Plattsburgh Air Force Base

Plattsburgh Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC) base covering 3,447 acres (13.7 km²) in the extreme northeast corner of New York, 20 miles (32 km) south of the Canadian border. It is located on the western shore of Lake Champlain opposite Burlington, Vermont, in the city of Plattsburgh, New York.

The base closed on 25 September 1995, pursuant to the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Act of 1990 (10 U.S.C. Sec. 2687 note) and the recommendations of the Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission. It is now a civilian airport and industrial complex, operated by the Plattsburgh Air Base Development Authority. The airfield is now known as Plattsburgh International Airport.

Previous designations

 * Plattsburgh Air Force Base (1955-25 September 1995)

Major commands to which assigned
Major commands to which the base was assigned:
 * Strategic Air Command, 1954 – June 1, 1992
 * Air Mobility Command, 1 June 1992 – 25 September 1995

Major units assigned

 * 308th Bombardment Wing (Wing existed on paper at Plattsburgh, but was inoperational)
 * 373d Bombardment Squadron (Medium)
 * 374th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)
 * 375th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)
 * 425th Bombardment Squadron (Medium)
 * 380th Bomb Wing
 * 26th Air Refueling Squadron (7 August 1957 – 31 July 1959)
 * 310th Air Refueling Squadron (25 January 1967 – 30 September 1995)
 * 380th Air Refueling Squadron (16 August 1956 – April 1961; 15 September 1964 – 30 September 1995)
 * 528th Bomb Squadron (11 July 1955 – 30 September 1995)
 * 529th Bombardment Squadron (11 July 1955 – 25 June 1966 and 6 January 1971 – 30 September 1995)
 * 530th Bombardment Squadron (11 July 1955 – 25 June 1966)
 * 531st Bombardment Squadron (1 May 1959 – 1 January 1962)
 * 556th Strategic Missile Squadron: 15 September 1964 – 25 June 1965)
 * 497th Air Refueling Wing (1 January 1963 – 15 September 1964)
 * 26th Air Refueling Squadron (1 January 1963 – 15 September 1964)
 * 380th Air Refueling Squadron (1 January 1963 – 15 September 1964)
 * 820th Strategic Aerospace Division
 * 556th Strategic Missile Squadron

Second half of the Cold War
Built during the Cold War, Plattsburgh AFB's runway is large enough to land the space shuttle. It was on a list of alternate landing sites for the space shuttle. Space shuttle Columbia astronaut Michael P. Anderson, born at Plattsburgh AFB, was an Air Force pilot at Plattsburgh AFB when he got selected by NASA in 1994.

Base culture
Earl Stevenson, TSGT USAF (Ret. dec.), the subject of the memoir, "Strictly a Loner: My Life and Times with Plattsburgh's Poorest Millionaire" learned to play the stock market from his commander at Vandenberg AFB in the late 1950s. After space-A hopping around the world, he stopped in Plattsburgh, New York in 1966 and began renting rooms in the Northern New York city. He was often seen at the Base Hospital, the NCO club (image in book) and base Thrift Shop. He also frequented the Skyway Plaza.

Current status
After the base was decommissioned, the Plattsburgh Airbase Redevelopment Corporation (PARC) was created to manage the 5000 acre property. PARC split up the base into 165 parcels for redevelopment.

On 16 and 17 August 1996, PARC hosted a massive music concert on the runway of the old decommissioned airbase featuring the band Phish. 70,000 people attended this concert known as the Clifford Ball which added $20 million to the local economy.

Current PARC tenants on former airbase properties leased by PARC include Wood Group Pratt & Whitney Industrial Turbine Services (the first and longest continuous tenant), Bombardier, Composite Factory, Inc., ORC Macro, Pratt & Whitney, GSM Vehicles (vintage trailer restoration) and the Westinghouse Air Brake Company (WABCO).

The U.S. Air Force lists Plattsburgh among its BRAC "success stories." The base's reuse and the circumstances surrounding it were chronicled in Flying High Again: PARC's Redevelopment of Plattsburgh Air Force Base, written by Marian Calabro and published by CorporateHistory.net in 2008.

While digging for new PARC construction was underway low level nuclear materials (such as contaminated protective clothing) were found buried. The levels of radiation were safe and the area was decontaminated.

Geography
Plattsburgh AFB is bordered by the city of Plattsburgh and the Saranac River to the north and the Salmon River to the south. It lies on the western shore of Lake Champlain on the New York-Vermont border.