Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base

Last updated
Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base
Near Birmingham, Alabama in  United States of America
117th Air Refueling Wing - KC-135s on Flightine.jpg
Several KC-135R Stratotankers of the 117th Air Refueling Wing parked on the flight line at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base.
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Sumpter Smith
Location in the United States
Coordinates 33°33′50″N086°45′08″W / 33.56389°N 86.75222°W / 33.56389; -86.75222 Coordinates: 33°33′50″N086°45′08″W / 33.56389°N 86.75222°W / 33.56389; -86.75222
TypeAir National Guard Base
Site information
Owner Department of Defense
Operator US Air Force (USAF)
Controlled by Air National Guard (ANG)
ConditionOperational
Website www.117arw.ang.af.mil/
Site history
Built1934 (1934)–1938
In use1938 – present
Garrison information
Current
commander		 Colonel Michael Adams
Garrison 117th Air Refueling Wing
Airfield information
Identifiers IATA: BHM, ICAO: KBHM, FAA LID: BHM, WMO: 722280
Elevation198.1 metres (650 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
6/243,659.7 metres (12,007 ft)  Asphalt
18/362,163.7 metres (7,099 ft) Asphalt
Airfield shared with Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport
Source: Federal Aviation Administration [1]

Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base ( IATA : BHM, ICAO : KBHM, FAA LID : BHM) is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation located at a Birmingham, Alabama in the United States. It hosts the 117th Air Refueling Wing, part of the Air National Guard, which operates the KC-135R Stratotanker. The base was previously known as Alabama Air National Guard Base.

Contents

History

A KC-135R Stratotanker departing with the Alabama Air National Guard hangars and buildings behind. BHM 117th 20100121 0664.JPG
A KC-135R Stratotanker departing with the Alabama Air National Guard hangars and buildings behind.

The base is named after United States Army Air Forces Colonel Walter Sumpter Smith who was born on 12 February 12 1896 in Belle Ellen, Alabama and became an electrical engineer and a pilot. In 1921, Smith was appointed to the 106th Observation Squadron of the Alabama National Guard and commissioned as a first lieutenant at Roberts Field in Birmingham, Alabama. He reached the rank of lieutenant colonel on August 12, 1932 and colonel in 1942. [2]

In 1934, the facilities at Roberts Field became less adequate and the local government decided to build a new facility which became Birmingham Municipal Airport. In 1938, after four years of construction, the 106th Observation Squadron moved to the new base. [2]

As a testimony to Smith’s role in the development and construction, the base was eventually named Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base. It remained that way until sometime during the early 1990s when the name evolved to the Alabama Air National Guard Base, Birmingham, Alabama. It’s not really clear why the name changed and no official documents have been found. A push was made to restore the name of the base to Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base and was made official during the summer of 2017. [2]

Based units

Flying and notable non-flying units based at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base. [3]

Units marked GSU are Geographically Separate Units, which although based at Sumpter Smith, are subordinate to a parent unit based at another location.

United States Air Force

Air National Guard

Air Mobility Command

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">106th Air Refueling Squadron</span> Military unit

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">117th Air Refueling Squadron</span> Military unit

The 117th Air Refueling Squadron is a unit of the Kansas Air National Guard 190th Air Refueling Wing located at Forbes Field Air National Guard Base, Topeka, Kansas. The 117th is equipped with the KC-135R Stratotanker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">99th Air Refueling Squadron</span> Military unit

The 99th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 6th Air Mobility Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, but is stationed at Birmingham Air National Guard Base, Alabama. It is an Active Associate Unit, an active duty component attached to the Alabama Air National Guard's 117th Air Refueling Wing. The 99th Air Refueling Squadron works with, supports and flies the 117th Air Refueling Wing's Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">117th Operations Group</span> Military unit

The 117th Operations Group is a unit of the Alabama Air National Guard, stationed at Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base, Alabama. If activated into federal service, it is gained by Air Mobility Command.

References

PD-icon.svg This article incorporates public domain material from Senior Master Sgt. Ken Johnson. A Return to Sumpter Smith. United States Air Force . Retrieved 22 February 2020.

  1. ↑ "Airport Diagram – Birmingham–Shuttlesworth Intl (BHM)" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Johnson, Senior Master Sgt. Ken (11 November 2017). "A Return to Sumpter Smith". 117th Air Refueling Wing. US Air Force. Retrieved 22 February 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ↑ "Units". 117th Air Refuelling Wing. US Air Force. Retrieved 22 February 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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