Tyndall Air Force Base

Infobox Military Structure
name=Tyndall Air Force Base

partof=Air Education and Training Command (AETC)
location= Located near Panama City, Florida
coordinates= Coord|30|4|43|N|85|34|35|W|type:airport


caption= Tyndall Air Force Base, 19 January 1999
Location Of Tyndall Air Force Base
type=Air Force Base
code=
built=1941
builder=
materials=
height=
used=1941-Present
demolished=
condition=
ownership=
controlledby=United States Air Force
garrison=325th Fighter Wing
commanders=
occupants=
battles=
events=

Tyndall Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located near Panama City in Bay County, Florida, United States. The on base population was 2,757 at the 2000 census. The base is operated by the 325th Fighter Wing of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC).

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the base has a total area of 37.9 km² (14.6 mi²). 37.7 km² (14.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.41%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,757 people, 663 households, and 653 families residing on the base. The population density was 73.1/km² (189.2/mi²). There were 663 housing units at an average density of 17.6/km² (45.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the base was 77.79% White, 14.22% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 3.08% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.83% from other races, and 4.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.27% of the population.

There were 663 households out of which 81.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 90.8% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 1.4% were non-families. 1.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 0.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.57 and the average family size was 3.59.

In the base the population was spread out with 37.9% under the age of 18, 17.5% from 18 to 24, 42.4% from 25 to 44, 2.1% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 121.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 130.7 males.

The median income for a household in the base was $34,191, and the median income for a family was $33,897. Males had a median income of $25,857 versus $19,821 for females. The per capita income for the base was $11,281. About 3.8% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

History

Construction of Tyndall AFB began in May 1941. The name of Tyndall Field was in memory of 1st Lt Frank B. Tyndall, a World War I ace, who was killed in 1930.

On 7 Dec 1941, the first of 2,000 troops arrived at Tyndall Field. The first class of gunnery students began in February 1942. Foreign student training began at Tyndall in 1943 with French Air Force gunnery students being the first and Chinese students following later that year. Today, foreign students attend weapons controller training at Tyndall.

When World War II ended, Tyndall Field was demobilized. The base fell under the control of the Tactical Air Command (TAC) in 1946, but this only lasted three months, as Tyndall became part of the Air University (AU). Tyndall Field was subsequnetly renamed as Tyndall Air Force Base when the U.S. AIr Force became a separate service in 1947. In September 1950, Tyndall became an Air Training Command (ATC) unit, designated as the USAF Pilot Instructor School. The base also trained Ground Controlled Intercept (GCI) operators as well as interceptor pilots & flight crews for the Air Defense Command. Under the auspices of this training system, GCI trainees would direct TF-51H Mustangs against "enemy" A-26 Invaders. In late 1952, both aircraft were replaced by Lockheed T-33 jet trainers. Airborne radar operator students would begin their training aboard radar-equipped TB-25 Mitchells, then transition to either Lockheed F-94 Starfire or Northrop F-89 Scorpion aircraft. North American F-86Ds were eventually added to the training program as Air Defense Command (ADC) units were equipped with them. In September 1957, Tyndall became an Air Defense Command, later Aerospace Defense Command, base until October 1979 when ADC was inactivated and all its bases and units transferred to Tactical Air Command. In the late 1950's into the 1960's, the base transitioned into the F-101-B, F-102A and TF-102, and the F-106A and B aircraft. The base served as a stopover and refueling point for ADC aircraft deployed to Florida during the Cuban Crisis, to be redeployed to other bases in the southeast shortly thereafter. The base maintained an alert facility from which the F-101 and F-102 were scrambeled to intercept unknown aircraft. Tyndall shared training for the F-102 aircraft with Perrin AFB, Texas.

In 1991, Tyndall underwent a reorganization in response to the Department of Defense efforts to streamline defense management. Headquarters, First Air Force, what had predominantly been the Numbered Air Force for the Air National Guard, moved from Langley AFB, Virginia, to Tyndall. With the disestablishment of TAC in 1992, Tyndal was transferred from the Air Combat Command (ACC) and then to the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) in July 1993.

Tyndall AFB was struck by a tornado in 2003, causing an estimated $250,000 worth of damage to 10 facilities and more than 30 vehicles in the area. No one was injured and base operations were uninterrupted.

Today, Tyndall is the home of the 325th Fighter Wing, providing training for all F-15A/B and C/D Eagle and F-22A Raptor pilots. Headquarters, 1st Air Force remains at Tyndall and has increased its scope as an element of the Air Combat Command, ensuring the air sovereignty and air defense of the continental United States. As the CONUS geographical component of the bi-national North American Aerospace Defense Command and air component of United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), 1 AF also provides airspace surveillance and control and directs all air sovereignty activities for the continental United States.

The 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group (53 WEG), is an Air Combat Command tenant organization that reports to the 53rd Wing at nearby Eglin Air Force Base. Among its subordinate squadrons at Tyndall, the 53 WEG manages offshore weapons ranges over the Gulf of Mexico, manages target drone programs ranging from sub-scale targets to a fleet of QF-4 Phantom II full-scale aerial targets (FSAT) and serves as primary manager for the annual U.S. Air Force Air-to-Air Weapons Meet known as "William Tell".

Additionally, all of the Air Force's Air Battle Managers are trained at Tyndall. The Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency is headquartered at Tyndall and a branch of the Air Force Research Laboratory's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate also has facilities at the base.

In the mid 1980's, Tyndall was home to the NORAD 23rd ADS (Air Defense Squadron) and operated the Southeast Regional Operations Control Center (SE ROCC), later renamed Sector Operations Control Center (SOCC).

ee also

* Florida World War II Army Airfields
* Eastern Air Defense Force (Air Defense Command)

References

External links

* [http://www.tyndall.af.mil/ Tyndall Air Force Base Homepage]