History of Dover Air Force Base in Timeline

Dover Air Force Base (AFB) is a U.S. Air Force base located near Dover, Delaware, under the Air Mobility Command (AMC). The 436th Airlift Wing serves as the host wing, operating a significant Department of Defense air freight terminal. The 512th Airlift Wing, part of the Air Force Reserve Command, is co-located at Dover AFB. These two wings operate C-5M Super Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft for airlift missions.

March 1941: Dover Air Force Base Founded

In March 1941, Dover Air Force Base was founded during World War II as a training center for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC), which obtained jurisdiction over the municipal airport at Dover, Delaware.

March 1941: Construction began

In March 1941, construction began on the Municipal Airport, also known as Dover Airdrome, which would later become Dover Air Force Base.

December 7, 1941: Attack on Pearl Harbor

Weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the Dover Airdrome was converted into a U.S. Army Air Corps airfield.

December 17, 1941: Facility Opened

On December 17, 1941, ten days after the Attack on Pearl Harbor, the Dover Air Force Base facility officially opened. It was converted to military use within weeks.

April 8, 1943: Renamed Dover Army Air Base

On April 8, 1943, the airfield was renamed Dover Army Air Base.

June 6, 1943: Renamed Dover Subbase

On June 6, 1943, Dover Army Air Base was renamed Dover Subbase.

February 2, 1944: Renamed Dover Army Airfield

On February 2, 1944, Dover Subbase was renamed Dover Army Airfield.

April 10, 1944: 83rd Fighter Group Redesignated

On April 10, 1944, the 83rd was redesignated the 125th Base Unit, with very little change in its mission.

June 1944: Dover AAB as a sub-base of Camp Springs Army Airfield

Continuing into June 1944, Dover AAB became a sub-base of Camp Springs Army Airfield, Maryland.

September 15, 1944: 125th Base Unit Redesignated

On September 15, 1944, the 125th Base Unit was further redesignated as the 125th Army Air Force base Unit.

September 1, 1946: Dover Army Airfield Placed on Inactive Status

On September 1, 1946, Dover Army Airfield was placed on temporary inactive status due to the drawdown of United States forces after World War II. A small housekeeping unit, the 4404th Base Standby Squadron, remained for care and maintenance.

September 18, 1947: Establishment of the USAF

With the establishment of the United States Air Force (USAF) on September 18, 1947, changes were set in motion that would lead to the renaming of the facility.

January 13, 1948: Redesignation as Dover Air Force Base

On January 13, 1948, the facility was officially redesignated as Dover Air Force Base.

August 1, 1950: Reactivation of Dover Airfield

On August 1, 1950, Dover Airfield was reactivated due to the Korean War and the expansion of the USAF during the Cold War.

February 1, 1951: Arrival of 148th Fighter Interceptor Squadron

On February 1, 1951, the 148th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard arrived at Dover Airfield with P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft.

April 1, 1952: Transfer to Military Air Transport Service

On April 1, 1952, Dover Air Force Base was transferred to the Military Air Transport Service (MATS) and became home to the 1607th Air Transport Wing (Heavy).

1955: Construction of Air Traffic Tower

In 1955, the air traffic tower serving the airfield was built.

1958: Completion of Full Function Hospital

In 1958, a full function hospital was completed at Dover Air Force Base.

1961: Expansion of Base Housing

In 1961, base housing at Dover Air Force Base was expanded to accommodate 1,200 families.

January 1, 1966: Redesignation to Military Airlift Command

On January 1, 1966, the Military Air Transport Service was redesignated as the Military Airlift Command (MAC). The 1607th was discontinued, and the 436th Military Airlift Wing (436th MAW) was activated, assuming the mission at Dover.

1971: Replacement with C-5 Galaxy

In 1971, the 436th MAW started replacing C-141 Starlifters and C-133 Cargomasters with the new C-5 Galaxy.

October 13, 1973: Airlift to Israel During Yom Kippur War

On October 13, 1973, when the Yom Kippur War broke out, the 436th MAW responded with a 32-day airlift, delivering 22,305 tons of munitions and military equipment to Israel.

1973: Transition to All-C-5 Galaxy Fleet

By 1973, Dover Air Force Base had transitioned to an all C-5 Galaxy fleet, becoming the first wing in the USAF to achieve this milestone.

December 9, 1978: Assistance in Evacuation of Americans from Iran

On December 9, 1978, the 436th MAW assisted in the evacuation of Americans from Iran following the Islamic Revolution.

1978: Identification of Jonestown Victims

In 1978, The Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs has also been used to identify remains of civilians in the Jonestown mass murder/suicide.

February 1979: Maj. Gen. Archer L. Durham Command

In February 1979, Retired Maj. Gen. Archer L. Durham commanded the 436th Military Airlift Wing at Dover.

February 1980: End of Maj. Gen. Archer L. Durham Command

In February 1980, Retired Maj. Gen. Archer L. Durham ended his command of the 436th Military Airlift Wing at Dover. At the time it was the Air Force's only all-C-5 Galaxy wing. The Major General Archer L. Durham Award is presented annually at Dover AFB in his honor.

October 13, 1986: Founding of Dover AFB Historical Center

On October 13, 1986, the Dover AFB Historical Center was founded. It was originally housed in three hangars within the main area of the base.

1986: Salvaging and Airlifting of Douglas C-47A Skytrain

In 1986, a battered Douglas C-47A Skytrain was salvaged from a dump at Olmsted Air Force Base near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, after being used for target practice. It was then airlifted to Dover AFB by a Pennsylvania National Guard helicopter. This Douglas C-47A Skytrain became the first aircraft restored for the newly conceptualized museum.

1986: Identification of Space Shuttle Challenger Crew

In 1986, the Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs identified the remains of the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger.

March 1989: Delivery of Equipment for Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Cleanup

In March 1989, C-5s from Dover Air Force Base delivered special equipment used to clean up the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

June 7, 1989: Airlift Rodeo World Record

On June 7, 1989, while attending the Airlift Rodeo, a 436th MAW C-5 set a world record by airdropping 190,346 pounds and 73 paratroopers.

December 1989: Support for Operation Just Cause

In December 1989, the wing flew 16 missions to support Operation Just Cause, the invasion of Panama, continuing into January 1990.

1992: Transfer to Air Mobility Command

In 1992, Dover Air Force Base was transferred to the newly established Air Mobility Command.

1994: Addition to National Register of Historic Places

In 1994, Building 1301 at Dover Air Force Base, which houses the Air Mobility Command Museum, was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

1995: Official Recognition of Museum Status

In 1995, the Dover AFB Historical Center was officially recognized with museum status.

1996: Relocation of the Museum

In 1996, the Dover AFB Museum moved to its current location.

February 5, 1997: Official Naming as AMC Museum

On February 5, 1997, Air Mobility Command officially named the Dover AFB Museum as the AMC Museum.

1997: Highway Access and Revenue Contribution since 1997

Since 1997, Dover Air Force Base has been served by three highway exits with Delaware Route 1. Dover AFB provides almost $470 million a year in revenue to the city of Dover, making it the third largest industry in Delaware.

2000: 2000 Census

2000 Census

2000: Household and Family Characteristics in 2000

According to the 2000 census, 76.1% of the 1,032 households had children under 18, 90.2% were married couples, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband, and 1.4% were non-families. 1.2% of households were individuals, and 0.2% had someone 65 or older. The average household size was 3.29, and the average family size was 3.30.

2000: Population and Demographics as of 2000

As of the census of 2000, the population of the base was 3,394 people, residing in 1,032 households and 1,017 families. The population density was 5,061.6 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the base was 72.57% White, 16.59% African American, 0.77% Native American, 1.86% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 2.80% from other races, and 5.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.75% of the population.

September 11, 2001: Support for Pentagon Recovery Efforts

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, U.S. Army mortuary specialists organized support for Pentagon recovery efforts out of Dover Air Force Base. This effort evolved into the Joint Personal Effects Depot.

February 18, 2003: Collapse of Warehouse Sections

On February 18, 2003, two sections of the 436th Aerial Port Squadron warehouse collapsed due to a record snowstorm, causing over $1 million in damages but no injuries.

2003: Identification of Space Shuttle Columbia Crew

In 2003, the Charles C. Carson Center for Mortuary Affairs identified the remains of the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia.

2003: Transfer of Joint Personal Effects Depot

In 2003, the Joint Personal Effects Depot, which had been operating at Dover Air Force Base, was transferred to Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.

2003: First C-5 Landing in Iraq

In late 2003, an aircrew from Dover's 3rd Airlift Squadron landed the first C-5 in Iraq at Baghdad International Airport, signifying the base's support for operations in the region.

2008: Oldest Air Traffic Tower in USAF

By 2008, the air traffic tower serving the airfield, built in 1955, was the oldest such tower in use in the USAF.

February 9, 2009: Delivery of First C-5M "Super Galaxy"

On February 9, 2009, Dover Air Force Base became the first air force base to receive the new C-5M "Super Galaxy", named "The Spirit of Global Reach".

October 28, 2009: President Obama Visits Dover AFB

On the night of October 28, 2009, President Barack Obama visited Dover Air Force Base to receive the bodies of several American soldiers killed in Afghanistan before deciding on troop committal.

2009: New Air Traffic Tower

In 2009, Dover Air Force Base received a new 128-foot tall air traffic tower, overlapping the original 103-foot tower which was later donated to the Air Mobility Command Museum.

2010: Dover Base Housing Population in 2010

In 2010, the population of Dover Base Housing, a census-designated place, was recorded at 3,450.

2011: Return of Joint Personal Effects Depot

In April 2011, the Joint Personal Effects Depot returned to Dover Air Force Base with the opening of a new $14 million custom-built facility.

February 2, 2015: Closure of Runway 01-19 for Repairs

On February 2, 2015, the 9,600 foot runway 01-19 at Dover Air Force Base was closed for repairs.

2015: Museum Collection and Staff Size in 2015

As of 2015, the Dover Air Force Base museum's collection included 33 airframes and was supported by a staff of more than 170 volunteers.

September 23, 2016: Re-opening of Runway 01-19

On September 23, 2016, the 9,600 foot runway 01-19, which had been closed for repairs, was re-opened for operation at Dover Air Force Base.

May 2022: Thunder Over Dover Air Show

In May 2022, Dover Air Force Base hosted Thunder Over Dover, its most recent air show. The show featured static displays of military aircraft and equipment, as well as flight demonstrations by the United States Air Force Thunderbirds and United States Navy Blue Angels demonstration teams.