Loring Air Force Base

Loring Air Force Base was a United States Air Force installation in northeastern Maine, near Limestone and Caribou in Aroostook County. It was one of the largest bases of the U.S. Air Force's Strategic Air Command during its existence, and was transferred to the newly created Air Combat Command in 1992.

The base's origins began in 1947 with an order for construction of an airfield by the New England Division of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The chosen site, in northeastern Maine within both Limestone Township and Caswell Plantation, was the closest point in the continental U.S. to Europe, providing high strategic value during the Cold War. The base was originally named Limestone Army Air Field, and was renamed Limestone Air Force Base following the establishment of the Air Force in 1947. It was named in 1954 for Major Charles J. Loring, Jr., USAF, a Medal of Honor recipient during the Korean War. From 1951 to 1962, it was co-located next to Caribou Air Force Station.

Loring was home to a civilian population, many of whom were employed alongside active duty service members. The base included many amenities, such as a hospital, school, and ski hill, which facilitated the adjustment to Maine life by the civilians.

The 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended that Loring be closed and its aircraft and mission be distributed to other bases in the nation. The base was closed in September 1994 after over 40 years of service. It was redeveloped by the Loring Development Authority as the Loring Commerce Centre, an industrial and aviation park; the airfield is operated as Loring International Airport.

Overview

For the majority of its operational lifetime, Loring was a heavy bomber, aerial refueling, and interception facility for military aircraft, equipment, and supplies first as part of Strategic Air Command (SAC) (1947–1992), then as part of the succeeding Air Combat Command (ACC) (1992–1994).

Loring was planned in 1947 as Limestone Army Air Field and was designed with a capacity of over 100 B-36 Peacemaker strategic bombers. This plan was only partially completed due to budget constraints. Loring later became one of the largest air bases of SAC. After the B-36 was phased out, the B-52 Stratofortress was based at Loring, first with D models, then with B-52Gs. The Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter was also based there for a number of years, until it was replaced by the KC-135A Stratotanker. The Double Cantilever Hangar was the largest hangar at the facility, with the capacity to hold six parked B-52s, or five B-36s.

Another nearby installation was the GLOBECOM Communications Annex #2, located in Perham, Maine. From 1955 to 1962, it was run by the 2192nd Communications Squadron, which operated from Loring AFB.

One of Loring's major secondary missions included serving as the headquarters for the 45th Air Division from 8 October 1954 to 18 January 1958, and on 20 November 1958. Loring's host wing was the 42d Bombardment Wing except for a small portion of its early existence. Loring was primarily home to active duty units, although this changed in the 1980s, when the Massachusetts Air National Guard's 101st Fighter Squadron sent a detachment to Loring. As the base was the closest in the US to Europe, it also functioned as an important stopover point.

Major units

42nd Bomb Wing

thumb|Emblem of the [[42d Air Refueling Squadron]]

The 42nd Bomb Wing was the host unit at Loring AFB from 1953 until 1994, supporting national security objectives with mission-ready B-52G Stratofortresses, and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft. The wing had the ability to deploy at any time to support both SAC, and later, ACC missions. It was operational at Loring from 1953 to 1994.

The 42nd Operations Group (OG) formerly supported national security objectives, as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, utilizing B-52 and KC-135 aircraft. Operational squadrons during the time of its operation at Loring included: All other squadrons of the wing were inactivated and have remained inactive, except for the 69th, which was reactivated in 2009 at Minot Air Force Base.

History

Loring AFB was named in 1954 for Major Charles J. Loring, Jr., USAF, a Medal of Honor recipient during the Korean War. During the morning of 22 November 1952, he led a flight of F-80 Shooting Stars on patrol over Kunwha. After beginning a dive bombing run and getting hit, he entered into a controlled dive and destroyed a Chinese gun emplacement on Sniper Ridge that was harassing United Nations troops. Limestone Air Force Base was renamed in his honor.

Loring was built on of land, making it the biggest SAC base in the country. This in turn allowed for it to have the largest capacity for weapon storage and for fuel storage in all of SAC. (Its overall capacity ranked second among all 21 SAC bases). The weapons storage capacity was the highest in all of SAC, 10,247,882 NEW (Net Explosive Weight), and it was first in all of SAC in fuel storage capacity (9,193,374 gallons). Ramp space at Loring exceeded 1.1 million square yards, which made it second among all SAC bases in total ramp space, and first in excess ramp space. Furthermore, it was one of two fully capable conventional weapons storage facilities in CONUS maintained by SAC.

The runway was resurfaced in 1955 in anticipation of the arrival of the B-52 Stratofortress in 1956. Eighteen additional "nose-dock" hangars (hangars which could contain the nose and wings of the aircraft, allowing for maintenance to the cockpit area by the crew, without the need to use the larger hangars) were built in 1956 to the northwest of the runway, near the main parking area, along with parking areas and taxiways for these hangars. After the flight ended, the planes landed at Friendship International Airport. The operation distracted public attention from the reporter's story. That same year, the first KC-135 Stratotanker, christened the "Aroostook Queen", arrived at Loring. By December, all of the KC-97s had left, and by April 1958, 20 KC-135s had arrived, allowing the 42nd Air Refueling Squadron to reach full operational capacity in May. Later that year, an alert force was created at Loring, consisting of six B-52s. The following year, in response to a conflict in Lebanon, the entire wing was placed on alert.

Loring was also home to an administrations support base of a Green Pine communications crew from Naval Station Argentia. The detachment did not officially exist on the base, although it was located on the top floor of the Bachelors Officers Quarters and consisted of six men.

Assigned aircraft

thumb|210px|[[Convair F-106 Delta Dart|F-106A of 83d FIS at Loring in 1972]]

Various aircraft were assigned to the base, including the B-36 Peacemaker, which was assigned to the 42d Bombardment Wing from 1 April 1953 to 6 September 1956; the KC-97G Stratotanker, which was assigned from 15 February 1955 to 16 December 1957; the B-52C Stratofortress, which was assigned 16 June 1956 to January 1957; the KC-135A Stratotanker, which was assigned from 16 October 1957 to 7 May 1990; the B-52G, which was assigned from January 1957 to  16 November 1993; and the KC-135R, which was assigned from 1990 to March 1994.

Fighter aircraft were also assigned to the base during its operation. The F-102 Delta Dagger, which was assigned to the 27th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, was located on base from 1957 to 1960 while the F-106 Delta Dart was assigned from 16 October 1959 to 1 July 1971, and to the 83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron from July 1971 to June 1972.

On 31 July 2024, B-52 60-0012 of the 69th Bomb Squadron from Minot Air Force Base landed at Loring 30 years since the cessation of B-52 operations from the base and to honor the 42nd Bomb Wing. The event was to celebrate not only the history of the 42nd Bomb Wing but a Loring Open House event that was being held.

Weapons Storage Area

thumb|210px|Weapons Storage Area in 1967

The Nuclear Weapons Storage Area at Loring once operated as a separate, top secret facility. Originally called the North River Depot, the remote area to the northeast of Loring's property was the first U.S. operational site specifically constructed for the storage, assembly, and testing of atomic weapons.

In 1951, the Department of Defense (DOD) allocated funds for the construction of an ordnance storage site at Loring AFB. The designs called for a self-sufficient "maximum security storage area for the most advanced weapons of mankind". The mission of the facility would be the protection and maintenance of the weapons used by SAC. The facility was in the northeast corner of the base, and construction began on 4 August 1951. In addition to 28 storage igloos and other weapons storage structures, the facility included weapons maintenance buildings, barracks, recreational facilities, a warehouse, and offices.

The New England Division of the Army Corps of Engineers managed the construction of these sites. The sites were manned by men from the 3rd Missile Battalion, 61st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, and provided defense for Loring and the northeastern approaches to the United States. In 1960, sites L-13 and L-58 underwent conversion from Ajax missiles to the MIM-14 Nike-Hercules missiles. These sites remained operational until 1966, although the site at Limestone was closed in September 1958.

