Bangor Air National Guard Base

Bangor Air National Guard Base is located at Bangor International Airport in Bangor, Maine. The facility originated in 1927 as Godfrey Field, a commercial airport. The United States Army Air Corps assumed control of the site prior to World War II, redesignating it Bangor Army Air Field and subsequently Dow Field in 1942. During the war, the installation served as a maintenance and servicing point for Lend-Lease aircraft and heavy bombers, including B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators, transiting the North Atlantic ferry route. In 1948, the site became Dow Air Force Base. The 14th Fighter Group operated P-47N Thunderbolts from the base for regional air defense. During the 1950s, the facility underwent reconstruction, involving the installation of a jet runway and new structures on the north side of the airfield. Strategic Air Command utilized the base for fighter and bomber operations, including wings of F-84 Thunderjets, B-52 Stratofortresses, and KC-135 tankers. Dow Air Force Base closed in 1968, with the majority of the property transferred to the city of Bangor, while the Maine Air National Guard retained its facilities through a lease agreement.

The base is currently operated by the Air National Guard and hosts the 101st Air Refueling Wing. The wing is operationally gained by the Air Mobility Command. Stationed units include the 101st Operations Group, the 101st Maintenance Group, the 101st Medical Group, and the 101st Mission Support Group. The 132nd Air Refueling Squadron is the primary flying component. The base also hosts the Maine Army National Guard’s Army Aviation Support Facility. The 101st Air Refueling Wing operates the KC-135R Stratotanker. The base shares runway facilities with Bangor International Airport. Historical infrastructure included the headquarters for the 776th Radar Squadron, which managed over-the-horizon backscatter radar sites until 1997.