| Lowry Air Force Base
|
|
|---|---|
| Part of Air Training Command (ATC) | |
| Located in Aurora and Denver, Colorado | |
 9 October 1999
|
|
| Type | Air Force Base |
| Coordinates | |
| Built | 1937 |
| In use | Open 1938 - closed 30 Sept 1994, Runway closed June 1966 |
| Demolished | selected buildings throughout campus |
| Current condition |
Lowry Campus, managed by Lowry Redevelopment Authority. The City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality that is the third most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 59th most populous city The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/ is the Capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. |
| Current owner |
Land: City & County of Denver, and City of Aurora |
| Controlled by | United States Air Force |
| Garrison | Lowry Technical Training Center, 451st SMW Titan I (1961-1965) |
Lowry Air Force Base (1938-1994) is a former United States Air Force base located in the cities of Aurora and Denver, Colorado. Main Article Strategic Air Command Strategic Missile Wings (SMW and Strategic Aerospace Wings (SAW were the designations under the USAF Strategic Air Command Titan was a family of US expendable Rockets used between 1959 and 2005 The City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality that is the third most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 59th most populous city The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/ is the Capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States Its primary mission throughout its existence was Air Force technical training and was heavily involved with the training of United States Army Air Forces bomber crews during World War II. The United States Army Air Forces ( USAAF) was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including
Contents |
Current status
Lowry was permanently closed by actions of the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC II) commission in 1994. Base Realignment and Closure (or BRAC) is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed The land is now being used for commercial and residential development, though many of the old military buildings are still in use. These include several massive hangars, two of which currently houses the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum (Hangar 1 and 2, Building 401 and 402, respectively). A hangar is an enclosed structure to hold Aircraft in protective storage The Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum (WOR is located on the former grounds of Lowry Air Force Base in Denver Colorado. Another hangar, formerly Building 1499, has been converted to the Big Bear Ice Rink. One of the former dormitories is currently owned and used by The Logan School for Creative Learning and was remodeled beginning 2004 and ending in late 2006. Also, some of the base housing is now currently owned and used by Stanley British Primary School and other buildings are occupied by the Aurora Community College at Lowry[1]. The Community College of Aurora is a Community college located in Aurora Colorado.
Many buildings, such as the large Finance Claims Center and various other outbuildings and facilities have been demolished or are in the process of being demolished to make room for new development, while other buildings such as the former steam power plant and headquarters building are being renovated for new usage in the form of modern lofts and housing. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS is an agency of the United States Department of Defense that provides Finance and Accounting services Few abandoned, original buildings remain, although one dormitory facility and a former medical building on the east end of the base are owned by the state as part of the Higher Education and Technology campus and have not yet been renovated and are off-limits. Additionally, at least two buildings on the base are still considered active federal property (The former base exchange, or BX, near the US Post Office on 11th and Uinta Street is one, although not marked as such and the other is the Defense Finance and Accounting Service facility); Security patrols will question and detain people if they are loitering, photographing or performing other activities in close proximity to the buildings or in the parking lots. Base Exchange (BX also referred to as a Post Exchange (PX on Army installations and Navy Exchange (NEX on Navy installations are shops The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS is an agency of the United States Department of Defense that provides Finance and Accounting services
History
In 1934 the Army Air Corps realized it was outgrowing its facilities at Chanute Field, Illinois and began looking for a new facility where it could consolidate all of its Air Service Technical training schools. The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC was the predecessor of the U Chanute Air Force Base (1917-1993 is a former United States Air Force base located south of and adjacent to Rantoul Illinois, about south of Chicago The State of Illinois ( roughly ill-i-NOY is a state of the United States of America, the 21st to be admitted to the Union.
After looking at more than 80 sites across the nation, a military committee submitted a list to Congress with the names of six cities that would meet their needs. Denver ranked first, and Congress approved the Air Corps project in 1937, but Chanute remained the headquarters of the Air Corps Technical School & home to the aircraft mechanics school. The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/ is the Capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States
The Army formed a new branch for armament & photography training in Denver, and on October 4, 1937 the Works Progress Administration (WPA) began work to convert the grounds of the former Agnes Memorial Sanatorium into a modern airfield. The Works Progress Administration (renamed in 1939 the Work Projects Administration; WPA) was the largest New Deal agency employing millions of people The new field was named Lowry Field on 11 March 1938 in honor of Second Lieutenant Francis Lowry whose plane was shot down by German antiaircraft fire in World War I in which he flew as an observer. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Despite bad weather Lieutenant Lowry and his pilot had attempted a photo-reconnaissance mission important to the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. The Meuse-Argonn Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I (and known as the Grand
Classes in aerial photography began at Lowry in 1938 and aircraft arrived in June of that year. The first aircraft to land on the new paved runway was a B-18 Bolo. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The sanatorium's main building became the base headquarters.
