Loring AFB, Maine was located at the tip of the 600 mile New England promontory and was the closest continental U.S. (CONUS) base to virtually every potential conflict area east of the United States. Because of its strategic location, the base has always played a vital role in SAC and later ACC until its closure in 1994. On this page, you will learn more about the base and the wing that I've visited in 1986.

The Base:

When the Strategic Air Command began operating as a major air command on March 21, 1946, an immediate area of interest was the northeastern border of the United States. Initial construction of the base near Limestone, Maine began in 1946. Seven years later, the base was complete. Limestone AFB, as it was called then, entered its operational period as a unit of the 8th Air Force on February 25, 1953. Built to accommodate 100 B-36 "Peacemaker" bombers, its ramps, parking areas, weapons storage and fuel storage capacities all far exceeded current requirements. In 1953, the 42nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy) and its squadrons, the 69th, 70th and 75th BS were reactivated at Limestone AFB as part of the Strategic Air Command. The base was renamed Loring AFB in October 1954 to honor a Maine Korean War hero, Major Charles J.Loring Jr., killed on November 22, 1952 while leading a flight of F-80s over North Korea and awarded posthumously the Medal of Honor.

Loring AFB was a megabase with enormous capacity. The base ramp space exceeded 1.1 million square yards and ranked 2nd among all SAC bases in total ramp space and 1st in excess ramp space. Loring AFB's weapons storage capacity was 10,247,882 NEW (Net Explosive Weight), the highest in all of SAC and ranked 1st in all of SAC in fuel storage capacity (9,193,374 gallons). The nearest SAC base to Loring AFB, Plattsburgh AFB, NY, had less than 35 % of Loring's fuel storage capacity. With 14,300 acres, Loring AFB was the 2nd largest base in SAC.

Loring AFB's air space was unencumbered, in contrast to every other SAC base in the Northeast. CERT (Conventional Enhanced Release Training) was a bombing range located adjacent to the runway on which B-52s could drop practice ordnance. Loring AFB was one of only four SAC bases that had a CERT. Additionally, a major low level training area entry point lied just 165 miles from the base. This area contained several alternative routes and training opportunities, and provided varied training options throughout the year. While Loring AFB's location was ideal for wartime, it had the disadvantage of being far from the western Strategic Training Route Complex (STRC).

Loring AFB hosted various Air Defense Command's units flying the F-106s until 1986 and F-15s from the 101st FIS/MA ANG until June 1993 in support of NORAD. The first F-106's unit to be assigned to Loring AFB was the 27th FIS moving from Griffiss AFB, NY in October 1959. On 1 July 1971, the 27th FIS designation was transferred to TAC as the 27th TFS. On the same day, the 83rd FIS was reactivated with the aircraft and crews left by the 27th FIS. The 83rd stood alert until June 1972 when it was again deactivated and its aircraft reassigned to the 95th FIS at Dover AFB, Nebraska. F-106s from 49th FIS's Det.1 stood alert from 1983 until December 1, 1986, when the 101st FIS Det.1 moved in with its F-15A. In July 1993, the alert facility was closed and the 101st FW/MA ANG stood alert at Bangor IAP, ME.

Loring AFB played a pivotal role in the conduct of Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and in the return of U.S. forces from the Persian Gulf. 42nd BW's bombers and tankers operated from forward bases and the base provided a last-chance opportunity for maintenance, crew rest and/or ground refueling before crossing the ocean. During the return of personnel and equipment from Desert Storm, the base's location again advantaged the USAF and allowed many aircraft to proceed non-stop to their final destinations with the aid of the 42nd BW's tankers. Loring AFB was important for many aircraft that could not safely continue to their destinations and numerous types of aircraft returning from the Gulf landed at Loring AFB for maintenance or ground refueling. Between August 2, 1990 and May 10, 1991, more than 1,700 aircraft in transit to or from Desert Shield/Desert Storm made technical or refueling stops at Loring AFB.

Loring AFB was first targeted for closure in 1976 due to the poor conditions of the base's facilities. In 1976, it was estimated that Loring AFB needed up to $300 million in improvments but the strategic importance of the base resulted in a reversal of the Air Force decision to close it. A decision to keep Loring AFB open was made in 1979 and nearly $300 million were spent to upgrade the facilities during the next few years. In 1991, Loring AFB was again on the closure list with five other SAC bases. On September 30, 1994, Loring AFB officially closed.

The Wing:

The 42nd Bombardment Wing was organized and activated January 15, 1941 at Fort Douglas, Salt Lake City, Utah. Designated a medium bombardment group, it consisted of a headquarters and the 75th, 76th and 77th Bomb Squadrons. A fourth bomb squadron later attached. The 42nd received new B-26 Marauder medium bombers in October 1941 and the crews started to fly coastal patrols from Washington, Oregon and California bases. During that time, two bomb squadrons left the 42nd to become part of an Alaska bomb group. Another went to the Caribbean to fly antisubmarine missions.

The remaining 75th Bomb Squadron and a new unit, the 390th, flew patrols on the Pacific coast until March 1943 when the Group received new B-25 medium bombers and was bound for the South Pacific. The Group doubled its strength with the addition of the 69th and 70th Bomb Squadrons. In June 1943, the 42nd BG (Medium) entered combat attacking enemy airfields, gun positions and shipping in the central Solomons. In the months to follow, the Group participated in actions in many other areas in the Pacific. A fifth squadron augmented the 42nd during 1944 and 1945. The Group earned the Distinguished Unit Citation for supporting the Australian attack on the Japanese Oil Refinery at Balikpapen, Borneo in June 1945. When the war in the Pacific ended, the Group ferried men and materiel to Manila for staging to the United States. Two Squadrons were inactivated in the Philippines. After moving to Japan, the Group and its three remaining squadrons were also inactivated on May 4, 1946.

When work was completed at Limestone AFB, Maine, in February 1953, the 42nd Bombardment Wing (Heavy) and its historic squadrons, the 69th, 70th and 75th were activated as part of the Strategic Air Command. Three months later, the first B-36 "Peacemaker" bombers arrived. On January 18, 1955, the 42nd Air Refueling Squadron was activated to provide an in-flight refueling capability for the wing. The 42nd ARFS flew KC-97G until 1957 when it received its first KC-135A, christened "Aroostook Queen", on October 16.

On June 16, 1956, the first B-52C for the 42nd BW landed at Loring AFB and was christened "The State of Maine". The last B-36 left the wing on September 6, 1956. Two months later, three Loring's B-52C made a record non-stop flight over the North Pole and around the perimeter of the North American continent. In January 1957, the wing converted to the B-52D. Conversion to the more versatile "G" model B-52s began in May 1959 with the first aircraft, 56-0500 landing at Loring AFB. With strength came streamlining and diversification, the bomber force was trimmed to one squadron with movement of the 75th in 1959 and the 70th in 1966. In 1965, the 42nd ARS began supporting "Young Tiger" operations in SEA. In July 1968, the tanker fleet doubled with the activation of the 407th Air Refueling Squadron.

On August 4, 1972, the 42nd BW became the first SRAM equipped B-52 unit in SAC. Later that year, many Loring crews participated in the December "Linebacker II" bombing campaign in Southeast Asia. In March 1978, the wing won the SAC "Omaha" Trophy for 1977.

On September 15, 1983, the wing received its first 'Harpoon' modified aircraft and in 1984, became the Air Force's only primary conventional bomber force. In May 1988, SAC announced that exclusively conventional duties would be assigned to four B-52 units. The 42nd was one of the four chosen.The 42nd BMW was already performing the conventional bombing mission which included maritime operations. For this mission, B-52Gs used Hound Dog pylons with MERs or stub pylons adaptable with both MERs and the Heavy Stores Adapter Beam (HSAB). HSAB were used for heavy-class conventional weapons such as the Mk 84 2,000-lbs or the AGM-84A Harpoon anti-shipping missile. The aircraft could carry a maximum load of 12 AGM-84 although 10 was a more usual load. Aerial mine laying operation was also part of the mission.

In 1989, both the 42nd AREFS and 407th AREFS started a lengthy conversion to the KC-135R. On October 4, 1989, a KC-135A assigned to the 407th AREFS exploded in mid-air near Perth-Andover, New-Brunswick, Canada. The aircraft with a crew of four was returning to Loring AFB after a 6-hour refueling mission when it crashed four miles east of the base. Killed during the crash were; Lt.Col. William A.Northcutt, pilot; 1stLt. Robert D.Weinman, co-pilot; 2ndLt. Alfred A.Taft, navigator; and A1C Jack D.Cupp, boom operator.

During Desert Shield/Desert Storm, 42nd's tankers deployed to Lajes AB in the Azores with additional deployments taking place in the Middle East. Wing's B-52G deployed to Diego Garcia flew 960 missions (485 combat) in 44 days and dropped 12,588,766 pounds of bombs on Iraqi troops. On October 1, 1991, the 407th ARS was inactivated and the 42nd was redesignated the 42nd Wing. December 1991 saw SAC and Loring stand down all Alert forces and Loring's KC-135s ended their 24-hour alert.

When Air Mobility Command was activated in June 1992, operational control of the 42nd ARS went under the 380th Operational Group at Plattsburgh AFB, NY. At the same time, Air Combat Command assumed control of the 42nd BW and wing's B-52s were assigned tail codes "LZ". Well performed missions, exercises and inspections have earned the 42nd BW many "Outstanding", "Excellent" and "Best" awards during its years at Loring AFB. In 1993, the wing began to draw down the base in anticipation of it's scheduled closure in September 1994. On November 16, 1993, the final B-52G from the 42nd BW left the base ending a 40-year bombing mission followed by the deactivation of the 69th BS in December 1993. On March 2, 1994, the final KC-135R from the 42nd ARS departed Loring AFB.