Aerial Photo of MacDill Air Force Base, Florida - March 1987

MacDill Air Force Base Emblem showing a KC-135 Stratotanker of the 6th Air Mobility Wing with the Tampa Skyline and Gasparilla ship in the background. From MacDill AFB press kit.

MacDill Air Force Base (MacDill AFB) is a base of the United States Air Force in Hillsborough County, Florida, 8 miles south of Downtown Tampa at the tip of the Interbay Peninsula. It's also a District due to the fact that the base is technically within the city limits of Tampa. Image File history File links Macdill-march87. ... Image File history File links Macdill-march87. ... Image File history File links MacDill Air Force Base Emblem showing a KC-135 Stratotanker of the 6th Air Mobility wing with the Tampa Skyline and Gasparilla ship in the background. ... Image File history File links MacDill Air Force Base Emblem showing a KC-135 Stratotanker of the 6th Air Mobility wing with the Tampa Skyline and Gasparilla ship in the background. ... The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling tanker aircraft, first entered service in 1957 and expected to remain in service into the 2040s. ... Tampas skyline For alternate meanings, see Tampa (disambiguation) Tampa is a city located in Hillsborough County on the west coast of Florida. ... Jose Gaspar, known by his nickname Gasparilla, was a Spanish pirate who purportedly raided the west coast of Florida during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. ... An Air Force Base (AFB) is a term used to designate a military base of a number of air forces, including the United States Air Force (USAF) and the South African Air Force (SAAF). ... The United States Air Force (USAF) is the aerial-warfare branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ... Hillsborough County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... Nickname: Cigar City, The Big Guava Location in Hillsborough County and the state of Florida. ... Local government areas called districts are used, or have been used, in several countries. ...

MacDill is home of the 6th Air Mobility Wing, USCENTCOM, USSOCOM and a large number of tenant units. MacDill is also the home of the NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft fleet, commanded by the NOAA Corps. // Conducted strategic bombardment training from activation in 1951 until 1 September 1959, with air refueling as additional mission in 1951-1952, and again from Apr 1958 until Jan 1967. ... Emblem of the United States Central Command. ... Emblem of the United States Special Operations Command. ... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency of the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. ... The name Hurricane Hunters is the nickname for two groups that fly instrumented aircraft into Atlantic hurricanes for the purpose of data collection. ... The NOAA Corps is the smallest of the seven Uniformed Services of the United States, having only approximately 300 commissioned officers. ...

MacDill is commanded by Colonel Margaret Woodward. Colonel (IPA: or ) is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ...

The population was 2,692 at the 2000 census.

Geography

MacDill AFB is located at 27.8495 North, 82.5213 West (27.8495, -82.5213).

Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 2,692 people, 638 households, and 599 families residing in the district. The racial makeup of the district was 61.80% European American, 24.50% African American, 12.0% Latin American, 0.60% American Indian, 2.90% Asian American, 0.40% Pacific Islander American, 5.10% from some other race, and 4.80% from two or more races. 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ethnicity (United States Census). ... Race, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB), is a self-identification data item in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify. ...

There were 608 households out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 87.8% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 1.5% were non-families. 88.5% of all households were made up of individuals over 18 and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.75 and the average family size was 3.76. “Matrimony” redirects here. ...

History

Though the south end of Interbay Peninsula was used as a military staging area as early as the Spanish-American War, the land at the end of the peninsula was not formally declared a military installation until it was given to the War Department in 1939 by the state and Hillsborough County. The base was dedicated on April 16, 1941. It was named in honor of Col. Leslie MacDill, one of the Army's aviation pioneers who had been killed in an aircraft accident in 1938. USMC convoys staging prior to going north into Iraq in March of 2004 A staging area is a temporary location where military units, aircraft and warships plus their matériel are assembled ahead of an attack or invasion. ... Combatants United States Spain Commanders Nelson A. Miles William R. Shafter George Dewey Máximo Gómez Emilio Aguinaldo Patricio Montojo Pascual Cervera Casualties 3,289 U.S. dead (only 432 from combat); considerably higher although undetermined Cuban and Filipino casualties Unknown[1] The Spanish-American War was a conflict... Line drawing of the Department of Wars seal. ... April 16 is the 106th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (107th in leap years). ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ...

The base's first mission, from 1941, was B-17 training. The base was also used as a staging area for aircrews entering the Pacific theatre, by way of Ascension Island and Africa. In 1942, the base became the primary training facility for the B-26 Marauder; however, B-26 training ceased in 1943 and the base reverted to a primary B-17 facility. During World War II as many as 488 German POWs were held at MacDill. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is an American four-engine heavy bomber aircraft developed for the US Army Air Corps (USAAC). ... Anthem: God Save the Queen Capital Georgetown Largest city Georgetown Official languages English Government Dependency of St. ... Martin B-26 Marauder See A-26 Invader for the plane known as the B-26 from 1948 to 1962. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ...

In 1945, with the war in Europe over, the base lost its B-17 mission and became the primary training facility for the B-29 Superfortress. Once the base transitioned from the Army Air Force to the Air Force in 1947, it fell under the control of Strategic Air Command, or SAC. The B-29s were replaced by the B-50s in 1950, and in 1951 by B-47 Stratojet and KC-97 medium-range bombers and tankers. The B-29s were all gone by 1953. The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was a four-engine heavy bomber propeller aircraft flown by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II and other military organizations afterwards. ... The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) was a part of the U.S. Army during World War II. The direct precursor to the U.S. Air Force, the USAAF formally existed between 1941 and 1947. ... For the film of the same name, see Strategic Air Command (film) The Strategic Air Command (SAC) was the operational establishment of the United States Air Force in charge of Americas bomber-based and ballistic missile-based strategic nuclear arsenal from 1946 to 1992. ... The Boeing B-50 Superfortress was basically a post-World War II revision of the wartime B-29 Superfortress with new, more powerful 3,500-HP Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major radial engines, a taller vertical stabilizer, and numerous detail improvements. ... The Boeing B-47 Stratojet jet bomber was a medium range and size bomber capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and primarily designed for penetrating the Soviet Union. ... Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker, with Ohio Air National Guard markings The KC-97 Stratotanker is the is an aerial refueling tanker variant of the C-97 Stratofreighter using the flying boom refueling system. ...

The first attempt to close MacDill was made in 1960, when it was listed as surplus and slated for closure. However, the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1961 pointed up the base's strategic location and usefulness as a staging area, and the cuts were stayed. That year, in response to the Missile Crisis, the United States Strike Command was established at MacDill as a crisis response force; it was one of the first unified commands, a command that draws manpower and equipment from all branches of the U.S. military. USAF reconnaissance photo of one of the suspected launch sites The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States regarding the Soviet deployment of nuclear missiles in Cuba. ... In 1961 the United States Strike Command (STRICOM) was established at MacDill AFB as a unified command with integrated personnel from all branches of the military capable of responding to global crisis. ...

In 1962, a detachment of F-84 aircraft arrived as the vanguard of a new mission for the base; by 1963 SAC had given way to TAC (Tactical Air Command), and the base was training F-84 and F-4 pilots for deployment to Vietnam. During the Vietnam era the base continued to train pilots on both the F-84 and F-4, and for a time also on the B-57. The Republic Aviation F-84 Thunderjet was an American-built turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. ... The Tactical Air Command (TAC) was a command of the United States Air Force charged with battlefield-level (tactical) air combat, including light bombardment, close air support of ground troops, interdiction of enemy forces, and air transport of ground troops. ... The F-4 Phantom II (simply F-4 Phantom after 1990) is a two-place (tandem), supersonic, long-range, all-weather fighter-bomber built by McDonnell Douglas Corporation. ... The Martin B-57 Canberra was a twin-engine jet bomber and reconnaissance aircraft which entered service in the 1950s. ...

MacDill remained a fighter base for almost 30 years, but other changes went on in the background. The B-57s left in 1972, and that same year Strike Command was renamed United States Readiness Command. In 1979, the first F-16 fighters arrived and began to replace the aging F-4s. In 1983, the new Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force was activated, and in 1987 it became U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM. That same year USRC was redesignated U.S. Special Operations Command, or SOCOM. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a modern multi-role jet fighter aircraft built in the United States and used by dozens of countries all over the world. ... In 1977, a presidential directive called for a mobile force capable of responding to worldwide contingencies but to be established without diverting forces from NATO or Korea. ... Emblem of the United States Central Command. ... Emblem of the United States Special Operations Command. ...

