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Fort Crook to Offutt Air Force Base - A History
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1� �
��Fort crook to
Offutt airfOrce BaseA History
Fort crook tooFFutt air force base
A History��
A supplement of Suburban Newspapers Inc., August 28, 2013
2� �
OPPD
Proudly Serving Those Who Proudly Serve
oppd.com
3� �
What’s Inside
1887-1923: The Fort Crook Era......................................7
1924-1945: WWII and the Martin Bomber Plant...........12
1946-1991: Strategic Air Command..............................19
1992-2013: USSTRATCOM.....................................24
Offutt Air Force Base Pictorial History Magazine is published by Suburban Newspapers, Inc.
SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Paul Swanson RETAIL ADVERTISING MANAGER: Dan Matuella DESIGNER: Melanie Mongar ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE: Cindy Brenner Special recognition to Ben Justman, executive director, Sarpy County Museum
On the cover: Clockwise starting at the top: General George Crook; Lt. Jarvis Offutt and friends; P-51 post war; Beginning groundwork on the Martin Bomber Plant.
1/2
! ACOMMW/OL-A Warriors in the Gulf War
17th Infantry Band in the early 1930s
2013
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embry riddle
Thank you Offutt AFB for allowing us to be a part of your wonderful history.
6� �Officer’s Row, Quarters 21 and 22
1 8 8 7 - 1 9 2 3
Balloon Company on Parade
In front of the stables
Aerial View of Fort Crook
First used in 1889, thejail, now known asconfinement, is still usedfor its original purpose.
Did you know?
7� �
The year is 1887. In Paris, construction of the Eiffel Tower had begun. Gottlieb Daimler un-
veiled his horseless carriage; you may know it as the “automobile.” While stateside, in Nebraska,
the population of Omaha had reached 30,000 people. However, the story of Ft. Crook, the pres-
ent day Offutt Air Force Base doesn’t begin in Nebraska. Instead one of the last of the frontier
forts began inconspicuously as a bill on Capitol Hill, introduced by Senator Charles F. Manderson
and signed into law by President Grover Cleveland the following year on July 23, 1888.
What we now know as Offutt Air Force Base was built in the early 1890s as Fort Crook,
an Army Post. The main purpose of Fort Crook was to replace Fort Omaha, now diminutive
in size and encapsulated by Omaha. Authorization to build the fort was limited to “not
more than 1,000 acres in Sarpy, Washington, or Douglas County” – ultimately a site near the
little village of Bellevue was chosen. The first land was purchased in 1889, a tract of land
consisting of 502.59 acres bought for $61,400 or $122 per acre. A further 43.08 acres of land
were purchased that same year, bringing the total to 545.67 acres.
GReAt BeGINNINGSthe fort crook era
1 8 8 7 - 1 9 2 3
In front of the stables
Aerial View of Fort Crook
By Ben Justman
General George Crook
8� �
Five years may seem like a long time to build a smattering of buildings, but the
Quartermaster Corps had to take into account freshwater wells, sewer systems, roads, and
building materials, all of which had to be thought out in great detail prior to the arrival of the
first garrison troops, an advance party of 10
enlisted men led by a second lieutenant on
a warm summer day in late June 1896. The
remainder of the garrison troops from the
22nd Infantry Regiment would arrive shortly
thereafter.
The Fort Crook design followed the typical
layout of a 19th century US Army post. The
center was a formal parade ground used for
formation training and formal parades. The
officers’ quarters, including the Commander’s
residence, identified as Quarters 16, were
located along one side of the parade field.
1 8 8 7 - 1 9 2 3
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The enlisted barracks were located directly across the
parade field from Officers’ Row, now commonly known
as Generals’ Row. The jail and hospital were located at
respective opposite ends of the parade field.
Named in honor of the late General George Crook, con-
struction of the fort took over five years and was ready for
occupancy in 1896. Its namesake, General Crook, was an
accomplished veteran of both the American Civil War and
later the Indian Wars. Friend and foe equally respected
Crook. The Apache dubbed him “Grey Wolf,” while Presi-
dent Rutherford B. Hayes named his own son George Crook Hayes. Despite his actions on the
battlefield where he fought Crazy Horse and Geronimo among others, Crook spent his later
years speaking out against the ill treatment of Native Americans. In 1879, he testified on behalf
of the Ponca Tribe during the trial of Standing Bear, where a federal judge determined that an
Indian was due the rights and privileges of white man. While still in uniform, Crook passed away
suddenly a few years prior to the completion of the fort in 1890, at the age of 61.
