Francis E. Warren Air Force Base

Francis E. Warren Air Force Base. It is one of the oldest continuously active military installations of the United States Armed Forces, originally established as Fort D. A. Russell in 1867 to protect workers on the Union Pacific Railroad. The base was renamed in 1930 for Francis E. Warren, the first U.S. Senator from Wyoming and a Medal of Honor recipient. Today, it is a key installation for Air Force Global Strike Command and serves as the home of the 90th Missile Wing, operating the LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM.

History

The site's origins trace to 1867 with the establishment of Fort D. A. Russell, a United States Army post named for David A. Russell, a Union Army brigadier general killed in the Civil War at the Battle of Opequon. Throughout the late 19th century, it was a major hub for cavalry and infantry during the Plains Indian Wars, with figures like John J. Pershing serving there. The post expanded significantly during World War I, becoming a large training center for the 92nd Infantry Division and other units. Transferred to the United States Department of the Air Force after the creation of the United States Air Force in 1947, it was designated an Air Force base in 1949. Its strategic mission shifted dramatically in 1958 when it was selected to host the first Atlas D ICBM squadron, cementing its role in the nation's nuclear triad during the Cold War.

Role and operations

As the host base for the 90th Missile Wing, it operates one-third of the nation's LGM-30G Minuteman III weapon system, comprising 150 missiles across three squadrons dispersed in hardened launch facilities throughout southeastern Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado. The wing is a direct subordinate unit of the Twentieth Air Force and Air Force Global Strike Command, charged with maintaining constant alert readiness for the National Command Authority. Key operations include missile security handled by the 90th Security Forces Group, maintenance by the 90th Maintenance Group, and health services provided by the 90th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron. The base also supports the United States Navy's STRATCOMMWING ONE and its E-6B Mercury aircraft, which provide airborne command and control.

Based units

Notable units stationed at the base include the 90th Missile Wing and its subordinate groups: the 90th Operations Group, which oversees the 319th Missile Squadron, 320th Missile Squadron, and 321st Missile Squadron; the 90th Maintenance Group; and the 90th Security Forces Group. Other significant tenant units include the 90th Comptroller Squadron, the 90th Civil Engineer Squadron, and the 90th Force Support Squadron. The United States Navy maintains a detachment for E-6B Mercury operations under VR-3. The 153rd Airlift Wing of the Wyoming Air National Guard, flying the C-130 Hercules, is also based nearby at the Cheyenne Regional Airport.

Geography and facilities

The base encompasses over 6,000 acres on the western edge of Cheyenne, Wyoming, at an elevation of approximately 6,200 feet on the High Plains. Its landscape includes historic districts featuring Queen Anne and Colonial Revival style homes from the early 20th century, which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Operational facilities are centered around the 90th Missile Wing headquarters, numerous maintenance and security buildings, and the Warren I Missile Alert Facility. The base's missile field, one of three in the United States, spreads across nearly 9,600 square miles, with launch control centers connected by thousands of miles of hardened cable. It also features the Francis E. Warren Air Force Base Museum and the F.E. Warren Club.

In popular culture

The base and its strategic mission have been referenced or featured in several films and television series dealing with Cold War themes and nuclear warfare. It served as a filming location and inspiration for scenes in the 1983 television film The Day After, which depicted a fictional nuclear attack on the United States. The base's Minuteman III missiles are central to the plot of the 1990 film By Dawn's Early Light starring Powers Boothe and Rebecca De Mornay. More recently, the base was mentioned in the History Channel documentary series Modern Marvels in episodes covering engineering and military technology. Its iconic role in national defense also makes it a subject in literature on the Strategic Air Command and nuclear strategy.

Category:United States Air Force bases Category:Buildings and structures in Wyoming Category:Nuclear weapons infrastructure of the United States