By the 1990s, the U.S. was looking to downsize the military and eliminate a large number of bases. MacDill figured prominently in this: the Tampa area saw substantial commercial air traffic at several airports within ten miles of MacDill, creating hazardous conditions for F-16 training, and the noise associated with the high-performance jets was deemed unsuitable for high-density residential areas like those around MacDill. As a result the 1991 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission ordered that all flightline activities cease at MacDill by 1993. The F-16 training mission and 56th Fighter Wing were moved to Luke Air Force Base, outside of Phoenix, Arizona. Luke Air Force Base, Arizona is a large Luke beacuse he is Americas idle. ... Nickname: Valley of the Sun Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: Country United States State Arizona Counties Maricopa Incorporated February 25, 1881  - Mayor Phil Gordon (D) Area    - City  475. ...

In 1993, with the help of Congressman Bill Young, the flightline closure order was rescinded and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) transferred to MacDill to use the flightline for weather and research flights. Then, in 1994, the 6th Air Base Wing stood up at MacDill to operate the base and provide support services for CENTCOM, SOCOM, and the large and growing number of other tenant units, as well as to provide services for transient air units. Later that year the base served as the primary staging facility for Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti. Charles William Bill Young, also known as C.W. Bill Young, (born December 16, 1930), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1971, representing the 10th District of Florida (map). ... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency of the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. ... Operation Uphold Democracy (September 19, 1994 – March 31, 1995) began in September 1994 with the deployment of the U.S. led multinational force. ...

This staging was considered evidence of the quality and usefulness of the MacDill flightline, even in light of the high air traffic levels in Tampa, and with further Congressional prodding and lobbying from the 6th ABW command, MacDill was chosen as the site for a KC-135 air refueling mission. With the arrival of 12 tankers and the 91st Air Refueling Squadron, from Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, the 6th Air Base Wing was renamed the 6th Air Mobility Wing, and came under the control of Air Mobility Command. The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling tanker aircraft, first manufactured in 1956 and expected to remain in service into the 2020s. ... Aerial refueling, also called in-flight refueling (IFR) or air-to-air refueling (AAR), is the practice of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight. ... Malmstrom AFB is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place located in Cascade County, Montana, USA. It is the home of the 341st Space WIng. ... Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, and the air force component of United States Transportation Command. ...

In January 2001, the 310th Airlift Squadron was activated at the base, flying the CT-43 and EC-135. New C-37 aircraft were delivered starting in 2001, and the CT-43 and EC-135 have both been decommissioned. The 310th's primary mission is dedicated airlift support for the commanders of SOCOM and CENTCOM. The Boeing T-43A is a modified Boeing 737-200 used by the US Air Force. ... The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling tanker aircraft, first manufactured in 1956 and expected to remain in service into the 2020s. ... NASA Gulfstream V The Gulfstream G500 (Gulfstream V) is a business jet aircraft produced by Gulfstream Aerospace, Savannah, Georgia, USA, a General Dynamics company. ...

MacDill is also home to a division of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency, the Joint Communications Support Element, the 622d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, the 297th Military Intelligence Battalion, Detachment 1 of the 347th Rescue Wing (from Moody Air Force Base), the Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory, elements of the American Red Cross, the Civil Air Patrol, and the Army Corps of Engineers, and the anti-medfly operation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, among numerous other agencies. The base also supports the large and active military retiree community in the Tampa Bay area. The United States Air Forces 347th Wing was a combat search and rescue unit located at Moody AFB, Georgia. ... Moody Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Lowndes County, Georgia. ... A WWII-era poster encouraged American women to volunteer for the Red Cross as part of the war effort. ... Civil Air Patrol seal The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). ... United States Army Corps of Engineers logo The United States Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, is made up of some 34,600 military men and women. ... Genera 500 genera & about 5,000 species Tephritidae is a family of insects that includes fruit flies. ... The U.S. Department of Agriculture, also called the Agriculture Department, or USDA, is a Cabinet department of the United States Federal Government. ...

In March of 2006, The 6th AMW adopted the slogan "MacDill Lightning, High Voltage!" for their wing "battle cry". There is some dispute as to what this saying actually means; however some contest that the "lightning" refers to the rapid response of the wing's refueling capabilities. A less-meaningful definition could be derived from either the excess lightning in the Tampa Bay area or an indirect reference to the near-by Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team. Many wing members have expressed their dislike of the slogan. Tampas skyline For alternate meanings, see Tampa (disambiguation) Tampa is a city located in Hillsborough County on the west coast of Florida. ... The Tampa Bay Lightning is a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. ...

External links

• MacDill AFB Home Page - official site.
• Installation and Community Guide
• GlobalSecurity.org: MacDill AFB
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 27.8495° -82.5213°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA