Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) 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 S ...
base and
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, su ...
just east of
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater ...
, in
Greene and
Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally
Wilbur Wright Field and Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot. Patterson Field is approximately northeast of
Dayton; Wright Field is approximately northeast of Dayton.
The host unit at Wright-Patterson AFB is the
88th Air Base Wing (88 ABW), assigned to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center and
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 Co ...
. The 88 ABW operates the airfield, maintains all infrastructure and provides security, communications, medical, legal, personnel, contracting, finance, transportation, air traffic control, weather forecasting, public affairs, recreation and chaplain services for more than 60 associate units.
The base's origins begin with the establishment of Wilbur Wright Field on 22 May and McCook Field in November 1917, both established by the
Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps as
World War I
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, ...
installations. McCook was used as a testing field and for aviation experiments. Wright was used as a flying field (renamed Patterson Field in 1931); Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot; armorers' school, and a temporary storage depot. McCook's functions were transferred to Wright Field when it was closed in October 1927. Wright-Patterson AFB was established in 1948 as a merger of Patterson and Wright Fields.
In 1995, negotiations to end the
Bosnian War were held at the base, resulting in the
Dayton Agreement that ended the war.
The 88th Air Base Wing is commanded by Col. Christopher B. Meeker. Its Command Chief Master Sergeant is Chief Master Sergeant Lloyd E. Morales. The base had a total of 27,406 military, civilian and contract employees in 2010.
The Greene County portion of the base is a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, su ...
(CDP), with a resident population of 1,821 at the
2010 census.
History
Prehistoric
Indian mounds of the
Adena culture at Wright-Patterson are
along P Street and, at the Wright Brothers Memorial,
a hilltop mound group.
Aircraft operations on land now part of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base began in 1904–1905 when
Wilbur and
Orville Wright used an plot of Huffman Prairie for experimental test flights with the
Wright Flyer III. Their flight exhibition company and the Wright Company School of Aviation returned 1910–1916 to use the flying field.
World War I
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, ...
transfers of land that later became WPAFB include (including the
Huffman Prairie Flying Field
Huffman Prairie, also known as Huffman Prairie Flying Field or Huffman Field is part of Ohio's Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. The 84-acre (34-hectare) patch of rough pasture, near Fairborn, northeast of Dayton, is the place ...
) along the Mad River leased to the Army by the
Miami Conservancy District
The Miami Conservancy District is a river management agency operating in Southwest Ohio to control flooding of the Great Miami River and its tributaries. It was organized in 1915 following the catastrophic Great Dayton Flood of the Great Miam ...
, the adjacent purchased by the Army from the District for the
Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot
The Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot is a former Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps military facility, located adjacent to Wilbur Wright Field in Riverside, Ohio.
History
The Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot was constructed on 40 a ...
, and a complex for
McCook Field just north of downtown Dayton between Keowee Street and the Great Miami River. In 1918, Wilbur Wright Field agreed to let McCook Field use hangar and shop space as well as its enlisted mechanics to assemble and maintain airplanes and engines under the direction of
Chief of Air Service Mason Patrick.
After
World War I
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, ...
, 347 German aircraft were brought to the United States—some were incorporated into the Army Aeronautical Museum (in 1923 the Engineering Division at McCook Field "first collected technical artifacts for preservation"). The training school at Wilbur Wright Field was discontinued. Wilbur Wright Field and the depot merged after World War I to form the Fairfield Air Depot. The Patterson family formed the Dayton Air Service Committee, Inc which held a campaign that raised $425,000 in two days and purchased northeast of Dayton, including Wilbur Wright Field and the Huffman Prairie Flying Field.
In 1924, the Committee presented the deeds to president Calvin Coolidge for the construction of a new aviation engineering center. The entire acreage (including the Fairfield Air Depot) was designated Wright Field, which had units such as the Headquarters, 5th Division Air Service (redesignated 5th Division Aviation in 1928), and its 88th Observation Squadron and 7th Photo Section. New facilities were built 1925–27 on the portion of Wright Field west of Huffman Dam to house all of the McCook Field functions being relocated.
