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CHENNAULT AFB
Activation
When the Korean War began in 1950 a cadre was formed to reactivate the
44th Bombardment Wing at March Air Force Base, Calif. In July 1951 the cadre
moved to Lake Charles Air Force Base, La., where the wing became operational.
The wing initially trained B-29 crews for combat duty in Korea.
The 68th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Medium was established on October 4,
1951 and activated on October 10, 1951 at Lake Charles AFB, later renamed
Chennault AFB. It received it's initial cadre of 16 people from the
44th Bomb Wing and began reconnaissance training using borrowed B-29s. It
received it's own B-29 s in May 1952, then began training as a bombardment
wing.
The 68th bomb group was assigned to Lake Charles AFB, LA. in 1952. In 1959
the 68th Bombardment Wing of the Strategic Air Command was stationed at Lake
Charles Air Force Base, LA (renamed Chennault AFB). The 68th Bombardment Wing at
Chennault Air Force Base, LA was a B-47 jet unit of SAC which also flew the
KC-97.
B-47 Stratojet & KC-97 tankers
On June 16, 1952, the 68th Reconnasissance wing was redesignated the 68th
Bombardment Wing, Medium and flew B-29s. Late the next year the Superfortress
was replaced with the new all-jet B-47 Stratojet. The wing also received KC-97
tankers and added a refueling mission.. It conducted strategic bombardment
training from May 1954 to June 1963 and air refueling operations from May 1954
to September 1957. the 44th Bomb Wing received its B-47s in 1953.
Missiles and B-52 Stratofortress
The 44th Bomb Wing was discontinued in 1960, but was reactivated in 1962 as
the 44th Strategic Missile Wing at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. The 68th Moved
without personnel or equipment to North Carolina on April 15, 1963, where it
replaced the 4241st Strategic Wing at Seymore-Johnson AFB. It was officially
redesignated the 68th Bombardment Wing, Heavy on that date. It conducted
strategic bombardment training with B-52s and air refueling operations with
KC-135s.
Closure
The base was closed in 1963.
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