Anderson Air Force Base

Anderson Air Force Base. It is a major United States Air Force installation located in the village of Yigo on the island of Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific Ocean. The base serves as a critical strategic hub for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, hosting a wide array of B-52 and B-1 bombers, F-22 Raptor fighters, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets. Operated by the 36th Wing under Pacific Air Forces, it is one of the most important power projection platforms in the Asia-Pacific region.

History

The site's military history began during World War II when it was constructed in 1944 by the United States Navy as a B-29 Superfortress base for the Twentieth Air Force to conduct strategic bombing campaigns against the Japanese archipelago. Initially named North Field, it was a launch point for missions including the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki carried out by the 509th Composite Group. After the war, it was renamed in 1949 in honor of Brigadier General James Roy Andersen, a United States Army Air Forces officer lost in the Pacific. During the Vietnam War, it was a vital staging area for B-52 Stratofortress operations under Strategic Air Command, including Operation Arc Light. The base's strategic importance was reaffirmed in the post-Cold War era, becoming central to the United States Department of Defense's Continuous Bomber Presence mission and operations during the Global War on Terrorism.

Facilities

The installation features extensive infrastructure centered on its primary runway, one of the longest in the Pacific Air Forces inventory, capable of supporting heavy aircraft like the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress and Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. Key facilities include massive hardened aircraft shelters, expansive ammunition storage areas, and a deep-water port at nearby Apra Harbor managed by Commander, Naval Forces Marianas. The base hosts the Andersen Fuel Systems Maintenance Division and critical Northrop Grumman-maintained Global Hawk facilities. Support infrastructure encompasses the Andersen North and South housing areas, the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Guam, and recreational amenities like Tarague Beach.

Role and operations

As the U.S. Air Force's premier power projection platform in the Western Pacific, it enables rapid global strike capabilities and provides strategic deterrence. The base routinely hosts rotational deployments of B-52, B-1, and B-2 Spirit bombers under the Continuous Bomber Presence mission, coordinated by the 36th Wing and Pacific Air Forces. It is a key node for United States Space Force operations, hosting units like the 21st Space Operations Squadron. The installation also supports major joint and allied exercises such as Cope North, Valiant Shield, and Keen Sword, involving forces from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and Republic of Korea Air Force.

Based units

The host unit is the 36th Wing, which reports to Eleventh Air Force and provides installation support and operational command. Key subordinate groups include the 36th Operations Group, which oversees airfield operations and the 506th Air Refueling Squadron flying the KC-135 Stratotanker, and the 36th Maintenance Group. The base also hosts numerous geographically separated units, including detachments from the United States Space Force like the 21st Space Operations Squadron, the FBI's Honolulu Field Office, and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Rotational forces from the Air Combat Command, such as the 5th Bomb Wing and 28th Bomb Wing, are frequently present.

Environmental issues

The base has been designated a Superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency due to historical contamination from firefighting foam containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as well as jet fuel and solvent leaks. Major cleanup efforts are focused on the Andersen Fuel Spill, one of the largest such releases in United States history, affecting the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer. The United States Navy and Air Force Civil Engineer Center lead remediation in coordination with the Guam Environmental Protection Agency. These issues have sparked ongoing litigation and community concern led by groups like the Guam Women's Club and the Micronesia Islands Nature Alliance.

Category:United States Air Force bases Category:Buildings and structures in Guam