Keesler Air Force Base is a

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 Si ...

base located in Biloxi, a city along the Gulf Coast in Harrison County,

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. The base is named in honor of aviator 2d Lt Samuel Reeves Keesler Jr., a Mississippi native killed in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. The base is home of Headquarters,

Second Air Force The Second Air Force (2 AF; ''2d Air Force'' in 1942) is a USAF numbered air force responsible for conducting basic military and technical training for Air Force enlisted members and non-flying officers. In World War II the CONUS unit defende ...

(2 AF) and the 81st Training Wing (81 TW) of the

Air Education and Training Command Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training ...

(AETC). The base has specialized in ground trade training since its opening in 1941 during World War II. It has had high-quality technical schools and absorbed units moved from other bases under the

Base Realignment and Closure Act 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 ...

(BRAC).

History

In early January 1941, Biloxi city officials assembled a formal offer to invite the

United States 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, ...

to build a base to support the

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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

training buildup. The War Department activated Army Air Corps Station No. 8, Aviation Mechanics School, Biloxi, Mississippi, on 12 June 1941. On August 25, 1941, the base was dedicated as Keesler Army Airfield, in honor of 2d Lt Samuel Reeves Keesler Jr., a Mississippi native and distinguished aerial observer, killed in action in

during the

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

initially appropriated $6 million for construction at Biloxi and an additional $2 million for equipment. By the time the War Department allocated the funds in April 1941, the projected cost had risen to $9.6 million. On 14 June 1941, the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

awarded contracts totaling $10 million to build Biloxi's technical training school. At the time, it was the most expensive government project to have been undertaken in the State of Mississippi. When the War Department activated Keesler Field in June 1941, not only was Keesler getting a technical training center, but it would be getting one of the Army's newest replacement, or basic training centers. The first shipment of recruits arrived at Keesler Field on 21 August 1941. Many stayed at Keesler to become airplane and engine mechanics, while others transferred to aerial gunnery or

aviation cadet A flight cadet is a military or civilian occupational title that is held by someone who is in training to perform aircrew duties in an airplane. The trainee does not need to become a pilot, as flight cadets may also learn to serve as a bombardie ...

schools. Development of the base stimulated businesses and residential construction in Biloxi. The Tuskegee Airmen were trained at Keesler. More than 7,000

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

soldiers were stationed at Keesler Field by the autumn of 1943. These soldiers included pre-aviation cadets, radio operators, aviation technicians, bombardiers, and aviation mechanics. Keesler Officers club web

Keesler continued to focus upon specialized training in

Consolidated B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...

maintenance until mid-1944. Thereafter, the base expanded its curricula to train mechanics for other aircraft. By September 1944, the number of recruits had dropped, but the workload remained constant. Keesler personnel began processing veteran ground troops and combat crews who had returned from duty overseas for additional training and follow-on assignments. The number of men who went through basic training wound down markedly after the end of World War II, and it was discontinued at Keesler on 30 June 1946.

Cold War

In late May 1947, the

Radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, Marine radar, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor v ...

School was established at Keesler (transferred from

Boca Raton Army Air Field Boca Raton Army Air Field was a World War II United States Army Air Forces airfield, located northwest of the 1940s borders of Boca Raton, Florida. During World War II, it operated the only training for the then new and secret technology of ...

), making it responsible for operating the two largest military technical schools in the United States. Thereafter, shrinking budgets forced the base to reduce its operating costs: the Airplane and Engine Mechanics School and the Radar School were consolidated on 1 April 1948. In early 1949, the Radio Operations School transferred to Keesler from Scott Air Force Base,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...

. In addition to training radio operators, Keesler was to begin teaching air traffic service technicians; aircraft approach controllers, ground radar mechanics, and radar repairman/ground controlled approach specialists. The last mechanics training courses had moved to

Sheppard Air Force Base Sheppard Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located north of the central business district of Wichita Falls, in Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the largest training base and most diversified in Air Education ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

, by November. In early 1956, Keesler entered the missile age by opening a ground support training program for the

Atlas missile The SM-65 Atlas was the first operational intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed by the United States and the first member of the Atlas (rocket family), Atlas rocket family. It was built for the U.S. Air Force by the Convair Di ...

. In 1958, all control tower operator, radio maintenance, and general radio operator courses were put under Keesler's already broad technical training roof. During the early 1960s, Keesler lost many of its airborne training courses, but it remained the largest training base throughout the 1970s. This included limited flight training operations in the T-28 Trojan for Republic of Vietnam Air Force (VNAF) student pilots. Hurricane Camille produced considerable damage as it passed over Biloxi in 1969. Most of the Back Bay housing area was under water. Keesler's student load dropped to an all-time low after 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 ...

ended. As a result, Air Training Command inactivated the USAF School of Applied Aerospace Sciences on 1 April 1977 and replaced it with the 3300th Technical Training Wing, which activated the same day. During the early 1980s Keesler's air traffic control program garnered publicity when the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization walked off the job in August 1981. When President

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

fired the strikers, Keesler-trained military air traffic controllers were used to direct some of the nation's air traffic. As the air traffic control school it was also the logical location for the USAF Combat Controllers. Keesler AFB was the primary training base for many avionics maintenance career fields, including Electronic Warfare, Navigational Aids, Computer Repair and Ground Radio Repair. It was also the primary training base for most USAF administrative career fields.

From the 1990s

Driven by defense budget cuts, base closures following the end of the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...

forced an end to technical training at

Chanute Air Force Base Chanute Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force facility, located in Champaign County, Illinois, south of and adjacent to Rantoul, Illinois, about south of Chicago. Its primary mission throughout its existence was Air Force t ...

, and Lowry Air Force Base,

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...

, when those bases were closed by

Base Realignment and Closure Commission 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 ...

(BRAC) actions. Keesler acquired Chanute's weather forecasting courses and Lowry's meteorology and precision measurement equipment laboratory training programs during 1992 and 1993. Massive restructuring of the Air Force in the early 1990s also meant several changes for Keesler associate units. The first occurred when the 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron was inactivated in the active duty Air Force, transferred to the

Air Force Reserve The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commi ...

and reactivated on 30 June 1991. On 1 July 1993, the Air Training Command (ATC) was redesignated the

(AETC) and the command reactivated

(2nd AF), stationing it at Keesler. Second Air Force's mission is to oversee all technical training conducted within AETC. The same day, Keesler Training Center was inactivated, and the 81st Training Wing arrived at the base. The 45th Airlift Squadron (45 AS), part of the

314th Airlift Wing The 314th Airlift Wing (314 AW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Little Rock Air Force Base in Little Rock, Arkansas. Its mission is to carry out Lockheed C-130 Hercules combat airlift training. The wing was activated in Novem ...

at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, was also located at Keesler. The 45th AS provided flight crew training in the C-21 Learjet until 2007, when it moved to Scott AFB. Keesler AFB students evacuate on a C-17 2005-09-01 F-9085B-027

Keesler AFB students evacuate on a C-17 2005-09-01 F-9085B-027

On 29 August 2005 Keesler sustained a direct hit from

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

, which made its third Gulf Coast landfall as a Category 3 storm approximately to the west. Although non-essential personnel and Hurricane Hunter planes had been evacuated in advance, "drastic damage" was sustained by the base's industrial and housing areas. Due to

storm surge A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...

about 50% of the base came under water; the commissary, base exchange, and some base housing units were flooded with more than six feet of water. By August 31, however, relief flights were landing at the base. On September 1 the first set of Airmen were evacuated to Sheppard AFB, TX. Other Airmen reached Sheppard AFB the next day, where they were welcomed and given basic items.

Units today

From 1993, the 81 TRW has provided technical training of airmen in select skill areas immediately following their completion of

basic training Military recruit training, commonly known as basic training or boot camp, refers to the initial instruction of new military personnel. It is a physically and psychologically intensive process, which resocializes its subjects for the unique deman ...

, as well as providing additional or recurrent training. On average, Keesler has 3,100 students on base at a time. Much of the training they receive is in the field of electronics, such as wideband maintenance, ground radio,

information technology Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology syste ...

avionics Avionics (a blend of ''aviation'' and ''electronics'') are the electronic systems used on aircraft. Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems, and the hundreds of systems that are fit ...

cryptography Cryptography, or cryptology (from grc, , translit=kryptós "hidden, secret"; and ''graphein'', "to write", or '' -logia'', "study", respectively), is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of adv ...

. The wing also trains

meteorology Meteorology is a branch of the atmospheric sciences (which include atmospheric chemistry and physics) with a major focus on weather forecasting. The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did no ...

personnel,

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, Marine radar, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor v ...

operations, air traffic control, Aviation Resource Management (ARMS), and tropical cyclone forecasting. Keesler AFB is one of the largest technical training wings in AETC, with four training squadrons located in the training building complex known as "the triangle," the 334th, 335th, 336th, and the 338th. The 81st Medical Group is also located at the base and operates the second largest medical center in the Air Force. The

Air Force Reserve Command The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of commis ...

's 403d Wing is also on base, and is an Air Mobility Command (AMC)-gained composite unit. It has an airlift squadron (the 815th Airlift Squadron), and the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, a WC-130 unit known as the " Hurricane Hunters." Finally, Keesler is also home to CNATTU Keesler (Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit), a training unit for U.S. Navy and

U.S. Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through co ...

enlisted personnel receiving training at Keesler, such as enlisted meteorology training, with their Air Force counterparts.

