Peterson Space Force Base

Peterson Space Force Base (1942-Active) - A U.S. Space Force Base first established in 1942 as Colorado Springs Army Air Base, in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado. Renamed Peterson Field later in 1942 after 1st Lt Edward J. Peterson who was killed in a P-38 Lightning aircraft crash at the field on 8 Aug 1942. In 1945, shortly after the end of World War II, the Army inactivated the base returning the property to the city of Colorado Springs. In 1947, after the U.S. Air Force, was created, the base was reactivated from 29 Sep 1947 to 15 Jan 1948, and again from 22 Sep 1948, into 1949. The Air Force reactivated Peterson Field once more following the Jan. 1951 establishment of Air Defense Command at Ent AFB in Colorado Springs – now where the USA Olympic Training Center is located. On March 1, 1976, Peterson Field was renamed Peterson AFB. Peterson AFB was renamed Peterson Space Force Base in July 2021. NORAD/USNORTHCOM Headquarters Peterson Air Force Base 2006. Peterson Air Force Base Museum. Restored Hanger Now a Part of Peterson Air Force Base Museum. Peterson Name Chronology Name From To Colorado Springs Army Air Base 28 Apr 1942 13 Dec 1942 Peterson Army Air Base 13 Dec 1942 31 Dec 1945 Peterson Field 29 Sep 1947 15 Jan 1948 Peterson Field 22 Sep 1948 1949- Peterson Field Jan 1951 1 Mar 1976 Peterson Air Force Base 1 Mar 1976 July 2021 Peterson Space Force Base July 2021 Active World War II A site adjacent to the existing Colorado Springs Municipal Airport was selected for a new Army airfield known as Colorado Springs Army Air Base, established on 28 Apr 1942. Temporary facilities were established and the runway was made ready by August 1942. The base was renamed Peterson Army Air Base on 13 Dec 1942. Also known as Peterson Field. By the end of the summer of 1943, the base had tar paper barracks, an officer's club, and a theater in a Quonset hut. The base transferred to Second Air Force on 1 Oct 1943, and in June 1944 Peterson Field began fighter pilot training with P-40N Warhawks. Bomber units began training in 1943 and continued until the base was inactivated on 31 Dec 1945. Post World War II The base was declared surplus on 29 Jul 1946 and many of the buildings were torn down. It was reactivated on 29 Sep 1947 with new construction but remained surplus until after November 1950. Cold War The base was renamed Peterson Air Force Base on 1 Mar 1975, when Ent Air Force Base was shut down. As the Air Defense command structure formed at nearby Ent Air Force Base in the 1950s, Peterson Field played a supporting role, first with Ent AFB and the formation of NORAD. On 12 Mar 1981 Gen James V. Hartinger, then NORAD Commander, selected Peterson AFB as the site for the Backup Facility to the NORAD Cheyenne Mountain Complex. On 16 Nov 1982, the NORAD COC Backup Facility at Peterson AFB achieved Full Operational Capability (FOC). It was then able to assume command and control functions from Cheyenne Mountain if that facility experienced a major failure. USSPACECOMM, Air Force Space Command personnel moved from the Chidlaw Building to Building 1 at Peterson AFB in November-December 1987, that building was renamed the Hartinger Building in April 2003. NORAD moved to building no. 2 on Peterson AFB in January 1988, that building was renamed the Eberhart-Findley Building in 2012. Post 9/11 The 9/11 terror attack revealed serious deficiencies in the air defense system and readiness that required years to correct and reidentification of threats to the homeland. The Cheyenne Mountain Realignment moved NORAD/USNORTHCOM operations to Peterson AFB in 2006 and the 76th Space Control Facility was constructed at Peterson (the squadron activated on 22 January 2008.) Peterson AFB hosts the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) headquarters, the Air Force Space Command headquarters, and the United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) headquarters. The primary NORAD/NORTHCOM operations command center has been located on Peterson AFB since the 2006 Cheyenne Mountain Realignment swapped locations of the primary and alternate command centers with nearby Cheyenne Mountain Complex. Peterson Space Force Base On 20 Dec 2019, the U.S. Space Force was created to consolidate all the military space programs and facilities. Peterson Air Force Base was one of the six Air Force Bases brought into the new service. Peterson SFB shares runways with the Colorado Springs Airport. On 22 Jul 2020, the 21st Space Wing was reorganized as part of Space Base Delta 1. Peterson AFB was then renamed Peterson Space Force Base in July 2021. Peterson Air and Space Museum FPS-35 Radar Model at Peterson AFB Museum. EC-121 Radar Aircraft at Peterson AFB Museum. EC-121 Radar Supervisors Position. Texas Tower Radar Platform Model at Peterson AFB Museum. F-15 (foreground) and F-106 (Background) Interceptors at Peterson AFB Museum. Peterson Air and Space Museum is located on the base. This museum celebrates all aspects of the air defense mission including radar sites, the SAGE System, Texas Towers, Cheyenne Mountain, missile, and space defense systems. The outside aircraft displays include an EC-121 early-warning radar aircraft, an F-106 Interceptor, an F-15 Interceptor as well as BOMARC and NIKE anti-aircraft missile systems. The EC-121 aircraft display is especially revealing because the plane is fully equipped with radar gear and can be walked through. Very knowledgeable docents and guides. Location: Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado. Maps & Images Lat: 38.82092 Long: -104.70753 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 6,035' GPS Locations: 38.82092, -104.70753 Peterson Space Force Base See Also: Active Air Force Bases Sources: USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 2511974 Links: Wikipedia - Peterson Air Force Base Official Site Peterson SFB Colorado Fortification ID: CO0000 - Peterson Space Force Base CO0000 - Colorado Springs Army Air Base CO0000 - Peterson Army Air Base CO0000 - Peterson Field CO0000 - Peterson Air Force Base Visited: 15 Jul 2015