00487504 UNCLASSIFIED 2430451 04-01-1942 2440222 12-31-1968

AMARILLO TECHNICAL TRAINING CENTER

K280.27-38 15626 M2075 1092 1159 43 2449638 10-12-1994 COL EDWARD C. BLACK ORDERED TO ACTIVATE AIRCRAFT TECHNICAL SCHOOL AT AMARILLO TX ON 1 APR 42. AMARILLO ARMY AIRFIELD OFFICIALLY OPENED 20 APR 42. FIELD ASSIGNED TO ARMY TECHNICAL TRAINING COMMAND TO TRAIN AIRFRAME AND ENGINE MECHANICS AND FLIGHT ENGINEERS FOR B-17 AIRCRAFT. TRAINING LATER SHIFTED TO B-29 AIRCRAFT FOR WAR IN PACIFIC. AMARILLO ARMY AIRFIELD CLOSED IN EARLY 1946 AND WAS INACTIVATED 20 AUG 46. AMARILLO AIR FORCE BASE ACTIVATED 1 MAR 51 AND ASSIGNED TO AIR TRAINING COMMAND WITH COL RAY H. CLARK IN COMMAND. 3320 TECHNICAL TRAINING WING (TTW) ASSIGNED 12 MAR 51. MISSION WAS TO TRAIN AIRCRAFT MECHANICS; AMARILLO BECAME FIRST ALL JET MECHANIC TRAINING BASE IN AIR FORCE. LT GEN ROBERT W. HARPER, COMMANDING GENERAL OF ATC AND MAJ GEN EUGENE L. EUBANK, COMMANDING GENERAL OF TECHNICAL TRAINING AIR FORCE, FEATURED SPEAKERS AT DEDICATION CEREMONIES 11 NOV 51. IN FEB 52, B-47 AIRCRAFT TRAINING PROGRAM ADDED TO JET MECHANICS CURRICULUM. AIRFRAME REPAIRMAN'S COURSE BEGAN 30 JAN 52. AIR FORCE RETRAINING GROUP, INCORPORATING PROGRESSIVE PRACTICES FOR RETRAINING AND REHABILITATING MEN UNDER SENTENCE BY COURTS MARTIAL OPENED FEB 52. PETROLEUM SCHOOL OPENED IN AUG OF 56. SM-62 SNARK MISSILES ARRIVED AT AMARILLO 5 MAR 58. FIELD TRAINING PROGRAM BEGAN IN MAR 57. IN JUL 58, ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPLY SCHOOL MOVED TO AMARILLO FROM FRANCIS E. WARREN AFB WY. PERSONNEL COURSES CAME TO AMARILLO JUL 64. STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND (SAC) PLACED B-52 AIRCRAFT AT AMARILLO UNDER THE DISPERSAL PLAN. THE FIRST B-52 ARRIVED 13 FEB 60. ON 19 NOV 64, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ANNOUNCED CLOSURE OF AMARILLO AFB WITH FUNCTIONS OF ATTC TO BE TRANSFERRED TO LOWRY AFB CO, CHANUTE AFB IL, SHEPPARD AFB AND LACKLAND AFB TX. PROGRAMMING PLANS FOR PHASE DOWN PRESENTED IN OCT 65. AMARILLO FORMULATED PLANS DURING FEB 66 FOR ARRIVAL OF NEW AIRMEN SCHEDULED TO RECEIVE BASIC MILITARY TRAINING. TO MEET REQUIREMENTS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA, AIRCRAFT MECHANIC, SUPPLY, ADMINISTRATIVE AND PERSONNEL SPECIALIST COURSES INCREASED STUDENT LOADS. 589 UNITED STATES AIR FORCE (USAF) BAND OF THE GOLDENSPREAD TRANSFERRED TO MACDILL AFB FL. 688 AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND WARNING SQUADRON OF AEROSPACE DEFENSE COMMAND (ADC) OCCUPIED NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE BASE. ON 18 JAN 68, BASE CLOSURE SCHEDULED FOR JUN 68 WAS DELAYED UNTIL 31 DEC 68. 461 BOMBARDMENT WING SERVED ON TEMPORARY DUTY IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC AND FLEW MISSIONS INTO VIETNAM. ON 25 MAY 67, AMARILLO CITY RECEIVED 2200 ACRES OF MILITARY OWNED AIRPORT FACILITIES WITH A CONTRACT THAT PROVIDED FOR MILITARY USE IN CASE OF WAR. 7 FEB 68, AMARILLO OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED BELL HELICOPTER COMPANY OF FORT WORTH TX WOULD OPEN HELICOPTER INSPECTION, REPAIR AND MODIFICATION FACILITY AT AMARILLO. AMARILLO CONSIDERED AS SITE FOR TECHNICAL TRAINING INSTITUTE SUPPORTED BY TEXAS A AND M (AGRICULTURE AND MECHANICAL) UNIVERSITY. 23 AUG 68 MARKED THE FINAL ISSUE OF "JET JOURNAL", OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF AMARILLO AFB. NONE HISTORY OF AMARILLO AIR FORCE BASE (AFB) TX