Names, commands to which assigned, and units

Previous names

* Biloxi Air Corps Technical School, 13 June 1941 * Keesler Army Airfield, 25 August 1941 * Keesler Air Force Base, 13 January 1948 – Present

Major commands to which assigned

* Air Corps Technical Training Command, 7 Feb 1941 : Re-designated:

Army Air Forces Technical Training Command An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

, 1 March 1942 * Army Air Forces Flying Training Command, 7 July 1943 : Re-designated: Army Air Forces Training Command, 31 July 1943 * Air Training Command, 1 July 1946 *

, 1 July 1993 – Present

Major units assigned

* HQ and HQ Sq, 69th Air Base Group, 12 June 1941 * 59th Air Base Squadron, 4 August 1941 : Re-designated: 59th Base HQ and Air Base Squadron, 22 June 1942 * 51st Training Group, 5 August 1941 – 30 April 1944 * 52d Training Group, 6 August 1941 – 30 April 1944 * 55th Training Group, 29 August 1941 – 30 April 1944 * 56th Training Group, 21 July 1941 – 30 April 1944 * 57th Training Group, 5 March 1942 – 30 April 1944 * 58th Training Group, 22 February 1943 – 30 April 1944 * 59th Training Group, 22 February 1943 – 30 April 1944 * 60th Training Group, 22 February 1943 – 30 April 1944 * Army Air Fores Basic Training Center #2, 14 August 1941 – 1 August 1947 * Air Corps (later Air Forces, later USAF) Technical School, 14 August 1941 – 15 August 1973 * Air Corps (later Air Forces) Mechanics School #2, 5 August 1941 – 30 April 1944 * Air Corps (later Air Forces) Mechanics School #7, 13 April – 3 June 1942 * 602d Training Group, 13 April 1942 – 30 April 1944 * 603d Training Group, 5 March 1942 – 30 April 1944 * 607th Training Group, 15 April 1942 – 30 April 1944 * 611th Training Group, 23 July 1943 – 29 February 1944 * 1169th Training Group, 18 December 1942 – 30 April 1944 * 1170th Training Group, 18 December 1942 – 30 April 1944 * 21st Training Wing, 22 February 1943 – 29 February 1944 * 61st Training Wing, 23 July 1943 – 30 April 1944 * 3704th AAF (later AF) Base Unit, 1 May 1944 – 22 August 1948 * 3380th Technical Training Wing, 26 August 1948 : Later: Keesler Technical Training Center, 30 April 1976 – 30 June 1993 * 8605th (later 8625th) Technical Training Wing, 26 June 1949 – 28 May 1951 * Air Force Processing Center, Keesler, 27 September 1950 – 16 February 1978 * 11th Weather Squadron, 20 April 1952 – 18 November 1957 * USAF Air-Ground Operations School, 25 January 1957 – 1 November 1973 * 53d Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, 1 July 1973 – 30 Jun 1991, 1 Nov 1993–present * 403d Wing (

), 1 Nov 1983–Present * 81st Training Wing, 1 July 1993 – Present

Based units

Flying and notable non-flying units based at Keesler Air Force Base. Units marked GSU are Geographically Separate Units, which although based at Keesler, are subordinate to a parent unit based at another location.

United States Air Force

(AETC) *

** Headquarters Second Air Force ** 81st Training Wing (Host wing) *** Headquarters 81st Training Wing *** 81st Training Group **** 81st Training Support Squadron **** 333rd Training Squadron **** 334th Training Squadron **** 335th Training Squadron **** 336th Training Squadron **** 338th Training Squadron *** 81st Medical Group *** 81st Mission Support Group **** 81st Communications Squadron **** 81st Contracting Squadron **** 81st Force Support Squadron **** 81st Logistics Readiness Squadron **** 81st Security Forces Squadron **** 81st Infrastructure Support Division

Air Combat Command Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...

(ACC) *

Sixteenth Air Force The Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) (16 AF) is a United States Air Force (USAF) organization responsible for information warfare, which encompasses intelligence gathering and analysis, surveillance, reconnaissance, cyber warfare and ...

** 688th Cyberspace Wing *** 38th Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group **** 85th Engineering Installation Squadron (GSU)

(AFRC) * Twenty-Second Air Force ** 403rd Wing *** Headquarters 403rd Wing *** 403rd Aeromedical Staging Squadron *** 403rd Operations Group **** 36th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron **** 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron – WC-130J Super Hercules **** 403rd Operations Support Flight **** 815th Airlift Squadron – C-130J Super Hercules *** 403rd Maintenance Group **** 403rd Maintenance Squadron **** 403rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron **** Detachment 1 *** 403rd Mission Support Group **** 41st Aerial Port Squadron **** 403rd Communications Flight **** 403rd Force Support Squadron **** 403rd Logistics Readiness Squadron **** 403rd Security Forces Squadron

US Marine Corps

* Keesler Marine Detachment

References

Official history of Keesler AFB
* Manning, Thomas A. (2005), ''History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002''. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas

External links

Official website

Discoverkeesler.com (81st Force Support Squadron)
{{Authority control 1943 establishments in Mississippi Buildings and structures in Biloxi, Mississippi Installations of the United States Air Force in Mississippi Initial United States Air Force installations USAF Air Training Command Installations