was Municipal Airport, Dover Airdrome and the airfield opened on 17 December 1941. The airfield was assigned to the First Air Force.
On 20 December the first military unit arrived at Dover's new airfield: the 112th Observation Squadron of the Ohio National Guard which flew anti-submarine patrols off the Delaware Coast. In early 1942, three B-25 Mitchell bomber squadrons arrived with the 45th Bombardment Group from I Bomber Command, later part of Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, assumed the anti-submarine mission.
On 8 April 1943, the name of the airfield was changed to Dover Army Air Base. The antisubmarine mission ended on 6 June, and construction crews moved back to the base for a major upgrading project that lengthened the main runway to 7,000 feet. During the construction period and continuing into June 1944, Dover AAB became a sub-base of Camp Springs Army Airfield, Maryland.
Full operational capability was restored to Dover in September, and seven P-47 Thunderbolt squadrons arrived for training in preparation for eventual involvement in the European Theater, while the 83d Fighter Group was assigned to Dover as the Operational Training Unit, The 83rd was redesignated the 125th Base Unit on 10 April 1944, with very little change in its mission. It was further redesignated as the 125th Army Air Force base Unit on 15 September 1944.
Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base or Dover AFB (IATA: DOV, ICAO: KDOV, FAA LID: DOV) is a United States Air Force (USAF) base under the operational control of Air Mobility Command (AMC), located 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware. The 436th Airlift Wing is the host wing, and runs the busiest and largest air freight terminal in the Department of Defense.
Construction of Municipal Airport, Dover Airdrome began in March 1941 and the facility was opened on December 17, 1941. It was converted to a U.S. Army Air Corps airfield just weeks after the December 7, 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor. It was renamed Dover Army Airbase on April 8, 1943; *Dover Subbase on June 6, 1943, and Dover Army Airfield on February 2, 1944. With the establishment of the United States Air Force (USAF) on September 18, 1947, the facility was renamed Dover Air Force Base on January 13, 1948.
* Was a subbase of Camp Springs AAF, Maryland, June 6, 1943 – April 15, 1944.
In March 1941, Dover Air Force Base was founded during World War II to meet the need of the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) for an airfield that could be used as a training center. USAAC obtained jurisdiction over the municipal airport at Dover, Delaware.
Once the airport came under military control, an immediate construction program began to turn the civil airport into a military facility. Construction involved runways and airplane hangars, with three concrete runways, several taxiways, a large parking apron and a control tower. Several large hangars were also constructed. Buildings were ultimately utilitarian and quickly assembled. Most base buildings, not intended for long-term use, were constructed with temporary or semi-permanent materials. Although some hangars had steel frames, and the occasional brick or tile brick building could be seen, most support buildings sat on concrete foundations, but were of frame construction, and clad in little more than plywood and tarpaper. Initially under USAAC, the name of the facility was Municipal Airport, Dover Airdrome and the airfield opened on 17 December 1941. The airfield was assigned to the First Air Force.
On 20 December the first military unit arrived at Dover's new airfield: the 112th Observation Squadron of the Ohio National Guard which flew anti-submarine patrols off the Delaware Coast. In early 1942, three B-25 Mitchell bomber squadrons arrived with the 45th Bombardment Group from I Bomber Command, later part of Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command, assumed the anti-submarine mission.
On 8 April 1943, the name of the airfield was changed to Dover Army Air Base. The antisubmarine mission ended on 6 June, and construction crews moved back to the base for a major upgrading project that lengthened the main runway to 7,000 feet. During the construction period and continuing into June 1944, Dover AAB became a sub-base of Camp Springs Army Airfield, Maryland.
Full operational capability was restored to Dover in September, and seven P-47 Thunderbolt squadrons arrived for training in preparation for eventual involvement in the European Theater, while the 83d Fighter Group was assigned to Dover as the Operational Training Unit, The 83rd was redesignated the 125th Base Unit on 10 April 1944, with very little change in its mission. It was further redesignated as the 125th Army Air Force base Unit on 15 September 1944.
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