Wright and Patterson fields
Wright Field was "formally dedicated" on 12 October 1927 when "the Materiel Division moved from
McCook Field to the new site" At the time of the dedication expenditures of approximately $5 million had been involved in the new facility after 18 months work, with the total amount expected to rise to between $7 and $8 million. The ceremonies included the John L. Mitchell Trophy Race (won by Lt. I. A. Woodring of the 1st Pursuit Group—Speed: 158.968 mph) and Orville Wright raising the flag over the new engineering center.
On 1 July 1931, the portion of Wright Field east of Huffman Dam (land known today as Areas A and C of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base which included the Fairfield Air Depot and the Huffman Prairie Flying Field) was redesignated "Patterson Field" in honor of Lieutenant
Frank Stuart Patterson. Lt. Patterson was the son of Frank J. Patterson, co-founder of
National Cash Register.
Shortly before the end of WW1, 1Lt Patterson and observer 2Lt LeRoy Swan, both of the
137th Aero Squadron, were killed at Wright Field in the crash of their
de Havilland DH.4 after its wings collapsed during a dive while firing at ground targets with a new synchronized-through–the–propeller machine gun. Patterson's grave and memorial arch is at Woodland Cemetery and Aborateum in Dayton, Ohio.
World War II
The area's
World War II Army Air Fields had employment increase from approximately 3,700 in December 1939 to over 50,000 at the war's peak. Wright Field grew from approximately 30 buildings to a facility with some 300 buildings and the Air Corps' first modern paved runways. The original part of the field became saturated with office and laboratory buildings and test facilities. The Hilltop area was acquired from private landowners in 1943–1944 to provide troop housing and services.
The portion of Patterson Field from Huffman Dam through the Brick Quarters (including the command headquarters in Building 10262) at the south end of Patterson Field along Route 4 was administratively reassigned from Patterson Field to Wright Field. To avoid confusing the two areas of Wright Field, the south end of the former Patterson Field portion was designated "Area A", the original Wright Field became "Area B", and the north end of Patterson Field, including the flying field, "Area C."
In February 1940 at Wright Field, the
Army Air Corps established the Technical Data Branch (Technical Data Section in July 1941, Technical Data Laboratory in 1942). After Air Corps Ferrying Command was established on 29 May 1941, on 21 June an installation point of the command opened at Patterson Field. The Flight Test Training unit of Air Technical Command was established at Wright Field on 9 September 1944 (moved to Patterson Field in 1946,
Edwards AFB on 4 February 1951).
Two densely populated housing and service areas across Highway 444, Wood City and Skyway Park, were geographically separated from the central core of Patterson Field and developed almost self-sufficient community status. (Wood City was acquired in 1924 as part of the original donation of land to the government but was used primarily as just a radio range until World War II. Skyway Park was acquired in 1943.) They supported the vast numbers of recruits who enlisted and were trained at the two fields as well as thousands of civilian laborers, especially single women recruited to work at the depot. Skyway Park was demolished after the war. Wood City was eventually transformed into Kittyhawk Center, the base's modern commercial and recreation center.
In the fall of 1942, the first twelve "Air Force" officers to receive ATI field collection training were assigned to Wright Field for training in the technical aspects of "crash" intelligence (RAF Squadron Leader Colley identified how to obtain information from equipment marking plates and squadron markings. In July 1944 during the
Robot Blitz, Wright Field fired a reconstructed German
pulse-jet engine (an entire
V-1 flying bomb was by 8 September at
Republic Aviation
The Republic Aviation Corporation was an American aircraft manufacturer based in Farmingdale, New York, on Long Island. Originally known as the Seversky Aircraft Company, the company was responsible for the design and production of many important ...
.)
The first German and Japanese aircraft arrived in 1943, and captured equipment soon filled six buildings, a large outdoor storage area, and part of a flight-line hangar for Technical Data Lab study (TDL closed its Army Aeronautical Museum). The World War II
Operation Lusty returned 86 German aircraft to Wright Field for study, e.g., the
Messerschmitt 262 jet fighter, while the post-war
Operation Paperclip brought German scientists and technicians to Wright Field, e.g.,
Ernst R. G. Eckert
Ernst Rudolph Georg Eckert (September 13, 1904 – July 8, 2004) was an Austrian American engineer and scientist who advanced the film cooling technique for aeronautical engines. He earned his Diplom Ingenieur and doctorate in 1927 and 1931, respe ...
(most of the scientists eventually went to work in the various Wright Field labs.)
UFO Studies / Sightings
Project Sign (
Project Grudge in 1949,
Project Blue Book in March 1952) was WPAFB's T-2 Intelligence investigations of
unidentified flying objects (UFO) reports that began in July 1947. The 1947 All-Altitude Speed Course at
Vandalia became a detached installation of the Technical Base. After the USAF was created in September 1947, Morris' base headquarters was redesignated Headquarters, Air Force Technical Base, on 15 December 1947.
USAF base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base was redesignated from the Air Force Technical Base on 13 January 1948—the former Wright Field Areas A and B remained, while Patterson Field became "Area C" and Skyway Park became "Area D" of the installation. In 1951 all locally based flying activities were moved to the Area B flight line. The 1948 All-Altitude Speed Course, later the Missile Tracking Annex, at Sulphur Grove, Ohio became a detached installation of Wright-Patt.
Headquarters, Air Engineering Development Division, was at WPAFB from 1 January 1950 to 14 November 1950, followed by the
Air Research and Development 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 ...
from 16 November 1950 to 24 June 1951 (began move to Baltimore on 11 May 1951). By 1952 the WPAFB headquarters of the
Wright Air Development Center (WADC) included a Plans and Operations Department (WOO) and Divisions for Aeronautics (WCN), Flight Test (WCT), Research (WCR), Weapons Components (WCE), Weapons Systems (WCS). On 15 February, WADC medical examinations "for the final selection of the
Mercury astronauts
The Mercury Seven were the group of seven astronauts selected to fly spacecraft for Project Mercury. They are also referred to as the Original Seven and Astronaut Group 1. Their names were publicly announced by NASA on April 9, 1959; these sev ...
were started" at the Aerospace Medical Laboratory (Wright-Patt test pilots
Neil Armstrong and
Ed White became NASA astronauts.)
From 6 March 1950 to 1 December 1951,
Clinton County Air Force Base was assigned as a sub-base of WPAFB, and from 1950 to 1955, Wright-Patt had two
Central Air Defense Force fighter-interceptor squadrons (1 from 1955 to 1960).
Cold War expansions
In 1954, of land adjacent to the
Mad River at the northeast boundary of the base, near the former location of the village of
Osborn, were purchased for a
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 c ...
dispersal site. Area D structures were demolished in 1957 (donated to the state in 1963 for
Wright State University). In February 1958 the Wright Field (Area B) runways were closed to all jet traffic (1959 Area C operations included 139,276 takeoffs and landings, Area B had 44,699.) The West Ramp complex was built between August 1958 and July 1960.
The 4043rd Strategic Wing began
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It is the predominant variant of the Boeing C-135 Stratolifter, C-135 Strat ...
operations in February 1960 and
B-52 Stratofortress
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air F ...
operations in June 1960. On 1 July 1963, the wing was re-designated the
17th Bombardment Wing (Heavy) and continued its mission under this unit until 7 July 1975, when the last of its 11 B-52s was transferred to
Beale Air Force Base, California. From
1957
1957 (Roman numerals, MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday, common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1957th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 957th year of the 2nd millennium, t ...
–
1962, WADC's
Hurricane Supersonic Research Site
The Hurricane Supersonic Research Site (HSRS) was formerly on Hurricane Mesa in Washington County, Utah. It was a United States Air Force (USAF) launch complex with a rocket research track that launched a rocket ejection seat from a supersonic ...
in Utah was a detached installation of Wright-Patt.
The
NORAD Manual Air Defense Control Center for
58th Air Division interceptors was at
Wright-Patterson AFB
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene and Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbu ...
by 1958, and
Brookfield Air Force Station near the Pennsylvania state line became operational as an
April 1952 – January 1963 sub-base of WPAFB. The 1954–79 "Wright-Patterson Communications Facility #4" was at
Yellow Springs, Ohio (which also had the 1965–77 Celestial Guidance Research Site.)
WPAFB also had an
Army Air Defense Command Post for nearby
Project Nike surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-aircraft syst ...
sites of the
Cincinnati-Dayton Defense Area
The following is a list of Nike missile sites operated by the United States Army. This article lists sites in the United States, most responsible to Army Air Defense Command; however, the Army also deployed Nike missiles to Europe as part of t ...
were at Wilmington (CD-27, ); Felicity (CD-46, ); Dillsboro (CD-63), and Oxford (CD-78, ). The AADCP activated in the spring of 1960 and moved to Wilmington—with
BIRDIE CCCS—by 1965 (
closed March 1971). from the
4950th Test Wing to
AFRC's 445th Airlift Wing
The 445th Airlift Wing is an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Fourth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. If mobilized, the wing is gained by the Air ...
with
C-17 Globemaster III
The McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. The C-17 carries forward the name of tw ...
transports. The permanent party work force at WPAFB as of 30 September 2005, numbered 5,517 military and 8,102 civilian.
Dayton Agreement
In 1995,
Alija Izetbegović, the
President of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Franjo Tuđman, the
President of Croatia; and
Slobodan Milošević, the
President of Serbia, arrived at Wright-Patterson AFB to commence negotiations to end the
Bosnian War, an ethnic conflict that by 1995 was between the Bosnia and Herzegovina's Bosniaks and the Croats (who had put aside their differences) on one side versus Bosnia and Herzegovina's Serbs on the other side. American diplomat
Richard Holbrooke led the negotiations. Eventually an agreement was made to have Bosnia and Herzegovina have two internal entities, a Bosniak-Croat federation known as the
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two entities within the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Republika Srpska. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of 10 autonomous cantons with their own gover ...
, and a Serb territory known as
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, lit=Serb Republic, also known as Republic of Srpska, ) is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Feder ...
.
2019–22 coronavirus pandemic
In response to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
, the base sent
airmen from the 88th Medical Group to
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
for two months, where they setup a COVID-19 vaccination site in support of the Federal Emergency Management whole-of-government COVID response. The base sent medical Air Force professionals to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...
after airmen from the 445th Airlift Wing were deployed to aid the city's
response
Response may refer to:
*Call and response (music), musical structure
*Reaction (disambiguation)
*Request–response
**Output (computing), Output or response, the result of telecommunications input
*Response (liturgy), a line answering a versicle
...
.
Assignments
:
Air Materiel Command
Air Materiel Command (AMC) was a United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force command. Its headquarters was located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. In 1961, the command was redesignated the Air Force Logistics Command w ...
, 9 March 1946
:
Air Force Logistics Command
The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
, 1 April 1961
:
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 Co ...
, 1 July 1992
Units
In addition to the command headquarters, major units formerly assigned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base include:
* Air Materiel Command Technical Intelligence Department, 10 October 1947 – 21 May 1951
: Redesignated: Air Technical Intelligence Center, 21 May 1951 – 1 July 1961
* USAF Technical Intelligence School, 1 May 1953 – 1 July 1961
* 1702d Air Transport Group, 1 October 1948 – 17 July 1950
*
58th Air Division, 8 September 1955 – 1 February 1959
*
4043d Strategic Wing
The 17th Training Wing (17 TRW) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Second Air Force. It is stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. The wing is also the host unit at Goodfellow. It was ac ...
, 1 April 1959 – 1 February 1963
*
17th Bombardment Wing
17 (seventeen) is the natural number following 16 (number), 16 and preceding 18 (number), 18. It is a prime number.
Seventeen is the sum of the first four prime numbers.
In mathematics
17 is the seventh prime number, which makes seventeen the ...
, 1 July 1963 – 30 September 1975
Museum
Located adjacent to the base proper is the
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...
. The oldest and largest military aircraft museum in the world, it houses such aircraft as the only
XB-70 Valkyrie in existence, an
F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, and 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 ...
B-17 bomber
A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped ...
, ''
Memphis Belle''.
Role and operations
Wright-Patterson AFB is "one of the largest, most diverse, and organizationally complex bases in the Air Force" with a long history of flight tests spanning from the Wright Brothers into the
Space Age.