Fort Crook’s First Arrivals, 1896
10� �
Fort Crook’s first test occurred when the
22nd United States Infantry Regiment was
ordered to Cuba in 1898 to participate in
the Spanish American War. Only 41 enlisted
men and two officers remained behind
to garrison Fort Crook. The 22nd would
battle the Spanish at San Juan Hill, along
side Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders and
regiments of Buffalo Soldiers.
During the battle at San Juan Hill,
Colonel Charles A. Wikoff, commander of
the 22nd was mortally wounded. Prior to
departing for Cuba, Wikoff had resided in
Quarters 16 of Officers’ Row. The regiment
suffered many casualties in addition to
Colonel Wikoff, with only 165 men and
officers from the original cadre of 513
returning to Fort Crook in September
1898. Most of the losses were the result of
deaths or discharges due to the effects of
tropical diseases such as malaria. Some
of the troops who returned to Nebraska,
continued to fight illnesses and those who
died were buried in the post cemetery.
Veterans of Cuba would join many
additional new recruits, as the 22nd Infantry
Regiment rebuilt its strength at Fort Crook,
prior to its deployment in the Philippine
Insurrection the following year. They would
return to Fort Crook in 1902, only to return for
a second deployment to that conflict in 1903.
1 8 8 7 - 1 9 2 3
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General’s Row
During the First World War, Fort
Crook served as a training center
for servicemen involved in the newly
evolving form of technology used by
civilian and military alike, mechanized
transport. In September 1918, the fort’s
role continued to expand, serving
as a training ground for the balloon
observation units. Upon completion
of their training on November 10, 1918,
they were transferred and would have
begun their overseas training had
the war not ended the following day.
Demobilization after the Armistice
was rapid and Fort Crook once again
returned to its peacetime status.
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12� �
BuILdING MOMeNtuM WWii and completion of the Martin Bomber Plant
By 1924, the fort had grown in size and scope. A primitive landing field had been erected
at Fort Crook and was named Offutt Field, to honor Lt. Jarvis Offutt, an Omaha military
aviator killed during World War I. The field at Fort Crook served as a vital link in the nation
wide web of airfields supporting United States Postal Service Air Mail. In the coming years,
the presence and influence of airpower at Fort Crook would continue to expand.
Fort Crook, constructed as the nation closed the Western Frontier, would find itself
tasked with the crucial mission of supplying the Allied War effort during the Second World
War. By late 1940, it appeared that the United States would eventually get involved. In
January of 1941, the Martin Company of Baltimore leased a large portion of Fort Crook from
the U.S. Government. The location was selected due to its logistical benefits of being located
in the middle of the country and to the availability of labor.
1 9 2 4 - 1 9 4 5
Modification Hangar under construction
13� �
BuILdING MOMeNtuM WWii and completion of the Martin Bomber Plant
1 9 2 4 - 1 9 4 5
First Lieutenant Jarvis Offutt
Workers gather for a meeting
Groundwork begins on the Martin Bomber Plant
Known as the Fort Crook Historical district, much of the remaining original as-pects adjacent to the parade ground were placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the department of Interior on december 12, 1976.
Did you know?
14� �
The hospital, six units of officers’ quarters, the Non-Commissioned Officers’ (NCO) Club,
Post Headquarters, Band Quarters, the C.C.C. Camp, and golf course all disappeared as
giant bulldozers moved over 5,000,000 cubic yards of dirt to level the land to build the
Glenn L. Martin – Nebraska Plant and a new runway. Storehouses and extra tents were filled
with supplies for the new construction.
The construction of the plant was quite a feat. By the numbers, it was staggering:
250 miles of electrical wiring installed; 47,000 cubic yards of concrete poured; 10,000,000
square feet of paint applied; 5 acres of glass installed; and 10 miles of fluorescent lighting
installed. With a total floor space of 1,200,000, twenty-five football fields could have been fit
into the floor space of the facility.
With the enormous size and scope of
the project, construction operations took
place around the clock. Less than one
month following the attack on Pearl Harbor,
the bomber plant became operational, on
January 1, 1942.
1 9 2 4 - 1 9 4 5
In 1908, a tornado tore through the fort, ripping off the roof of the post hospital. Luckily both personnel and patients had taken shelter in the basement.
Did you know?
Heavy equipment delivery
Building A with B under construction
15� �
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Salutes WWII Veterans,All Veterans of Foreign Wars, and all Men and Women serving inour United States Armed Forces.
May God Bless America!
Rotella’s Italian Bakery FamilyModification hanger under construction, 1942
Modification hanger under construction, 1942
Martin Bomber Facility, Building d
16� �
The main facility of the bomber plant is
known as “Building D.” Thousands of B-26
Marauder and B-29 Superfortress Bombers,
including the Enola Gay and Bockscar,
the planes that would drop the atomic
bombs on Japan, were built at Fort Crook.
Japanese surrender and war’s end would
come not long after. Operations wound
down rather quickly following Japan’s
surrender, although production continued
until the final B-29 rolled off the assembly
line on September 18, 1945.
The Martin Bomber Plant at Fort Crook
has a special distinction. Of all the aircraft
production facilities in the United States, the
Martin Bomber Plant in Nebraska was one
of the best. With 33 consecutive months of
on schedule production, no other facilities
even came close to meeting their efficiency
expectations.
1 9 2 4 - 1 9 4 5
RB-29
World War II soldier firing artillery
Soldiers on big German gun during World War IIA-Bomb pilot aboard the enola Gay
17� �
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DC Electric 1/8
That record can be credited to the
hard work and dedication of the workers
at the plant. Calls were featured in
newspapers such as the Omaha World
Herald for workers and they came. Many
were young local men and women, excited
by the opportunity to join the ranks of
the large production facility. Others were
from throughout the Midwest, brought
to Nebraska by the prospect of steady
employment after years of living through
the Great Depression. By the final year
of the war, the Martin Bomber Company
of Nebraska employed 13,217 individuals. The majority of those, 11,019, worked in the main
facility. Another 2,198 workers were employed in the modification center, overhauling existing
planes to increase their effectiveness. Over forty percent, 5,306, were women. 765 were
African-Americans. All contributed to the war effort.
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even Queen elizabeth II of england has been to Offutt. during her brief visit, she had tea with General Bennie davis and was given a tour of Strategic Air Command Headquarters.
Did you know?
Martin Bomber Facility, Building d
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18� �
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19� �
teNSIONS eSCALAte strategic air command enters the cold War
Even as the tickertape parades and victory celebrations were taking place, it was clear
a new threat was emerging. The old frontier post stepped up again to face a new set of
challenges during the Cold War with the Soviet Union.
As American air power entered a new chapter, so too did Fort Crook when the recently
minted United States Air Force and new occupants of the old army fort christened it “Offutt
Air Force Base” on January 13, 1948. That same year, Offutt would serve as host base to
Strategic Air Command (SAC), the overseers of the United States’ strategic nuclear arsenal.
SAC would remain at Offutt for the next forty-four years, until 1992.
1 9 4 6 - 1 9 9 1
SAC Headquarters in Buidling A
SAC Command Center
20� �
Dick Rupert 1/8
Bell Little Theatre 1/8
The story of SAC at Offutt would not
be complete without General Curtis LeMay.
Inspired by the leadership of General LeMay,
the capabilities of SAC became greatly en-
hanced. SAC became the guarantor of peace.
Earning through hard work and dedication
the motto, “Peace is our Profession.” In 1948
when he assumed command, SAC had 51,965
military and civilian personnel under its com-
mand. By 1957, the same year LeMay handed
the reins of leadership over, SAC had personnel
numbering over 224,000 at bases around the
world. While many of them were across the
globe, it was Offutt Air Force Base that was
the heart and brain of SAC. To meet the influx
of personnel and dependents, new housing
and dormitories were constructed at Offutt.
SAC itself began its tenure at Offutt operating
out of a medium sized office building. It was a
holdover from the Martin Bomber facility. That
original building still stands and today is used
by the 55th Wing Law Center. In 1957, building
500, a state of the art facility was completed
and occupied by SAC. Constructed at a cost
of nine million dollars, the three-story building
also descended several stories below ground
allowing for spacious room to house the large
maps and charts required to keep tabs on the
U.S.’s strategic nuclear capabilities.
In July of 1957, LeMay was appointed the
Vice Chief of the Air Force, relinquishing his
command of SAC to his very capable protégé,
General Thomas S. Power. Power oversaw SAC
during some very tense years during the Cold
War, including thirteen days in October 1962
when the risk of the United States and the
Soviet Union entering full scale nuclear warfare
over missions in Cuba were at its apex.
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21� �Korean War Boundary, 38th Parallel
the longer of the two first runways built in 1921 measured at 2,640 feet long.
Did you know?
SAC Headquarters in 1957 prior to missile placement
1 9 4 6 - 1 9 9 1
General
Curtis LeMay
22� �
Hq SAC after Atlas Placement, 1958
Great Western Bank—1/4 pg
Peace, not war was the profession
of SAC. SAC did not just consist of
bombers, but in-flight refueling tankers,
strategic reconnaissance, and even
missiles. Offutt served as the command
and control center for SAC, its nerve
center. The safety of that command and
control could not be guaranteed should
Offutt fall victim
to a direct hit from
a nuclear weapon.
Additional measures
had to be taken,
and thus was born
the Looking Glass
Operations.
1 9 4 8 - 1 9 9 1
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the first issue of Air Pulse, a commercial newspaper published for Offutt personnel, rolled off the presses on February 24, 1950.
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For 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
365 days a year for 29 years, the Looking
Glass at Offutt remained constantly
airborne; from 1961 until 1990, an EC-135
was airborne, serving as command center
in the event of a full scale nuclear war
against the Soviet Union. In a gloomy
post-attack scenario where command and
control was obliterated on the ground,
operations would still be able to continue.
24� �
A uNIFIed COMMANdusstratcOM is established
1 9 9 2 - 2 0 1 3
In the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union, a new command, the United States
Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), succeeded SAC in a rapidly changing world.
USSTRATCOM was established on June 1, 1992 with the purpose of streamlining the
command and control of the United States’ strategic nuclear arsenal. Both leaders of the
United States and Russia came to understandings on strategic nuclear armaments. Around
the time these treaties known as Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) I and START
II were taking place, General George Butler was assigned to command the newly minted
USSTRATCOM at Offutt.
This new unified command oversaw Air Force bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles,
and intercontinental nuclear-armed missiles launched from navy submarines. The joint effort
between the Air Force and Navy was made up of nearly 2,900 personnel at its onset, of
which one-third were Navy. Yet, similar to the era of SAC, the ultimate goal remained nuclear
deterrence. If that failed however, it was the job of USSTRATCOM to employ this nation’s
nuclear weaponry.
Room dedication honoring Maj. Gen. Joseph d. Brown IV, former uSStRAtCOM Nuclear Operations deputy director
25� �
A uNIFIed COMMANdusstratcOM is established
1 9 9 2 - 2 0 1 3
On March 3, 1913, Sgt. Herman Coffman became the ranking man when ALL able bodies, troops, and all the officers were ordered to the texas Border uprisings involving Pancho Villa.
Did you know?
uSStRAtCOM, 2013
26� �
1 9 9 2 - 2 0 1 3
Cooperation between the United States and Russia, the holders of the two largest
nuclear stockpiles in the world became a paramount characteristic of USSTRATCOM. In
the years following General Butler’s change of command, Admiral Chiles, General Habiger,
and Admiral Mies continued the efforts of threat reduction to national and global security
through cooperation. However new threats were emerging on the cusp of the twenty-first
century, threats stemming from rogue nations or even stateless terrorists.
Those threats would become a reality on a dark day in September 2001. As the events
of September 11, 2001 transpired, President George W. Bush was taken to Offutt, and into
the secure command center for USSTRATCOM. He would remain there not very long, a little
over an hour but it was long enough for the fog of war to begin to recede. Present Bush’s
decision to come to Offutt that day reconfirmed Offutt’s key role in National Security.
In 2002, USSTRATCOM was reorganized when U.S. Space Command and the first U.S.
Strategic Command were both stood down and essentially merged. Comparison between
the old and the new USSSTRATCOM offer both change and continuity. They share a name
and have some overlap, but are two very different entities. USSSTRATCOM serves as the
steward and advocate of America’s strategic capabilities and is tasked with detecting and
deterring strategic attacks against the United States and her allies.
