Dean Mellberg

Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base, located in the northwest United States in eastern Washington, approximately 12 mi southwest of Spokane.

and is named in honor of General Muir S. Fairchild (1894–1950); a World War I aviator from the state, he was the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force at the time of his death.

Fairchild Air Force Base is named in honor of General Muir S. Fairchild (1894–1950).

Born in Bellingham, he graduated from Olympia High School and attended the University of Washington in Seattle.

The general entered service as a sergeant with the Washington National Guard in June 1916 and was an aviator in World War I.

Fairchild received his wings and commission in 1918, and served as a pilot during World War I.

Since 1942, Fairchild Air Force Base/Station has been a key part of the United States' defense strategy—from World War II repair depot, to Strategic Air Command bomber wing during the Cold War, to Air Mobility Command air refueling wing during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.

Today, Fairchild's aircraft and personnel make up the backbone of the Air Force's tanker fleet on the west coast.

Fairchild's location, 12 mi west of Spokane, resulted from a competition with the cities of Seattle and Everett in western Washington.

The War Department chose Spokane for several reasons: better weather conditions for flying, the location 300 mi from the coast, and the Cascade Range providing a natural barrier against possible Japanese attack.

As an added incentive to the War Department, many Spokane businesses and public-minded citizens donated money to purchase land for the base.

At a cost of more than $125,000, these people bought 1400 acre and presented the title to the War Department in January 1942.

That year, the government designated $14 million to purchase more land and begin construction of a new Spokane Army Air Depot.

Spokane Air Depot was served by a rail connection to the Great Northern Railway.

From 1942 until 1946, the base served as a repair depot for damaged aircraft returning from the Pacific Theater.

The depot command at the base went through several name changes, at one point being designated the Spokane Air Technical Service Command.

During the Cold War, Fairchild was a Strategic Air Command (SAC) base for 45 years (1947–1992), with bombers and tankers, as well as missiles for a brief period (1960–1965).

, the 92d Air Refueling Wing was commanded by Colonel Derek Salmi.

Its Command Chief Master Sergeant was Chief Master Sergeant Lee Mills.

Effective at 2359L on 31 August 1947, the base was transferred to the Strategic Air Command (SAC) and assigned to the 15th Air Force (15 AF).

Beginning in the summer of 1947, the 92nd and 98th Bomb Groups arrived.

Both of the units flew the most advanced bomber of the day, the B-29 Superfortress.

He held various air staff positions during World War II and received his fourth star in 1948.

In January 1948, the base received the second of its three official names: Spokane Air Force Base.

While serving as Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, he died on 17 March 1950.

With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, both groups deployed to Japan and Guam.

The 92d departed on 4 July 1950 and the 98th followed in August.

In November 1950, the base took its current name in memory of Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, General Muir S. Fairchild, a native of Bellingham.

He died at his quarters at Fort Myer while on duty in the Pentagon in March 1950.

The formal dedication ceremony was held 20 July 1951, to coincide with the arrival of the wing's first B-36 Peacemaker.

In 1956, the wing began a conversion that brought the first of 45 B-52 Stratofortress bombers on 26 March 1957 to Fairchild, followed by first of twenty KC-135 Stratotanker on 21 February 1958.

In 1961, the 92d became the first "aerospace" wing in the nation with the acquisition of the Atlas-E intercontinental ballistic missile, operated by the 567th Strategic Missile Squadron.

With the new role and the addition of missiles, the 92d Bomb Wing was re-designated the 92d Strategic Aerospace Wing.

However, the designation remained longer than the missiles, as the Atlas missiles were soon obsolete and removed in 1965.

The host unit at Fairchild is the 92nd Air Refueling Wing (92 ARW) assigned to the Air Mobility Command's Eighteenth Air Force.

The 92 ARW is responsible for providing air refueling, as well as passenger and cargo airlift and aero-medical evacuation missions supporting U.S. and coalition conventional operations as well as U.S. Strategic Command strategic deterrence missions.

Fairchild AFB was established 82.23395465988075 years ago in 1942 as the Spokane Army Air Depot.

After only a few months, General MacArthur released the 92nd to return to the states while the 98th remained in the Far East.

Upon its return to Fairchild, the 92nd was re-designated the 92d Bombardment Wing (Heavy).

The 98th was then reassigned to Nebraska.