Before each flight, a briefing was held, alerting the crewmembers to basic world events as well as safety criteria. At least 15 hours before takeoff, the crew would thoroughly pre-flight their aircraft. Inadvertently, this also increased efficiency in terms of maintenance and other pre-flight routines. Chrome Dome was an operation where bombers would be in constant airborne alert and loiter at points just outside the Soviet Union.

Second-half of the Cold War

thumb|Airmen from the 42nd Munitions Maintenance Squadron prepare to load a [[Mark 60 CAPTOR (encapsulated torpedo) anti-submarine mine onto a 42d Bombardment Wing B-52G Stratofortress aircraft during Exercise Ghost Warrior, a joint Air Force/Navy exercise conducted during the base's conventional operational readiness inspection]]

Although it is unknown when it was opened, Loring was host to a Conventional Enhanced Release Training bomb range, which was located adjacent to the runway. Loring was one of four Strategic Air Command bases with a range of this type, and it was used frequently. The base was also located next to Condor 1 and Condor 2 airspace, which allowed for low-level training. The routes and training opportunities within the restricted airspace allowed training to be accomplished. One disadvantage of the location of Loring was its distance from the Strategic Training Route Complex and bombing ranges in Nevada and Utah. The western ranges were the only location where the B-52s were allowed to drop live munitions. SAC training required crews to drop live munitions twice a year on these ranges. In a speech in front of 5,000 people in the double cantilever hangar, he talked about the importance of the treaty. President and Mrs. Nixon were welcomed home by vice president Gerald R. Ford, who flew from Washington. His daughter Julie Nixon Eisenhower was also in attendance. Nixon resigned from office five weeks later.

On 11 March 1976, SAC headquarters announced that the 42d Bombardment Wing would be inactivated, citing the poor condition of Loring's facilities. In 1976, it was estimated that Loring needed up to $300 million in facilities improvements. Between 1976 and 1979, considerable debate took place over the strategic importance of Loring, resulting in a reversal of the Air Force decision to close Loring. When the decision to keep Loring AFB open was made in 1979, Congress committed itself to upgrading Loring's facilities. After 1981, nearly $300 million in military construction and operations and maintenance funds were spent to upgrade the facilities.

During the time that Loring was proposed for closure, the region experienced economic uncertainty. Once the Air Force made its intent known in 1976, property values plummeted, and people delayed buying homes, fearing that they would need to relocate. The reduction in the base of around 80% meant that possibly 60% of Aroostook County would need to relocate, according to county officials. A $25,000 study, commissioned by the Department of Labor and conducted at Northeastern University, calculated that the region had lost over $14 million in these three years of economic uncertainty.

In 1981, Loring's bombers were placed on alert after Soviet submarines were spotted off the coast of the region. The base was briefly mentioned in the 1983 movie WarGames, although the film erroneously listed Loring as being home to the 43rd Bombardment Wing. In 1982, the base was hit by two earthquakes, which damaged the base hospital and caused cracks to appear on the walls of the control tower.

On 5 September 1983, members of the 42d Air Refueling Squadron escorted a crippled F-4E Phantom II over the Atlantic Ocean after it experienced the loss of an engine. For its actions, crew E-113 received the Mackay Trophy for refueling it four times and towing it with its refueling boom.

The 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron based at Minot AFB in North Dakota maintained a detachment of three F-15 Eagles at Loring. When the 5th was inactivated in 1987, F-4 Phantom IIs from the Minnesota Air National Guard's 148th Fighter-Interceptor Group's 179th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron sent a detachment to Loring. After the detachment left, the Massachusetts Air National Guard's 102nd Fighter Interceptor Wing's 101st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron deployed F-15s to the base, the same ones that were part of the 5th. A second north–south runway, one that had been in the Loring's original plans, was created on Taxiway J as a "pre-launch survivability" runway. This made Loring one of three SAC bases with two runways. That same year, fears began to surface that Loring would be an on the list of the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure Commission. As a result, the community began to rally around the base, which at the time included 3,800 military personnel, 1,000 civilian employees, generated an $80 million payroll the previous year, and was the subject of $34 million in construction services.

