Rhein-Main AB, Germany

As most of you know, I am currently on a Temporary Duty (TDY) Assignment in Germany. I am stationed at Rhein-Main AB near Frankfurt.

I just thought I'd share a little of the bases unique and interesting history.

In 1909, Count von Zeppelin used the area as a landing site for his lighter than air dirigible Z-II. Germany had planned the site for use as one of the most important European air terminals on the continent. In 1936, the base opened for commercial use. The northern part of the base saw use with airplanes and the extreme southern part near Zeppelinheim served as a base for rigid airships. The southern portion of Rhein-Main became the port for the Graf Zeppelin, its sister ship LZ-130, and until May 6, 1937, the ill-fated Hindenburg. The airships were dismantled and their huge hangars demolished on May 6, 1940, when the base was converted for military use. Luftwaffe engineers extended the single runway and erected hangars and other facilities for German military aircraft. During World War II, the Luftwaffe used the field sporadically as a fighter base and as an experimental station for jet aircraft. Allied forces bombed the base heavily in the latter part of 1944 and the beginning of 1945. Rhein-Main completed its drawdown April 1, 1995. The remaining units support more than 2,600 community members, 30 tenant units and maintain contingency facilities for spin-up use by transient airlift aircraft. No aircraft are permanently assigned to the base Officials in Ninth Air Force intended the base for use as a bomber base, but Rhein-Main became a principal European air transport terminal from 1947 to 1959. Rhein-Main was the main western base for the round-the-clock Berlin Airlift, Operation Vittles, from June 1948 to September 1949. In April 1959, U.S. Air Forces in Europe turned over the northern part of the base to the German government for use as a civilian airport. The Flughafen, Frankfurt Airport became the chief commercial airport for the greater Frankfurt area in April 1959. The rest of the base remained under control of USAFE. The base became the principal aerial port for U.S. forces in Germany. On July 1, 1975, the base was assigned to Military Airlift Command. Under terms of an agreement with the Federal Republic of Germany, only transport aircraft have been stationed at Rhein-Main since May 1975. On April 1, 1992, the base was reassigned to USAFE. The base functioned as a major hub for U.S. forces deploying and redeploying for Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The base delivered increasingly larger amounts of humanitarian aid for Operation Provide Comfort, Provide Hope, Restore Hope, Support Hope and the longest sustained humanitarian airlift relief effort in history, Operation Provide Promise. On Dec. 20, 1993, base officials announced plans to draw down to half the size and reduce the active duty force by more than two-thirds. The United States 826th Engineering Aviation Battalion arrived at Rhein-Main in April 1945 and immediately began clearing rubble and reconstructing major buildings. Army engineers built new runways and extended and widened the existing runway. Also, they constructed new aprons and hardstands as well as taxiways leading to the new Rhein-Main passenger terminal completed in 1946. Air traffic into Rhein-Main increased in October 1946 when the air terminal at Orly Field, Paris, France, closed. Rhein-Main then hosted the Eastern Air Transport Service in January 1947.

Obviously that is a brief look at the 60 year history of this base. If I find more I will post it as well.

For more information on Rhein-Main AB check out Global Security.org

SlagleRock Out!

Posted by SlagleRock at April 5, 2005 11:41 PM