Blytheville Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base that operated under the Tactical Air Command and Strategic Air Command from 1954 until its closure in 1992. The facility originally served as a B-25 pilot training school during WW2.

Mar 21, 2022 · This Abandoned Air Force base is located three miles Northwest of Blytheville, Arkansas. Of the 3,778 acres the base is comprised of, two thirds of the land is abandoned. Currently, the main tarmac is used as Blytheville’s airport.

Dec 31, 2024 · Eaker Air Force Base was located on 3,778 acres of land between the communities of Gosnell and Blytheville in Mississippi County. Originally Blytheville Air Force Base, the base’s official name was changed in 1988 to honor air pioneer and commander of the Mighty Eighth Air Force during World War II , Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker.

As the National Cold War Center develops, the first on-site exhibit depicts the history of the Blytheville/Eaker Air Force Base. Opened in late 2020, the BAFB Exhibition features memorabilia, video and personal stories of the base from its 1942 beginnings until closure in 1992.

In 1942 on Arkansas Delta farmland, Blytheville Air Force Base (BAFB) was built to serve as a training airfield during World War II for the 70,000 Pilot Training Program. Blytheville was chosen for its proximity to the Mississippi River, where supplies could be easily shipped in and out.

The Blytheville Air Force Base Alert Center and Alert Apron constructed as part of a national expansion of Strategic Air Command Facilities across the United States and its Territories, to help in creating a “program to safeguard nuclear deterrence” through the SAC Alert program.

Explore history of the former Blytheville Air Force Base.... Hear stories from soldiers who served at the base.... See photos and other memorabilia from the base’s long history....

Aug 26, 2022 · You looked up into the sky and there was the familiar shape and jet trails of the famous B-52 Stratofortress, master of the skies, just taking off from Blytheville Air Force Base. Located about 45 minutes away, it was one of the famous Strategic Air Command (SAC) bases.

The base was closed in 1947 and turned over to the City of Blytheville for municipal use. Usage included manufacturing, fuels storage, and the landfilling of municipal waste. The Air Force reactivated Eaker AFB in 1955 for use as a bomber training base.

Jan 31, 2023 · The Blytheville Air Force Base (BAFB) Exhibition preserves the powerful legacy of defense from its beginnings as a World War II Army Airfield to its role in the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm.