United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
facility located in
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
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, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, s ...
,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, southeast of
Downtown San Antonio
Downtown San Antonio is the central business district of San Antonio, Texas, United States. It also serves as the urban core of Greater San Antonio, a metropolitan area with nearly 2.5 million people.
In addition to being encircled by Loops 1604 ...
.
In 2002, Brooks Air Force Base was renamed
Brooks City-Base
Brooks is a mixed-use development that was founded on the former Brooks Air Force Base when the United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight ...
when the property was conveyed to the Brooks Development Authority as part of a unique project between local, state, and federal government. The Brooks Development Authority is now the owner and operator of the property, and is redeveloping it as a science, business, and technology center. The Air Force was the largest tenant at Brooks City-Base.
Units
Major units
*
311th Air Base Group
The 311th Human Systems Wing is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force. It was stationed at Brooks City-Base in San Antonio, Texas.
The wing was established in October 1961 as the Aerospace Medical Division to bring aerospace medical ...
*
311th Human Systems Wing
The 311th Human Systems Wing is an inactive wing of the United States Air Force. It was stationed at Brooks City-Base in San Antonio, Texas.
The wing was established in October 1961 as the Aerospace Medical Division to bring aerospace medical ...
Tenant units
*
Air Force Audit Agency
The Air Force Audit Agency (AFAA) is a Field Operating Agency (FOA) of the United States Air Force that provides all levels of Air Force management with audit services and assesses Air Force financial stewardship and the accuracy of financial repor ...
*
Air Force Research Laboratory
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is a scientific research organization operated by the United States Air Force Materiel Command dedicated to leading the discovery, development, and integration of aerospace warfighting technologies, pl ...
History
On February 16, 1918, Kelly Field No. 5 became a separate post and named Brooks Field by the
Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps
The Aviation Section, Signal Corps, was the aerial warfare service of the United States from 1914 to 1918, and a direct statutory ancestor of the United States Air Force. It absorbed and replaced the Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps, and con ...
to honor San Antonio aviator
Sidney Johnson Brooks, Jr
Sidney may refer to:
People
* Sidney (surname), English surname
* Sidney (given name), including a list of people with the given name
* Sidney (footballer, born 1972), full name Sidney da Silva Souza, Brazilian football defensive midfielder
* ...
. The first commander of Brooks Field was Lt. Col. H. Conger Pratt, who until the preceding October had been a cavalryman.
From its founding until 1919, Brooks Field was used to train cadets in the
Curtiss JN-4
The Curtiss JN "Jenny" was a series of biplanes built by the Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York, later the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Although the Curtiss JN series was originally produced as a training aircraft for th ...
aircraft, which was used for balloon and
airship
An airship or dirigible balloon is a type of aerostat or lighter-than-air aircraft that can navigate through the air under its own power. Aerostats gain their lift from a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding air.
In early ...
training. The program was cancelled in 1922 when the
U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
re-evaluated the usefulness of balloons and airships.
After the cancellation of the airship training, the 11th School Group was formed at Brooks Field as the Primary Flying School for the Air Service and
Army Air Corps Army Air Corps may refer to the following army aviation corps:
* Army Air Corps (United Kingdom), the army aviation element of the British Army
* Philippine Army Air Corps (1935–1941)
* United States Army Air Corps (1926–1942), or its p ...
. The Primary Flying School continued operation until 1931 when it moved to
Randolph Field
Randolph Air Force Base was an United States Air Force base located at Universal City, Texas ( east-northeast of Downtown San Antonio).
Opened in 1931, Randolph has been a flying training facility for the United States Army Air Corps, the Uni ...
in San Antonio. After the Primary Flying School's departure, Brooks Field became the new home for the Aerial Observation Center.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Brooks Field housed the School for Combat Observers and the Advanced Flying School (Observation). The program remained in operation until 1943 when it was disbanded. Training in the school then switched to twin-engine aircraft, subsequently training pilots to fly the
B-25
The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in e ...
bomber.
After the war, Brooks Field became the home to several tactical and reserve units, and in 1948, Brooks Field formally became Brooks Air Force Base.
Since the early 1950s, Brooks AFB has been the home for the Aerospace Medical Center, which would include the School of Aerospace Medicine (SAM). In 1957, SAM scientists moved into the newly completed center at Brooks AFB. SAM aided the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding th ...
(NASA) with
Project Mercury
Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight program of the United States, running from 1958 through 1963. An early highlight of the Space Race, its goal was to put a man into Earth orbit and return him safely, ideally before the Soviet Un ...
and served as a back-up site for
lunar samples
Lunar most commonly means "of or relating to the Moon".
Lunar may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Lunar'' (series), a series of video games
* "Lunar" (song), by David Guetta
* "Lunar", a song by Priestess from the 2009 album ''Prior t ...
missions between 1969 and 1972. The air evacuation program at Brooks AFB proved vital to the care of wounded personnel in the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
.
President
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
dedicated the School of Aerospace Medicine on November 21, 1963, the day before he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. This was Kennedy's last official act as president.
After the Vietnam War, the base's mission narrowed to one centered on specific research related to U.S. Air Force fliers and personnel. In 1991, the Air Force was selected to house the Armstrong Laboratory, which included the Air Force Human Resources Laboratory, the Air Force Drug Testing Laboratory, the Harry G. Armstrong Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, the Air Force Occupational and Environmental Health Laboratory, and the laboratory functions of SAM.
BRAC
Following the 1995 BRAC, when Brooks AFB was removed from the
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) is a process by a United States federal government commission to increase United States Department of Defense efficiency by coordinating the realignment and closure of military installations following the end o ...
list, city, state, military, and community planners began several years of hard work to develop a plan to privatize approved the gradual transition in ownership of Brooks AFB from the Air Force to the Brooks Development Authority. This transition came into full effect on July 22, 2002, when the Brooks Development Authority assumed control of the newly named Brooks City-Base.
In 2005, Brooks City-Base was once again placed on the BRAC list. Air Force operations ceased on 15 September 2011.The Brooks Development Authority has demonstrated economic development success with projects including a retail development, approximately of research and distribution facilities for DPT Laboratories, the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (an infectious disease research institute coordinated with the
University of Texas at San Antonio
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is a public research university in San Antonio, Texas. With over 34,000 students across its four campuses spanning 758 acres, UTSA is the largest university in San Antonio and the eighth-largest by ...
), an international pharmaceutical company, and a $25.5 million City/County emergency operations center which opened in the Fall 2007. Brooks City-Base deactivated the 311th Air Base Group on 1 Sept, 2011, and the remaining few USAF personnel had shuttered the base for good by the 15th of that month.
Historic Hangar 9
Brooks Field Hangar 9 was restored in 1969 to become the U.S. Air Force
Museum of Aerospace Medicine
The Edward H. White II Museum of Aerospace Medicine was a museum of the United States Air Force and was located in Hangar 9 at Brooks Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.SA 1921–1940)
* Gulf Coast Air Corps Training Cen, December 11, 1940 – May 1, 1942
* Gulf Coast AAF Training Cen, May 1, 1942 – July 1, 1943
* AAF Central Flying Training Comd, July 31, 1943 – December 1, 1945
* Continental Air Forces, December 1, 1945 – March 21, 1946
United States Air Force
*
Strategic Air Command
Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
, March 21, 1946 – March 23, 1946
*
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
, March 23, 1946 – January 15, 1947
*
Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...
, January 15, 1947 – December 1, 1948
*
Continental Air Command
Continental Air Command (ConAC) (1948–1968) was a Major Command of the United States Air Force (USAF) responsible primarily for administering the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.
During the Korean War, ConAC provided the necessary au ...
, December 1, 1948 – October 1, 1969
*
United States Air Force Security Service
Initially established as the Air Force (USAF) Security Group in June, 1948, the USAF Security Service (USAFSS) was activated as a major command on Oct 20, 1948 (For redesignations, see Successor units.)
The USAFSS was a secretive branch of the ...
, April 18, 1949 - July 31, 1953
*
Air Training Command
Air Training Command (ATC) is a former United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command designation. It was headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, but was initially formed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. It was re-designated as Ai ...
, October 1, 1959 – November 1, 1961
*
Air Force Systems Command
The Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. It was established in April 1951, being split off from Air Materiel Command. The mission of AFSC was Research and Development for new weapons systems.
Ove ...
, November 1, 1961 – July 1, 1992
*
Air Force Materiel Command
Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF). AFMC was created on July 1, 1992, through the amalgamation of the former Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) and the former Air Force Systems Com ...
, July 1, 1992 – September 1, 2011
Base operating units
USAAS/USAAC/USAAF
* 67th Aero Squadron (Service), April 6, 1918 – June 27, 1918
* Squadron "B" Brooks Fld, June 27, 1918 – November 14, 1918
* Flying School Det, Brooks Fld, November 14, 1918 – May 1919
* Air Corps Balloon and Airship School, Brooks Fld, c. May 1919 – June 1922
* 11th School Group (Primary Flying School), c. June 1922 – July 1931
:46th and 47th School Squadrons, 62nd Service Squadron
* 62d Service Sq, c. July 1931 – August 1936
* 8th Air Base Sq, c. September 1936 – c. June 1939
* Unknown, July–August 1939
* 63d Air Base Gp, Sp, September 1, 1940 – November 1, 1941
* 53d Air Base Sq, November 1, 1941 – June 27, 1942
* 53d Base HQ and Air Base Sq, June 27, 1942 – May 1, 1944
* 2510th AAF Base Unit, May 1, 1944 – November 30, 1945
* 306th AAF Base Unit, November 30, 1945 – September 26, 1947
United States Air Force
* 306th AF Base Unit, September 26, 1947 – August 28, 1948
* 2595th Base Service Sq, August 28, 1948 – February 1, 1949
* 2595th Air Base Gp, February 1, 1949 – January 1, 1954
* 2577th Air Force Reserve Flying Training Cen, January 1, 1954 – September 15, 1954
* 2577th Air Reserve Flying Training Cen, September 15, 1954 – April 8, 1958
* 2577th Air Base Gp, April 8, 1958 – October 1, 1959
* 3790th Air Base Gp, October 1, 1959 – July 1, 1961
* Human Systems Center July 1, 1992 – October 1, 1998
* 6570th Air Base Gp, October 1, 1961 – July 1, 1992
* 648th Air Base Gp, July 1, 1992 – May 1, 1994
* 311th Human Systems Wing
Government and infrastructure
The
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
''. Retrieved on April 16, 2009.
See also
*
Texas World War II Army Airfields
During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces established numerous airfields in Texas for training pilots and aircrews. The amount of available land and the temperate climate made Texas a prime location for year-round military training. By ...
*
List of United States Army airfields
This is a list of United States Army airfields.
Active United States and Territories
Worldwide
Closed United States and Territories
Worldwide
Lists by state
* Alabama World War II Army Airfields
* Alaska World War II Army Airfiel ...
*
Hangar 9, Brooks City-Base
Hangar 9 is a historic aircraft hangar at Brooks City-Base, the former Brooks Air Force Base, in San Antonio, Texas. Built in 1918, it is the oldest U.S. Air Force aircraft storage and repair facility, and is the only surviving hangar, other than ...
References
Sources
* Mueller, Robert (1989). Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. USAF Reference Series, Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
* Mauer, Mauer (1969), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World War II, Air Force Historical Studies Office, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. ISBN 0-89201-097-5
* Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History's Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
*
*