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Creech Air Force Base

Indian Springs Auxiliary Army Airfield (1961)
Indian Springs Air Force Base (1951)
Indian Springs Army Airfield
Indian Springs Airport


eponyms: Indian Springs, Nevada &
US-O10 insigniaWilbur L. Creech[1]
Part of Air Combat Command Air Combat Command (1992)
Tactical Air Command (1961)
Air Research and Development Command - emblem Air Research and Development Command (1952)
Air Training Command Emblem Air Training Command (1948)

Location: 2,300 acres (3.6 sq mi)[2]
in Clark County, Nevada


Borders: Indian Springs
(35 miles (56 km) NW of Las Vegas &
45 miles (72 km) NW of Nellis AFB)
Creech Air Force Base aerial
North of Highway 95 (diagonal from bottom to upper right) is Creech AFB (left of highway)--south of the highway is Indian Springs, Nevada (right).
Coordinates 36°35′22″N 115°40′47″W / 36.58944°N 115.67972°W / 36.58944; -115.67972 (Creech AFB)[3]
Code 2512155 (GNIS: "Military")[3]
2443872 (GNIS "Airport")[4]
J09NV0399 (FUDS)[5]
Site information
Owner Federal government of the United States
Controlled by 432d Wing 432d Air Expeditionary Wing (2007)
57th Wing 57th Wing (c. 1992)
tbd (1961)
4935th Air Base Squadron (1952)
Condition Operational (part is designated
as formerly-used
)[5][6]
Site history
In use 1942-March 1945
January 1948-Present

Creech Air Force Base ("Creech" colloq.) is a USAF command and control facility used "to engage in daily Overseas Contingency Operations[7]…of remotely piloted aircraft systems which fly missions across the globe."[8] In addition to an airport, the military installation has the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Battlelab,[9] associated aerial warfare ground equipment, and unmanned aerial vehicles of the type used in Afghanistan and Iraq. Creech is the aerial training site for the USAF Thunderbirds and "is one of two emergency divert airfields" for the Nevada Test and Training Range.[8]

Creech Air Force Base main gate

The Creech AFB main gate at U.S. Route 95 in Nevada in the northern Mojave Desert (the ecotone with the Central Basin and Range ecoregion is nearby.)

Airfield information
IATA: INS – ICAO: KINS – FAA LID: INS
Summary
Elevation AMSL 3,133 ft / 955 m
Coordinates 36°35′32″N 115°40′00″W / 36.59222°N 115.6666667°W / 36.59222; -115.6666667Coordinates: 36°35′32″N 115°40′00″W / 36.59222°N 115.6666667°W / 36.59222; -115.6666667
Website Creech Air Force Base
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
8/26 9,002 2,744 Asphalt
13/31 5,468 1,667 Asphalt
Sources: Coordinates from GNIS (see also:

Description[]

 In addition to the airfield, the base includes the "UAV-Logistic and Training Facility",[10] the Joint Unmanned Aerial Systems Center of Excellence, and other military units/facilities.  A Creech unit also operates the "Silver Flag Alpha RTC" (Regional Training Complex) "15 miles south of Indian Springs on Highway 95" with 12 small arms ranges including a MOUT...village, a bare base tent city and a maneuver area".[11]

Units[]

Air Combat Command
98th Southern Range Support Squadron
432d Air Expeditionary Wing with 2 groups, 6 operational squadrons, 3 maintenance squadrons, and MQ-9 Reapers and MQ-1 Predators
556th Test and Evaluation Squadron
799th Air Base Group with 2 squadrons
Air Force Reserve
78th Reconnaissance Squadron
Air Force Special Operations Command
3d Special Operations Squadron
Nevada Air National Guard
232d Operations Squadron
Royal Air Force
No. 39 Squadron RAF[citation needed]

History[]

After World War I, Nevada and other western inland states were surveyed by Capt. Lowell H. Smith and Sgt. William B. Whitefield for landing sites, and by "mid-1925 the Air Service possessed information on [~3,500 US] landing places, including [>2,500] emergency landing areas" (e.g., Boeing owned everything at Elko, Nevada's airfield).[12] The United States Army Air Corps subsequently rented a large room in Reno,[12] and the Corps used the 1929 civilian airfield near Las Vegas (named "McCarren Field" c. 1935) for 1930s training flights.[13] A 1939 "western site board" reconnaissance was conducted near Tonopah for a practice range and in October 1940, Maj. David Schlatter surveyed the southwest United States for a military airfield[14] (Executive Order 8578[15] transferred a "60 × 90 mile area at Tonopah to the War Department on 29 October 1940".)[13] Congressional appropriations of 19 November 1941 for the Commissioner of Public Roads to build "21 flight strips" along highways for "bombing ranges or for other specialized training" included inland airstrips.[13]:87 "Initially a tent city military training camp", construction of "Indian Springs Airport" permanent facilities began in March 1942, "and by February 1943 the camp was used as a divert field and as a base for air-to-air gunnery training."[8]

Creech Air Force Base is located in Nevada
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WWII Nevada military sites included Army Airfields (red) such as Indian Springs Army Airfield[16] and Army/Navy ranges (Black pog).[17] (Yellow indicates Indian Springs auxiliary fields.)

Indian Springs Army Airfield[]

The Nevada World War II Army Airfield at Indian Springs supported[how?] B-17 Flying Fortress & T-6 Texan aircraft and had 5 Auxiliary Army Airfields on the bombing range, e.g., Area 18 had Aux. Field #4 & Area 51 had Aux. Field #1 (Tonopah Army Airfield also had 5 auxiliary fields). In March 1945 Indian Springs AAF was placed in stand-by with a small housekeeping staff and in January 1947, was closed along with Las Vegas AAF. The Army airfield re-opened in January 1948 and in 1950, the base's 1st USAF unit[which?] was assigned to the installation.[8]

Indian Springs Air Force Base[]

Indian Springs Air Force Base was designated in August 1951 and in July 1952, jurisdiction transferred from Air Training Command[18] to the Air Force Special Weapons Center (AFSWC) of ARDC. As an AFSWC facility,[19] "Indian Springs AFB served as a support base for projects from Operation RANGER in 1951 to Operation STORAX in 1962."[20] "The 4935th Air Base Squadron was activated to operate the base in accordance with ARDC General Order No. 39 on 16 July 1952".[19] The base's mission was to support AEC nuclear testing at the Nevada Proving Grounds, 30 mi (48 km) southwest, as well as Nellis AFB's operation of the Nellis Air Force Gunnery and Bombing Range. "At first fewer than 300 officers and enlisted men were stationed at Indian Springs AFB, but when testing began, the population grew to more than 1,500 personnel. The base also hosted more than 100 of the most modern aircraft in the world at the time."[21]

Operation Teapot
Indian Springs' support of Teapot nuclear tests included hosting media visits and "Official and Congressional Observer groups" e.g., "by agreement reached in January 1955" for flights from Washington. Aircrews at Indian Springs were briefed on weather for tests and when the "Yucca Lake airstrip" became flooded, "nuclear devices" were instead landed at the AFB until Yucca Lake "was completely dried out". AFSWC personnel at Indian Springs AFB provided "facilities and messing for observers and experimental groups, air freight terminal services, servicing for Department of Defense and project vehicles stationed at Indian Springs AFB and transient vehicles", and support of flights between Kirtland and Indian Springs.[22] (The 4925th Special Weapons Group conducted the "live test drops at Nevada" and flew through and sampled "highly radioactive nuclear “clouds” after explosions"[23]—the 4926th Test Squadron (Sampling)[where?] also tested Nevada mushroom clouds.[24])

The Air Base Squadron transferred under the 4950th Test Group (Nuclear) in 1956, the base launched the Shot John F-89J that fired the MB-1 Genie which detonated over Area 10,[25] and AFSWC jurisdiction at Indian Springs AFB "continued until 1961".[20]:122

Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field[]

Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field was designated on 1 April 1961 [26] when "the USAF transferred Indian Springs AFB missions to Nellis AFB under the control of TAC".[27]

Det 1, AFSWC
Detachment 1, AFSWC had all 6 aircraft stationed at Indian Springs c. 1963 to support the Nevada Test Site by transporting personnel to/from Camp Murcury and Yucca Flats and to orbit/hover over selected underground tests while monitoring for radiation leaks. Ancillary missions were carried out including target marking at the nearby bombing range for the aircraft from Nellis AFB as well as searching for and retrieving weather balloons. In 1966, the unit replaced 2 HH-43 Huskie helicopters with 2 UH-1F Huey utility helicopters. During one bombing range support mission circa[specify]
1967–1968, the Det 1 detachment commander, Lt Col Conner, and his co-pilot, Captain Peterson, were killed when their U-6 crashed into nearby mountains (a smoke bomb may have been inadvertently dropped inside the plane.)[citation needed]

During the 1970s and 1980s, the primary base mission was range maintenance and the primary unit was the 57th Combat Support Squadron of civil engineers—the only assigned aircraft unit was a detachment of UH-1N Twin Huey helicopters ("Det 1").disambiguation needed The 1981 Indian Springs C-130 crash was "short" of the landing strip,* and the 1982 Thunderbirds Indian Springs Diamond Crash killed all 4 T-38 pilots impacting along the runway (controlled flight into terrain)--cf. 1966 Indian Springs F-105 crash. Circa 1988, "the bulk of Silver Flag Alpha [moved] to the Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field" from Nellis,[11] and Indian Springs AFAF was designated Formerly Used Defense Site NV99799F601300 by September 30, 2002[6] and in January 2005, No 1115 Flight was formed at the base to operate the Royal Air Force's first UAVs (became part of No. 39 Squadron RAF in March 2007.)

First MQ-9 Reaper taxies at Creech AFB 2007

An MQ-9 at a Creech runway near the tbd mountains.

Creech AFB[]

Creech Air Force Base was named on 20 June 2005 and activated, in October 2005, the Joint Unmanned Aerial Systems Center of Excellence and the 3d Special Operations Squadron (the latter was the 1st MQ-1 Predator squadron in the AFSOC). A Creech aircraft of the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron was lost in the 2006 NTTR Predator crash,* and the 42d Attack Squadron was formed at Creech AFB on 8 November 2006 as the first Reaper squadron. By 2007, Creech personnel of the 432nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron had been deployed to Ali Air Base,[28] and the base transferred from a Nellis AFB unit to the 432d Wing when activated on 1 May 2007[29] (renamed 432d Air Expeditionary Wing on May 15, 2008.)[8] On 5 March 2008, the 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron became operational as "the Air Force's [1st] test squadron for unmanned aerial systems".[30] In 2008 the USGS added the military installation to the Geographic Names Information System (the airport portion of the base was separately designated in 2011).[3]

A 2009 Nevada Desert Experience protest against drone attacks on Pakistan by the United States of America resulted in the convictions of the "Creech 14" (e.g., Father Louie Vitale, Kathy Kelly, & John Dear) arrested on the base[31] for trespassing and sentenced on January 27, 2011 for time served[32] (a 2009 protest was also held.)[33] In 2011, keystroke logging software had infected UAV ground stations[where?] ("believed to have spread through...removable drives"),[34][35] and the Twenty-Fourth Air Force was alerted to the problem by an article in Wired Magazine[36] (the virus "posed no threat to our operational mission".)[37] In 2012, the ceremony in which the 99th Security Forces Group "stands down" also activated the 799th Air Base Group at Creech.[38]

Nuvola apps kview External images
Searchtool Creech UAV pilot/copilot console

References[]

