Hurlburt Field

Hurlburt Field is a United States Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, west of Mary Esther. It was built in 1942 as Eglin Auxiliary Field No. 9, part of the larger Eglin Field. The base was named for First Lieutenant Donald Wilson Hurlburt, who died in an aircraft crash at Eglin in 1943. It was administratively separated from Eglin Air Force Base in the 1950s but retained its original building numbering system. The installation spans nearly 6,700 acres and employs approximately 8,000 military personnel.

Hurlburt Field is currently operational and serves as the home to Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), the 1st Special Operations Wing (1 SOW), the USAF Special Operations School (USAFSOS), and the Air Combat Command's (ACC) 505th Command and Control Wing. The 249th Special Operations Squadron of the Florida Air National Guard was activated here in 2020. Historically, the base reactivated in 1955 after World War II, hosting units like the 17th Bombardment Wing with B-66 aircraft. In the 1960s, it became a center for special operations, hosting the 4400th Combat Crew Training Squadron, known as "Jungle Jim," which flew missions globally. The base has operated various aircraft types, including AC-130 gunships, MC-130 Combat Talons, and CV-22 Ospreys.

The base features a 2,926-meter concrete runway designated 18/36 and a 490.1-meter concrete helipad. It also hosts an airpark preserving the history of Air Commando operations, displaying aircraft such as the AC-119G Shadow, AC-130A Spectre, and MH-53 Pave Low. Hurlburt Field continues to conduct sensitive operations missions worldwide for the Air Force Special Operations Command.