In 1989, it was proposed to list Loring on the Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List. This was due to the presence of waste oil, fuel, solvents, and pesticides in the soil. Additionally, the burning of waste also created problems, in addition to the use of landfills in old gravel pits on site. The fire training area also needed remediation, as materials were burned there until 1974. Loring was officially added to the list in February 1990.

During Operation Desert Storm, Loring's tankers were responsible for refueling aircraft transiting the Atlantic. It was also used as a stopover for aircraft travelling to the Persian Gulf region due to its vital position. The base was vital because it allowed aircraft maintenance, as some would be unable to reach their destination without maintenance. Between 2 August 1990 and 10 May 1991, more than 1,700 aircraft transiting between America and the Persian Gulf region landed at Loring. These included the C-141 Starlifter, C-5 Galaxy, C-130 Hercules, C-21A, A-4 Skyhawk, A-10 Thunderbolt II, Boeing 707, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, F-111 Aardvark, P-3 Orion, TR-1A Dragonlady, U-2 Dragonlady, B-52 Stratofortress, KC-10 Extender, KC-135 Stratotanker, E-3A Sentry, EA-6B Mercury, and E-8A Joint Stars aircraft.|group = N arrived 15 minutes later at the weapons storage area and police units were ordered in as well. At this time, he also declared a Security Option 3.

At 20:45, another person on duty in the control tower received a call to track the mysterious craft on radar. For the next 40 minutes, it was observed circling around the weapons storage area, when it suddenly vanished, as though it had landed or dropped below the radar. Witnesses later observed it flying away towards Grand Falls, New Brunswick, twelve miles to the east. Messages were sent to the National Military Command Center, the Air Force Chief of Staff, and Strategic Air Command headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base. The base continued to remain on a high state of alert until the following morning, as efforts to identify the unidentified aircraft through the Maine State Police, local police departments, and the Houlton Federal Aviation Administration office remained elusive.

The justification for the closure of Loring was that the Air Force had six more strategic bases than were needed to support the number of bomber and tanker aircraft in the Defense Department's Structure Plan. The base was evaluated against eight selection criteria and a large number of subelements specific to Air Force bases and missions. Although Loring was in good condition and had strong community support, it ranked low in the criteria when compared to 20 other bases in the strategic category. One item that hurt Loring was its limited peacetime value as a tanker base, as well as its distance from bombing ranges. The commission did note that the facilities at Loring were above average, and the cost to close Loring would be low, the latter which contributed to its closure.

On 22 November 1958, a B-47B Stratojet commanded by Captain Robert Lee Shaffer crashed while taking off from Loring, killing all four crewmembers on board. The plane (s/n 51-2199) belonged to the 446th Bomber Squadron of the 321st Bombardment Wing at McCoy Air Force Base (named Pinecastle AFB at the time) in Orlando, Florida. The plane was described as having reached two-thirds of the way down the runway, when it veered sharply to the right, eventually crashing 400 feet north of the runway.

On 25 November 1958, a KC-135 Stratotanker of the 42d Air Refueling Squadron crashed on takeoff roughly in the same area as the B-47 three days before. Two crewmembers were thrown to safety by the impact of the crash. The Air Force stated that after a four-hour mission, the crewmembers were practicing taking off and landing on the runway.

On 18 November 1960, a KC-135 crashed upon landing at Loring, killing one and injuring sixteen others. The plane landed after a six-and-a-half-hour training mission, veered off to the left of the runway, and skidded three thousand feet while on fire. Surviving crewmembers were able to use the emergency chutes to evacuate the plane safely.

On 9 May 1962, six crewmembers of a KC-135 were killed when their plane crashed during takeoff into a surrounding marsh, about fifteen hundred feet north of the runway.

On 4 January 1965, four crewmembers were killed three miles north of Loring when their KC-135 crashed into the ground after takeoff.

On 5 September 1969, a B-52 Stratofortress crashed approximately three miles north of the runway after taking off. Seven men were killed, including six crewmembers, during a Minimum Interval Takeoff drill.

On 4 October 1989 a KC-135 crash killed all 4 crewmembers. The jet, which crashed about 2.4 miles off the TransCanada Highway in New Brunswick, was attempting to land at Loring.

