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- [Narrator] 2018 marks the 75th anniversary

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of flying operations at Joint Base Andrews

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Naval Air Facility, Washington.

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(dramatic music)

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The idea of constructing what eventually would be

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Joint Base Andrews took place within a year

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following the attack that brought the US

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into the second World War,

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when President Franklin D Roosevelt directed

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the Secretary of War to acquire the land

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and build a military air field just outside

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of the District of Columbia.

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The most suitable place was just outside a small town

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called Camp Springs, Maryland.

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During the fall of 1942, a contractor sent laborers

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and engineers to take on the challenging task

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of pouring a concrete runway over the winter months.

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All of this took place under the watchful eye

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of a Richmond, Virginia based quartermaster company.

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On 19 April, 1943, a base headquarters

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and air base squadron arrived as the first

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permanently assigned military units shortly before

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the completion of the airfield.

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As part of this build up, a medical detachment

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established an eight-bed dispensary to respond

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to the station's medical needs.

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Camp Springs Army Airfield became operational

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on May 2nd, 1943 when the first republic

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P47 thunderbolt arrived.

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The airfield's early mission was to train fighter pilots

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ensuring their readiness for overseas combat duty.

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The idea to rename Camp Springs Army Airfield

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to Andrews Field came to be when a tragic event took place

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the following day halfway around the world.

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On May 3rd, 1943 in the mountains of Iceland,

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a B24 with Lieutenant General Frank M Andrews went down

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killing 14 of the 15 on board.

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This great loss to the army air forces persuaded

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the Camp Springs commander and fellow bomber pilot

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Colonel William L Boyd, to make a request

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of General Andrews's widow to dedicate the base

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in his name.

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As a result, a dedication ceremony on 31 March 1945

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renamed Camp Springs to Andrews Field in honor

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of Lieutenant General Andrews.

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Andrews Field grew to Andrews Air Force Base

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and the ability to safely host high-ranking leaders

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from various commands evolved when the building known

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as the Baby Pentagon, or Wagon Wheel took shape

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as a hardened facility in 1946.

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Today, higher headquarters and air force level organizations

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still call this base their home.

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In addition to the B47s, the early role of Andrews

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included the hosting of B17s on the flight line

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that were equipped for a unique response role.

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Instead of carrying bombs, these aircraft carried

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lifeboats and flew as part of a consolidation

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of air search and rescue services.

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Within the first five years of flight operations,

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the Air Force selected Andrews to showcase aircraft

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and weapons to President Harry S Truman

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and his staff on 15 February 1949.

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A subsequent call to demonstrate the readiness

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of air power, this time to a wider audience,

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took place in May of 1957 to commemorate

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Armed Forces Day, and Andrews has hosted air shows

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regularly ever since.

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Andrews role in supporting air power readiness

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and responsiveness took place again in May of 1949

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when F80s took place in Black Jack operations

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to test the northeast defense sector.

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The following year in October of 1950,

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a unit still operating at Andrews today,

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the 113 Fighter Wing, activated to take on the role

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of homeland defense.

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Five years later in January of 1955, the 459th

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Troop Carrier Group, known today as the 459th

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Air Refueling Wing, arrived at Andrews

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to provide responsive roles in both air refueling

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and aeromedical evacuation missions.

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On 7 November 1958, Andrews Air Force Base

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dedicated a newly expanded hospital and dental clinic

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to the first surgeon general of the United States Air Force,

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Major General Malcolm Grove, in response

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to the increased medical needs of the Andrews community.

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Another mission that continues today is the Naval

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Air Facility Washingtons.

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As part of the Andrews community since 1961,

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it is currently headquartered on the east side of the base.

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Today the Naval Air Facility ensures the readiness

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of over 6000 selected reservists.

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The first presidential movement from Andrews

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can be traced back to the departure

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of President Truman's aircraft, on November 24, 1946

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for a low key trip to visit family.

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However, the mission to support the special

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air lift missions for senior government and military

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leaders did not formally transfer from Washington National

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until 1961.

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Not long after taking on this demanding role,

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Andrews served as a solemn backdrop for a

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national tragedy following the November 22nd, 1963

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assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas,

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as the base hosted thousands of mourners

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and members of the media.

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The 1001st Air Base Wing continued the special air lift

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role until 1981 when the 89th Air Lift Wing

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assumed the responsibilities that it still

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carries out today.

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Andrews has also responded to ensure the many joyful

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returns and reunions that have taken place

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in the last 75 years.

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Among the many occasions, Andrews welcomed

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the first prisoners of war back from Vietnam in 1973,

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saw the return of the US hostages from Iran in 1981

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and welcomed former POWs from Operation Desert Storm.

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While under the spotlight for high profile visits,

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the critical and uncommon mission to respond

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at a moment's notice to any level of crisis

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revealed itself on 9-11, when helicopter crews

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of the First Helicopter Squadron, scrambled

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to the flight line to deliver medical supplies

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to the Pentagon, and fighters took to the sky

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to protect our nation's capital.

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Rotary Wing Base Response Units have been a part

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of Andrew's history since the 1950s

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and make up the many missions supported

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through the host units throughout the years

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responding to many adverse conditions.

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Throughout the years, Andrews has routinely provided

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support for America's senior officials,

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as well as popes, kings, queens, presidents,

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prime ministers and military leaders

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from foreign nations, sometimes hosting many

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of them on the same day.

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In 2010, the 11th Wing transferred from Joint Base

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Anacostia-Bolling to become the host wing

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of the newly designated Joint Base Andrews

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Naval Air Facility Washington.

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Today, the JBA community continues to work together

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to provide effective response and readiness,

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a tradition that today marks 75 years in the making.