Harrisburg Air National Guard Base | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middletown,Pennsylvania in theUnited States of America | |||||||
 AnEC-130E Commando Solo andEC-130J Commando Solo of the193rd Special Operations Wing over south central Pennsylvania in 2006. | |||||||
| Site information | |||||||
| Type | Air National Guard Base | ||||||
| Owner | Department of Defense | ||||||
| Operator | US Air Force (USAF) | ||||||
| Controlled by | Pennsylvania Air National Guard | ||||||
| Condition | Operational | ||||||
| Website | www.193sow.ang.af.mil | ||||||
| Location | |||||||
  Harrisburg ANGB Location in the United States | |||||||
| Coordinates | 40°11′37″N076°45′48″W / 40.19361°N 76.76333°W /40.19361; -76.76333 | ||||||
| Site history | |||||||
| Built | 1917 (1917) (as Middletown Airfield) | ||||||
| In use | 1917 – present | ||||||
| Garrison information | |||||||
| Current commander | Colonel Terrence L. Koudelka,Jr. | ||||||
| Garrison | 193d Special Operations Wing | ||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||
| Identifiers | IATA: MDT,ICAO: KMDT,FAA LID: MDT,WMO: 725115 | ||||||
| Elevation | 94.4 metres (310 ft)AMSL | ||||||
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| Airfield shared withHarrisburg International Airport Source:Federal Aviation Administration[1] | |||||||
Harrisburg Air National Guard Base is aUnited States Air Force base, located atHarrisburg International Airport, (IATA:MDT,ICAO:KMDT,FAALID:MDT) Pennsylvania. It is located 1.7 miles (2.7 km) west-southwest ofMiddletown, Pennsylvania.
ThePennsylvania Air National Guard facility is sited on the location of the former Olmsted Air Force Base, which was closed in 1969. The193d Special Operations Wing operatesLockheed Martin MC-130J Commando Solo II aircraft. Today the airfield is split between civilian activities, Harrisburg IAP (MDT) and military activities, which now carry the Harrisburg ANGB title. After Olmsted AFB closed in 1970 major civilian air activities moved fromCapital City Airport, nearHarrisburg over to the former Olmsted site.
The installation saw its first military use by theUnited States Army Signal Corps in 1898. The first known use of the field by military aircraft was whenMiddletown Airfield opened in 1917 as a supply depot and maintenance center for Signal Corps aircraft.
The first airplanes landed in 1918 at Middletown Air Depot, when it was under the administration of theSignal Corps of theUnited States Army.[2] In 1939, it was still known by this name. Middletown had an abundance of engine and airframe shops and a supply distribution system that made it a significant facility, but a poor runway that, it was felt, would be too expensive to improve.[3] It would involve claiming marsh land and portions of theSusquehanna River (both of which have since been accomplished) and the Air Force leadership at that time determined that more land for supply and maintenance buildings was needed.[3]
AfterWorld War I and the reconstitution of theUnited States Army Air Service in 1922, the facility became a logistics and maintenance support of Air Service aircraft and equipment through its host unit, the Middletown Air Depot (later Middletown Air Materiel Area under theU.S. Army Air Corps). DuringWorld War II, numerousU.S. Army Air Forces transport and reconnaissance units were organized and formed at Olmsted Army Airfield. Once equipped, they were reassigned to training bases. The Middletown Air Depot-cum-Middletown Air Material Area was a major support installation to the U.S. Air Force and its predecessor organizations for decades.
The installation was renamed in honor of 1st Lieutenant Robert Sanford Olmsted, U.S. Army Air Service, on 11 March 1948. First Lieutenant Olmsted was killed in a ballooning accident over the village ofLoosbroek,Netherlands on 23 September 1923 while competing in theGordon Bennett Cup.[4][5][6] Olmsted remained in the race despite threatening weather which caused some competitors to drop out. Lightning struck the S-6 overNistelrode, theNetherlands, killing Olmsted.[7]
Beginning on 11 August 1948, the 147th Flight Service Squadron of theMilitary Air Transport Service (MATS) began operations of the Olmsted Flight Service Center.
During the 1948–1949Berlin Airlift, the U.S. Supply Depot at Olmsted AFB provided emergency support supplies for the airlift operations.[8]
In 1958, Olmsted was designated as prime support depot for theT-38 Talon advanced jet trainer then under development and theL-27, later designated theU-3 Blue Canoe, support aircraft.
Olmsted AFB and the Middletown Air Depot's last assignment was withAir Force Logistics Command (AFLC), and the base and depot were closed on 30 June 1969.
Initially turned over toPennsylvania Air National Guard after active-duty closure, much of the former Olmsted AFB flight line area was redeveloped into theHarrisburg International Airport under the ownership of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
In 1998, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania transferred ownership of the airport to theSusquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA).[2] In addition, in 1966, much of the former Air Force property was converted into The Pennsylvania State University—The Capital College, otherwise known as theHarrisburg Campus. This campus was originally chartered as a graduate and upper division school.
Known base operating units were:
Known major service units:
Known operational units assigned were:
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The PA ANG's 193d Special Operations Wing consists of:
Other components of the Wing are located at State College and atMuir Army Airfield atFort Indiantown Gap.
Flying and notable non-flying units based at Harrisburg Field Air National Guard Base.[10]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency