TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE

'Travis Air Force Base' is a United States Air Force air base in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Travis Air Force Base is located within Fairfield, Calif, in the northeast part of town. Known as the "Gateway to the Pacific", Travis Air Force Base handles more cargo and passenger traffic through its airport than any other military air terminal in the United States. The Base has a long and proud history of supporting humanitarian airlift operations at home and around the world. Today, the Base includes approximately 7,260 active military personnel, 3,770 civilians and 4,250 reservists.
Travis AFB has a major impact on the community as a number of military families and retirees have chosen to make Fairfield their permanent home. Travis AFB is the largest employer in the City and Solano County as well, and the massive Travis workforce has a local economic impact of more than $1 billion annually. The Base also contributes a large number of highly skilled people to the local labor pool. David Grant Medical Center, a 265-bed, $200 million dollar facility, serves both in-service and retired military.[1]
The base’s host unit, the 60th Air Mobility Wing, is the largest wing in the Air Force's Air Mobility Command, with a versatile fleet of C-5 Galaxies, KC-10 Extenders, and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. The base is also host to David Grant USAF Medical Center, an Air Force hospital.

Contents

Museum

History

Maintenance Squadrons at Travis AFB

Hosted commands

External links

Museum

Travis AFB also plays host to the Jimmy Doolittle Air & Space Museum. One of the Largest Collections of Military Aircraft on the West Coast. Jimmy Doolittle Air & Space Museum
Museum of Military Aviation History: The Museum has a representative collection of American military aircraft from various periods: fighters, bombers, trainers, cargo and liaison aircraft. Its exhibits showcase Jimmy Doolittle and the Tokyo Raiders, the 15th AF in WWII, the Tuskegee Airmen, the Consairways story, the Berlin Airlift, and the history of Travis AFB with special emphasis on the Korean war, the war in Vietnam and other significant military missions.
Additional Attractions: Other exhibits include a space capsule for children, air force uniforms, the nose of a WWII glider, WWII aircraft recognition models, a link trainer, aircraft engines, and the cockpits of a T-28, a T-37, and a F-100.

History

Originally named 'Fairfield-Suisun Army Air Base', construction began on Travis in 1942. Originally, medium attack bombers were supposed to be stationed at the base. The United States Navy had aircraft at the base for training, but this proved temporary. In October 1942, the War Department assigned the base to the Air Transport Command. The base's primary mission during World War II was ferrying aircraft and supplies to the Pacific Theater. In 1949, Strategic Air Command took over Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base as home base for the 9th Bomb Group/9th Bomb Wing.
The base was renamed Travis Air Force Base in 1951 for Brigadier General Robert F. Travis, who was killed when a B-29 Superfortress crashed on August 5, 1950. The ensuing fire caused the 10,000 pounds of high explosives in the plane's cargo — a Mark 4 nuclear weapon — to detonate, killing Robert Travis and 18 others. (The bomb's plutonium pit was being transported in a different plane.) [2]
In 1992, with the reorganization of the Air Force in the wake of the Cold War, the Air Mobility Command stepped in at Travis and supply once again became the primary mission.

Maintenance Squadrons at Travis AFB

'60th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron'
Provides combat-ready maintenance personnel and organizational support to inspect, service, and repair C-5 aircraft, and maintenance support for Transient Alert. Generates 24-hour-a-day strategic airlift to support four flying squadrons and ensures readiness of personnel and equipment for deployment. Maintains mission ready aircraft capable of worldwide strategic airlift supporting AMC's global mission.
'660th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron'
Provides combat-ready maintenance personnel and organizational support to inspect, service, and repair all transient and assigned KC-10A aircraft, 46% of DOD's inventory. Generates aerial refueling and strategic airlift to support flying activities of four aerial refueling squadrons. Ensures readiness of personnel and equipment for deployment. Maintains mission capable aircraft supporting AMC's global mission.
'60th Equipment Maintenance Squadron'
Provides organizational and field-level aircraft maintenance, repair, and manufacture capability for effective on- and off-equipment maintenance, inspection and refurbishment of C-5 and KC-10 aircraft. Inspects, services, and overhauls aerospace ground equipment worth over $8 million. Manages and stores all base munitions. Provides mission capable aircraft in direct support of AMC’s global mission.
'60th Component Maintenance Squadron'
Inspects, services, and overhauls aircraft fuel systems for C-5 and KC-10 aircraft. Maintains avionic, hydraulic, electrical and environmental system components for C-5 aircraft. Operates the west coast TF39 Engine Regional Repair Center. Calibrates and repairs over 8,800 items in a regional Test, Measurement, and Diagnostic Equipment Laboratory. Directly supports AMC’s global reach mission for AMC’s largest wing.
'60th Maintenance Operations Squadron'
Provides critical support for the maintenance, modification and scheduling of C-5 and KC-10 aircraft valued at $9B. Controls maintenance actions and manages all aircraft and mission statistics. Manages $340M in real property and provides group-level mobility support for AMC's largest wing. Develops and executes aircraft/ancillary training and provides aircraft maintenance training support for the Pacific Rim.

Hosted commands

★ Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force

★ 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force

★ 60th Air Mobility Wing (Air Mobility Command)

★ 60th Medical Group

★ 349th Air Mobility Wing (Air Force Reserve Command)

★ US Army’s 3d Brigade, 91st Division (Training Support)

★ US Navy’s VQ3 Detachment

External links

★ Travis Air Force Base (official site)

★ Travis AFB Information (unofficial site)

★ Travis Air Museum (JDASM Foundation)

★ Jimmy Doolittle Air & Space Museum (JDASM Foundation)

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