England Air Force Base

History

The base was opened on 21 October 1942 and during the Second World War performed Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress aircrew training. It was placed on inactive status on September 23, 1946, although a small cadre of Army and Air Force personnel (331 Composite Squadron) remained assigned to Alexandria Municipal Airport throughout the late 1940s.

On 10 October 1950, the United States Air Force reopened Alexandria Air Force Base during the Korean War. The station's primary mission was tactical fighter operations for Tactical Air Command.

Its major operating units were:

United States Army Air Forces

67th Airdrome Squadron, 1 February 1943 – 25 March 1943 471st Bombardment Group, 1 May 1943 – 7 May 1943 469th Bombardment Group, 7 May 1943 – 1 April 1944 221st AAF Base Unit, 25 March 1944 – 1 March 1945 329th AAF Base Unit, 1 March 1945 – 23 September 1946

United States Air Force

4416th Base Complement Sq, 23 October 1950 – 22 December 1950 137th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 22 December 1950 – 2 May 1952 132d Fighter-Bomber Wing, 2 May 1952 – 1 January 1953 366th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1 January 1953 – 1 April 1959 420th Air Refueling Squadron (Tactical), 18 March 1954 – 4 October 1955 622d Air Refueling Squadron (Tactical), 18 July 1955 – 1 April 1964 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 April 1959 – 27 April 1966 3d Tactical Fighter Wing, 9 January 1964 – 7 November 1965 834th Air Division, 1 July 1964 – 15 October 1966 1st Air Commando/Special Operations Wing 15 January 1966 – 15 July 1969 4410th Combat Crew Training Wing/Group 15 July 1969 – 31 July 1973

On 15 September 1970, the 4403d Tactical Fighter Wing, a temporary Major Air Command-Controlled (MAJCOM) unit, activated at England. With its subordinate 416th (activated 28 September 1970) and 431st Tactical Fighter Squadrons, it absorbed returning North American F-100 Super Sabre aircraft of 31st TFW from Tuy Hoa Air Base South Vietnam. It transferred aircraft and other assets to the Air National Guard. Acted as holding unit for arriving LTV A-7D Corsair II aircraft starting April 1972. The 4403d TFW and the 416th TFS both inactivated on 1 July 1972.

On 1 July 1972, the 23d Tactical Fighter Wing reactivated at the base, without personnel or equipment, and took over the organization and assets of the temporary 4403d TFW. Three A-7D tactical fighter (74th, 75th, 76th) squadrons formed. The wing re-equipped with Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft in 1981. Redesignated 23d Fighter Wing 1 October 1991. Inactivated 1 June 1992.

Air Defense Command

Alexandria (and later England) AFB was base for Air Defense Command interceptor and radar units along the Gulf Coast. In 1959, the 332d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, assigned to the 32d Air Division stationed F-102 Delta Dagger interceptors at the base between 1959-1960.

In addition to the fighter-interceptor squadron, England AFB part of the planned deployment by Air Defense Command of forty-four Mobile radar stations across the United States to support the permanent Radar network established during the Cold War for air defense of the United States. This deployment had been projected to be operational by mid-1952. Funding, constant site changes, construction, and equipment delivery delayed deployment.

On 1 November 1954 the 653d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron began operations at Alexandria AFB with the activation of AN/MPS-14, AN/TPS-1D, and AN/TPS-10D radars. The site was designated as M-125, and initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes. The AN/MPS-14 continued to operate until site closure in 1963. In 1958 the site was operating an AN/FPS-20 search set.

In addition to the main facility, Air Defense Command operated three AN/FPS-18 Gap Filler sites:

Delhi, LA (M-125A): 32°19′40″N 091°33′25″W

Weeks Island, LA (M-125C): 29°48′34″N 091°48′22″W

Lake Charles GFA, LA (M-125D): 30°11′05″N 093°10′30″W

England AFB was a planned Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Data Center (DC) location, for the also-planned Shreveport Air-Defense Sector. However, in March 1963 Air Defense Command ordered the site to close due to budget reductions and operations ceased on April 23.

The station was picked up by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after the ADC shut down operations. The site is still in operations using the FPS-20A, being known as Alexandria, Louisiana. Virtually all other parts of this old Air Force radar station have been removed. A golf course now occupies part of the old M-125 site.

Closure

In October 1990, the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission decided that England Air Force Base would be closed by September 1992. Reduction of equipment and personnel began almost immediately. The 23d Fighter Wing's Fairchild A-10 "Thunderbolt II" aircraft were sent to other units, and the base was closed on 15 December 1992. During the period of its military use, Air Force units from England Air Force Base served in combat in World War II, the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm.