Biggs Air Force Base

Biggs Air Force Base was a major United States Air Force installation located adjacent to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Established in 1916 as an United States Army airfield, it evolved into a critical hub for bomber operations under the Strategic Air Command during the Cold War. The base played significant roles in World War II, the Korean War, and the development of nuclear deterrence strategy before its closure in 1966.

History

The site's origins trace to 1916 when the United States Army established an airfield for the 1st Aero Squadron during the Pancho Villa Expedition. Initially named after 1st Lieutenant John L. H. Peck, it was renamed in 1925 for Major James B. Biggs, an El Paso native killed in a World War I training accident. During World War II, the facility, then known as Biggs Field, became a primary training center for B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator crews of the United States Army Air Forces. It also hosted the B-29 Superfortress transition training for units like the 97th Bombardment Group prior to their deployment in the Pacific Theater. Post-war, the base was transferred to the newly independent United States Air Force in 1947 and was redesignated Biggs Air Force Base.

Facilities

The base featured extensive infrastructure to support heavy bomber operations. Its facilities included multiple long, reinforced concrete runways capable of handling the weight of B-36 Peacemaker and B-52 Stratofortress aircraft. A large aircraft apron and numerous hardened aircraft shelters provided parking and protection. The installation contained major maintenance hangars operated by units like the 810th Air Division, weapons storage areas for conventional and nuclear ordnance, and a vast network of support buildings. As a key Strategic Air Command base, it included secure command and control facilities and housing for thousands of military personnel and their families.

Major commands and units

Biggs Air Force Base was most prominently associated with the Strategic Air Command, which assumed control in 1949. The primary host unit for much of the Cold War was the 810th Air Division, which commanded several operational bombardment wings. These included the 95th Bombardment Wing flying the B-36 Peacemaker and later the B-52 Stratofortress, and the 97th Bombardment Wing operating the B-29 Superfortress and B-50 Superfortress. Other significant units were the 11th Bombardment Wing and various air refueling squadrons equipped with KC-97 Stratofreighter aircraft. Earlier, during World War II, it was home to the 20th Bombardment Wing and training groups under the United States Army Air Forces Training Command.

Role and operations

The base's primary mission was to provide a strategic bomber launch platform for global nuclear deterrence against the Soviet Union. Crews from Biggs maintained continuous airborne alert and participated in extensive exercises like Operation Chrome Dome and Operation Head Start. Its location in the Southwestern United States offered favorable flying weather for training and rapid deployment routes. During the Korean War, B-29 units from Biggs were deployed for combat operations. The base also served as a critical logistics and support node for Fort Bliss and the United States Army's Air Defense Artillery Branch, testing systems like the Nike Hercules missile.

Closure and civilian reuse

With the restructuring of Strategic Air Command and the adoption of newer aircraft like the B-58 Hustler and B-1 Lancer, which utilized different basing strategies, the need for Biggs diminished. The base was inactivated in 1966, and its property was transferred to the United States Army. Most of the former airfield was incorporated into the expansion of Fort Bliss, becoming Biggs Army Airfield for helicopter and support operations. A significant portion of the land, including runway areas, was later conveyed to the City of El Paso. This land now forms part of the El Paso International Airport and the Biggs Park industrial and commercial complex, ensuring the site's continued economic role in the El Paso community.

Category:Closed facilities of the United States Air Force Category:Military installations in Texas Category:El Paso, Texas