In January 1942, in the early course of World War II, the War Department assigned Lowry Field to the Army Air Forces Technical Training Command, and tasked Lowry with annually training 57,000 men. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The United States Department of War, sometimes also called the War Office, was the department of the United States government 's executive branch In 1944 Lowry changed from a technical training center to a predominantly flying installation when flight engineering; Boeing B-29 pilot transition and B-29 crew training was it's major mission. Forty-two B-29s arrived at Lowry in May 1944 & the six-week course began in July. At war’s end, two classes remained at Lowry along with thirty-nine Superfortresses. The classes never completed training, as the end of the war in Europe in May & V-J Day on August 15th ended Lowry’s short history as a pilot training school, and the base quickly returned to a peacetime schedule. Victory over Japan Day ( V-J Day, also known as Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day) is a name chosen for the day on which the Surrender of Staffing decreased & student enrollment plummeted. It became a separation center for returning veterans. By the end of the 1945, Lowry was processing an average of 300 discharges a day.
On 1 July 1946, Lowry was assigned to the Army Air Forces new Air Training Command, which it would be a part of for almost the next 50 years. Air Training Command (ATC is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. On 24 June 1948, Lowry Field was renamed Lowry Air Force Base as a result of the United States Air Force becoming a separate branch of the Armed Forces of the United States.
With the beginning of the Korean War, Lowry Air Force Base expanded its training program. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the Courses taught, in addition to photography and armament, included rocket propulsion, missile guidance, electronics, radar-operated fire-control systems, computer specialties, gun and rocket sights, and electronically operated turret systems. Photography (fә'tɒgrәfi or fә'tɑːgrәfi (from Greek φωτο and γραφία is the process and Art of recording pictures by means of capturing Spacecraft propulsion is any method used to change the velocity of Spacecraft and artificial Satellites There are many different methods Electronics refers to the flow of charge (moving Electrons through Nonmetal conductors (mainly Semiconductors, whereas electrical
Also during the 1950s, Lowry functioned as President Dwight D. Eisenhower's summer White House from 1952 - 1955. Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (October 14 1890 – March 28 1969 was President of the United States from 1953 until 1961 and a five-star general See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence From 1954 until 1958 it was the interim home for the United States Air Force Academy until construction was completed in Colorado Springs. The United States Air Force Academy ( USAFA or Air Force) is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officers for the United States Air The City of Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the County seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado,
On 18 April 1962, Lowry became the first operational base for Titan I ICBMs. Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Titan I was the United States' first true multistage ICBM. The missiles remained on alert until 15 April 1965. Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. [2] In the 1960s, Lowry flight operations were shifted to Buckley Field, now Buckley Air Force Base. Buckley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Aurora, Colorado, that was established in 1943 All flying activities ceased completely in June 1966 when the last aircraft was flown out of Lowry.
With the closure of Amarillo AFB, Texas in 1967, Lowry became the home of the 3320th Retraining Group, which provided eligible court-marshalled airmen correctional training to re-enter normal active-duty ranks after completion. Amarillo Air Force Base, originally Amarillo Army Air Field is a former United States Air Force base located in Potter County, Texas, approximately Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State.
A vast construction program began in 1970 for enlisted and officer billeting facilities, which replaced many of the World War II vintage barracks. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Five large (1,000 man) dormitories were constructed and a 187-space mobile home park were completed by 1974. Other facilities included a youth center, a child-care center, a chapel, and a new Airmen’s Open Mess. In 1976, the Air Force Accounting & Finance Center & the Air Reserve Personnel Center opened in the Gilchrist Building (Building 444).
Lowry first faced the base closure issue in 1978. Ultimately, the Air Force recommended keeping Lowry open at that time. With the base closure issue settled (for the time being), Lowry Technical Training Center introduced new & improved courses for the 1980s. The base became became the primary training center for USAF space operations courses and began Undergraduate Space Training for officers. Lowry also handled ground & armament training for the F-15, F-16, A-10, and B-1 bomber, as well as the Short Range Attack Missile (SRAM). Lowry was also instrumental in training munitions handling for modified B-52 bomber.
The 1990s saw the beginning of the end at Lowry. The end of the Cold War, along with the resultant budget cuts & downsizing made base closure a reality. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the
In 1993, Lowry prepared to end 56 years of technical training. While training continued, Lowry’s command structure planned to implement the closure in an efficient manner. The Air Force deactivated the 3400th Technical Training Group on April 27, 1994. A parade & pass-in-review was planned, but the death of former President Richard Nixon caused the ceremonies to be postponed to the 28th. The official deactivation date, however, remained the 27th.
On 30 September 1994, the base officially closed. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar)
See also
- Air Training Command
- Strategic Aerospace and Missile Wings 451st SMW Titan I (Jun. Air Training Command (ATC is a former major command of the United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force. Main Article Strategic Air Command Strategic Missile Wings (SMW and Strategic Aerospace Wings (SAW were the designations under the USAF Strategic Air Command 1, 1961 - Jun. 25, 1965)
- Colorado World War II Army Airfields
References
- ^ Community College of Aurora Official Site
- ^ Neufeld 1990
- Neufeld, J. During World War II, Colorado was a major United States Army Air Force (USAAF training center for pilots and aircrews (1990). The development of ballistic missiles in the United States Air Force, 1945-1960. Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-62-5.
- Mueller, Robert (1989). Active Air Force Bases Within the United States of America on 17 September 1982. USAF Reference Series, Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-53-6
External links
- Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum
- A Brief History of Lowry Air Force Base (Source of History)
- The Logan School
- The Neighborhood Network of the Lowry Community
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic