Rosecrans Air National Guard Base

Rosecrans Air National Guard Base is located at Rosecrans Memorial Airport in Saint Joseph, Missouri. The installation was established in the 1940s as St. Joseph Army Air Field and named in honor of Guy Wallace Rosecrans, a U.S. Army Air Service airman. In July 1942, the Air Transport Command’s Ferrying Division assumed control of the field, which served as the 1st Operational Training Unit. This unit included the 561st Army Air Force Base Unit and several specialized engineering and training squadrons. Administrative control of the base transferred to the U.S. Air Force in 1947. In 1948, the facility was conveyed to the City of Saint Joseph, with the exception of 142 acres retained for use by the Air National Guard.

The base is currently controlled by the Missouri Air National Guard and operated by the U.S. Air Force. The 139th Airlift Wing serves as the host unit and is operationally gained by the Air Mobility Command. The installation also houses the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center (AATTC), a tenant activity that provides combat tactics and academic training for C-130 aircrews. Training is conducted for personnel from the Air National Guard, the Air Force Reserve Command, the active-duty U.S. Air Force, sister services, and allied nations. Other units stationed at the facility include the 180th Airlift Squadron and the 241st Air Traffic Control Squadron.

The 139th Airlift Wing operates C-130H2 Hercules theater airlift aircraft. The base shares airfield infrastructure with Rosecrans Memorial Airport and maintains specialized facilities to support the instruction and mission requirements of the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center.