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 Signal ...

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, such ...

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 Day ...

, in

Greene Greene may refer to: Places United States *Greene, Indiana, an unincorporated community *Greene, Iowa, a city *Greene, Maine, a town ** Greene (CDP), Maine, in the town of Greene *Greene (town), New York ** Greene (village), New York, in the town ...

and Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally

Wilbur Wright Field Wilbur Wright Field was a military installation and an airfield used as a World War I pilot, mechanic, and armorer training facility and, under different designations, conducted United States Army Air Corps and Air Forces flight testing. Loc ...

and Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot. Patterson Field is approximately northeast of

Dayton 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 Da ...

; Wright Field is approximately northeast of Dayton. The host unit at Wright-Patterson AFB is the

88th Air Base Wing The United States Air Force's 88th Air Base Wing is a base support unit located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The wing has been stationed at Wright-Patterson, known familiarly as 'Wright-Patt', since its activation in 1944 as the 40 ...

(88 ABW), assigned to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center and Air Force Materiel Command. 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 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 ...

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

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 The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...

were held at the base, resulting in the

Dayton Agreement The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, also known as the Dayton Agreement or the Dayton Accords ( Croatian: ''Daytonski sporazum'', Serbian and Bosnian: ''Dejtonski mirovni sporazum'' / Дејтонски мир� ...

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

(CDP), with a resident population of 1,821 at the 2010 census.

History

Prehistoric

Indian mounds A number of pre-Columbian cultures are collectively termed "Mound Builders". The term does not refer to a specific people or archaeological culture, but refers to the characteristic mound earthworks erected for an extended period of more than 5 ...

of the

Adena culture The Adena culture was a Pre-Columbian Native American culture that existed from 500 BCE to 100 CE, in a time known as the Early Woodland period. The Adena culture refers to what were probably a number of related Native American societies sharing ...

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 The Wright Flyer III was the third powered aircraft by the Wright Brothers, built during the winter of 1904–05. Orville Wright made the first flight with it on June 23, 1905. The Flyer III had an airframe of spruce construction with a wing ...

. Their flight exhibition company and the Wright Company School of Aviation returned 1910–1916 to use the flying field.

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 w ...

) 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 Miami R ...

, the adjacent purchased by the Army from the District for the Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot, and a complex for

McCook Field McCook Field was an airfield and aviation experimentation station in Dayton, Ohio, United States. It was operated by the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps and its successor the United States Army Air Service from 1917 to 1927. It was named f ...

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 Mason Mathews Patrick (December 13, 1863 – January 29, 1942) was a general officer in the United States Army who led the United States Army Air Service during and after World War I and became the first Chief of the Army Air Corps when it was c ...

. After

, 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

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. Frank Patterson (November 6, 1897 – June 19, 1918) was a test pilot for the United States Army Air Corps who was killed in the crash of his DH.4M, AS-32098, at Wilbur Wright Field near Dayton, Ohio on June 19, 1918. He was piloting a flight t ...

. Lt. Patterson was the son of Frank J. Patterson, co-founder of

National Cash Register NCR Corporation, previously known as National Cash Register, is an American software, consulting and technology company providing several professional services and electronic products. It manufactures self-service kiosks, point-of-sale termin ...

. Shortly before the end of WW1, 1Lt Patterson and observer 2Lt LeRoy Swan, both of the

137th Aero Squadron The 137th Airlift Squadron (137 AS) is a unit of the New York Air National Guard 105th Airlift Wing located at Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, New York. The 137th is equipped with the C-17A Globemaster III. History World War II Th ...

, 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

US National Park Service marker for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

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 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 ...

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 Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation in California. Most of the base sits in Kern County, but its eastern end is in San Bernardino County and a southern arm is in Los Angeles County. The hub of the base is E ...

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 The V-1 flying bomb (german: Vergeltungswaffe 1 "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Reich Aviation Ministry () designation was Fi 103. It was also known to the Allies as the buzz bomb or doodlebug and in Germany ...

, Wright Field fired a reconstructed German pulse-jet engine (an entire

V-1 flying bomb The V-1 flying bomb (german: Vergeltungswaffe 1 "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Ministry of Aviation (Nazi Germany), Reich Aviation Ministry () designation was Fi 103. It was also known to the Allies as the buz ...

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 Operation LUSTY (LUftwaffe Secret TechnologY) was the United States Army Air Forces' effort to capture and evaluate German aeronautical technology during and after World War II. Overview During World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces Intelligence ...

returned 86 German aircraft to Wright Field for study, e.g., the

Messerschmitt 262 The Messerschmitt Me 262, nicknamed ''Schwalbe'' (German: " Swallow") in fighter versions, or ''Sturmvogel'' (German: " Storm Bird") in fighter-bomber versions, is a fighter aircraft and fighter-bomber that was designed and produced by the Germ ...

jet fighter, while the post-war

Operation Paperclip Operation Paperclip was a secret United States intelligence program in which more than 1,600 German scientists, engineers, and technicians were taken from the former Nazi Germany to the U.S. for government employment after the end of World War ...

brought German scientists and technicians to Wright Field, e.g., Ernst R. G. Eckert (most of the scientists eventually went to work in the various Wright Field labs.)

UFO Studies / Sightings

Project Sign Project Sign (Project Saucer) was an official U.S. government study of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) undertaken by the United States Air Force (USAF) and active for most of 1948. It was the precursor to Project Grudge. History The project w ...

(

Project Grudge Project Grudge was a short-lived project by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to investigate unidentified flying objects (UFOs). Grudge succeeded Project Sign in February, 1949, and was then followed by Project Blue Book. The project formally ended in De ...

in 1949,

Project Blue Book Project Blue Book was the code name for the systematic study of unidentified flying objects by the United States Air Force from March 1952 to its termination on December 17, 1969. The project, headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, O ...

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.

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base - 10 Oct 2000

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 The Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) is an inactivated Air Force product center that designed, developed and delivered weapon systems and capabilities for U.S. Air Force, other U.S. military, allied and coalition-partner warfighters. ASC managed ...

(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 were started" at the Aerospace Medical Laboratory (Wright-Patt test pilots

Neil Armstrong Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer who became the first person to walk on the Moon in 1969. He was also a naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor. ...

and Ed White became NASA astronauts.) From 6 March 1950 to 1 December 1951,

Clinton County Air Force Base Wilmington Air Park, effective 2009-08-27. is a public-use airport located two nautical miles (3.7 km) southeast of the central business district of Wilmington, a city in Clinton County, Ohio, United States. While DHL had privately owned ...

was assigned as a sub-base of WPAFB, and from 1950 to 1955, Wright-Patt had two

Central Air Defense Force The Central Air Defense Force (CADF) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command being stationed at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri. It was inactivated on July 1, 1960. History ...

fighter-interceptor squadrons (1 from 1955 to 1960). Wright Field Map 1954

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 ...

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 C-135 Stratolifter family of transpo ...

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 ...

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 Beale Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base located approximately east of Marysville, California. It is located outside Linda, about east of the towns of Marysville and Yuba City, and about north of Sacramento. The host ...

, California. From 1957– 1962, WADC's Hurricane Supersonic Research Site 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 by 1958, and

Brookfield Air Force Station Brookfield Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located south-southeast of Brookfield, Ohio. It was closed in 1959. History Brookfield Air Force Station constructed as part of the ...

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 Yellow Springs is a village in Greene County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,697 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is home to Antioch College. History The area of the village had long b ...

(which also had the 1965–77 Celestial Guidance Research Site.) WPAFB also had an

Army Air Defense Command Post 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 ...

for nearby

Project Nike Project Nike (Greek: Νίκη, "Victory") was a U.S. Army project, proposed in May 1945 by Bell Laboratories, to develop a line-of-sight anti-aircraft missile system. The project delivered the United States' first operational anti-aircraft mi ...

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 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 Birdy or Birdie may refer to: Places in the United States * Birdie, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Birdie, Mississippi, an unincorporated community People with the name * Birdie Blye (1871–1935), American pianist * Birdy (singe ...

CCCS—by 1965 ( closed March 1971). from the 4950th Test Wing to AFRC's 445th Airlift Wing 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 two ...

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 Alija Izetbegović (; ; 8 August 1925 – 19 October 2003) was a Bosnian politician, lawyer, Islamic philosopher and author, who in 1992 became the first president of the Presidency of the newly independent Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovin ...

, the

President of Bosnia and Herzegovina The presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Predsjedništvo Bosne i Hercegovine, separator=" / ", Предсједништво Босне и Херцеговине) is a three-member body which collectively serves as head of state of ...

; Franjo Tuđman, the

President of Croatia The president of Croatia, officially the President of the Republic of Croatia ( hr, Predsjednik Republike Hrvatske), is the head of state, commander-in-chief of the military and chief representative of the Republic of Croatia both within the ...

; and

Slobodan Milošević Slobodan Milošević (, ; 20 August 1941 – 11 March 2006) was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician who was the president of Serbia within Yugoslavia from 1989 to 1997 (originally the Socialist Republic of Serbia, a constituent republic of ...

, the

President of Serbia The president of Serbia ( sr, Председник Србије, Predsednik Srbije), officially styled as the President of the Republic ( sr, Председник Републике, Predsednik Republike) is the head of state of Serbia. The curr ...

, arrived at Wright-Patterson AFB to commence negotiations to end the

, 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 Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke (April 24, 1941 – December 13, 2010) was an American diplomat and author. He was the only person to have held the position of Assistant Secretary of State for two different regions of the world (Asia from 1977 ...

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 Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities within the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Republika Srpska. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists ...

, 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 identif ...

, 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 th ...

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 List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

after airmen from the 445th Airlift Wing were deployed to aid the city's response.

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 wi ...

, 9 March 1946 : Air Force Logistics Command, 1 April 1961 : Air Force Materiel Command, 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, 1 April 1959 – 1 February 1963 * 17th Bombardment Wing, 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 The North American Aviation XB-70 Valkyrie was the prototype version of the planned B-70 nuclear-armed, deep-penetration supersonic strategic bomber for the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command. Designed in the late 1950s by North Ame ...

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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

B-17 The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...

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 The Space Age is a period encompassing the activities related to the Space Race, space exploration, space technology, and the cultural developments influenced by these events, beginning with the Sputnik_1#Launch_and_mission, launch of Sputnik 1 ...

. It is the headquarters of the Air Force Materiel Command, 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 The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) is a graduate school and provider of professional and continuing education for the United States Armed Forces and is part of the United States Air Force. It is in Ohio at Wright-Patterson Air For ...

, and the

, formerly known as the U.S. Air Force Museum. The

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 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 commiss ...

, an Air Mobility Command-gained unit which flies the

C-17 Globemaster 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 ...

heavy

airlifter A military transport aircraft, military cargo aircraft or airlifter is a military aircraft, military-owned transport aircraft used to support military operations by airlifting troops and military equipment. Transport aircraft are crucial to ma ...

. Wright-Patterson is also the headquarters of the

Air Force Life Cycle Management Center The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB, is one of six centers reporting to the Air Force Materiel Command.AIR FORCE LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT CENTER (AFLCMC) Posted 8/3/2012 Printable Fact Sheet Led ...

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, pl ...

. Wright-Patterson is the host of the annual United States Air Force Marathon which occurs the weekend closest to the Air Force's anniversary. The base conducts

neurotechnology Neurotechnology encompasses any method or electronic device which interfaces with the nervous system to monitor or modulate neural activity. Common design goals for neurotechnologies include using neural activity readings to control external devi ...

research.

Based units

Flying and notable non-flying units based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Units marked GSU are

Geographically Separate Unit In the United States military a Geographically Separate Unit (GSU) is a base that is physically separate from, yet not autonomous of its "parent" base. GSUs are "owned" by their parent organization and are typically quite small. Assignment to a ...

s, which although based at Wright-Patterson, are subordinate to a parent unit based at another location.

United States Air Force

Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) * Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command *

** 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 **

(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 *

Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center (AFIMSC), headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (JBSA-Lackland), Texas, is one of six centers aligned under Air Force Materiel Command for the United States Air Force. AFIMSC serve ...

** Detachment 6 (GSU) ** Air Force Installation Contracting Center (GSU) *

** Headquarters Air Force Research Laboratory ** 711th Human Performance Wing *** 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 List of major commands of the United States Air Force, Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was establis ...

(AETC) * Air University ** Detachment 1 (GSU) **

(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 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 ...

** 360th Recruiting Group *** 338th Recruiting Squadron (GSU) Air Mobility Command (AMC) * 375th Air Mobility Wing ** 375th Operations Group *** 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 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 ele ...

688th Cyberspace Wing The United States Air Force's 688th Cyberspace Wing is a cyberspace operations unit located at Joint Base San Antonio (Lackland), Texas. The wing delivers information operations and engineering infrastructure for air, space, and cyberspace mil ...

***

690th Cyberspace Operations Group The 690th Cyberspace Operations Group, at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, is a United States Air Force group operating the Cyber Security and Control System weapon system. The group was established 1 April 1991 as the 6900 Communications-Computer ...

**** 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 The Air Force District of Washington (AFDW) is a Direct Reporting Unit of the United States Air Force. AFDW oversees Air Force operations in the Washington, D.C. region (also known as the "National Capital Region" or "NCR"). As a Direct Report ...

(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 The National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) is the United States Air Force unit for analyzing military intelligence on foreign air and space forces, weapons, and systems. NASIC assessments of aerospace performance characteristics, ca ...

** 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 The Department of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) is a U.S. federal law enforcement agency that reports directly to the Secretary of the Air Force. OSI is also a U.S. Air Force field operating agency under the administrative ...

** 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 civi ...

** Air Force Claims Service Center (GSU) *

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 ...

** Acquisition, Logistics, and Financial Management Directorate (GSU) ** Field Activities Directorate *** Operating Location Wright-Patterson (GSU) * Air Force Manpower Analysis Agency ** Operating Location Wright-Patterson (GSU) *

Air Force Personnel Center The Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) is a field operating agency of Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel. AFPC operates the Air Force Contact Center, where personnel experts provide customer service. T ...

** Operating Location Wright-Patterson (GSU) *

Air Reserve Personnel Center The Air Reserve Personnel Center manages personnel records for the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve and it is located at Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, Colorado.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 commiss ...

(AFRC) *

Fourth Air Force The Fourth Air Force (4 AF) is a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). It is headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, California. 4 AF directs the activities and supervises the training of more than 30,000 Air Force Res ...

** 445th Airlift Wing *** Headquarters 445th Airlift Wing *** 445th Aeromedical Staging Squadron *** 445th Aerospace Medicine Squadron *** 445th Operations Group ****

89th Airlift Squadron The 89th Airlift Squadron is a United States Air Force Reserve squadron, assigned to the 445th Operations Group, stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The squadron was first activated in June 1943 as the 89th Troop Carrier Squadro ...

– 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 The Tenth Air Force (10 AF) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force, specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base/Carswell Field (formerly Carswel ...

655th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing 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 ...

*** Headquarters 655th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing *** 655th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group **** 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 Space Operations Command (SpOC) is the United States Space Force's space operations, cyber operations, and intelligence field command. It is headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado and serves as the U.S. Space Force's service ...

(SpOC) *

Space Delta 7 Space Delta 7 (DEL 7) is a United States Space Force unit responsible for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) for the United States Space Force. The delta provides actionable and time-sensitive intelligence for space domain oper ...

** 73rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (GSU) *

Space Delta 18 Space Delta 18 (DEL 18) is a United States Space Force unit that serves as the National Space Intelligence Center (NSIC). It is headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio and activated on 24 June 2022. NSIC is a field operating agen ...

** 1st Space Analysis Squadron ** 2nd Space Analysis Squadron

United States Army

United States Army Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a Military reserve force, 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 F ...

(USAR) * Military Intelligence Readiness Command ** National Intelligence Support Group *** 2100th Military Intelligence Group (GSU)

United States Marine Corps

Marine Forces Reserve The Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES or MFR), also known as the United States Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) and the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, is the reserve force of the United States Marine Corps. It is the largest command, by assigned pe ...

(MARFORRES) *

Force Headquarters Group 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, 201 ...

** 4th Law Enforcement Battalion *** Military Police Company Charlie (GSU)

United States Department of the Navy

Bureau of Medicine and Surgery The Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) is an agency of the United States Department of the Navy that manages health care activities for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. BUMED operates hospitals and other health c ...

(BUMED) *

Naval Medical Research Center The Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC) is an agency that performs basic and applied biomedical research to meet the needs of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. Its areas of focus include study of infectious diseases, biodef ...

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. The ...

(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, United States Department of Defense (DoD), with more than 26,000 civilian and military personnel throughout the world. Located in 48 state ...

(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, a ...

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 A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. A military base always provides accommodations for ...

, the airport, and the

(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 Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...

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/km² (569.2/sq mi). There were 2,096 housing units at an average density of 69.2/km² (179.2/sq mi). The racial makeup of the base was 76.11%

White White is the 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 reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 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 ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.45% Native American, 2.30%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.12%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 2.09% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 3.68% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

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 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-m ...

(

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 Firefighting foam is a foam used for fire suppression. Its role is to cool the fire and to coat the fuel, preventing its contact with oxygen, thus achieving suppression of the combustion. Firefighting foam was invented by the Russian engineer and ...

. 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 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 Miami R ...

. 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 Roswell () is a city in, and the County seat, seat of, Chaves County, New Mexico, Chaves County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Chaves County forms the entirety of the List of micropolitan areas in New Mexico, Roswell micropolitan area. As of ...

and UFO research in general. Thrash metal band

Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...

released the song " Hangar 18" on their 1990 album ''

Rust in Peace ''Rust in Peace'' is the fourth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on September 24, 1990 by Capitol Records. It was the first Megadeth album to feature lead guitarist Marty Friedman and drummer Nick Menza. The songs " Ha ...

''. In Season 2, Episode 8, the

History Channel History (formerly The History Channel from January 1, 1995 to February 15, 2008, stylized as HISTORY) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the Disney ...

's series ''

'' 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'' 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 Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) is a division of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) responsible for administering the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), and Historic American Landscapes ...