AIR FORCE BASES
OF THE UNITED STATES


WALKER AIR FORCE BASE:
Previous Names
Roswell Army Airfield, on .
Date of Current Name: 19 June 1949.
Deactivated: 30 June 1967.

Located 8 miles south of Roswell, New Mexico, about 190 miles east-south eastern of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Named in honor of General John Kenneth Cannon (1892-1955). General Cannon received his wings in 1922 and held a variety of command positions in World War II, including command of all air operations for the invasion of Southern Europe in August 1944 and Commander in Chief, Allied Air Forces in the Mediterranean Theater. In 1950 he returned to Europe as Commander in Chief USAFE. General Cannon retired in 1954 as Commanding General, Tactical Air Command. Construction began on 3 September 1942. Date of establishment on 1 June 1942.

Base Operating Units:
  • 27th Combat Support Group, on 8 June 1969.

    Major Commands to Which Assigned:
  • Strategic Air Command, on ;

    Units Assigned:
    Divisions
  • 47th Air Division, between 10 February 1951 and 16 June 1952.

    Wings
  • 33rd Fighter Wing, between 25 August 1947 and 16 November 1948.
  • 509th Bombardment Wing, Very Heavy, between 17 November 1947 and 1 August 1948.
  • 509th Bombardment Wing, Medium, between 1 August 1948 and 1 July 1958.
  • 6th Bombardment Wing, Medium, between 2 January 1951 and 16 June 1952.
  • 6th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, between 16 June 1952 and 1 May 1962.
  • 6th Strategic Aerospace Wing, between 1 May 1962 and 30 June 1967.

    Groups
  • 509th Bombardment Group, Very Heavy, between 16 September 1947 and 17 November 1947.

    Major Off-Base and Detached Installations:
  • Clovis Air Force Range #1 (redesignated as Clovis Small Arms Range Annex), Clovis, New Mexico. Until 10 September 1957. Initial deployment of the B-52E in late 1957 was to the 6th Bomb Wing stationed at Walker Air Force Base. 579SMS, Walker AFB B-36 6th Bombardment Wing, August 1952, August 1957, Walker AFB, New Mexico 24th Bombardment Squadron 39th Bombardment Squadron 40th Bombardment Squadron Walker AFB Roswell NM in Base Flight on T-33's Nike site Time Line Factoid 1 Feb 1963 6th AMMS Activated 1966 Commander Maj Horace Codling 25 Mar 1967 6th AMMS Deactivated KB-29P 47th Air Division Walker AFB, New Mexico 1951-53 01 Aug 1951-1 Jul 1953 307 Air Refueling Squadron,Medium, having KB-29 (20) transferred less (without) equipment and personnel from Davis-Monthan to Walker. Relieved from assignment to 43 BW, Medium. Attached to 47th Air Division. 1 Aug 1951 (SAC GO 62, 2 Aug 51) In August 1951, upon relocating to Walker Air Force Base, New Mexico, the 307th refueled other aircraft by using the KB-29P, a boom type refueling system. It was at Walker that the squadron performed the first U.S. Air Force over-water fighter refueling mission


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