Talk:Eielson Air Force Base

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Very impressive!
Bwmoll3 did a fantastic job with this project! I found one source of his information, but it would be cool if we could list all possible references in the proper format. Let's see how far we can take this! Kajmal 23:59, 29 May 2006 (UTC)

I'm retired from the Air Force but was never stationed at Eielson, however a classmate of mine from high school was. Met him at a reunion a few years back and we were both members of the 354th - I with the Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach AFB, and he with the Figher Wing at Eielson. Saw the article on Eielson was a bit thin, so really wanted to beef up the information as a favor to Terry and also the fact that Eielson is a very historic base and deserved to have better repesentation here. Bwmoll3 29 May 2006.


 * Well, thanks! Think you can name the sources you used?  I'm currently stationed there and I think it would be awesome to get the article peer reviewed.  Maybe one day it might even be a featured article!  Kajmal 07:19, 30 May 2006 (UTC)

Factual Errors
HH-3 71st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron Det 1 (1970-80) CH/SH/HH-21 71st Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (1976-80) 5010th Combat Support Group (1960-69) 5040th Helicopter Squadron Det 1 (1969-76) The above is incorrect. I was assigned to the 5040th HES from 1972-1975 and flew the HH3-E Jolly Green Giant. The H-3 was still in service when the 71 AARS assimilated the 5040th HES. Therefore the 71st never flew the H-21. The H-21 was replaced by the H-3 in 1970.

This is the correct timeline for the 5040th HES:

5040th HELICOPTER SQUADRON, ELMENDORF AFB, ALASKA

The 5040th Helicopter Squadron was activated at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska (AAC) in 1969. The unit began with H-21B helicopters and pilots that had been assigned to the 21st Operations Squadron, 21st Composite Wing, Alaskan Air Command, at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska.

A new patch was needed and Captain Duane "Smoke" Daily, a talented young officer, rose to the task. The design incorporated the blue sky at the top with the stars of the Big Dipper, which was part of the Alaska State flag. The round white "top of the world" showed our location in the far North with white snows of the glaciers. The yellow "swing" wings of the great flying bird represented the helicopter. In the bird's strong talons were the Lifesaving ring of rescue and the square box of supplies that we carried to the remote radar sites.

Starting in May 1970, the H-21's were replaced with 13 new Sikorsky HH-3E helicopters that were flown 3,350 miles directly from the Sikorsky factory at Stratford, Connecticut to Alaska. The H-21 pilots from Eielson AFB, Fairbanks, Alaska were re-assigned to the 5040th at Elmendorf.

The 5040th Helicopter Squadron was tasked with supporting remote Early Warning Radar Sites and performing Search and Rescue operations in interior Alaska. They were also responsible for "Rescap" for the F-4's of the 43rd Tactical Fighter Squadron stationed at Elmendorf AFB. They stood TDY Alert with the fighters at Eielson AFB, Galena AB, and King Salmon AB, Alaska. The HH-3E helicopter was an excellent aircraft for these tasks because of its speed, cargo capacity, long range in-flight refueling and water landing capabilities.

During the 1971 spring floods in interior Alaska, the 5040th H-3's flew many long hours evacuating and rescuing people from the outlying villages along the Yukon and Koyukuk Rivers in central Alaska. On 25 July 1971, a 5040th flight crew participated in the longest over water rescue for a land-based helicopter. The 10 1/2 hour mission, requiring 3 air-to-air refuelings, took them over 450 miles out to sea to pickup a Korean merchant seaman with acute appendicitis and take him to a Kodiak Island hospital where successful surgery was performed. (Entered into the Congressional Record by Alaska Senator Nick Begich.

One of the favorite sidelights of the 21st Ops and 5040th was "Operation Santa Claus". The pilots gathered donations and the wives assisted in sacking up candy, fruit and other goodies that were then flown to the villages on the Alaska Peninsula near Christmas time. A volunteer to be "Santa" was found among the enlisted men at King Salmon and dressed appropriately. As the helicopter flew over the village, SCHOOL WAS OUT as the eager children ran out to see Santa Claus and get their bag of goodies.

The 5040th HES was responsible for countless rescue missions in and around Cook Inlet and throughout the interior of Alaska. In the first two years of service, the Squadron flew over 10,000 hours.

In 1975, the Squadron was deactivated and aircraft and personnel were transferred to the 71st ARRS (MAC) at Elmendorf. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Gerryleea0106 (talk • contribs) 09:12, 30 March 2010 (UTC)

I was recently reading material from the 1940s which either contradicts or presents clarification issues with some of the page content. My library and Internet access are currently in separate places, so it's necessary for me to come back to that later inasfar as listing sources.

Now, the real issue I wanted to bring up - one of the photo captions says that the railroad tracks on Eielson are the base's own railroad and not part of the Alaska Railroad. I've never heard of such a thing, and there's no citation.

Also, Eielson has a new BX. A block of Central Avenue was vacated in the construction process. I remember the old BX building, and am pretty sure it's not there anymore. I can't say 100 percent, though. RadioKAOS (talk) 19:52, 18 September 2010 (UTC)

Units Assigned to the base list
is missing the 6th Consolidated Maintenance Squadron. They performed maintenance, launch, and recovery of KC-135A,Q, RC-135D,S aircraft. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.224.180.181 (talk) 22:34, 3 April 2011 (UTC)

5055RS (Range Squadron)
I notice that the 5055th Range Squadron is not mentioned. I was with that Squadron from 1984 to 1991 - was known as 343TFW/OTR prior to its change to a squadron circa 1987. Sargonkid (talk) 20:15, 20 January 2012 (UTC)
 * Feel free to be bold and fix it as you see fit! This is the encyclopedia that ANYONE can edit. I'm sure your experience can help shape the nuances of how the squadron operated. Perhaps you can write a paragraph on what the squadron does (that's kind of a large potion of Eielson's mission right now). Buffs (talk) 21:35, 20 January 2012 (UTC)

Date built etc.
In the infobox the built and in use dates refer to 1941 (unreferenced), but the information in the article refers to 1943. Which is it? Danrok (talk) 16:50, 4 April 2014 (UTC)

1955 catastrophe/plane crash
A Republic F-84F-50-RE Thunderstreak(Serial Number: 52-6884) veered off runway on takeoff and crashed into houses near Eielson AFB, Alaska Nov 29, 1955. Pilot and 14 on ground killed. Another 7 severely burned. (source: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/usafserials.html) --93.104.181.175 (talk) 15:57, 12 April 2015 (UTC)

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Article issues

 * This is listed as a B-class article supported by 4 projects ( notified ) with one appearing to be inactive. The criteria (#1) states: The article is suitably referenced, with inline citations. It has reliable sources, and any important or controversial material which is likely to be challenged is cited.
 * There is a section "does not cite any sources" tag dated August 2015. The "External links" section has 18 links. This has grown far too large and is in conflict with WP:LINKFARM (What Wikipedia is not) and WP:ELPOINTS. --  Otr500 (talk) 15:03, 31 May 2021 (UTC)