It is the headquarters of the
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 Co ...
, one of the
major commands of the Air Force. "Wright-Patt" (as the base is colloquially called) is also the location of a major USAF Medical Center (hospital), the
Air Force Institute of Technology, and the
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...
, formerly known as the U.S. Air Force Museum.
The
88th Air Base Wing consists of more than 5,000 officers, enlisted Air Force, civilian and contractor employees responsible for three primary mission areas: operating the installation; deploying expeditionary Airmen in support of the Global War on Terrorism; and defending the base and its people.
It is also the home base of the
445th Airlift Wing
The 445th Airlift Wing is an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Fourth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. If mobilized, the wing is gained by the Air ...
of 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 commi ...
, an
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri.
Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from eleme ...
-gained unit which flies the
C-17 Globemaster heavy
airlifter. Wright-Patterson is also the headquarters of the
Air Force Life Cycle Management Center and the
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, p ...
.
Wright-Patterson is the host of the annual
United States Air Force Marathon
The United States Air Force Marathon is an annual event held on the third Saturday in September at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, home to the National Museum of the United States Air Force. It was established in 1997 to celebrate the Air ...
which occurs the weekend closest to the Air Force's anniversary.
The base conducts
neurotechnology research.
Based units
Flying and notable non-flying units based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Units marked GSU are
Geographically Separate Units, which although based at Wright-Patterson, are subordinate to a parent unit based at another location.
United States Air Force
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 Co ...
(AFMC)
* Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command
*
Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
** Headquarters Air Force Life Cycle Management Center
** 21st Intelligence Squadron
** 645th Aeronautical Systems Group
** Business & Enterprise Systems Directorate
*** Financial Systems Division (GSU)
** Propulsion Directorate
*** Propulsion Acquisition Division (GSU)
** Rapid Sustainment Directorate
** Fighters & Advanced Aircraft Directorate
*** Advanced Aircraft Division
*** Special Programs Division
*** F-15 FMS Division
** Bombers Directorate
*** Strike Systems Division
*** B-2 Spirit Division
** Air Force Security Assistance & Cooperation Directorate
*** International Logistics Support Division
*** Global Facilities Support Division
*** Financial Management & Comptroller Division
*** International Division
*** Contract Execution Division
*** Central Division
*** Policy & Programs Division
*** Operations Division
*** Information Technology Services Division
** Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance & Special Operations Forces Directorate
*** RQ-4 Global Hawk & U-2 Dragon Lady Division
*** Medium Altitude Unmanned Aerial Systems Division
*** Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Sensors & FMS Division
*** Special Operations Forces & Personnel Recovery Division
*** Helicopter Program Office
*** Attack Systems Directorate
** Joint Strike Fighter Directorate
** Mobility & Training Aircraft Directorate
*** International Acquisition Programs Division
*** T-7 Division
*** KC-46 Division
** Agile Combat Support Directorate
*** Portfolio Analysis Division
*** Foreign Military Sales Division
*** Simulators Division
*** Human Systems Division
** Presidential & Executive Aircraft Directorate
*** VC-25B "Next Air Force One" Division
** Acquisition Excellence Directorate
** Personnel Directorate
** Engineering Directorate
** Judge Advocate Office
** Financial Management Directorate
** Information Protection Directorate
** Logistics Directorate
** Contracting Directorate
** Plans & Programs Directorate
** Small Business Office
** Safety Office
** Program Execution Directorate
*** Test & Evaluation Division
** Personnel Execution Directorate
** Technical Engineering Directorate
** Architecture & Integration Directorate
** Financial Management Mission Execution Directorate
** Logistics Services Directorate
** Contract Execution Directorate
** Plans & Programs Execution Directorate
*** Center Information Technology Office
** Intelligence Directorate
**
88th Air Base Wing (Host wing)
*** Headquarters 88th Air Base Wing
***
United States Air Force Marathon Office
*** 88th Comptroller Squadron
*** 88th Operations Support Squadron
*** 88th Medical Group
**** 88th Inpatient Operations Squadron
**** 88th Dental Squadron
**** 88th Diagnostics and Therapeutics Squadron
**** 88th Healthcare Operations Squadron
**** 88th Surgical Operations Squadron
**** 88th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron
**** 88th Medical Support Squadron
*** 88th Civil Engineer Group
**** 88th Civil Engineer Squadron
**** 788th Civil Engineer Squadron
*** 88th Mission Support Group
**** 88th Communications Squadron
**** 88th Force Support Squadron
**** 88th Security Forces Squadron
**** 88th Logistics Readiness Squadron
*
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...
