Washington’s Air Bases: Supporting Our Nation for Decades

Washington state has played a significant role in the history of the Air Force. Notable locations include McChord Air Force Base, which is now part of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and Larson Air Force Base, which has been converted into Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake. Additionally, Fairchild Air Force Base, located near Spokane, remains a central hub for Air Force tankers. There was also a base in Walla Walla, along with some early air defense units, highlighting the state's deep military aviation roots. Let's explore the history and present of U.S. Air Force bases in Washington.

McChord Air Force Base

McChord Field was named after Colonel William McChord in 1940. It became an independent base when the U.S. Air Force was established in 1947 and was later designated as McChord Air Force Base. In 2010, it merged with Fort Lewis to form Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM).

The planes you will see are C-17 Globemaster IIIs, operated by the 62nd Airlift Wing alongside its Reserve partner, the 446th Airlift Wing. Together, they conduct approximately 40 missions worldwide, which include airdrop training and resupply runs to Antarctica. The C-17s serve as the backbone of the base's airlift operations.

Additionally, the 191st Air Refueling Squadron conducts operations with C-17s from JBLM. However, their primary focus is air refueling missions, which may involve coordination with other aircraft, such as tankers, in conjunction with the C-17s.

Larson Air Force Base (Moses Lake) 

Originally opened as a training base during World War II, the facility was named Moses Lake Army Air Base, where P-38 Lightning and B-17 bombers were trained. In 1948, it was renamed Larson Air Force Base in honor of World War II ace Donald A. Larson.

During the Cold War, the base served to protect the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and hosted a squadron of B-52 bombers. Due to cost-cutting measures in the mid-1960s, military operations at the airbase ceased, and it transitioned to Grant County Airport. In 1968, Japan Airlines began utilizing Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake for training purposes, including programs for trainee pilots, co-pilots, and flight engineers on Boeing 747s. Additionally, the airport's extended runway was designated as a backup landing site for the Space Shuttle.  Boeing also uses it to test new passenger jets before delivery.

The property now serves as Grant County International Airport and houses other facilities, including Big Bend Community College.

Fairchild Air Force Base (Spokane)

The base, named after General Muir S. Fairchild, was established as a key Strategic Air Command installation, with B-52 bombers always on high alert.

Fairchild is currently home to the KC-135 Stratotanker of the 92nd Air Refueling Wing.

Walla Walla Air Base

In the 1930s and early 1940s, the Walla Walla Airport was operated by the city of Walla Walla. In 1942, the Department of Defense took control of the airport, using it as a training base for B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators. In late December 1947, the U.S. government returned the airfield to civilian use.

In 1962, the US Air Force returned to Walla Walla. From 1962 to 1974, an F-106 squadron was stationed here as a backup.

"If McChord, Larson and Fairchild bases got bombed by any foreign countries, we could fly F-106 Delta Darts at speeds of 1400 mph out of here loaded with nuclear missiles," -US Air Force Sgt. Don Schack (stationed in Walla Walla)