  • Drone crashes at Creech AFB occurred in 2002, 2004 (twice), 2006 (2), and 2009.[39]
  1. "Indian Springs renamed Creech Air Force Base". Air Force Link. 2005-06-20. Archived from the original on 2012-07-18. http://archive.is/sACO. 
  2. "Creech Air Force Base". GlobalSecurity.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/indian-springs.htm. Retrieved 2013-06-16. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Creech Air Force Base (Military, 2512155)". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:2512155. Retrieved 2013-06-14. 
  4. "Creech Air Force Base (Airport, 2443872)". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:2512155. Retrieved 2013-06-20. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 http://www.dtra.mil/documents/ntpr/historical/1957%20-%20DNA%206006F%20-%20Shot%20DIABLO%20to%20FRANKLIN%20PRIME%20-%20Operatio.pdf
  6. 6.0 6.1 Satus of Installations With Response Completed (Report). Defense Environmental Restoration Program (OSD). Table C-3. http://www.denix.osd.mil/arc/upload/App-C-3.pdf. Retrieved 2013-06-22. 
  7. Overseas Contingency Operations are defined at a White House OMB website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/budget/fy2013/assets/overseas.pdf
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 "Creech Air Force Base". 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs. Posted 7/12/2012. http://www.nellis.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4094. Retrieved 2013-06-14. 
  9. [verification needed]Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
  10. Historical Air Force Construction (cost handbook). Directorate of Engineering Support, AFCE Support Agency. February 2007. http://www.wbdg.org/ccb/AF/AFH/histbook.pdf. Retrieved 2013-05-12. 
  11. 11.0 11.1 "99th Ground Combat Training Squadron - "Silver Flag Alpha"" (fact sheet). 99th ABW/PA. Posted 7/12/2012. http://www.nellis.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=19649. Retrieved 2013-06-16. 
  12. 12.0 12.1 Maurer, Maurer. Aviation in the US Army, 1919-1939 (Report). AFD-100923-007. pp. 151, 307. ISBN 0-912799-38-2. 
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Futrell, Robert F. (July 1947). Development of AAF Base Facilities in the United States: 1939-1945 (Report). ARS-69: US Air Force Historical Study No 69 (Copy No. 2). Air Historical Office. 
    p. 50: "During the last stages of the 1939 augmentation a reconnaissance had been made of tracts of land near Tonopah, Nev., Wendover, Utah, and Arlington, Ore., in an effort to secure local [sic] practice ranges for McChord Field. During the spring and summer of 1940 negotiations had been opened to secure the three tracts, about 90 per cent of which was public domain, for use as general ranges.129"
    p. 87: "Congress on 19 November 1941 appropriated $10,000,000 to the Commissioner of Public Roads for such construction as he might arrange and added $5,000,000 on 17 December 1941. During 1942 some 21 flight strips, with dimensions of 500 by 5000-8000, were constructed at an average cost of $394,000 each.59 … Although most of these flight strips were located along the continental seaboard, a few were located inland, generally to serve bombing ranges or for other specialized training."
  14. Rininger, Tyson V. (2006). "History of Nellis Air Force Base". http://books.google.com/books?id=lAlIaNJMlgkC&pg=PA9. Retrieved 2013-06-10.  Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Rininger" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Rininger" defined multiple times with different content
  15. Final Inventory Project Report, Tonopah Bombing Range (Report). Project Number - J09NV1114. USACE Sacramento District. September 1999. "Executive order 8578 was executed on October 29, 1940 for the withdrawal of 3,560,000 acres of land fiom the public domain for use by the War Department as an aerial bombing and gunnery range (CE0769)." 
  16. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xCoaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cSMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5816,5814549&dq=indian-springs-army&hl=en