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27� �
Famous stars to visit Offutt have included: Bob Hope, tennessee ernie Ford, Carole Landis, George Jessel, and Roddy Mcdowell.
Did you know?
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atchley 1/2
28� �
1AComm GP Headquarters
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charlies angels 1/8
Sarpy County
Museum—1/8
The five pillars of USSTRATCOM that serve
as priorities are:
1. Deter nuclear attack with a safe, secure,
effective nuclear deterrent force.
2. Partner with the other combatant
commands to win today.
3. Respond to the new challenges in space.
4. Build cyberspace capability and capacity.
5. Prepare for uncertainty.
unveiling the new uSStRAtCOM shield inlaid at the command building’s entrance
2402 Clay St., Bellevue402-292-1880
www.SarpyCountyMuseum.org
Tues. - Sat. 10am - 4pmFree Admission
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29� �
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Unlike the first incarnation of USSTRATCOM, which theoretically did share an inter-
service command between the Air Force and Navy, the USSTRATCOM of today is truly a
unified joint force command. Personnel from Army, Air Force, Marines, and Navy share the
operations of USSTRATCOM. Leadership has also stemmed from collaborative effort by the
four branches. Navy Admirals and Generals from both the Air Force and Marines Corps have
served as the commander of USSTRATCOM. The current commander is General C. Robert
Kehler of the Air Force.
The role of USSTRATCOM is a unique
one, highly diverse in nature and critical to
national security. It no longer is just simply
about nuclear deterrence as it was during
the era of SAC or even the USSTRATCOM
prior to its reorganization in 2002. In
addition to the responsibility of strategic
nuclear safeguards, USSTRATCOM provides
support in counter terrorism and irregular
warfare, as well as space and cyberspace.
30� �
55th Comm Group equipment operator, 1960s
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Today, USSTRATCOM is one of nine
unified commands within the Department of
Defense. A new milestone for USSTRATCOM
is currently taking place. A new headquarters
for the command is underway, the cold war
era SAC Headquarters. Ground was broken
at Offutt for the new site on October 12,
2012 and is slated for completion in 2016. At
nearly one million square feet, the facility
will allow USSTRATCOM the space to
handle the complexities of today’s world.
The Host Wing at Offutt AFB is the 55th Wing. The 55th Wing provides intelligence,
surveillance, reconnaissance, command and control, and additional support to U.S. leaders
and military commanders. The Fightin’ Fifty-Fifth can trace their origins back to days of the
Second World War and have been station at Offutt since August 1966. They have dutifully
fulfilled the role as host unit at Offutt since 1986.
Together, with USSTRATCOM and the 55th Wing, the Air Force Weather Agency, a third
major command at Offutt provides crucial
accurate meteorological information in a
timely fashion. Everything from military
maneuvers to humanitarian aid assistance
can be linked to the weather forecast. A
successful operation may rise and fall on
the course of the weather. It is up to the
Air Force Weather Agency to get it right,
anytime and every time. A challenge they
have met since their arrival at Offutt in 1997.
UPS—1/8 pg
TM
Hours: Mon-Fri 8-6:30, Sat 9-4
Copies, Packaging, FaxesNotary, Shipping & Freight505 Cornhusker Rd., Suite 105
Bellevue, NE 68005in Richmont Village Plaza
31� �
SAC Museum 1/2
What began as one of last American
frontier outposts for the 22nd United States
Infantry now encompasses a global mission,
with over 10,000 military and federal
employees accommodated by host units
of the 55th Wing. Offutt is not only a major
driving force in this nation’s security but a
significant economic engine for Bellevue,
Sarpy County, and
Nebraska. The
estimated annual
economic impact
of Offutt in recent
years to the region
was listed at 2.6
billion dollars. In
a testament to its
remarkable history,
an assortment of buildings exists today
from each chapter of the installation’s
history: frontier fort, wartime bomber plant,
Cold War threats, Twenty-First Century
hazards, and beyond.
In 1927, a Citizens’ Military training Camp (C.M.t.C.) was established at Fort Crook. the camp provided military training for teenaged civilians, somewhat similar to the modern R.Ot.C. Program.
Did you know?
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