Barksdale Field

Barksdale Field
Airman 1st Class Benjamin Gonsier · Public domain · source
Name	Barksdale Field
Location	Bossier Parish, Louisiana
Type	Air Force Base
Built	1930s
Used	1933–present
Controlledby	United States Air Force

Barksdale Field Barksdale Field is a major United States Air Force installation in Bossier Parish, Louisiana notable for strategic air power development, heavy bomber operations, and Cold War nuclear deterrence. The base has hosted multiple numbered wings and squadrons and served as a hub for aviation training, logistics, and strategic command functions. Its evolution links to national defense policy, regional economics, and aviation technology across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

History

Construction began in the early 1930s during the tenure of Herbert Hoover and accelerated under Franklin D. Roosevelt New Deal initiatives, reflecting interwar expansion of the United States Army Air Corps and later transition to the United States Army Air Forces. The field was named for aviator Lieutenant Eugene Hoy Barksdale, who served with United States Army Air Service units and flew in exhibitions associated with Mitchell Board era advocacy. Pre-World War II growth involved units from the 20th Pursuit Group, 2d Bombardment Group, and aircrews trained using aircraft like the Martin B-10, Douglas B-18 Bolo, and Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. During World War II, Barksdale hosted training under the Air Mail scandal-era reorganizations that influenced formation of the Air Corps Tactical School alumni networks, and supported anti-submarine patrols coordinated with the Eastern Defense Command and United States Navy task forces. Postwar restructuring placed the installation under Strategic Air Command control, aligning it with units such as the 2nd Bomb Wing, 416th Bomb Wing, and later 2d Bomb Wing (Modern) transitions. Cold War modernization paralleled deployments involving the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, and integration with North American Aerospace Defense Command exercises. In the post-Cold War era, the field adapted to Air Combat Command and Global Strike Command priorities, hosting operations with ties to United States Northern Command, U.S. Strategic Command, and contingency missions in support of operations like Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.

Facilities and Infrastructure

The base features multiple long runways, hardened aircraft maintenance facilities, and munitions storage areas compliant with Department of Defense standards. Its hangars have supported heavy bomber maintenance for platforms including the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, Convair B-36 Peacemaker, and retrofits associated with Avionics modernization programs. On-base infrastructure includes family housing tied to Base Realignment and Closure planning, medical clinics associated with Tricare, and training ranges coordinated with the Louisiana National Guard and Air National Guard units. Security and force protection integrate systems from Federal Emergency Management Agency coordination to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear preparedness. Historic buildings on the field are associated with the Civilian Conservation Corps era and interwar Works Progress Administration projects; preservation efforts reference standards used by the National Park Service and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

Units and Operations

Throughout its history, the installation has hosted numbered units such as the 2d Bomb Wing, 307th Bomb Wing, 816th Air Division, and tenant organizations including the 917th Wing (Air Force Reserve), 8th Air Force, and elements of the Air Force Global Strike Command. Operational roles encompassed strategic bombardment, aerial refueling with KC-135 Stratotanker crews, and airborne command-and-control functions coordinated with Air Mobility Command and Strategic Air Command successors. Training operations have involved collaboration with Air Education and Training Command programs, ROTC detachments from universities like Louisiana State University and Southern University, and exchange activities with allied air forces such as the Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force. Logistics and sustainment functions integrate with the Defense Logistics Agency and regional supply chains linked to Port of Shreveport and interstate freight networks including Interstate 20.

Role in World Wars and Cold War

In the World War II era, the field supported crew training and operational deployments that connected to major campaigns in the European Theater of Operations, Pacific Theater of Operations, and anti-submarine warfare along the Gulf of Mexico coordinating with Coast Guard units. Cold War posture emphasized nuclear-capable bomber alert status under Strategic Air Command directives, participation in exercises like Operation Chrome Dome, and readiness initiatives tied to crises including the Cuban Missile Crisis and Berlin Crisis of 1961. Strategic bomber deployments projected deterrence integrated with North Atlantic Treaty Organization planning, forward deployment concepts such as Operation Reflex, and aerial refueling networks critical to Mutual Assured Destruction doctrines overseen by Strategic Air Command leadership figures. The base also served as a site for infrastructure supporting reconnaissance and electronic warfare missions linked to platforms such as the RC-135 and programs coordinated with National Reconnaissance Office interests.

Civilian Use and Local Impact

The installation has significantly influenced the economies of Bossier City, Shreveport, and Northwest Louisiana through employment, contracting with firms like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and regional aerospace suppliers. Civilian use includes joint civil-military airfield agreements facilitating general aviation at nearby Shreveport Regional Airport and community events tying into Air Shows and civic partnerships with institutions such as Barksdale Air Force Association-aligned museums and the F1 Museum in Shreveport. Educational outreach connects to Bossier Parish Community College, veteran services coordinated with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and regional workforce development programs funded by Workforce Investment Act-era grants. Environmental management on the installation involves cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality regarding issues from munitions cleanup to wetland conservation projects linked to the Red River basin.

Category:United States Air Force installations Category:Military installations in Louisiana