  17. Archive Search Report: Dixie Valley Bombing Target No. 21 (Report). "Fallon AAS also used ranges at Black Rock, Sahwave, Lovelock Gunnery Range, Pyramid Lake (torpedo bombing range) and Bravo 19"  (in the Blow Sand Mountains).
  18. [not in citation given] Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC
  19. 19.0 19.1 Air Force Special Weapons Center Facilities (Report). Air Force Research Laboratory Phillips Research Site Historical Information Office. 1953.  (quotation from Van Citters, p. 123)
  20. 20.0 20.1 Van Citters, Karen; Bissen, Kristen (Jun 2003). National Register of Historic Places: Historic Context and Evaluation for Kirland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico (Report). http://www.denix.osd.mil/cr/upload/kirtland-historic-context_0.pdf. Retrieved 2013-06-16. 
  21. Medema, Tech Sgt. William (July 14, 2000). "Kirtland AFB Testers Reactivate World War II Training Base". 377th Air Base Wing, History Office.  (cited by Van Citters, from which the quotation is taken.)
  22. Reeves, James E.--Test Manager (Spring 1955) (extract of classified report). Operation Teaport: Report of the Test Manager Joint Test Organization (Report). Kaman Tempo. http://www.dtra.mil/documents/ntpr/historical/1957%20-%20DNA%206008F%20-%20Shots%20BOLTZMANN%20to%20WILSON%20-%20Operation%20PL.pdf. Retrieved 2013-04. 
  23. Hardison, Maj. John D. (1990). The Megaton Blasters: Story of the 4925th Test Group (Atomic). Arvada: Boomerang Publishers.  (quotations from Van Citters)
  24. Edward Giller, 17 April 2002 interview with Kristen Bisson (cited by Van Clitters p. 115)
  25. http://www.dtra.mil/documents/ntpr/historical/1957%20-%20DNA%206006F%20-%20Shot%20DIABLO%20to%20FRANKLIN%20PRIME%20-%20Operatio.pdf
  26. "History of Creech Air Force Base". U.S. Air Force. http://www.creech.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=14306. Retrieved 2013-07-20. 
  27. Jones, Major Marshall, Lt. Colonel William B. Dollahon, Lt. Colonel George Myers, and Betty Francisco. 1976. A Chronological History of Nuclear Readiness. Air Force Research Laboratory Phillips Research Site Historical Information Office. (cited by Van Citters, from which the quotation is taken.)
  28. http://www.aviationspectator.com/image/latest-aviation-images?page=544
  29. Rodgers, Keith. "Reactivation creates wing for remotely controlled planes". Las Vegas Review-Journal. p. 4B. http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/reactivation-creates-wing-remotely-controlled-planes. Retrieved 2013-06-16. 
  30. Martin, Jessica, Capt. (2008-03-05). "Test unit takes on bigger role in Global War on Terror". Nellis AFB Public Affairs. http://www.nellis.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123089055. Retrieved 2008-03-07. 
  31. [full citation needed]VCNV
  32. ‘Creech 14’ found guilty of trespassing, judge says ‘go in peace’
  33. Weil, Janet (July 10, 2009). "Peace activists to rally Monday outside Creech Air Force Base: Will call for end to U.S. drone attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan". Press Releases. CodePink4Peace.org. http://www.codepink4peace.org/article.php?id=4987. Retrieved 2013-06-21. 
  34. Shachtman, Noah (10.07.11). "Exclusive: Computer Virus Hits U.S. Drone Fleet". Danger Room. Wired.com. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/10/virus-hits-drone-fleet/. Retrieved 2013-06-21. 
  35. Lawrence, Chris. "Virus infects program that controls U.S. drones." CNN, 10 October 2011.
  36. Shachtman, Noah. "Get Hacked, Don’t Tell: Drone Base Didn’t Report Virus." Wired, 11 October 2011.
  37. Hennigan, W.J. "Air Force says drone computer virus poses 'no threat'." LA Times, 13 October 2011.
  38. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO36r0BYkts
  39. http://www.matthewaid.com/post/50345895468/usaf-has-lost-75-drones-since-1999

External links[]


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The original article can be found at Creech Air Force Base and the edit history here.
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