*
Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center
** Detachment 6 (GSU)
** Air Force Installation Contracting Center (GSU)
*
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, p ...
** Headquarters Air Force Research Laboratory
**
711th Human Performance Wing
The 711th Human Performance Wing (711 HPW) is a wing of the United States Air Force based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio.
Air Force officials redesignated the inactive Harry G. Armstrong Aerospace Medical Research Laborator ...
*** Airman Systems Directorate
*** Human Systems Integration Directorate
***
US Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine
** Air Force Research Laboratory D'Azzo Research Library
** Air Vehicles Directorate
** Materials and Manufacturing Directorate
** Propulsion Directorate
** Sensors Directorate
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 Trainin ...
(AETC)
*
Air University
** Detachment 1 (GSU)
**
Air Force Institute of Technology (GSU)
*** Mission Support Directorate
*** Communications & Information Directorate
*** Financial Management Directorate
*** Requirements, Plans & Programs Directorate
*** Safety Directorate
*** Security Directorate
*** Judge Advocate
*** The Civil Engineer School
*** Civilian Institution Programs
*** The Graduate School of Engineering & Management
*** The School of Strategic Force Studies
*** The School of Systems & Logistics
*
Air Force Recruiting Service
** 360th Recruiting Group
*** 338th Recruiting Squadron (GSU)
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri.
Air Mobility Command was established on 1 June 1992, and was formed from eleme ...
(AMC)
*
375th Air Mobility Wing
The 375th Air Mobility Wing (375 AMW) is a unit of the United States Air Force stationed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois and assigned to Eighteenth Air Force under Air Mobility Command (AMC).
The wing has four primary missions. It supports ae ...
**
375th Operations Group
The 375th Operations Group (375 OG) is the operational flying component of the United States Air Force 375th Air Mobility Wing. It is stationed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
The unit's World War II predecessor unit, the 375th Troop Carrier ...
*** Detachment 4 (GSU)
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
**
688th Cyberspace Wing
***
690th Cyberspace Operations Group
**** 83rd Network Operations Squadron
***** Detachment 3 (GSU)
*
First Air Force
** Headquarters Civil Air Patrol-United States Air Force (HQ CAP-USAF)
*** Great Lakes Region Liaison Office (GSU)
Air Force District of Washington (AFDW)
*
US Air Force Bands
** The United States Air Force Band of Flight
Air Force Field Operating Agency (FOA)
*
National Air and Space Intelligence Center
** Directorate of Communications and Information
** Directorate of Personnel
** Directorate of Facilities and Logistics
** Directorate of Plans and Operations
** Air and Cyberspace Intelligence Group
*** Aircraft Analysis Squadron
*** Operational Requirements Squadron
*** Information Warfare Analysis Squadron
*** Integrated Command, Control, Communications, Computers Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Analysis Squadron
** Geospatial and Signatures Intelligence Group
*** Persistent Infrared Analysis Squadron
*** Measurements and Signatures Intelligence Analysis Squadron
*** Geospatial Intelligence Analysis Squadron
** Global Exploitation Intelligence Group
*** Regional Threats Analysis Squadron
*** Future Threats Analysis Squadron
*** Foreign Materiel Exploitation Squadron
*** Global Activities Squadron
*** Signals Analysis Squadron
**
Space, Missiles and Forces Intelligence Group
*** Ballistic Missile Analysis Squadron
*** Special Analysis Squadron
*
Air Force Office of Special Investigations
** 1st Federal Investigations Region (GSU)
*** Headquarters 1st Federal Investigations Region
*** Headquarters Operating Location Alpha
*** 10th Federal Investigations Squadron
** Procurement Fraud
*** Detachment 4 (GSU)
** Special Projects
*** Headquarters Operating Location Charlie (GSU)
*** Detachment 2 (GSU)
*
Air Force Legal Operations Agency
The Air Force Legal Operations Agency (AFLOA) includes all senior defense counsel, senior trial counsel, and appellate defense and government counsel in the Air Force, as well as all Air Force civil litigators defending the Air Force against civil ...
** Air Force Claims Service Center (GSU)
*
Air Force Audit Agency
** Acquisition, Logistics, and Financial Management Directorate (GSU)
** Field Activities Directorate
*** Operating Location Wright-Patterson (GSU)
*
Air Force Manpower Analysis Agency
The Air Force Manpower Analysis Agency (AFMAA) is a Field Operating Agency of the United States Air Force (USAF). It was reactivated in 2015 after inactivation in 2012
** Operating Location Wright-Patterson (GSU)
*
Air Force Personnel Center
** Operating Location Wright-Patterson (GSU)
*
Air Reserve Personnel Center
** Headquarters Individual Reservist Readiness Integration Organization (HQ RIO)
*** Detachment 4
**** Operating Location Wright-Patterson (GSU)
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 commi ...
(AFRC)
*
Fourth Air Force
**
445th Airlift Wing
The 445th Airlift Wing is an Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to the Fourth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. If mobilized, the wing is gained by the Air ...
*** Headquarters 445th Airlift Wing
*** 445th Aeromedical Staging Squadron
*** 445th Aerospace Medicine Squadron
***
445th Operations Group
****
89th Airlift Squadron –
C-17A Globemaster III
**** 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron
**** 445th Operations Support Squadron
*** 445th Maintenance Group
**** 445th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
**** 445th Maintenance Operations Squadron
**** 445th Maintenance Squadron
*** 445th Mission Support Group
**** 87th Aerial Port Squadron
**** 445th Civil Engineer Squadron
**** 445th Communications Element
**** 445th Force Support Squadron
**** 445th Logistics Readiness Squadron
**** 445th Military Personnel Flight
**** 445th Security Forces Squadron
*
Tenth Air Force
**
655th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing
*** Headquarters 655th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing
***
655th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group
The United States Air Force's 655th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing (655 ISRW) is an intelligence unit stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Units
The 655th ISR Wing is currently made up of:
* 655th Intelligence ...
**** 14th Intelligence Squadron
**** 64th Intelligence Squadron
**** 71st Intelligence Squadron
Civil Air Patrol (CAP)
* Great Lakes Region
** Headquarters Great Lakes Region
**
Ohio Wing
*** Group 7
**** Headquarters Group 7
**** Wright Patterson Composite Squadron
United States Space Force
Space Operations Command (SpOC)
*
Space Delta 7
** 73rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (GSU)
*
Space Delta 18
** 1st Space Analysis Squadron
** 2nd Space Analysis Squadron
United States Army
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces.
Since July 2020, ...
(USAR)
*
Military Intelligence Readiness Command
The United States Army Military Intelligence Readiness Command (MIRC, The MIRC, formally USAMIRC) was stood up as the first Army Reserve functional command in 2005. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, MIRC is composed mostly of reserve soldie ...
** National Intelligence Support Group
*** 2100th Military Intelligence Group (GSU)
United States Marine Corps
Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES)
*
Force Headquarters Group
**
4th Law Enforcement Battalion
Force Headquarters Group (FHG) is a major subordinate command (MSC) of the United States Marine Corps based in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was established as a part of the command element for Marine Forces Reserve. It was activated on July 18, 2012 ...
*** Military Police Company Charlie (GSU)
United States Department of the Navy
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED)
*
Naval Medical Research Center
**
Naval Medical Research Unit Dayton
Naval Medical Research Unit Dayton (NAMRU-D) is a biomedical research laboratory of the United States Navy in Dayton, Ohio. It is one of seven subordinate commands of the Naval Medical Research Center and incorporates two research divisions. T ...
(GSU)
Department of Defense
Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU)
* Defense Institute of Security Cooperation Studies
Defense Logistics Agency
The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is a combat support agency in the United States Department of Defense (DoD), with more than 26,000 civilian and military personnel throughout the world. Located in 48 states and 28 countries, DLA provides su ...
