Photo By Master Sgt. Joey Swafford | From left, U.S. Air Force Col. Raymond Kozak, 349th Air Mobility Wing commander, Col....... read more read more
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Travis Air Force Base, California, held a kickoff celebration Feb. 8, with a new logo unveiling for its 75th Anniversary.
The ceremony commemorated and honored the past 75 years of American power with heritage walkabout displays, food and live music.
Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa), 3rd Senate District, was the keynote speaker for the celebration and helped base leadership unveil the official 75th Anniversary logo on a C-17 Globemaster III.
“The impact this base has had and continues to have in our communities cannot be overstated,” said Dodd. “You stand ready to bear any burden to defend our nation, you protect and preserve our freedoms every day and you are the guardians of our democracy. For the next 75 years, you will continue to enrich our community and defend our nation.”
For the past 75 years, Travis AFB has been a focal point for the world as a power projection platform, a means to deliver hope and a mission fueled by community support.
“We have great civilian partners in the area here,” said Col. Ruth Meyer, 621st Contingency Response Wing individual mobilization augmentee and representative for the 621st CRW commander. “We wouldn’t have been able to have the impact that we have in the community, in the country and around the world, if it wasn’t for the support we have from our community partnerships and the support they give our families while we’re gone, doing our job.”
Travis AFB is home to the largest airlift organization in the U.S. Air Force; however, it began as Fairfield-Suisun Army Air Base, an isolated airstrip set in the middle of a wind-swept prairie during World War II.
The first runway and temporary buildings were constructed in the summer of 1942. Shortly after, the base’s potential as a major aerial port and supply transfer point for the Pacific theater led the Army Air Corps to assign it to the newly-designated Air Transport Command. The base finally opened on June 1, 1943, with a primary mission of preparing and ferrying military aircraft for the Pacific war zone.
Travis AFB is named in honor of Brig. Gen. Robert F. Travis who was killed when his B-29 Superfortress crashed on the installation August 5, 1950.
From 1969 to the present, the 60th and 349th Air Mobility Wings have worked closely to make Travis AFB one of the best and most versatile bases in the Air Force.
“For 50 of the 75 years, the Reserves have been here as a reserve associate wing, which was a new concept back then, working alongside their active duty counterparts, proud to show up for duty at this great base and bring synergy to the mission,” said Col. Raymond Kozak, 349th Air Mobility Wing commander. “The reserve associate concept has flourished here at Travis. Citizen Airmen of Northern California are proud to report to this base, join the host wing and move the mission.”
Continuing its tradition as a major strategic logistics hub for the Pacific, Travis AFB has become an integral part of global power projection for the total force.
“Strategically located on the central western coast of our great nation, we are here for a reason,” said Col. John Klein, 60th AMW commander. “Over the years, we’ve undergone many transitions and changes, but always with the top priority of supporting and defending our nation. Today, we aspire to be America’s finest mobility force, serving locally and engaging globally. We stand ready to fulfill our mission to rapidly project American power, anytime…anywhere.”
The ceremony marked the inaugural kickoff to a year-long celebration with additional events scheduled throughout the year to celebrate 75 years, to include:
• Travis Heritage Center event on March 16.
• Community Golf Tournament on April 7.
• Travis Spouse’s Club Auction on May 19
• 75th Anniversary Dining-In on June 1.
• 7.5-Mile Runway Run on September 15.
• Air Force Gala on September 22.
For more information about the upcoming events, visit: http://www.travis.af.mil/75thAnniversary/.
| Date Taken: | 02.09.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 02.22.2018 15:28 |
| Story ID: | 266864 |
| Location: | TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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