Loring also had its share of incidents that did not result in fatalities over the years. On 6 March 1955, a B-36 Peacemaker crashed and burned in a snowbank at Loring. All crewmembers were able to escape unharmed.

On 26 June 1958, a B-52D (55‑0102) burned on the ground at Loring and was destroyed.

On 25 May 1969, a KC-135A (56–3602) broke in two after aborting takeoff. The cause was a frozen water injection surge tube.

On 19 July 1970, a B-52G (58‑0208) also caught on fire and was destroyed on the ground.

Base culture and civilian life

thumb|A view of the west side of Loring, including many of the civilian structures

Families at the base were able to take advantage of many of the opportunities provided for them, as life at Loring was not all military-related. Although Loring was constructed with support facilities including a hospital, chapel, and schools, other forms of civilian life were added over the years as well. Internal medicine, optometry, general surgery, pediatrics, mental health, and radiology services were also provided at the base, in addition to the 24-hour emergency support services. Veterinary services were also offered in a separate building to base personnel and their families. This ski chalet included a lighted skating rink and could be used for local events. The base offered trips to regional ski resorts periodically, and cross country skiing was offered at the local golf course.

In the 1983 film WarGames, Loring Air Force Base was mentioned as one of the first three targets to be destroyed in the (simulated) full scale Soviet nuclear strike in the climax of the film.

Current status

Loring AFB was set to close as a result of the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission, officially closing on 30 September 1994. Immediately, Limestone was decimated. The population of Limestone dropped 76%, from 10,000 to 2,000, in the six years following the base's closure. Regional economic activity was severely lowered, as 19% of the local economy was related to Loring Air Force Base.

One of the more immediate ideas for redevelopment of the base was to turn it into a federal prison, something which had been done previously at the former Carswell AFB in Texas when the Federal Medical Center, Carswell was opened on its grounds. Many other former Air Force facilities have had prisons opened on their grounds as well. From the outset, there was some reluctance in the town about creating a prison culture in Limestone, but this was lessened once the government decided not to build a federal prison there.

left|thumb|600px|Lemonwheel

Phish again staged a weekendlong concert, this time called Lemonwheel, on 15 and 16 August 1998. 60,000 people attended creating a community of fans that, again, made Limestone one of the largest cities in Maine over the weekend.

Phish played a third weekendlong concert at the base called the IT Festival, on 2 and 3 August 2003. 60,000 people attended and again, Phish was the only band at the event, performing seven sets over two nights, including a late night ambient set atop of the air traffic control tower at 2:30 AM after the first night's concert.

On 31 July 2024, Loring Air Force Base commemorated the 30th anniversary of the base's closure, featuring the arrival of a B-52 Stratofortress and various activities for attendees. The event was held to recognize the historical significance of the 42nd Bomber Wing and the base's role during the Cold War.

The Loring Development Authority created the Loring Commerce Centre on of the site. It was marketed as an "excellent solution for your business real estate needs at a very reasonable cost." Bigelow Aerospace maintains a call center at Loring. In addition to the Sitel site (no longer present), other call centers exist on the former base, as well as food processing, forestry operations, light manufacturing, and aviation services. The military has made a return to Loring over the years through the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Limestone office, a major component of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission consolidated DFAS' 26 offices into 5, with Loring being one of the consolidation points. This facility is located in the old base hospital.

Cleanup continued at the base, including the removal of hazardous materials, which prevented further waste from entering the nearby Greenlaw Brook, as it received drainage from the flightline and nose dock areas.

During the 1970s, the population of the base declined due to the possible closure of the base and the draw down in personnel from the Vietnam War. In 1972, the base's population was around 12,000, while in 1975 the population was 10,758. In 1978, 9,233 persons resided on the base, which declined to 8,116 the next year.

As of the census of 2000, there were 225 people, 82 households, and 57 families residing on the former base. The population density was 27.4/mi2 (10.6/km2). There were 355 housing units at an average density of 43.2/mi2 (16.7/km2). The racial makeup of the base was 81.33% White, 10.22% African American, 2.22% Asian, 5.33% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.78% of the population.