(DLA)
* Defense Automated Addressing System
Geography
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base includes Area A (former Patterson Field and Wood City area) and Area B (former Wright Field). The
USGS
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, ...
Geographic Names Information System
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is a database of name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features throughout the United States and its territories, Antarctica, and the associated states of ...
separately designates the
military installation, the airport, and the
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, su ...
(CDP). The CDP area, entirely in Greene County, primarily in
Bath Township and extending south into
Beavercreek Township, is , with of it (0.80%) being water.
The southwest end of the base, now the National Museum of the United States Air Force, is within the city of
Riverside in Montgomery County.
Demographics
In 2010, Wright-Patt had a total of 27,406 military, civilian and contract employees.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 6,656 people, 1,754 households, and 1,704 families residing on the base. The population density was 219.8/km
2 (569.2/sq mi). There were 2,096 housing units at an average density of 69.2/km
2 (179.2/sq mi). The racial makeup of the base was 76.11%
White
White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...
, 15.25%
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 ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
, 0.45%
Native American, 2.30%
Asian, 0.12%
Pacific Islander, 2.09% from
other races, and 3.68% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race were 4.45% of the population.
There were 1,754 households, out of which 78.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 89.0% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 2.8% were non-families. 2.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.60 and the average family size was 3.64.
On the base the population was spread out, with 42.5% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 41.5% from 25 to 44, 4.2% from 45 to 64, and 0.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 105.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.1 males.
The median income for a household on the base was $43,342, and the median income for a family was $43,092. Males had a median income of $30,888 versus $21,044 for females. The per capita income for the base was $15,341. About 1.6% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
As of 30 September 2005, Wright-Patterson had base housing amounting to 2,012 single-family units, 300 units for unaccompanied enlisted personnel, and 455 visitor or temporary living units.
Environmental problems
In May 2016, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency ordered a drinking water well on the base to be shut down because of water contamination with
perfluorooctane sulfonate (
PFOS
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) ( conjugate base perfluorooctanesulfonate) is a chemical compound having an eight- carbon fluorocarbon chain and a sulfonic acid functional group and thus a perfluorosulfonic acid. It is an anthropogenic (man ...
), a persistent chemical used in
firefighting foam.
April 2016 water samples from two wells showed 110 parts per trillion of PFOS, which is above the new EPA lifetime threshold of 70 parts per trillion.
In June 2016, the EPA asked the base commander to speedily clean up the wells to prevent the contaminants from reaching more wells on base and Dayton's seven drinking water wells at
Huffman Dam.
Base officials stated in June 2020 that the on-base ground water tests confirmed that current PFOS contamination is below EPA required levels, a claim the City of Dayton disputes.
In popular culture
Hangar 18 in Area B is purported to be the repository of
a crashed UFO from
Roswell, New Mexico and UFO research in general.
Thrash metal band
Megadeth released the song "
Hangar 18" on their 1990 album ''
Rust in Peace''.
In Season 2, Episode 8, the
History Channel's series ''
Project Blue Book'' makes mention of "Hangar 18" being a storage facility the Roswell crash UFO and other alien artifacts.
The base was featured in the young adult book series ''
The 5th Wave The 5th Wave may refer to:
* ''The 5th Wave'' (novel), a 2013 young adult science fiction novel by Rick Yancey
:* ''The 5th Wave'' series, the series of novels including Yancey's novel
:* ''The 5th Wave'' (film), a 2016 film based on Yancey's novel ...
'' and the 2016 film
of the same name as the base of operations for "
The Others".
Notable person
*
Steve Hertz, baseball player and coach, born on the base
References
External links
Logistics Management Careers*
*
*
Historic American Engineering Record documentation, filed under Dayton, Montgomery County, OH:
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{{Authority control
Historic American Engineering Record in Ohio
Installations of the United States Air Force in Ohio
1948 establishments in Ohio
Military airbases established in 1948
Research installations of the United States Air Force
Military Superfund sites
Census-designated places in Greene County, Ohio
Installations of Strategic Air Command
Superfund sites in Ohio
UFO culture in the United States